Page 135 of Hymns of the Broken
“You trying to hide how worked up you are?” he murmurs at my temple, his lips brushing my skin. “That’s cute.”
On my other side, Riot hums—soft, pleased—like this is a game, like they’re passing me back and forth just to see how long before I shatter. His thumb slips higher, nudging beneath the hem of my shorts, and my breath stutters, a sharp hitch I can’t control.
But he doesn’t move further.
Just rests there.
The threat of it is enough to undo me.
A broken sound catches in my throat—half gasp, half moan—as I bite down hard on the inside of my cheek. The credits roll, voices and laughter rising around me. Ash yells something stupid. Macee is cackling at the screen. Life moving on like nothing happened.
But I can’t focus. I’m trembling, caught between the two of them—monsters wearing grins sharp enough to cut.
And the worst part? They’ve already won.
Because I’m still aching.
Still undone.
From touches, they never even finished.
Before this, I’d been curled up with one of my smut books—the one with the masked man and the knife kink. And I know Jasper saw it when I carried it with me to the couch. He didn’t say a word. Just smirked.
Now I get it.
Now I understand the game.
“Didn’t know you wanted to be hunted,” Jasper had murmured during the opening credits, his fingers brushing mine as I held the book. Lies, he knows.
Riot’s eyes had flicked over, full of smug heat. “She likes the dangerous ones. The ones who ruin her before they fuck her.”
Jasper leaned close, his mouth ghosting my ear. “Good. Because we’re not done ruining her yet.”
I didn’t know what they meant.
I do now.
And God help me, I know I’m ruined for anyone else.
Because even the fantasy doesn’t come close to this.
***
I duck into my room just as Macee sprawls across the bed like she owns it.
“You look like someone who’s been undressed by two gods in leather jackets,” she says, one leg bouncing lazily. “Oh, wait. You were.”
I launch a pillow at her head. “Please. Like you’re not basking in your own little attention triangle with Ash and Jace.”
She snatches the pillow midair, smirking. “Triangle? Babe, try a rectangle. Silas made eye contact with me today, and I swear it changed my blood type.”
I snort, collapsing beside her. “He looked at you like you were another problem he didn’t want to solve.”
“That’s my type. Slightly annoyed, mildly terrified.”
I laugh so hard I wheeze, clutching my stomach.
Her grin softens as she rolls her head to look at me. “But seriously… are you okay? With this whole Jasper-and-Riot thing? You’re not… overwhelmed?”
