Page 27 of Save Me

"I'll keep Mac occupied. Just promise me that you'll be back here tonight, please. He barely slept all night, worrying about you."

"Yeah, I can do that," I murmur, more than willing to compromise if it means I'm allowed out of the house without a freaking escort.

"Fuck," Brantley growls two hours later, glancing up at me from behind his father's desk when Daniel shows me into his office, closing the door behind me. "You're precisely what I needed to see today, little bird."

"Then surprise!" I say cheerfully, crossing the massive office toward him with a smile on my face. I navigate around boxes, my eyes locked on his face. He seems…tense. Stressed. I'm guessing that probably has to do with the fact that he's in his father's office, going through his stuff.

He pushes the chair back from the antique desk as I approach, his eyes darkening. I stop only long enough to kick my heels off before I crawl onto his lap, straddling his legs.

He wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me up against his chest. "What are you doing here, baby?"

"Came to see you," I whisper, looping my arms around his neck. "Is that a crime?"

"Hell no." His hands slide down to my ass, squeezing. "It's a fucking reward." He tips his head forward, claiming my mouth in a hot kiss. By the time he lets me up, I'm wet and aching, panting for breath. "You can come see me anytime you want."

"Oh, really?" I tease, breathless. "You won't kick me out again?"

"Remembered that, huh?"

"You mean you expected me to forget being marched out of here by a cowboy? Yeah, not happening."

He chuckles, cocking his head to the side. "In my defense, it was an act of desperation."

"Oh, yeah? You were that desperate to get rid of me, huh?"

"No. I was that desperate not to drop to my knees and agree to whatever the hell you wanted," he growls, his eyes locked on my face. "You waltzed in here, sweet as pie, and sent me into a tailspin, little bird."

"Interesting," I murmur, running my fingers through his hair. "You sent me into a tailspin before I ever walked through the doors."

"Yeah?" He grins, slipping his hand beneath my skirt. "Lucky me."

I shiver at the feel of his hand against my bare skin, heat twisting through me. This is the absolute last place I should be thinking about sex, but I'm thinking about it anyway. Judging by the look in his eyes, he's thinking about it too.

"What are you doing in here?" I ask, trying to distract myself from thinking about sex.

"Going through his shit. Figured maybe there was something in here the police missed," he says, slipping his hand between my legs. His pinky runs along the seam of my panties, teasing me. "Can't help you bring your sister home without names."

I gasp, gaping at him. "What?"

"You heard me." He inches my panties to the side, licking his lips. "I'm going to help you. But we're doing it my way. I take all the risk, not you. That's non-negotiable."

"But…"

"No buts, Isla." He sinks his pinky into me all the way to the knuckle. "We do it my way. Or not at all."

"Yes," I moan.

"Good girl," he whispers.

"You a-aren't playing fair."

"Oh, I know." He smirks at me. "But this is too important to play fair, little bird. I won't let you put yourself in danger. I won't let you get hurt. That's not happening." He thrusts his pinky in and out of me, leaving me trembling on top of him. "His shit doesn't get to taint you, Isla."

"Brantley," I moan.

"Christ, I love the way you moan my name when you want to come," he growls, leaning forward to nip my throat. "Want to know what I've been thinking about all day?"

"Yes," I gasp.

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