Page 24 of Discord
I looked out the window of his black Mustang. It reminded me of his previous car. As a pre-teen, I was insanely jealous of the girls who had the privilege of riding in it. I was finally seated in the coveted passenger seat, and all I felt was mentally drained. With my forehead resting against the window, I realized how willingly I had relinquished control to Brandon when the going got tough. I merely felt his grip on my thighs as I drifted off.
When I stirred, the glass window was more comfortable than I remembered. The unforgiving cold exterior had warmed during the drive. It had a soothing effect and smelled even better.
I gathered subconsciously that the surface was too different. I shifted against it and opened my eyes to find Brandon’s rock-hard chest moving against my face. Lifting my head, I noticed a pristine lobby. We had reached our destination and Brandon was carrying me toward a set of elevators.
“I can walk,” I mumbled, embarrassed to be witnessed in this state.
Brandon ignored me, hitting the elevator button to his floor. His jaw was set hard, with his hoodie drawn over his head. He only set me down once inside the living room of what I presumed was his condo.
“Be right back.” He exited without an explanation or before I could demand one.
I stood in the middle of an impressive room with high ceilings and white marble floors. The room boasted an espresso dining table off to one side and a separated-out bar with an island on the other. It was minimally furnished with tasteful décor. There was no guesswork needed that everything was top of the line with strategically placed accent furniture and artwork to highlight the delicacies of the condo. It paired with the backdrop of New York City, visible through the clear sliding doors that lead to the balcony.
I strolled through the apartment, touching everything as I went, and identified the master bedroom. The bed was made in military precision without a single hair out of place and two side tables. It suited Brandon.
I located a spacious ensuite bathroom and used the facilities to splash water on my face and rinse my mouth with mouthwash. After I felt marginally human, I withdrew to inspect the walk-in closet attached to the bathroom. It was filled with expensive men’s clothing. Without a second thought, I rummaged through his personal items. I didn’t find anything interesting until my gaze locked on an unopened box of condoms—a pack of forty.
My heart iced over.
Unlike the cottage, Brandon had owned this condo for years. He had more opportunities to entertain women and probably fuck them, too. How many prospects had he brought here?
Even as I chided myself against going down this dangerous path, I searched for clues—a leftover article of clothing or lipstick—indicating the ghosts of other women.
Shaking my head, I forced myself to step away and march out of his room. I heard his elegant movements before I spotted him next to the dining table. He had taken off the dark gray hoodie and looked fresh in light chinos and a t-shirt.
“Where did you go?”
He turned abruptly, eyes landing on me with acute precision. “Had to move the car into the garage.”
I imagined Brandon put the hazards on while carrying me inside. He was distant during the process and upon our arrival. But now, nothing about his gaze tracing the length of my legs was apathetic. Something akin to crystals and pale blue stampeded over the last logical part of me.
Did I still have lingering doubts over why he had brought me here?
No other man could throw me off with one fleeting look. I gave him my back, pretending to be curious about the view outside of the living room’s clear sliding doors, andwalked in the opposite direction.
Escaping Brandon’s singular attention wasn’t so easy. I couldn’t focus with his fiery gaze burning my back. Heat rose inside me. Shallow breaths picked up. In my inattentiveness, I ran into the dining table, my hip bones hitting the edges painfully hard.
Simultaneously, I sensed Brandon closing in behind me. He watched me quietly with his head tilted to one side. Something close to reluctance was laced in his tone. “Mia,” he finally murmured, “you do know why I brought you here, don’t you?”
A moan threatened to rip through me at the suggestion. I knew it’d only be a matter of time before one of us snapped and we slept together, but the knowledge didn’t distract me from my inquisitiveness. I bit my lower lip, and my next question came out slightly breathless. “Yes. But aren’t you moving to California?” Why would he go down this road, only to move across the nation? Perhaps something changed on that front.
Brandon stiffened behind me. The initial giddiness trickled down my spine. Of course, he was moving. Even if he wasn’t, I’d be obtuse to expect more out of Brandon. He was proposing sex—most likely to work me out of his system—not a relationship.
Bitterness filled my soul, marring my desire. “This is a terrible idea. You burnt my book after finding out about my age. Clearly, you don’t react well to sex with underaged women. Don’t you have a bunch of rules against it?”
“Rules are overrated.” There was a tenor in his voice, though emotionless. The words vibrated with thick meaning, and I felt the warmth of it hit me between my thighs, heating my blood. Brandon wasn’t known to overturn his personal policies. I loved when he broke his restraints for me because I only bent the rules for Brandon.
Though I should be offended by his crass reasons to fuck me, I swallowed the bitter taste of forewarned rejection. Our paths might never align for a future, but if I didn’t play out the fantasy of Brandon wantingme—instead of Maya—it’d haunt me for the remainder of my days.
Ironically, the last detail was also the reason Brandon didn’t want me. I had seen the repulsion in his eyes when he first found me out.
“You said I was too young.”
“You are,” he confirmed. “There is no turning back once we…” He didn’t bother finishing the sentence, though the implication was clear. This was a one-way ticket for Brandon. Once he crossed this line, the dirty little secret would haunt him forever without reprieve.
“You can get into trouble for this,” I warned. It was the best I could do to ease my conscience over his decision while erotic images of us were already dancing through my mind.
He lowered his head, grazing a finger down my arm. “Then you better make it worth it.”
