Page 56 of Bound By Brielle (Crave & Cure Productions)

Aug leaves me in the office, and I’m about to snag a granola bar and bottle of water from the snack drawer Aug keeps when my phone rings. I dig through my open purse on the desk and find it, seeing right away that—surprise, surprise—it’s my dad.

After a quick glance at the wall clock, I see I have less than five minutes. The perfect amount of time. I swipe to answer, bringing the phone to my ear. I hope I don’t regret this.

“Brielle, goddamn it, quit ignoring me!” he barks, and yep, I am filled with regret. Lots of it.

I snort. “Oh so you can ignore me for weeks but I can’t ignore you. That makes sense,” I snap. I hope my energy makes it through the ether, becausefuck you Quincey.

“You get accepted to this program and assigned to some godforsakenwhorehouse,” he breathes, his voice strained from overuse. He’s likely been yelling all day. “And then you stop answering your calls.”

“Whorehouse,” I repeat, laughing drily to send home the point that I am utterly offended.

“Don’t act like you didn’t think the same thing when you got assigned,” he retorts, his anger seeming to simmer. He exhales heavily.

“Dad, I’m at work. I have to go.”

“You stayed.” he comments, trying desperately to infuse his simmering anger with interest and care. I can feel his attempts. But I’m not in the mood.

“I stayed, yes. And I was wrong. I can admit when I’m wrong and I was wrong about this place and the people. I’m learning a ton. But I do have to go, okay? So now you know. I’m alive, I’m here and I changed my mind. And I wish you would too. And I also wish you’d see how you treat me. Because it’s fucked up.”

His anger returns, full fucking force, and I faintly hear the words “pay for that school” as I disconnect the call.

I put my phone away and put thoughts of my dad away, too. I’m going to work at this job that I’m thriving at, the one that’s made me feel more alive than ever, with the men who anger me, enrich me and bring me happiness.

I smile to myself as my heels click against the shiny floor of Crave’s hallway.And then tonight, they’re gonna fuck me like the horny little pup that I am.

twenty-three

There is no question

brielle

He told me to just…walk in.

That the door would be unlocked and I could let myself in. The brat in me wants to stomp my foot and argue, and reason that if my door must be locked for safety, his must be, too. But I can’t get angry. I’m too happy to be a brat.

There’s something about that small detail that makes me so pleased. Quietly I close the door behind me, soft conversation and laughter filling the kitchen ahead. And I stop in my tracks, looking down at my feet now in plain sneakers, and listen.

There’s a woman. She’s laughing. “...and I told you about that several years ago and you chose not to believe me,” she laughs, rich and hearty.

Aug chuckles, adding, “I remember that. I can vouch.”

Lance laughs too but quips, “You don’t need to vouch, I remember.”

Then I take a breath and turn the corner, both men’s heads swiveling to take me in. Lance smiles, and doesn’t hide the way his eyes roam the terrain of my body, and Aug does the same, but not before taking my hand and kissing my cheek. He passes me to Lance, who greets me with a soft kiss on my lips. And suddenly the irritation and concern that came from the sound of another woman's voice is gone. Aug points to his phone, propped on the counter behind a bottle of wine.

The woman is on the phone screen.

“Brielle, this is Claire, my ex-wife. Claire, this is her.”

This is her.

Aug and Lance told Claire about me. That means something. It has to. I swallow through the emotion forming and lift my hand in a motionless wave. “Hi Claire. Nice to kind of meet you,” I say, smiling.

Her smile is warm and infectious and I understand why they’re close friends with her. I’ve only had eyes on her a moment and I feel…happy. And safe. Maybe it’s the two men with their strong bodies pressed into my back, yeah sure, but it’s partly her, too.

She shoves a hand through her raven dark hair and smiles. “Okay, I’ll let you guys go have your dinner. But Augustus Moore and Lance Davis, you bring her over for dinner soon. I’d love to meet you in person, Brielle. I’ve heard so many good things.”

A blush swarms my cheeks and I say goodbye.

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