Page 89 of The Friend Zone

My eyes are closed and it takes me a few seconds to get my bearings as my whole body is still shaking with a violent, almost painful orgasm.

“Day-um,” Travis barks, bringing me back to reality. “We’ve done this task a few times, dude, but this is a first. Usually the pledges are either too grossed out by the leftover jizz and fail—it’s yogurt by the way, we would never jeopardize a brother’s health like that—or they get their freak on and just go at it with gusto. I’ve never seen anyone fucking her tits like you did. I don’t know if I feel disappointed that you didn’t go for thebuttered donut or impressed that you thought out of the box. I guess it’s weird more than anything that I’ve never thought about it, since Rosie has huge jugs.”

I ignore him, sliding down the table and getting back to my feet. I tuck myself back in, but my cock is still painfully hard. I guess the molly took a minute to act, but now my system is in complete overdrive.

“That’s it, brother,” Travis slaps me on the back. “You’ve passed your initiation with flying colors. And I think I’ve found the perfect nickname for you on the ice. Jugs. I’m going to announce it when we announce the results, but how you earned that name will remain a secret between big brother and little brother.”

BAY

There’s a beat of silence when Jagger concludes his story.

I’m supposed to be mad at him, and I still am. Don’t get me wrong. A part of me understands why he panicked, though.

Ryker is the first one who talks in the secret room of the Gamma house basement. “That was quite the initiation. I had to break into the arena at Hemlock and skate naked for about ten minutes.”

I can’t help but giggle at Ryker. “That must have been quite a sight.”

His laugh is self-deprecating. “Yeah, right? I promise you, Cinnamon, the cold air into the arena doesn’t do a guy any favors.”

Jagger makes a pained noise that attracts our attention; he’s staring at the trunk where he said Rosie is kept as if the Gamma house resident sex doll could jump out to bite him.

“Let’s get out of here,” he says, his eyes bouncing around the room to avoid looking me and Ryker in the eye. “This was obviously a useless exercise. Maybe Topher keeps that video in his pocket or somewhere truly out of reach. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t even on campus.”

I consider his words. “No, I disagree. It’s not the way Topher operates. If he threatened you with that video, it means he can release it at any time. It must be on campus and Topher considers the Gamma house his territory. It has to be in the house.”

We file out of the basement just in time for my pizza to arrive. “Let’s eat something,” I offer.

We eat in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts.

I can’t stop wondering where Topher could have hidden that video. I’m sure it must be a physical copy. He wouldn’t risk keeping it anywhere someone could hack into. I know my ex too well.

Thinking makes me hungry and I realize I polished off two slices of pizza. “You don’t like extra spicy pepperoni?” I ask.

Jagger barely touched the only slice he put in his place, his golden eyes fixed on me. “No, the pizza is good. I’m not hungry, sorry.”

Being mad at him doesn’t mean I don’t understand his concerns. “We’ll find that video. Just give me some time to think about where Topher could have hidden it.” I place my hand on his much larger one on pure instinct, almost without thinking.

His gaze zeroes in on our hands for a long moment. Then those intense hazel eyes come up to look at me. I feel his gaze like a slow, sensual caress. Goosebumps scatter on my arm, my nipples harden as if Jagger was running his fingers over my skin.Whether I’m mad at him or not, nothing changes the way his touch affects me. It takes one look from Jagger to get my entire body humming with need.

“I’m sorry, Bay,” he says, lowering his gaze. “I know I fucked up anyway, but I understand if what I did for my initiation is a deal breaker.”

“It’s not.” The words leave my mouth before I can give the entire thing more consideration.

He looks at me again, as if he doesn’t believe what he’s hearing. “Come again?”

I sigh, more confused than ever. Jagger broke my heart and my feelings right now are all over the place. “Look, I understand why you don’t want that video to become viral. I get why you’d be embarrassed if your parents saw it. But it isn’t a deal breaker for me.”

Something flashes in Jagger’s eyes. For the most part, it’s fear, but there’s a hint of hope in the golden depth of his eyes.

The green flecks in his irises expand as I look at my hand, still on his.

“The deal breaker is how you ended things between us. You chose to hurt me rather than trusting me with the truth.”

He lowers his gaze. “I know I hurt you, Nova. You can be honest though if what I did is such a turn off that you wouldn’t be able to be with me even if I managed to earn your forgiveness.”

The raw honesty in his voice pulls at my heartstrings. “Jagger, it’s more complicated than that. I want to be totally honest with you, because I care about you. I care so damn much. When I thought you moved on, it wouldn’t have hurt me that much if I didn’t.”

It’s strange, but telling him how I really feel makes me feel so exposed. More exposed than when I let him explore my body in away no one else had ever done before him. “What you did in that basement isn’t a deal breaker. If anything, it was… kinda hot.”

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