Venom

《 Eighteen 》

"Lorenzo?" Yifan was confused as Lorenzo got off the bed, away from him. There was fear and sadness in the smaller man's eyes. What had happened? Did he hurt Lorenzo? What was that look in his brown eyes?

"Hang on, Yifan. Please give me a second." The shorter man blabbered.

The elder walked to the closet and picked up an oversized hoodie. It was Yifan's but he didn't care. He wore it over his body and went out to walk into the bathroom. Locking the door, Lorenzo washed his face and leaned against the counter with a sigh. His eyes went to his lips that were red from bites. He touched his bottom lip and winced in pain. The taller man was so rough. He had left marks on his mouth. His kisses were possessive and desperate. Lorenzo wished those kisses were his to own but Yifan wasn't his lover. He was just a fake husband.

'What the hell am I doing to myself?'

Lorenzo wondered while applying balm to his plump lips. He turned off the light and left the bathroom. When he opened the door, the elder saw his husband standing a few steps away. Lorenzo became scared but when he saw the confused look in the younger man's eyes, he wasn't afraid anymore. The younger man was back to his senses. Yifan had had a bad dream.

"What happened?" Pink lips asked as noir eyes lingered on his bruised lips.

"You were having a bad dream and when I woke you, you pinned me in your half-sleep state. I...I kissed you so you would stop choking me. Y-You didn't stop kissing me so I yelled at you to stop. Nothing else happened." He explained. Lorenzo didn't want Yifan to misunderstand this situation.

  "I'm sorry." The tiger said in a tiny voice. Suddenly, Yifan looked so small to him. He reminded the elder of a kicked puppy.

"Don't dwell on moments that have already passed." The elder said. "Let's go to sleep."

Lorenzo walked to the bed with Yifan on his tail. The smaller man climbed into bed and covered himself with the blanket. He laid down and looked to his side to see his husband still standing. The shorter man's brown eyes filled with confusion. "Yifan?"

"I can't sleep on the bed." The younger man said suddenly.

A tired sigh left Lorenzo's swollen lips. Here they go again, going back and forth about this damn bed. "Yifan, I'm too tired to argue with you. Please lay down and go to sleep."

"I may hurt you again." The tiger said quietly but the elder heard it.

"I trust you." Lorenzo said while turning the other way. Still, he felt no movement on the bed. "Yifan, if you don't come to bed right now, I'm sleeping on the floor."

The tiger climbed into bed but kept a pillow between them, afraid he would hurt the smaller man. Nightmares. They had become Yifan's friends without his consent. They chased the younger man while the echoes of their evil laughter shattered his ears. Bad dreams haunted him. Faces of people he didn't want to see visited his dreamland. These bad dreams had started since that incident.

"Yifan." Lorenzo whispered.

The younger man glanced at the man who was hiding in his hoodie. "Hm?"

"Can you hug me?"

There was no answer back. Lorenzo covered himself with the blanket and tried to get warm but he was still cold. He was pretty sure the heat was on in the bedroom but it wasn't helping. "Or if you don't mind, can I go to one of my friend's houses for the night? I need someone to cuddle me."

As soon as he said that, an arm wrapped around his waist tightly. The tiger pulled him flush against his chest. His warm body spooned Lorenzo's from behind. The elder smiled as the taller man covered him more with the blanket.

"You're not getting off this bed tonight, don't try me." A deep voice warned and Lorenzo wouldn't challenge it. He was too sick to give a smart reply back. He closed his eyes and cuddled back into the warm body that covered him protectively.

The night calmed for the couple but for another couple, it was a living nightmare. In a fancy mansion, Jacob and Serena were stuck in a heated argument. The blond man sat on the couch with a glass of alcohol in his hand. His fiancé was screaming at him with frustration on her bare face. Her light voice was starting to annoy him.

"That whore has ruined my life by trying to steal you away!" The brunette yelled loudly.

"Serena." The man's blue eyes were full of anger. He was started to get annoyed by her voice. "Can you shut up?"

"Why are you so mad?" The woman crossed her arms and stomped her foot on the ground angrily.

The man took another sip of his drink. His head was pounding from stress. "Go to sleep."

"Jacob, listen to me!" The short woman yelled. Her black eyes began to fill with tears as she stared at the man she loved.

Annoying. This woman was such a pest. Jacob was so close to hitting her. The only reason he had planned to marry her was so he could get all the properties and businesses her rich father had left under Serena's name before dying. Other than that, she was pretty useless and ran her mouth too much. This was starting to feel like a mistake. Lorenzo had never disrespected him like her nor had he bothered Jacob when he wanted to be left alone. He was starting to miss the other man. The voice of his fiancée kept chattering and he sighed.

'This fucking bitch is getting on my nerves.'

Jacob watched the little woman who carried so much anger. Did she not ever get tired of running her mouth? The whole week, Serena had annoyed her fiancé with stupid questions. The man had to calm her down. He set the glass down and patted his lap. "My rose, come here."

The woman's face melted and anger left her. A few soft words of praise had her running back like a dog. Serena walked to her man and sat on his lap. He held her waist and rubbed it in circles. The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his blue eyes. Why did her man look so stressed?

"Do you still love him?" She asked sharply. Behind that tone was a warning. Jacob couldn't afford to lose such an easy prey. He shook his head and played the fool.

"Of course not." He said while leaving a kiss on her forehead.

"Then tell me please, why are you so restless since we've seen him at the shop?" She asked sadly.

"It's nothing." He said but the woman held his face and made him look up.

"Please don't lie to me, my love. Please tell me why you're acting like this. It's like you've become a stranger." Tears fell down her pale cheeks.

Jacob wiped them away and pressed a kiss to her wrist. "You're thinking too much, my life."

"I'm pregnant. Me and the baby are worried for you." She said. "Please don't stress me out, Jacob."

The blond man pressed his large hand to her slightly chubby stomach. In her body, a piece of him was growing. The biggest regret of his life. This baby meant nothing to him. It was just a door for him to win Serena's heart. This woman was too stupid to see his moves.

"I'm angry because he insulted you in front of your friends." The evil man lied through his perfect teeth.

"What?" Her eyes bulged out.

"He embarrassed you at the shop when you talked to him kindly." The man said softly. "That scene of disrespect keeps playing in my head."

"Oh, babe." Bingo. The fish had fallen in his trap again.

  Jacob made a scary face and hugged the woman. "No one can talk to my fiancée like that."

"I'm so sorry for yelling at you." Serena began to apologize and Jacob smirked.

He hugged her tighter and faked a pitiful tone. "You're pregnant. Your emotions are all over the place but I don't mind. Use me all you want. Yell at me. Hit me. Do anything but don't accuse me. I only love you."

"I feel horrible." Serena whined. "I shouldn't have doubted you. I know you only love me. Let's not talk about Lorenzo. He's a dirty person who deserves no one. Just focus on me, Jacob."