Page 22 of The Cousins and the Brunette

I returned the kiss with equal fervor, pouring every ounce of my conflicted emotions into it. The taste of him, the warmth of his body pressed against mine – it was intoxicating. My head spun, and I found myself craving more.

Just as abruptly as it began, Sebastian pulled away. The sudden absence of his touch left me reeling, struggling to catch my breath.

“Sebastian...” I gasped, trying to steady the lust exploding in my body from that kiss.

“Shh.” He hushed me, his thumb touching the line of my jaw. “You don’t have to say anything.”

But I did. I wanted to scream, to rage, to demand answers. I wanted to beg him to kiss me again, consequences be damned. The words bubbled up inside me, threatening to spill over.

Instead, I watched in agonized silence as he turned and walked away. The cell door closed with a soft click, leaving me alone with the ghost of his touch and the chaos of my own thoughts.

I pressed my forehead against the cool metal bars, willing my throbbing heart to settle. What had just happened? And more importantly, what was I going to do about it?

Chapter Seven

BRYNN AND THE DANGEROUS GAME

The incessant hum of the basement’s air conditioner seemed louder tonight rather than soothing. I sat cross-legged on the cold floor, my back against the wall. I heard someone descending the staircase and entering the basement. The overhead lights had been dimmed to a faint glow that illuminated Braxton once he stepped into the cold light.

“Can’t sleep either, huh?” Braxton asked.

I jerked upright, startled. I squinted at him, the soft light outlining his lean frame. “What are you doing here?” My tone was sharp.

Just what I needed—a late-night visit from Mr. Charming himself. As if being locked up wasn’t bad enough, now I had to deal with this walking temptation. My heart did a little flip-flop that I desperately tried to ignore.

“Figured I’d find some company in insomnia. Is that okay?” Braxton padded into the room with a grace that seemed incongruous with the situation.

“Insomnia’s a solo gig.” Though a part of me welcomed the distraction.

Who was I kidding? The distraction was more than welcome. Anything to take my mind off the constant worry about Kay, the gnawing fear of what the Porters might do next. But I couldn’t let him see that. Nope, had to keep those walls up.

“Is that so?” He chuckled, standing outside of my cell, then took a seat on an old sofa left to rot down here with me. “Well, consider me your sleepless chaperone.”

“Charming.” The edges of my mouth betrayed me, curling into a reluctant smile.

Damn it. There went my tough girl act. One smile from him and I was turning into a puddle. Pull it together, Soto. I’d faced down worse than a pretty boy with puppy dog eyes.

We sat in companionable silence for a moment before Braxton spoke again, his voice softer, more reflective. “You know, my family...they mean everything to me. This whole mess with Shoemaker...” He trailed off, shaking his head.

“Protectiveness is a heavy cloak to wear.” I thought of my sister, Kay, and how far I’d go to keep her safe. She was the whole reason I was doing this—pretending to be someone else—Shoemaker’s daughter. Kay’s face flashed in my mind, her sweet smile, her trusting eyes. God, I missed her. The ache in my chest was almost physical.

“Isn’t it just?” He sighed, leaning back. “Sometimes, I wonder if we made the right call.”

“Blackmail’s a dirty business, eh?”

“Sure is.” He ran a hand through his sandy hair, then frowned. “You ever feel like the world chewed you up and spat you out?”

“Every day. I, uh, I lost my parents when I was just a kid. It breaks you in ways you can’t imagine.”

The admission surprised me. I never talked about my parents, not to anyone. But something about Braxton’s presence, the quiet vulnerability in his voice, made me want to open up. It was terrifying and oddly comforting at the same time. Completely caught up in the moment, I realized my mistake. I held my breath, waiting to see if Braxton did as well.

“Same,” he said, his brown eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made me relax somewhat. “It shapes you, doesn’t it? Makes you do things you never thought you would.”

I nodded, suddenly aware of the heat radiating from his body. Damn, why did he have to be so... relatable? And hot. Literally hot. The cell suddenly felt ten degrees warmer. I tried to focus on the cold concrete floor, the damp walls, anything but the way his t-shirt hugged his chest. Get it together, Brynn. He’s your captor, remember? Even if he does have eyes you could drown in.

Damn, I needed sleep. Or a cold shower. Maybe both.

“Makes you understand things you wish you didn’t.”

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