Page 44 of Sweet Possession

I study him, confused. What is he trying to say? Brody has always been protective of me, but this is too much. Too… my eyes widen as it hits me. I straighten. “You.” It’s not a question, and by the way he grimaces, he knows exactly what I’m getting at.

His eyes soften, and he pushes out of his chair. “Ash.”

I step back, shaking my head. “What the fuck, Brody?”

He sighs. “I know. I don’t want to feel this way, but I do. It’s why I slept with Cali. I wanted her gone.”

“But you’re not gay,” I state because he has never shown an interest in men in the whole twenty odd years that I have known him.

He shakes his head. “No, I’m not. But Iamin love with you. I don’t want to be, but it happened. I’m not attracted to men. Only you,” he admits, stepping closer to me. I step back. He pauses, frowning.

I shake my head. How did I not see this? “I like women, Brody. Specifically, I like Remi. I’m in love with her,” I tell him honestly.

Anger flashes in his eyes, and his jaw clenches. “You think you love her, but you don’t. We can be good together,” he counters.

“I don’t think, Brody, Iknow.Stay away from me, and stay away from Remi,” I warn before turning and striding towards the door. Flicking the lock, I pull the door open, only to stop when he speaks.

“I got rid of Cali, Ash. I’ll get rid ofyour angeltoo.” The threat in his voice is clear. I won’t let him touch Remi though.

Glancing over my shoulder, I say, “I won’t tell you again, Brody, you don’t want to go to war with me.”

“Iwillgo to warforyou,” he says confidently.

Closing the distance between us, I bare my teeth. “I don’t want you.” I enunciate the words to get them across. His nostrils flare, but I’m not finished. “You were my best friend, nothing more. Then you fucked my girlfriend. We are no longer friends, Brody. We are nothing. Stay away from me and stay away frommygirl.” Hurt flashes in his eyes before he covers it.

“I will have you, Ash. You want me. I see it, and soon you will too.” The confidence in his voice makes me pause. He actually believes we will happen. I scoff, shaking my head, but he speaks again. “We will. It’s just thegirlin our way.” The venom that drips from him when he says the word “girl” puts me on edge.

“Stay away from the both of us, asshole,” I snap before spinning and starting for the door again. This time, I make it out without him saying another word. But it doesn’t do anything for my worry. I’ve seen a side to Brody I never knew existed. He slept with Cali to get her away from me. I’m concerned about what he’ll do to Remi. He now knows that I love her. How far will he go to push her away? I’m not taking any chances. I won’t let him take my angel away from me because he has some delusions that he and I will be together. It’s scary to think about. I thought I knew Brody. I’ve known him most of my life, yet he hid himself so well. He turned out to be disloyal and manipulative.

I’m done letting the fucker mess with me.

* * *

When the bell sounds at the end of the day and all the kids exit the room, I am more than ready to get out of this place. I messaged Remi earlier, after confronting Brody, and told her to meet me at our spot so I can take her straight home. Grabbing my satchel, I stride out of my classroom, down the hall—which is littered with students—and out into the parking lot, coming to a stop when I spot my angel talking to a man I don’t know. I pause, going on high alert when I see the tension in her body.

She looks scared.

Not waiting another second, I rush towards her, not caring who’s around. Before anything else, she’s my girl and if she looks distressed, I will protect her, no matter the consequences.

My hackles go up when I hear the man growl at her. Remi curls into herself. She looks so small, so vulnerable, that I’m about to kill this motherfucker with my bare hands.

“What is going on here?” I bark, making both of their head’s snap up to me. If possible, even more rage surges through me when I see the fear in her eyes. “Miss Hale, are you okay?”

She nods, stepping away from the man. “I was just leaving.” There’s a shake in her voice that does nothing for my anger.

“Is this man bothering you?” I ask, standing between them. It’s a protective stance.

The man smirks. “Not at all. I just wanted to say hello to an… old friend. Isn’t that right, Crystal?”

My spine snaps straight and everything clicks into place. He knows her from the club. “Her name is Remi,” I grit at the same time my angel grinds out, “My name is Remi.”

The man thrusts his hand out to me. “Louis Carrington. And you are?”

Right. Logan Carrington’s father. I glance at his hand but don’t take it. “Mr. Grant.”

He smiles, dropping his hand. “My son’s math teacher.” It’s a statement, and when I don’t answer, he carries on. “It’s good to meet you, Mr. Grant. I must get going. I have a meeting with Principal Abernathy about my new position on the board.” He straightens his tie, his leery eyes going to my angel. I ball my fists, wanting to smack him in his face, gouge his eyes out so he can never look at her again.

I glance at Remi, who is like a statue beside me. Her eyes are wide, but she looks defeated. I’ve had enough. I won’t see my angel reduced to the scared girl she was when we met. “You better get going then. Goodbye, Mr. Carrington.” My words leave no room for argument.

---