6. Callum

6

CALLUM

A ny worry I had of Rhys growing a spine and telling me to fuck off to the ends of the Earth faded by the second day. Now after a solid week of texts ranging from playful to serious to downright scandalous, I was confident I had him primed and ready for my next trick.

I had taken a serious gamble in that classroom with him, but he gave off nerdy virgin vibes like it was a fucking cologne he sprayed on, so I couldn't resist testing my theory. The way he had responded to my touch and dirty words had been beautifully pathetic. It was exactly the reaction I expected from him and it only made me want to push the envelope more. He was so touch-starved and needy that I was pretty certain I could push him to his limits and still have him begging for more.

The part of my conscience that hadn't been shoved into a dark hole by my hatred for this guy reminded me that I was walking a razor thin line between pushing limits and getting slapped in cuffs. It was the reason I had told him multiple times he could have stopped me in that class. Had he truly told me to stop, it would have been hands off in a second. My morals might have been questionable at best, but I still fucking had them.

The irony hadn't escaped me that he had partly turned me in for ignoring consent, yet I had given him multiple chances to say no and he didn't. Quite the opposite in fact.

How's that for consent, fucker? I can't wait to see how far I can push you before you break for me…

I was deep in my thoughts about all the plans I had for my little pet project when Kenji reached out to flick me in the head.

“Ow! The fuck, dude? Was that entirely necessary?” I grouched, rubbing the stinging area on my forehead.

“Not if you'd answered me any of the first four times I said your name,” Kenji grumbled. “I asked if you were coming to the gym with me later to workout? Coach wants us working out a minimum of five days, and I've got to get my last one in for this week.”

“Yeah, why not? Can't let myself get soft while you're keeping my captain spot warm for me,” I quipped.

“Don't know, man. That captain jersey looks damn good on me. Might just keep it,” Kenji snickered while flipping me the bird.

“Oh, fuck you dude,” I laughed, shoving at his shoulder. Kenji had never minded that the captaincy went to me. He had been proud of me and saw how hard I had worked for it. I knew he'd been feeling guilty about being given the title now, even temporarily, but I had told him to cut that shit out. I'd been relieved it went to him while I worked this mess out. I'd get my place back in time.

We were hunkered down in the library studying for some of our exercise science classes. I couldn't afford to start falling behind in my school work with Coach on my ass the last few weeks. Unfortunately, my focus was impeded by the last two days of ignored texts from my prickly nemesis.

I begrudgingly admitted to myself that Rhys had surprised me with how sharp and snarky he could be. I half expected him to have blocked me the first day and folded under the slightest pressure, but he had shocked me with some of the quick wit he had thrown my way. It forced me to change my strategy a bit and try to get to know him, push him to drop his guard for me with my unassuming questions.

He played right into my hands. I probed, he answered. The deeper or more insightful the question, the more he responded. He hadn't crumpled a bit when I'd thrown in some lewd ones just to fuck with him, and he'd garnered some respect from me for that.

Only a little though. He was still the worst.

We had been texting regularly over the week and I was gearing up to start pushing some of that twerp's buttons, but Rhys had been irritatingly quiet since Friday night. I went back and forth feeling angry he was ignoring me, yet challenged by this new development. I could adjust my plans if needed.

After all, there was more than one way to skin a twink.

Ugh, gross. Horrible fucking saying, but whatever. New plans needed to be made.

“Hey, you alright?” Kenji asked. “You look like you swallowed a gym sock or some shit.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about how to get this miserable fucker to drop that damn complaint,” I muttered. “I thought I was getting close, but I need to…adjust.”

Kenji’s face scrunched with concern before he let out a resigned sigh. “Hawk, just promise me you'll be careful with that. You're already in hot water with Coach and you don't want to make things worse if this kid gets pissy and turns you in for more shit. You feel me?”

I chewed on what he was saying. It was a good reminder that I had to tread carefully with Rhys, but it also made me more determined to completely break him down for what he did to me. My phone lit up beside me, my thoughts instantly going to the person occupying my vengeful fantasies. I smirked thinking of how his ears must have been burning just now before texting me.

But when I saw the name on the screen, the smirk fell off my face and my anger flared. It was a stark reminder of why I was doing all this with Rhys in the first place. Losing my scholarship and having to leave UT would land me right back in the hornet's nest with them…with her. I couldn't fucking let that happen.

I swiped the notification from my aunt's text away and tossed my phone into my backpack. Just her name alone brought with it images and reminders that had my gut twisting and a cold sweat breaking out across my skin.

Darkness…closed doors…screaming…pain…

Worthless…useless…

All my fault…

I blinked hard and shook myself out of the memories that were beginning to suffocate me. With reignited fury pumping in my veins, I gathered all my stuff to leave. “I can't concentrate for shit. Let's just head to the gym,” I grumbled to Kenji, not waiting for him to follow me .

He scrambled to catch up to me and we made the short trek over to Gregory Gym. For the next hour, I concentrated on the burn in my muscles and the fiery focus it brought with it. Instead of letting myself be drawn back into the past, I let my mind stray to Rhys. I imagined his distress, his fear, his confusion when he finally would see the darker side of me he unwittingly unleashed.

He'd only gotten a taste that day in his class, but I was ready to remind him who he was truly dealing with. I had tapped into desires he probably never knew he had, and I wanted to twist them until he was questioning everything he knew about himself. I wanted to draw out his fantasies and turn them into nightmares.

My feet pounded on the treadmill as my heart raced, blood thrumming with adrenaline as my thoughts grew darker. I wrapped up my workout after I was drenched in sweat and my brain was once again calm and centered. It had been one of the best workouts I'd had in a while, the steroid of revenge pushing my performance to new heights.

Kenji had already called it quits and left, so I sauntered into the locker room to shower and change. The room was empty save for what sounded like a single person on the other side. Just one of the benefits of a Sunday evening workout. Fiddling around in my locker, I heard footsteps off to my right that absently drew my attention.

Rhys passed by my row and turned the corner toward the showers. I did a quick double-take to check that I wasn't hallucinating. He hadn't noticed me and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. The chance was too perfect to pass up. It was like an answer to my hellish prayers.

I stripped down to my boxer briefs and grabbed my towel. I slowed my footsteps as I rounded the block of showers and saw Rhys in the far corner, as out of sight as he could be in the communal space. I took a second to covertly examine him with his back to me as he scrubbed shampoo into his hair.

He was less than an inch shorter than me, but had a lithe frame with minimal muscles. I could see a hint of his biceps as he lathered his hair, but the real definition was in his legs. Must have been a runner. I trailed my gaze down the length of his back, setting my sight on his tight little ass. It was…cute. Nothing to write home about, but I wondered if I'd have thought differently if my anger toward him didn't run so deep. As it stood, my hatred dulled any interest I might have had in his looks or personality .

To me, all he looked like now was a bright, shiny target.

I made my move while he stuck his head under the spray to rinse off, hoping he couldn't hear my approach. I hung my towel and slid a hand around his middle and yanked him back into my chest. Rhys yelped and clawed at my forearm. My free arm wrapped around his front to trap both his arms against his sternum.

“Fancy seeing you here, Sweetness. I missed you this weekend,” I purred into his ear, silky and smooth. I reveled in the way his muscles tightened all over and he went stiff in my grasp.

That's right, Evans. You're in such trouble now. The little fly that got caught in the web.

“Hawk?” Rhys' voice trembled, and the trace of anxiety I heard had my pulse kicking up.

“You've been ignoring me, cutie, and honestly it's hurting my feelings. Here I thought we were getting along so well,” I teased him, tightening my grip to pull us away from the water. He stumbled in my arms and I couldn't help getting a sick thrill from throwing him off balance, both literally and figuratively.

“I—I've been busy,” he stuttered.

“Hmmm, I see” I hummed against his temple, the scent of his shampoo oddly comforting to me.

Wait, the fuck? This shouldn't be comforting. I want his fear….I want him to beg.

I released him and he spun around to face me, backing up a bit to create some space between us. I could see his skin flushed pink and his chest moving with choppy breaths. I liked to think it was purely the effect I had on him rather than the heat of the water. My eyes drifted down to the junction of his legs, his semi-hard dick hanging against his pale skin. I smirked at the obvious sign that I had gotten to him, and Rhys flushed an even deeper red and rushed to cover himself. I also noticed that he dipped his gaze down to my boxers, and it made my smirk grow.

I met his embarrassed gaze and cocked my head to the side to unnerve him. He cleared his throat and held eye contact with me. “What do you want, Hawk?” he asked and I could tell he was fighting to keep his voice steady.

“Like I said, I missed you. I thought I'd give you a chance to make it up to me.” I shot him my most innocent look, earning me a scoff .

“I swear you spew so much bullshit, you're like a human colonic,” Rhys spat out. I barked out a laugh, not expecting his sass.

“Well, look at you, Sweetness! I don't know whether to be insulted or impressed that your mouth can actually be dirty,” I chuckled darkly. Rhys narrowed his gaze at me and took another step back. I took one toward him slowly, and watched his pupils dilate anxiously.

“Cut the crap. What do you want from me?” he asked again, crossing his arms over his chest, all thoughts of modesty evidently gone.

“Have you talked to my coach lately?”

He let out a derisive snort and shook his head at me. “Are you serious? You really think that I'm going to withdraw my completely valid report against you just because of a few nice texts? I'm not that stupid.”

“Just stupid enough to text me back though, right?” I mocked, watching his face fall and his eyes light up in irritation.

“Right. A mistake I won't be making again.” He made a move to go around me, but I sidestepped into his path just like the day we officially met. His eyes widened quickly and his breathing sped up subtly. I took another step closer to him.

“I feel it only right to warn you that if your accusation doesn't get withdrawn my teammates are going to want someone to blame. I'd hate for things to get messy for you, Evans. They can be real bastards when they want to be,” I replied, fake sympathy coloring my voice.

“Not my problem,” he deadpanned.

“You know, I'm doing you a favor by keeping them on a leash, Rhys…”

“What, am I supposed to thank you for your magnanimous gift? Thank you so much for not unleashing your demon jocks to terrorize me. I might just faint, I'm so overcome.” Rhys' rolled his eyes and attempted to step around me once more.

I quickly grabbed his shoulders and forced him back into the shower wall, the now cold water pelting us against our sides. Rhys' eyes shot wide and he froze under my touch.

“You're lucky you've got that sass, Sweetness. Makes up for your lack of looks. I bet you don't get a lot of attention in that area,” I taunted, letting my eyes rake down his body slowly and then back up. When my eyes connected with his, I saw the humiliation and anger clouding his violet gaze. “I'll tell you what. If you're really good and drop the complaint, I'll let you choke on my cock…trust me, you'll love it.”

Rhys choked out an audible gasp and I felt his body tremble against mine. I saw the fear etched into the lines of his face and could almost smell the worry surrounding him. It was heady as fuck and I wanted more. I wanted to see it consume him. I wanted to taste it.

“You are insane if you think I'll go anywhere near your cock. It'd be like Diseases “R” Us down there,” Rhys retorted. I breathed out a little laugh at his sarcastic quip and bit my lip, his eyes zeroed in on the movement.

“Are you sure about that?” I whispered, leaning in until only an inch separated us. I felt his body quiver against me, felt his heart thumping out a rhythm that bled into mine. I pressed in a little closer until the evidence of his scared arousal hit my leg.

My gaze slipped down reflexively and I heard the breath catch in Rhys' throat.

Ahh, so he's a grower rather than a shower. At least he's got that going for him. And it seems like little Rhys is a fear slut. Intriguing…

I dragged my eyes back up to his, the purple hue of his irises glazed over with a potent mixture of fear and lust. “You can't hide what your body wants from me, Rhys. I can feel your pulse racing…” I murmured seductively, trailing one of my hands gently down his chest.

Rhys' eyelids fluttered as I brushed a thumb across his nipple, the bud hardening under my touch. “I can hear your breathing speed up…”

I continued down to circle a finger around his navel, cataloging every twitch of his muscles. “I see your dick dripping for me…” I breathed, my fingertips dragging slowly across the top of his pelvis and eliciting another shiver from him.

“Cal…” Rhys gasped, his eyes closed and breath sawing in and out of him. My hand stilled instantly at the sound of my name.

My brain caught on to that single word and came to a grinding halt. No one called me that anymore. Ever. It had been so long since I'd heard it that it sounded foreign to my ears.

And for some inexplicable, Godforsaken reason it sounded…good slipping from Rhys' lips. The pause in my actions had his eyes flickering open and catching mine. For a second, I forgot what I was doing and why I hated him so much. That singular moment of connection brought a quiet peace to my brain that I hadn't experienced in forever .

Rhys' brows drew down slightly in worry, searching my face for answers that he wouldn't find. My mouth was overly dry and I wet my lips, his attention once again snagging on my mouth.

“Cal, what…” he whispered again, and this time my name jarred me out of my stupor. The wall that had been lifted slammed back into place and my bitterness resurfaced. I grasped his hips and flipped him around, pushing him against the shower wall and pinning him with my body.

He instinctively reached out for a hold and I grabbed both his wrists, drawing his arms behind him and capturing them with one of my hands to lock them in place.

“Cal wait, what are you doing?” Rhys asked in a panic.

“Shhh, don't worry, Sweetness. I won't do anything you won't…beg me for,” I said sweetly. I could see in his eyes when the recognition of my words set in. His body went rigid under mine and his jaw locked tight.

“Unfreakingbelievable. Just when I think you have a single redeeming quality…I'd sooner swallow my tongue than beg you for anything, so you might as well let go,” he snapped, giving his arms a little wiggle to try to break free. I couldn't help but notice he wasn't trying very hard.

“Is that really what you want?” I asked, sliding one hand back to his abdomen and feeling it clench under my fingers. His breathing stuttered again and he gasped as I dragged my hand down to rest on the top of his thigh.

“Cal…please,” Rhys started, the plea sounding like a cry to stop and for more in the same breath. I was almost positive what he wanted, but I had to hear it…needed to hear it.

“Do you want me to stop, Rhys?” My voice was a silky whisper. I slowly brushed my fingertips across his groin, close enough to feel the heat of his cock against my knuckles.

“I…I,” he stammered quietly, leaning his forehead against the wall.

“Tell me you want this…” My fingertip traced a soft trail up the side of his dick that was now solid, the tip glistening with precum. He shuddered and my black heart rejoiced that I had him right where I wanted him.

Come on, Sweetness. Just give into it…we both know you want it. Prove me right.

“ I…want it,” he whimpered so quietly I almost missed it over the so und of the freezing water next to us. I almost turned it off, but I'd need it to drown out the sounds I intended to pull from him.

“Good answer.” My hand circled his cock and gave it a slow tug that drew out another pulse of milky liquid. Rhys let out a soft moan from deep in his chest as I smeared the precum down his shaft and started jacking him steadily.

“Oh, fff…” Rhys whined, the curse dying as he let out another small moan that had me pumping him a little harder.

“That's right, Sweetness. Let me hear how good this feels,” I teased, releasing his arms and using my free hand to pinch his left nipple gently.

He arched into my grip and released another breathy whine, causing my own pulse to spike. The power he was giving me over his body was overwhelming. I smirked down at him as I watched his face contort with pleasure. I distantly registered that we couldn't keep pushing our luck that we were alone in here, despite the late hour. But I couldn't stop. Not until I got what I came for.

“Are you gonna come for me, Rhys?” I breathed, my fist running up and down his shaft in a merciless pattern. He whimpered again and leaned back into my chest.

“Cal,” he moaned out, scrabbling at the wall in desperation. I could sense he was on a razor's edge, so close I could almost taste his release. Just as I felt his dick throb in my hand and his body start tightening all over, I grabbed the base of his cock and squeezed, stifling his climax.

Rhys let out a groan of protest and dug his nails into my forearm. “Why?…”

“You know what I want…beg for it,” I said, making a slow lap from root to tip. Rhys shook his head and gripped me harder.

“You are…such a piece of…” he heaved, anger fighting its way through his lusty haze.

“All you have to do is ask for it. I'll make you come so good if you just ask nicely.” Another couple hard pumps.

He let out a defeated sigh, still panting as a shiver racked his body. “Please, Cal…I want to come.”

I stroked him a little more. “Say it again,” I rasped, needing his submission more than air.

“I want to come,” he moaned a little louder as my hand moved faster.

“Tell me you want to fucking come… ”

“I want to fucking come!” he let out on a frustrated breath. Fucking perfect…

“Come for me, sweet boy. Come right the fuck now,” I growled as I carried him over the edge. Rhys spasmed in my arms as cum pulsed out of his cock, painting the wall in front of us. He let out a strained cry as his orgasm washed over him, ripping through him so violently that my own body vibrated in turn.

I was breathing hard, my head swimming from the potency of the power I held over him in that moment. Hearing him beg for his release was everything I wanted and more. It was euphoric to hear him bend for me.

I unwound my arms from around his body as he turned unsteadily to face me. He looked up at me from beneath his long, wet lashes. I inched my face closer to his, watching the dazed look in his eyes as I closed the gap. His breath skittered over my skin as I hovered just out of reach of his lips. My hand came up as if to stroke his face and I saw him lean toward it, so subtle that he probably didn't even realize he was doing it.

At the last second, my hand dodged out right to turn off the water. Rhys' eyes shot open and he stared at me in stunned silence. “What…you…” he gasped, confusion evident in his tone.

“What, you wanted me to kiss you or something? Show you I care?” I sneered quietly. His pale face flooded with color and he looked at me as though I were the Devil.

About fucking time you learned, Sweetness. All pleasure comes with a price.

“Come on, Rhysie. Don't get all clingy virgin on me just cuz I've made you come twice,” I continued to jeer as I swiped my towel to clean my hand.

“I hate you,” Rhys gritted out, his thin form practically vibrating with fury.

“Yet you didn't say no,” I reminded him with a cocky smile. “See, I don't think you hate me at all, Rhys. In fact, I think you actually hate that you enjoyed that so much. That you broke down and begged for it.”

A growl escaped him and he opened his mouth to bite back until we heard sounds echoing in the locker room.

“Oh shiz!” he gasped, diving for his towel in a frenzy of limbs and quickly wrapping it around his waist. I laughed at his fumbling and turned to leave. Before I exited the showers, I spun back around to Rhys who was clearly flustered and shell-shocked by our close call adventure.

“Oh, by the way Rhys?” He reluctantly peeked up at me and shot me a withering look.

“Cute O face you had there. I give it an 8 out of 10,” I said loudly, my voice reverberating in the tiled room just as two guys walked around the corner and came to a dead halt at my words.

The look on Rhys' face had me belting out a laugh all the way to my locker. I dressed and packed up in record time, strutting out of the gym. My mind replayed the encounter on repeat the entire walk home, my inner beast sated and ready for the next round.

But the next time, it'd be different.

Next time, I'd make him cry.

I couldn't fucking wait.