Page 64 of Brandy Snap: Part One

“I don’t give a shit about that.” Kai just laughed again. “There isn’t a single chance that you’re turning up to a party as our mate wearing some cheap-ass rag.”

“Kai, enough,” Sin’s tone rang with disapproval.

“No, I’m not stopping. She agreed, so she has to deal with whatever we do. That’s what we’re paying you for, isn’t it, Brandy? You just want our fucking money. So you can shut the fuck up and be our little toy for the next month.”

I sucked in a hard breath as heat flooded in my core. I told myself not to give in, but it was harder to resist when he spoke to me like that.

“You really think that’s going to help?” Caspian asked, followed by more rustling. “Mel, I’ll send you however much you need, just as long as you fuck off and leave us alone.”

It felt messed up that I was more interested in how he said my name than how he was giving me an easy ticket to solve all my problems.

“Come on, Zania is going to lose her absolute shit if she finds out where she’s from,” Kai said.

Sin sighed, followed by even more rustling. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it sounded like they were in bed. Images flashed through me of that day: their faces, their strokes, the need that burned between us. I wanted to share it with them again.

“Listen, if you’re going to be our mate, you need to act like you belong with us.” The way Kai purred down the phone sounded like he was definitely planning something else. “All we’ve seen of you is your pussy, so you should prove to us you’re worth it before we pay you.”

My mouth dropped open as I searched for the right way to reply. But he was shredding through my pride like it was nothing.

Why should I be the one who has to prove myself after the way the three of them treated me during my very first heat? It wasn't like it was a one-way deal. They needed me, too.

“Pardon us for a second,” Sin said, quickly taking me off of speakerphone. I hung onto the phone, my heart in my throat as I waited.

Maybe I should just have accepted Caspian’s offer. But if I did that, I wouldn’t get to see them again. Even if they scowled and snarled and snapped at me, at least I could look at them and have a chance to say everything I needed to before we said goodbye.

Sin’s voice filled the phone again. From the way it echoed, it sounded like he was in a different room.

“I apologise again. He gets more wound up the longer he’s left to stew.”

“He’s been stewing?” I asked, suddenly perking up.

“Melanie,” Sin softened, taking on the same tone he did when he was holding me in his arms and watching me with fascination. “Even if Kai speaks like that, all we’ve been doing is thinking about you.”

My breath caught in the back of my throat as he said what I really wanted to hear since I left.

“I meant it when I said I couldn’t wait to see you again,” he murmured. “I’m so glad you called.”

“I, um…Sin, I…” I trailed off, reminding myself not to give in to my feelings, not yet. “I didn’t call because I wanted to see you again.”

“Of course, naturally,” his voice sprang back to his cool tone. “How much do you need? Please don’t be coy. You are doing us a favour by agreeing to this.”

I licked my lips, still not believing I was going to be so bold. I had swallowed my pride again and again over the years because I needed money or a place to stay. But asking people I’d shared my heat with for money, possibly in exchange for sex, made everything bitter.

“Ten thousand,” I demanded quietly, my stomach rolling, shame blooming in my chest.

“Really?” Sin replied.

I squeezed my eyes closed, knowing it was too much. I shouldn’t have done it. I should have just asked for a month’s wages so I could get back on my feet.

“Is that all?” he asked.

Like a strong wind against a bamboo house, my breath was stolen from me as his words sunk in.

“W-What?” I stuttered, not really believing he’d actually said that to me.

“Well, are you sure? We can always double that. I was expecting far more than simply ten thousand.”

He said it so casually it was like we were just talking about the weather and not my life.

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