Page 50 of The Boy Who Loved Wicked
Mason.
“Let him in,” I whispered in a panic. He thought I was sick, and he was my ride. He wouldn’t go away until he confirmed I was okay.
Sebastian shook his head. “You are not leaving with him.”
“Phoenix?” That was Danny. As if things couldn’t get any worse.
“Are you insane? Are you trying to get caught?”
He pulled his mask down and stepped to the sink to wash his hands.
I opened the door. “Hey, I’m okay.” Danny and Mason peered past me to Sebastian. “Mr. Wicked came in while I was puking my life away. He was nice enough to block the door with the trash bin to help me avoid embarrassment.” It was a weak explanation, but Mason didn’t know to dig deeper for the truth. Danny eyed the trash bin on the other side of the restroom.
“Hello, gentlemen,” Sebastian said. His mask hid how haggard he looked. “I was just on my way out. No need to cut your night short, Mr. Jones. I’ll give Mr. Michaelson a ride home.”
I gritted my teeth and smiled. “So kind of you, Mr. Wicked.”
“...Are you sure?” Danny asked. Behind him people danced, music blared, and students struggled to hear themselves over the noise.
“Yeah.” I slid past Mason and his letdown expression and beelined for the exit.
“What are we doing here, Sebastian? I thought you were taking me home.”
He withdrew the key from the ignition. “Come inside for a moment. Please.”
The house was packed up. Only his father’s antique desk and a few miscellaneous items remained in his study. “Why am I here?”
He poured himself a drink from a half-empty bottle. Took the shot and then another for good measure. “I don’t wantthisto influence you to do something you’ll later regret.”
My grunt came from deep within my chest.How dare him.“Like fuck someone?”
He scratched a thumb over his brow, peering at the bottom of his empty glass. “Give yourself some time is all I’m saying.”
“You mean giveyousome time.”
He looked up guiltily then away, and I wanted to choke myself simply to have something to do with my hands. Anything to kill the urge to reach for him. To shake him. To fit his puzzle piece to mine. “Sorry. I was just…”
“Jealous?” I pursued his fluttering gaze. “How did you think this breakup would play out, Sebastian? That I’d be celibate the rest of my life?”
“No I—”
“That I wouldn’t allow anyone to erase your touch?”
“No—”
“Erase the imprint of your cock inside of me?”
“Enough!” He slashed a hand through the air. “No one touches you but me.” His glass ricocheted off the wall, shattering onto an already thriving pile of shards.
Yes.Yes.Finally, something other than his damn martyrdom. As sick as it was, seeing him unhinged made me feel loved by him and not alone in my madness. I did the math and there had been three versions of me during my short lifetime. The me before my father died, and the me before Sebastian. Now there was a new me standing in that room with Bash, surrounded by a trail of broken glass and hearts. “Listen to yourself. What? Do you want me incapable of moving on?” I stepped closer, and he watched me wearily like one would a wild animal. “LikeAlex?”
“No.” His stare was horror-filled. “You’re stronger than him. You have support.” He nodded as if he had it all figured out.
“So I get to live, but I don’t get tofuck?” I was being intentionally mean. But the hurt and pain cut through to a layer of my soul I hadn’t known existed. I wanted to inflict damage and punishment. I would not go down alone.
“Leave. Now. Take my car. I’ll get it tomorrow.” He moved to the other side of the obnoxious oak desk, using it as a shield.
“I bet deep down you’d love nothing more than for me to stop surviving without you.” A coldness seeped into my bones, as cold as the words I lashed him with.
