Page 52 of From Best To Bested

“It was just a little partying too hard,” Roman said, shoving past Levi. “Some of us can actually have fun without ODing.”

Regret stabbed Roman the second the words left his lips, the second he twisted his own pain into something that’d hurt Levi.

“I didn’t mean that,” Roman said, unable to look at Levi’s face. “I just got a little too wild is all.”

“You got too wild, or that piece of shit made you?”

“I did this,” Roman insisted. “I said yes. I wanted this.”

Levi grabbed ahold of Roman and pulled him close. The tight grip made his wrists throb.

“This is what you wanted?” Levi showed Roman his bruised arms, and then he touched his neck ever so gently, turning Roman’s head. “And that? You said yes to getting choked out?”

He hadn’t said yes to everything. But he hadn’t said no. He never said no. But he knew he had a choice. Ezra always gave him a choice. Roman clung to that almost as hard as Levi clung to Roman’s wrist.

Roman shook his head and pulled away from Levi. He was confusing things, confusing Roman.

“Sup, pretty pink princess.” Jake breezed down the empty hallway, practically materializing from nowhere.

Roman knew this wasn’t random. He’d fucked Jake last night—well, been fucked by him—and now he’d shown up to the infirmary. This was a warning many men got if they thought something happened that hadn’t happened.

“I had so much fun last night,” Jake said with a swagger. “I’ve spent years dreaming of what we could do together; I had no idea it’d be this fun.”

Fun.

Roman hunched, quelling Jake’s voice, silencing the memories his happiness carried. The light lilt in his voice, the joy in his raspy whisper, it carried a tidal wave of memories Roman didn’t want to piece together.

“Show me what a good bitch you are,” Jake’s venomous voice rang loudly in Roman’s thoughts. “Show me how much you like it.”

Heavy, sweaty bodies one after another in such a haze the only thing Roman could truly track was the sound of slapping skin and his muffled whimpers. Then came the gentle smacks. Lips pressed to his. Lips pressed to his neck. Lips whispering in his ear.

“The things you’ve learned with the champion,” Jake had said. “The things I can still teach you.”

“Get. The fuck. Away from him.” The bass in Levi’s voice dropped to absolute gravel as he growled out each word slowly and threateningly.

“Oh, bestie boyfriend has a temper.” Jake took the attitude the same way he took everything, as an open invitation to taunt and provoke. “I remember you used to be so nice and quiet.”

“Not anymore.” Levi snarled, fists clenched and body an instant from attacking. “Back. The fuck. Away.”

“And if I don’t?” Jake tilted his head, enticed by Levi.

Levi didn’t respond, merely fumed with each breath, chest and biceps flexed, ready for a confrontation.

Curiously, Jake poked Roman’s face. Before he could even attempt something else, Levi snatched Jake by the wrist and throat and slammed him against the wall. When Jake resisted, Levi headbutted him, sending a splash of fresh red to the bandages over Jake’s nose, and twisted his arm further back. It was only when Jake gurgled and gasped and his legs gave out to the fight that Levi released him.

With a helping shove, Levi pushed Jake to the ground and pressed his foot over one of Jake’s hands. Roman hadn’t noticed at first, but Jake was reaching for something pocketed, a blade most likely, and Levi put a quick and painful stop to it.

“Don’t ever go near Roman again,” Levi said. “Don’t look at him. Don’t talk to him. Don’t even breathe the same fucking air as him.”

“But we were breathing the same fucking air while I fucked him for hours,” Jake said with a laugh. “Can’t expect me to give up on that pretty pink princess after he let me wreck that pretty pink hole.”

Levi pressed his foot further until Roman could hear Jake’s hand crack. He shouted and raged, but all Levi did was lean forward and punch Jake until he silenced his own outbursts.

“You’re feistier than I remember.” Jake pointed a finger with his free hand. “I considered bending you over once upon a time. I like ‘em big and dumb, but meek boys bore me. You didn’t have any fight in you, and railing the fight outta a guy is half the fun. Just ask sweetness over there.”

Levi looked down on Jake, still crushing his hand, still debating whether to attack him. Roman could see it in his eyes, so furious and unlike Levi. Roman hated himself for letting Levi sink this low, throw away all his kind thoughts and turn violent. Especially for someone like Roman.

“Might have to revisit this romance.” Jake gestured to himself and Levi as if they were having a moment instead of mutual threats. “I wonder if you’ll cry as much as your boyfriend.”

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