Page 78 of Brandt's Rule

Tempest sighed as she released his skin she’d just clamped between her teeth, licking away the bit of blood that seeped from the mating mark she’d planted in exactly the same spot on his neck, that he’d placed hers on her neck. “And now you’re mine,” she said haughtily, stretching beneath him, then curling her lower legs around his.

Brandt smiled to himself as he gathered his mate in his arms and rolled to his back, so she wouldn’t have to support his weight on top of her body. Once he was settled on his back, Tempest stretched out across him, his fingertips tracing soothing patterns from her shoulders to the small of her back, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Rest, my Pest. We have nowhere to be at all today.”

She pressed a kiss to his chest where her head rested, but fought the urge to go back to sleep.

Brandt knew when she gave in and stopped fighting the need to sleep. Her entire body went lax and her breathing evened out. But her fingertips where they curled around his biceps continued to hold onto him. He smiled again, loving that she held onto him even in sleep. “I’ll never let you go,” he whispered, kissing her head again, before he closed his own eyes and drifted to sleep.

Chapter 17

A couple of hours later Tempest was awakened by an irritating vibrating noise. It just barely niggled at the edge of her consciousness, until she lifted her head and gazed groggily around the bedroom. Then, hearing it again, she focused in until she identified it as her purse sitting on the floor next to the bed. Grabbing her purse, she unzipped it and looked inside. Brandt’s phone was tucked away inside, lighting up and vibrating its ass off. She snatched the phone out of the purse and turned it in her hands until she could see the screen. A picture of a gorgeous female with long dark hair and eyes was displayed. He’d obviously saved the photo of the girl with her contact information. Or at least that’s what she thought she remembered Bailey explaining to her.

She carefully pressed her finger onto the green circle and slid it across the phone screen. “Yes?” she asked.

“Who is this?” a female’s voice asked.

“Who is this?” Tempest countered.

“I asked you first,” the female snapped.

“What may I help you with?” Tempest asked, taking the high road in the game the female tried to establish.

“Well, I was thinking of speaking to Brandt, but since you’re answering his phone, I think I’d rather speak to you.”

“What do you want with my mate?” Tempest asked calmly.

“Mate? Brandt’s mated? You must be Tempest! Oh, my Gods! Mama said you were mates, but I had no idea you’d actually already be mated!” The female squealed causing Tempest to hold the phone out from her ear.

“Tempest? You awake?” Brandt asked, sticking his head around the bedroom door to peek at her.

“Take this,” Tempest said, holding the phone out to him.

He walked over, his expression showing that he was little puzzled as she turned her back to him and pulled the covers up. He looked down at the phone, heard the squealing over the line and grinned. “Emmalyn, stop squealing,” Brandt said into the phone, leaving Tempest to fall back asleep if that’s what she needed.

“Brandt?” Tempest said, her voice stopping him right before he stepped out of the bedroom.

He looked back at her.

“Who is that female?”

“She’s my cousin. Uncle Bam’s youngest daughter.”

“Mmm, okay.”

“You hungry, baby?” Brandt asked.

“Yes!” she said, opening her eyes and actually sitting up.

“Throw something on and come on out. It’s almost ready.”

Tempest looked down at her breasts peeking out from beneath the covers, then up at Brandt. He hadn’t seemed to mind seeing her body too terribly much earlier this morning.

“Barron’s here,” he said, letting her know why he wanted her to cover up.

Emmalyn squealed again on the other end of the phone. “You called her baby! Why am I not there?!” she exclaimed.

“Emmalyn, stop the damn squealing. Please,” Brandt insisted.

“I’m just so happy for you!” she said.

---