Authors Note: 

Hallo Leute! Just popping in here to wish you a happy week. I pounded the other half of this chapter out and was very eager to post it, so I apologize if you come across any errors, as I am now publishing it at 0100 and very tired! I'll go back through and do a deeper proof-read, but for now please enjoy this next chapter in Jae & Lucas's story! With the upload of "Glutton", this brings my uploads on Tapas current with the other platforms I write on (Inkitt and Wattpad). I'll continue to update this novella bi-monthly, sometimes more than that if I can, and have begun drafting the next chapter. Please let me know how you like this so far if you feel so inclined. If you would like to read more of my work in the interim, you can find my very queer, spicy, comedic Urban Fantasy "Wicked Roommates" on the other platforms I use. I do plan to upload Wicked Roommates here in the very near future. Again, thanks again for reading and enjoy! -Quill

Lucas

Just like that, it was out there... Jae knew. Maybe he didn't know who was responsible, but he knows it happened.

Fuck.

I tried to keep my tears in check, I tried to keep my game face on, but Jae easily stripped all my defenses away. Was it the kind, but firm way he asked about it? Was it the look of genuine concern and protectiveness about his posture when he saw my face? My heart was pounding, pounding from the moment I entered the car. How could it not be? It wasn't just that I was trying to hide the abuse, it's that somehow, I'd felt as if I'd lost the nerve to face him after what we did last night.

I know, stupid. Stupid! Jae's like, an adult. Well, older than me, you know... like, he's probably fucked so many people and had plenty of Dom-Sub relationships. This sort of thing, seeing each other the morning afterward probably isn't weird to him at all. Maybe if dad hadn't fucked my hand up, I would've felt more confident coming into the car, maybe I wouldn't feel so awkward. Who knows.

Part of me wanted to jump out of the car to escape Jae's well-meaning scrutiny if that meant not having to tell him the truth. But then... then he touched my face. A touch so gentle and purposeful, so saturated in kindness that it was disarming. I wanted to push him away, didn't want him to see, but once his skin brushed against my burning cheek, I couldn't stop him if I tried.

I wanted his hand to stay there forever, his skin against mine, his soothing touch such a stark contrast from the usual fatherly "affection" I am subjected to.

"Luca..." he whispers, brushing my hair off my forehead. "Did you hear me?"

A few hot tears dribbled down my cheek and I shook my head, mumbling. "No..."
I didn't hear him, everything Jae must have said in the past few minutes seemed to go through one ear and out the other. 

"I asked why you didn't want me to know." He says, thumb resting gently against my chin. I bit my lip and thought, not sure how to respond—his hazel gaze is so heavy upon me, but it feels warm and all enveloping. Jae was so commanding last night, so stern and direct, but I had never felt so comfortable nor confident in myself, despite the nature of our play. I felt safe within the boundaries he gave me and the way he both denied and satiated my wants and needs.

Can we have it again? I want it again. I want him.

"Luca..."

"Jae, I'm not gonna tell you, so don't ask again." I sniffled, dropping my eyes to the floorboards. He exhales sharply and drops his hand from my face, then runs it through his dirty blonde hair in frustration.
The cabin of the car falls silent and together we sat, the air heavy laden with every word unsaid.

"... I didn't say you could stop touching me, you know. J-just said I wouldn't tell you who did this." I mumbled, smirking a little as I dared to make eye contact with Jae. I want him to touch me, I really do. I just... I'm not ready to fess up. If I tell him, he's gonna want me to press charges, to file a report. I'd have to face my dad and find a new place to live. I just can't handle that right now, let alone financially afford what it takes to move out.

Where would I go?

The sound of Jae huffing with amusement brings me back to the present. He shook his head and watched me silently, doing his best to stifle the smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "So now I cater to you, huh? Do everything you say?" He questioned, a sardonic, yet humorous tone to his deep voice.

"Well... no. I don't know. I just liked you touching me..." I sputtered, reaching up to wipe my eyes. "Does this mean I'm in trouble?"

Jae frowns. "What do you mean, Lu?"

"Well, I got sort of bossy with you, does that mean I get some sort of punishment?"

He rolls his eyes and reaches over to ruffle my hair, sighing thoughtfully. "You kinky little glutton..."

I smiled, hoping that meant he'd spank me, or maybe give me an order of some kind, but then his face seemed to darken the longer I watched him. "Um... Jae?" I murmured, hoping he wasn't mad.

"Yes, Lucas?" He sighs, gently playing with my messy bedhead.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not." His response is direct and to the point, but I'm still not too sure. I raised my brow and watched him for a minute, hoping he would elaborate, and he did. "I'm angry that someone has done this to you and that you're letting them get away with it. I'm angry that I can't do anything about it or protect you unless you fess up, Lu."

A warmth sprang up within me at the word "protect". No one has ever protected me before, let alone practically volunteered to be my knight in shining armor. Jae's too much, and it makes me like him even more.