Jason’s chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing, his body still tingling from the intensity of his climax. His eyes remained fixed on the phone in his hand, where his future lover’s flushed face filled the screen, a mixture of annoyance and longing in his eyes.

  “When are you coming back?” the man on the other end demanded, his voice sharp.

  Jason let out a zy chuckle as he reached for some tissues to clean himself up. “What happened to reporting me to the dean?” he teased, his lips curling into a pyful smirk.

  The other male rolled his eyes, his expression softening just a little. “Did you see yourself? You just disappeared. There’s no reason to report you anymore.”

  Jason barked a ugh, the sound echoing off the car’s windows as he colpsed onto the back seat, his head resting against the cool leather. Staring up at the ceiling, he murmured, “I don’t know... things are complicated here.”

  The other guy’s gaze softened, concern repcing the irritation. “Complicated how?”

  Jason’s eyes flicked back to the screen, his expression wavering before he sighed. “Family stuff... I can’t talk about it right now.”

  The other man frowned, his fingers brushing his hair back in frustration. “You’re always so damn secretive.”

  Jason’s smile faded, his eyes darkening. “Trust me... you don’t want to get involved in my family’s mess.”

  The male on the other end looked directly into the screen, his eyes gleaming with a faint excitement. “I’m going back home when holidays come around. My dads want to get the family together.”

  Jason scoffed, leaning his head back against the car seat. “That sounds terrible.”

  The other male’s lips curved into a small, almost feral smile. “No, really... we’ll probably go hunting.”

  Jason’s breath hitched as he watched that look—predatory, fierce, hungry. It was as if his lover were anticipating the thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of the kill. Jason’s chest tightened, his heart thudding a little faster. That look... It was the very thing that made him fall in love with him.

  “I wish you would look at me like that,” he murmured, his voice low, almost vulnerable.

  The smile on the other man’s face vanished, his expression going cold. His eyes lost their spark as he stared back at Jason with calcuted indifference. “And I wish I never met you,” he replied, his voice sharp, cutting through the air like a knife.

  Jason’s lips twitched, a soft, humourless chuckle escaping him. “Ouch. That hurt.” But his chest ached, the pain far more real than he let on.

  The other male’s gaze softened for just a second before his mask of indifference returned. “Then stop saying stupid things,” he muttered, shifting his phone so Jason could no longer see his face clearly.

  Jason’s chuckle was low, almost amused. He let his head rest back against the seat, his eyes fixed on the screen where his lover’s face had gone cold, indifferent even. That familiar pang hit him—how easily this man could shut him out, how effortlessly he could switch off his emotions. It was cruel, really. And yet, it was one of the many reasons he couldn’t let go.

  “You’re so heartless,” he teased, his voice soft, almost affectionate. “Makes me want you even more.”

  The other man’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line. “You’re pathetic.”

  Jason’s smirk didn’t waver. If anything, it grew wider. “I know. And you love it.”

  A flicker of something fshed across the man’s face—was it anger? Annoyance? Desire? Jason couldn’t tell. But it was enough to keep him hanging on.

  “You’re wasting your time,” his lover muttered, his eyes shifting away from the screen as if he couldn’t bear to look at Jason any longer. “I’ll never be yours.”

  Jason’s heart twisted, but he refused to let the pain show. Instead, he let out another ugh, light and mocking. “Keep telling yourself that. I’ve already gotten under your skin.”

  The other man’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “You’re pying a game you can’t win, Jason.”

  Jason’s gaze softened, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I never pnned on winning... I just wanted to py with you for as long as you’d let me.”

  Silence hung heavy between them, a tension that neither was willing to break. Finally, the other man sighed, his expression softening ever so slightly. “You’re an idiot.”

  Jason smiled, his chest tightening. “Yeah... but I’m your idiot.”

  There was no response, just the faintest hint of a smile before the call ended, the screen going dark. Jason closed his eyes, the echo of his lover’s voice lingering in his mind. Even if he could never fully have him, even if this was all they’d ever be, it was enough. For now.