Page 81 of Villain

The bathroom door opened and Lake remained hunched over the desk, listening to Nix’s footsteps come to a stop.

“Quit hovering and get in here,” he snapped, cringing as he lost his cool a second time. Lake straightened and turned just as Nix entered.

His hair was damp, and he’d slung a towel around his narrow hips, his right hand clutching the white material with a death grip. It would have been annoying to see, but after everything they’d already put him through his first week here, Lake couldn’t really blame him for being suspicious.

“Those are for you,” he motioned to the clothing he’d set out when he’d been getting dressed himself and dropped down into the wooden chair in front of his desk. The desk was set against the same wall as the bed, part of the same attached piece of dark wood that made up the end table.

Seeing him seated helped ease some of the tension in Nix’s shoulders, but it didn’t last. The second the Songbird picked up the bundle of clothing, he hesitated all over again.

Lake propped an elbow against the surface of his desk and then rested his chin in his palm. “It’s not like you’ve got anything I haven’t already seen. Literally ten minutes ago even.”

He had enough self-control not to force the guy to sleep with him tonight, but that didn’t make him a saint. Lake wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see all that toned form on full display. He’d make Nix dress for him.

Would make him dress up in his clothing.

Nix unraveled the snow-white sweatpants first, holding them up in front of him. They weren’t the same height exactly, but a couple of inches wouldn’t make too much of a difference. He set them aside and grabbed the shirt, also in the same pale shade, yanking that on over his head.

“Underwear?” Nix stared at the pants as though unable to meet Lake’s gaze.

“Is it due to pride that you have to ask, or embarrassment?” Lake couldn’t tell, and that bothered him. He wanted to know everything there was to know about the Songbird. Right down to the way he took his toast in the morning.

“I’m used to taking care of myself,” Nix finally admitted after a lengthy pause where it appeared as though he was trying to get out of it.

Well then he was going to absolutely hate this next part.

Lake rose from his chair and stalked forward, noting when Nix sucked in a sharp breath, though he remained where he stood and didn’t try to back away. Once he reached him, he hooked a finger into the top of the towel and tugged, the thick material falling away. He smirked when Nix’s hands fisted.

“Put your pants on, Songbird.” He gave him a second, turning to grab the smaller towel he’d left on the top of his dresser.

Nix had one leg in the pants and was balancing to get in the other when he came back, his cheeks stained that bright pink shade that Lake had found endearing right from the start. He was brave, even when he was terrified, and had impeccable self-control.

It was the latter that fascinated Lake the most. As someone who’d always prided himself on that very thing, it was interesting to see someone else display similar features. The difference was, Lake understood why he did it. Why he contained his true self and forced himself to do things he didn’t actually want to do.

But why did Nix?

Why was Nix here with him right now instead of tucked safely in his dorm room with his annoying roommate? Or better yet, why wasn’t he still at Hyacinth University on the other side of the planet?

Once Nix was fully clothed, Lake draped the smaller towel over his head and began to dry his hair.

“Why are you like this?” Nix asked, his voice cutting through the quiet between them, giving Lake momentary pause.

“Like what?” He went back to his task, taking care with the silky strands. Wet like this, they looked a lot like spun gold, and he found himself distracted by the glint and gleam. The Songbird was so pretty, a mixture of delicate yet firm. If Lake hadn’t claimed him right away, there was little doubt in his mind that students would have flocked to him trying to get a taste for themselves—male, female, didn’t matter. They’d all want a piece of Nix if they had the chance.

“I wish you wouldn’t be this gentle,” Nix admitted. “It confuses me.”

“So you’d rather I toss you around and mess you up?” He wasn’t West.

“You know that’s not at all what I mean.”

“Do I?”

“Forget it.” Nix pushed him away and ran his fingers through his hair. “There. All dry.”

Lake sighed. “There’s really no pleasing you, Songbird.”

“This isn’t about pleasing me and we both know it.”

He cocked his head and waited for him to explain.