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  Chapter Seven

  Jennifer

  Laying here in the dark, tossing and turning whilst thoughts of that kiss from earlier ran through my brain over and over was doing my bloody head right in. My shouting match with Brent had been epic. I knew it was wrong to take out my anger on him but shit with Max had completely fucked with my head. I’d spent long hours at the office over the past week. Firstly due to Dante being off so he could take care of Liora and secondly, Max wanted to hash things out with me over contracts and investments. Thankfully, he hadn’t brought up the part about me having to play the perfect girlfriend role again, but I was sure it wouldn’t be long until he broached the subject again. The thought of having to touch him at all made my skin crawl.

  The only saving grace had been coming home and spending the rest of my evenings with Brent. As strange as it sounds, I enjoyed playing him at Mario Kart and watching films. He would never replace Fi, but with Liora being unwell, Dante was occupied with taking care of her. He’d not even been into work all week. It wasn’t as though I was settling for Brent’s company rather than Dante’s or anything. The truce between us would always be shaky, but he wasn’t so bad in the overall scheme of things. That was until tempers flared and we snapped at each other. Then things went from zero to one hundred in a matter of moments. As evidenced by this evening.

  I couldn’t deny it any longer. For some insane reason, I was attracted to him. Not just because he was hot. Let’s face it, Brent had always been handsome. That had never been up for debate. It happened to be his ability to irritate the shit out of me which was the issue. He still did, but I’d come to see him in a different light. He’d been nice to me on several occasions and he hadn’t run for the hills the moment I turned my temper on him. No, he’d called me out on my bullshit. I had to give him respect for that.

  I slammed my fist against the sheets. Why couldn’t I get him out of my head? He told me straight up we were nothing. Basically throwing my words back in my face. I hadn’t meant them. Not at all.

  Brent and I were something. I just didn’t know quite what yet.

  The urge to go and tell him grew until it became utterly unbearable. Aware it would be playing a dangerous game, I slipped out of bed and padded downstairs. I stood outside the door to his basement flat for a long moment. It was never locked. I opened it and walked down the stairs until I got to the bottom. There was another door. Tentatively I turned the handle, finding it unlocked as well.

  What are you doing, Jen?

  I had no idea. All I knew is I couldn’t sleep and it was Brent’s fault. And mine. I couldn’t exactly blame this situation all on him. I’d been an active participant in whatever fucked up mess this happened to be.

  I tiptoed down the hallway and came to a halt in the doorway of his bedroom. Everything was dark but I remembered it from when I stayed here the night I found out about Fi and Jensen. How could I ever forget the night which changed the course of Brent and I’s relationship?

  Should I have come down here?

  Definitely not.

  I never did anything I should though.

  I walked over to his bed, pulled back the covers and climbed in next to him. He didn’t stir straight away. It was only when I brushed his hair back from his face he murmured something intelligible and batted my hand away.

  “Brent, it’s me.”

  He cracked an eye open, blinked then opened both eyes. I couldn’t exactly see his expression fully, but I had an inkling he wasn’t entirely pleased I was here nor that I’d woken him up.

  “What the fuck? What are you doing?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine in the low light.

  “I thought I made everything clear earlier.”

  I shook my head.

  “You didn’t let me have a say.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. Go back to bed.”

  I should’ve known he wouldn’t make this easy.

  “No. I can’t.”

  “Why not? You shouldn’t even be down here.”

  Brent wouldn’t physically kick me out of his flat, but he would demand I leave if he didn’t want me here. I knew one guaranteed way he’d be on board with me staying so I could talk to him. I just hoped he wouldn’t stop me before I could get him on side.

  “Because I just can’t.”

  Diving under the covers, I crawled between his legs, my hands running up his thighs.

  “Jen, what are you…” I tugged his boxers down and wrapped my hand around his half hard cock. “…doing?”

  Leaning over him, I ran my tongue up his shaft before taking his cock in my mouth.

  “Christ, what… fuck. Jesus, fuck.”

  He grew harder in my mouth by the second. I used my tongue to lavish the underside of him whilst my hand remained around the base, working him a little.

  “Fuck, Jen, why are you doing this to me?”

  I hoped he didn’t expect a response when I had a mouth full of his cock. Couldn’t say I was the hugest fan of giving head but there happened to be something erotic about the power exchange. The longer I sucked his cock, the more I started to enjoy it. Then again, for some reason, when it came to Brent, I wanted to do all the things I’d never dared to try before. Simple things like spending time with him and it not escalating into sex. I hadn’t exactly had much luck with guys before outside of the bedroom. Brent was different. He’d always be different.

  I looked up, my eyes meeting his in the dim light. His hands were fisted at his sides as if he was holding back. His body tensed. I knew he liked what I was doing but felt like he shouldn’t because of who I was.

  I pulled back, keeping my hand locked around him.

  “Now will you let me talk to you?”

  “Yes,” he gritted out through his teeth.

  I started to stroke him, keeping my mouth close by in case he changed his mind.

  “We aren’t nothing. I don’t know what the fuck we are, but it’s something. You can’t deny it. Especially not when it’s clear I turn you on just as much as you do me.”

  I let go of him and crawled up his body until we were inches apart.

  “Tell me to my face you don’t want to tear my clothes off and fuck me right now and I’ll leave.”

  I waited for a response but I didn’t get one. I sat up and tugged off my t-shirt. His eyes went to my breasts.

  “Tell me you don’t want me.”

  No response. I tugged off my sleep shorts and underwear next, leaving me bare above him.

  “Tell me to go, Brent. Tell me to go or pin me down and fuck me. Those are your two options.”

  His hands uncurled and ran up my legs. Gripping my hips, he moved me off him and got up on his knees. He tugged off his boxers properly before pressing a hand between my shoulder blades and forcing me down on the bed. My hips stayed up, but my face was pressed into the covers with my arms resting at my sides. I turned my face so I could breathe but I didn’t object. I hoped this was him giving in.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” he told me, his voice low and laced with desire. “You’re going to stay exactly like this. If you move, I’ll stop. Got it?”

  His fingers trailed along my spine, sending shivers down it. Normally I wouldn’t be on board with being told what to do. Something in his voice, the dark, husky quality of it made me want to stay still for him.

  “Yes.”

  “You asked for this, Jen. You pushed me.”

  Both his hands landed on my behind and he spread me wide open for him. Before I could speak, his tongue was on my pussy. I let out a low whine. Shit, he was good at that. His mouth latched onto my clit, teasing me with licks and sucks until I was practically putty in his hands, desperate to come. Every time I thought I’d explode, he backed off a little.

  “Please,” I whispered, my hands clenching in the covers.

  “Please what?”
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  “Let me come.”

  “Not yet. You gave me hell today so I’m returning the favour.”

  I spluttered. Who did he think he was?

  But wait, if I moved or told him where to go, he’d stop and I didn’t want that. No, I couldn’t allow the delicious torture to end. I wanted him and I really wanted him to fuck me. No other man had got me so wet before just from words. Earlier, I was holding back from pouncing on him because his insistence on staying calm when I was screaming at him had turned me on for some reason.

  “Please, Brent.”

  “You’re going to stop telling me you hate me. We both know that’s not true. You want me just as much as I want you. Admit it. Admit you like me.”

  Oh fuck me.

  “Are you crazy?”

  He pulled away and I immediately wanted him back.

  “No, I’m sick of you lying to both of us. So admit the truth. Admit you like me.”

  I squirmed. The thing is, it was true. I did like him despite myself. I wouldn’t be down here in his flat if I didn’t. I wouldn’t have spent the past week looking forward to spending my evenings with him.

  “I like you,” I whispered.

  He leant over me, his mouth brushing across my earlobe. I let out a long breath.

  “I know you do. As long as you keep telling me the truth, I’ll give you what you want. Fuck you deep and hard. Make you come over and over. You lie to me, Jen, this ends. All of it.”

  My heart lurched. I didn’t want it to end. I wanted Brent to keep touching me. Wanted him to do dark, dirty and depraved things to me all in the name of pleasure.

  “I won’t lie to you.”

  “Good.”

  He pulled away again but before I could take a breath, his cock pressed at my entrance. I moaned when he slid inside me. His hands banded around my hips as his anchor. I felt so full, but he wasn’t done yet.

  “So tight,” he grunted. “Fuck. Being in your pussy is heaven and hell at the same time. I never want to leave.”

  “Don’t stop, please. I need you.”

  What the hell was I saying? Did I need him? Right now, yes. I would lose my shit if he didn’t fuck me and make me come just like he said he would. Some kind of madness had over taken me. If you told me three months ago I was going to sleep with Brent and enjoy it so much, I couldn’t get enough, I’d have called you a fucking moron.

  When he finally bottomed out, I wasn’t given much of a chance to adjust as he pulled back and slammed into me with a force that knocked all the air out of my lungs. I let out a shaky gasp. He continued to fuck me with long, hard and brutal strokes. Like he was punishing me for my earlier outburst. Punishing me for coming down here and getting him hard. Hard enough that all thoughts of me being Dante’s sister disappeared. I knew better than to bring it up again.

  “You’re a maddening woman, you know that? Absolutely fucking maddening. Any other man would think you were a fucking nightmare to deal with, but apparently not me. No, when you spit fire at me, I just want to hold you down and fuck you until you’re screaming my name in pleasure instead of anger.”

  His hands gripped me tighter and I was pretty sure I might end up with bruised hips at this rate. I didn’t care though. Not when it felt so good. I was damn sure I wouldn’t let any other man fuck me this way. I wouldn’t have allowed anyone to tell me to stay still and let them take control of my body.

  “You don’t let anyone inside those walls of yours. An impenetrable fortress. That’s okay, Jen. One day, you’re going to let me slip through the cracks.”

  What the hell does that mean?

  I didn’t really have time to process it. He reached around and strummed my clit with his fingers, making me buck and moan in response. My pulse skittered and my body tightened. Dots sparked in my vision when I shattered. I shook. I trembled. I cursed. Waves of bliss radiated from my core outwards until I was a mess of jellied limbs, trying to keep myself upright.

  “Shit,” I said weakly, my voice all quiet and mouse-like.

  He slammed into me four more times before he let out a low grunt and shuddered above me. I could do little but gulp down oxygen. When he let me go, I collapsed on the bed, my knees giving way. He flopped down next to me, then I felt his fingers dusting over my back followed by his lips at my shoulder.

  “Brent,” I whispered.

  “Hmm?”

  “I can’t move.”

  He chuckled and continued to stroke my back. His touch felt so soothing after the brutal way he’d fucked me.

  “Has the indomitable Jennifer Benson been rendered immobile for the first time in her life?”

  I wanted to snap back at him for that comment, but I didn’t.

  “I guess she has.”

  His fingers stilled. A part of me wanted to let him in. Tell him what was going on with Max so he could help me find a way out of it. That was just wishful thinking. Brent’s loyalty was to Dante. He’d go straight to my brother and then everything would come out. Our family’s reputation would fall into ruin and our company, well, we might as well just kiss that goodbye. We had money so that wasn’t the issue. Bensons was our legacy and I didn’t want it going down the drain. Not when we’d all worked so hard in the wake of the scandal with Dad.

  “You said we’re something… What exactly did you mean by that?”

  I shifted a little so I could look at him properly. His gold flecked eyes were curious and his expression open. Like he really wanted to know the answer and he wasn’t going to shoot me down for it regardless of what I said.

  “I guess we’re friends,” I mumbled because I didn’t have a better word for it.

  “Friends?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know.”

  He resumed stroking my back. Leaning down towards me, his breath fluttered across my cheek.

  “I don’t usually have sex with my friends, Jen,” he whispered.

  “Me either. Do we have to define it beyond this?”

  “I suppose not.”

  He kissed down my jaw, making me shiver before his lips brushed across the corner of my mouth. I turned into his touch, claiming his mouth with my own. His hand left my back and cupped my face, stroking across my cheek. It made my heart flutter. The small, gentle touch of his fingers against my skin.

  I moved, turning on my side and drawing him closer. My hand tangled in his hair, tugging at the strands. Something about Brent had me just wanting to forget about everything else when it was me and him alone. Did he realise how vulnerable he made me feel? How much I wanted to open up to him? Perhaps that’s what he meant by me being an impenetrable fortress. I didn’t let people in easily.

  What if I let him in? What if I let him see me? All of me.

  They were dangerous thoughts I couldn’t afford to have. I shoved them away and focused on kissing him. Focused on the way his body moulded to mine and his hand which fell from my face to clutch my waist.

  “Don’t go back upstairs,” he murmured against my lips.

  I didn’t have it in me to leave even if I wanted to. Sleeping without him right here would be impossible anyway. My mind would be too full. Full of thoughts of what Max expected of me. How I had no choice but to give into his demands. How I would have to act like his girlfriend when all I wanted to do was run as far away from him as possible.

  Then there was the huge complication right here. Brent. What the hell would he think when it surfaced I was Maximillian Graves’ girlfriend? It might not be real but that didn’t make it any less fucked up. Would Brent feel like I’d been leading him on? That I was a cheater because I’d slept with him whilst going out with Max.

  You and Brent aren’t together.

  We weren’t but it didn’t make it any better. This was a mess and it would only get messier if I continued down this path with Brent. It would be better for both of us if I went back upstairs and didn’t complicate matters any further.

  I didn’t though. I continu
ed to kiss him, my hands roaming across his body, memorising his muscles. Every contour and edge.

  “I don’t want to go,” I whispered.

  “Stay with me.”

  “I shouldn’t.”

  He flipped me over on my back, dipping his head to my neck and trailing kisses down it. He took my hands, entwining our fingers together as he raised his head and stared down at me. My heart stuttered in my chest at his intense expression.

  “You’re staying right here.”

  My heart told me not to leave whilst my head screamed at me to go. To not let this become something it could never be. I didn’t often listen to my heart, but this time I did.

  “Okay.”

  His lip quirked up at the side. I couldn’t get over how attractive he looked when he smiled like that with his hair all mussed from my fingers tangling in it.

  When he leant down and kissed me again, I melted into him. One of my well-constructed walls crumbled to ashes and dust. I knew then and there. I was in trouble. In huge fucking trouble. If all my walls fell away, I’d be in serious danger of wanting to hold onto Brent and never let go.

  And that was just plain fucking terrifying.

  Chapter Eight

  Brent

  I didn’t think I’d wake up to find her in my arms again after that first night. Her eyes were closed, her breath fluttering across my skin where she was curled up against my chest with her hand resting on my heart. I didn’t want to disturb her even though she should get back upstairs. Selfishly, I wanted her here so I could hold her like this forever.

  Jen had no idea of my feelings, my love for her. She’d never been the easiest of girls to understand. She carried wounds so deep, I wasn’t sure she’d ever heal from them. Lashing out at the world was her way of coping with what Zach did. At least since she’d had therapy, she seemed to be improving.

  There was something else bothering her now. I wish I knew what it was. She might continuously tell me she didn’t need protecting but everyone needed someone. Her someone wasn’t around as much. Jen missed Fi more than she let on. My firestorm was lonely and it hurt me to see her like this. I shouldn’t think of Jen as mine, but in my heart she was. She had been since the day I’d first been introduced to the twins and James. A day I remembered vividly.