by Sherri Hayes
“What can I get you to drink?” Josh asked Logan and Lily.
Like with Stephan and me, Logan answered for the both of them. “Just water for us.”
Logan held out the chair directly across from me for Lily and she took a seat. When Logan sat down, Charlie came up beside him and rubbed his nose on Logan’s leg, looking for attention. It was obvious the dog knew Logan and liked him as Logan scratched behind Charlie’s ears.
“He’s putty in your hands, man,” Josh said when he brought Logan and Lily their waters. Then he glanced at Stephan and me and added, “He does this every time Logan comes over. You’d think he was Logan’s dog instead of ours.”
Cynthia chuckled as she set a plate of grilled chicken and a bowl of green beans on the table. “You’re just jealous he’s paying attention to someone other than you.”
Josh laughed. “Maybe.”
Our hosts finished bringing dinner to the table and within a few minutes we were all filling our plates and eating. As the lighthearted conversation continued, my anxiety eased. I wasn’t sure I could say I was enjoying myself, but I wasn’t so stressed I couldn’t appreciate my meal.
Cynthia brought a cake out for dessert. “Does anyone want coffee?”
“I’ll take some,” Josh said.
He looked to Logan who shook his head. “I’ve had too much already today.”
Lily didn’t comment and I let Stephan speak for us. “No, thank you, Cynthia.”
She returned a few minutes later with two mugs of coffee, one for her and one for Josh as he began cutting the cake and serving it. I had taken my first bite when Josh decided to ask me a direct question. “Brianna, I understand you and Stephan met under some unique circumstances.”
I stiffened.
He waited a few moments, but when I didn’t answer he continued. “How exactly did you meet? The article I read didn’t go into a lot of detail.”
Stephan had warned me that Josh may have some questions about our relationship. I’d tried to prepare myself, but it was still a bit of a shock to be asked the question in the middle of a dinner party. I swallowed the bite of cake that now tasted like sand in my mouth.
Josh was waiting for my answer and I knew that whatever I said would probably be the deciding factor in whether Josh wanted to work with Stephan. I felt the enormous weight of it settle in my stomach.
But I had gone over how I’d met Stephan dozens of times over the years, both for the trial and many times with therapists. I could do this.
Stephan
I’d had a feeling this line of questioning was coming. He’d been asking Brianna little questions here and there all evening. First it was our move out of the city. Then it was about how we’d found our house. He was casual about it, but I knew the purpose behind them.
Luckily, Brianna and I had talked about the potential of this happening while we were at the condo this afternoon. I didn’t like that it was happening, watching her struggle was never something I enjoyed, but I also knew that if I were in Josh’s position, I’d be doing the same thing.
Brianna lowered her fork to her plate and took a deep breath before meeting Josh’s gaze. “He rescued me from an evil man who liked to rape and torture me. We found out later that Ian had killed some of the other women he’d owned. If Stephan hadn’t saved me, I probably wouldn’t be alive today.” Her voice shook with the emotion of what she was saying. I was so proud of her.
The silence in the room was deafening. Everyone had stopped eating . . . breathing.
Cynthia was the one to finally breath the silence. “Owned?”
Brianna looked at the other end of the table where Cynthia was seated. “Yes. Ian owned me and another young woman named Alex. We were his slaves.”
Our hostess had lost all color in her face.
Josh cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “How? I mean . . . how did . . .” He was stumbling over his words. It wasn’t every day you found out the woman you were sitting down to dinner with had lived through horrors you couldn’t imagine.
“How did that happen?”
Brianna averted her gaze and took a deep breath. I knew she was struggling, so I took her hand in mine. She was doing so well. “I was sold to a man to pay off my father’s gambling debts.”
Both Josh and his wife looked stunned. Josh must not have done as much reading as he thought he had on the trial, because most of what Brianna had shared was in the transcripts. However, if he’d only been skimming through newspaper articles, he wouldn’t have gotten much. Most of them were focused on her being held captive and my involvement. It still irritated me that many in the press were more concerned that I was part of the story, than the fact that a man had held Brianna captive for ten months.
Logan and Lily were the first to recover. The information Brianna shared wasn’t new to them, but it still sent a shiver down one's spine every time she told her story. It was chilling to think of something like that happening today. They both resumed eating their cake and soon the rest of the table followed suit.
There was no more conversation for the rest of the meal as everyone finished their dessert. I leaned in to whisper in Brianna’s ear. “Are you ready to go?”
She nodded.
Scooting my chair back, I stood, and helped Brianna to her feet. “Josh. Cynthia. Thank you for a lovely meal. It’s been a long day, so we’re going to call it a night.”
Josh stood. “Could I have a word with you in private before you take off?”
My gaze met Logan’s across the table. He knew I was silently asking him to keep an eye on Brianna.
“Of course,” I said. Then I turned to Brianna. “Stay with Logan and Lily. I’ll return shortly.”
Josh led me down the hall to the front of the house and into the room to the left of the entryway. It was a small office, not much bigger than our main bathroom on the second floor of our home. He closed the doors behind us and crossed his arms over his chest. “I wanted to apologize if I upset Brianna. That wasn’t my intention.”
“If I thought it was, we would have left a long time ago.”
He nodded. “I need to ask you one more thing. Some of the articles I read today.” He paused and I could tell he was nervous about whatever it was he was going to say. “They said you bought her from this Ian guy.”
This was the sticking point for most people. “Yes.”
Josh blew out a breath and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “Wow. Okay.”
“If you’d like to know the details, all you have to do is ask. I did what I felt I needed to do. And if I were in the same position again, even knowing it would mean having to step down from The Coleman Foundation, I would do the same thing.”
He stared at me for what felt like several minutes, but was probably more like a few seconds, before he spoke. “I need a little time to think about this.”
“I understand. You know how to reach me.” I reached for the knob and opened the door. “Have a nice evening. And thank you again for dinner.”
When I walked back into the kitchen, Cynthia was hugging Brianna. She stepped back when she saw me, and I could see moisture coating her eyes.
As soon as Brianna noticed me, she came to stand at my side. “Everything all right?”
She nodded.
I met Cynthia’s gaze. “It was nice to meet you, Cynthia.”
“Thank you both for coming.”
Josh strolled back into the room looking a bit shell shocked.
“I think we’re gonna head out, too,” Logan said. “It’s been a long week.”
“Of course,” Cynthia said when Josh continued to stand there. “I’ll walk you all to the door.”
Charlie, who’d spent most of dinner lying in the corner on his dog bed, got up to trail after Cynthia toward the front door.
Goodbyes were short and the four of us headed out to where our cars were parked on the street. “I think that went pretty well,” Logan said.
“Are you okay, Brianna?” Lily asked
.
“I’m okay.” She looked up at me. “I’d like to go home, though. Maybe we could take a bath?”
I gave her a kiss. “I think that sounds perfect.”
Logan opened his car door and waited for Lily to slip inside. “Lily said Bridget would like us all to meet for breakfast tomorrow.”
“As much as I’d like to avoid that situation, maybe it’s better to get it over with. If Bridget is going to be part of the wedding party, we’re going to have to address the elephant in the room sooner or later. Maybe if she sees more of Brianna and I together, she’ll get the message.”
My best friend chuckled. “You keep telling yourself that.”
I shook my head and helped Brianna into our vehicle. “I’ll call you in the morning. We can figure things out then.”
The drive home was uneventful. Given the hour, there wasn’t a lot of traffic and we made it back to the condo in record time. I pulled into my parking slot and reached for Brianna.
She nuzzled her nose into my neck, and I kissed the top of her hair. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.”
“Cynthia thanked me for sharing my story.”
I smiled. Brianna never saw how amazing she was, how resilient. “Come on, let’s get that bath going. I need to unwind.”
We were alone in the elevator as we rode up to the top floor. People were already in for the night or they were still out partying. Either way, I was glad for the privacy.
Once we were inside the condo and the door was locked, we made our way into the bathroom. “Get undressed and I’ll get the bath started.”
Brianna began removing her clothes and putting them in the hamper while I got the water going. Even though we weren’t living here full time anymore, I still paid someone to come in once a week to clean. That meant the bathtub was ready to go and we had clean towels on the rack waiting for us.
A naked Brianna stood beside me as I sat on the edge of the bathtub. Her long brown hair teased the tips of her nipples as she stood before me and I couldn’t resist sucking one of them into my mouth. Her fingers threaded through my hair as I enjoyed the feel of her on my tongue.
I released her nipple, but not before giving it one last lick. “Get in the bath. I’ll be in shortly.”
Holding her hand, I steadied her as she stepped into the bathtub and lowered herself into the warm water. She leaned back and closed her eyes.
I unbuttoned my dress shirt and tossed it in the hamper. I swiftly removed my shoes, tossing my socks and pants in the laundry, as well. It felt strange being back in the condo, but familiar at the same time. I was glad I’d decided not to sell it.
Brianna opened her eyes when she heard me approach. She sat up, giving me room to slip in behind her. “Comfortable?” I asked as she leaned back against my chest.
“Yes, Sir.” She released a contented sigh.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her while we let the water work its magic. We both needed to relax and what better way to do that than soaking in a bath with Brianna in my arms.
Chapter 12
Brianna
Something was pulling me out of the deep sleep I was in. I’d been so relaxed after our bath and the orgasm Stephan had given me, that I’d fallen asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. It felt so nice that I didn’t want to wake up.
Try as I might, however, something was tugging at my consciousness. I couldn’t figure out what it was at first, but as I began to wake up, I realized it was Stephan. He was perched between my legs, licking me.
My legs fell open as if on instinct and he murmured his approval. “Good morning, love. Sleep well?”
He did something wicked with his tongue that felt really good. “Yes, Sir.”
With every flick, my body heat rose. He sucked my clit into his mouth and massaged it until I was teetering on the edge. All I needed was a little more and I’d fall off.
Then his mouth was gone.
Before I could register what had happened, I felt his penis at my entrance, pressing into me. “That’s it, pet. Take me. Take all of me.”
My body welcomed him, and I felt full and loved and protected all at the same time. It was a wonderful feeling and one I’ve never felt with anyone other than Stephan.
He pressed me into the mattress with his body, braced himself with one arm on the bed, and grabbed the back of my neck with the other as he continued to thrust. I was completely surrounded, and I loved it.
His lips descended to cover mine and he took what he wanted. I could taste myself on his tongue as he devoured my mouth with enthusiasm as he pounded into me. He held my head at the angle he wanted and I could feel his fingers pressing against my skull with exactly the right amount of pressure.
Since my hands were free, I held onto his back, using the leverage to lift my hips to meet his. I loved this feeling of being with him, of feeling both free and captured at the same time.
Stephan shifted his weight and moved his hand that had been supporting his weight so that it was wedged between our bodies directly above where we were joined. I wanted to beg him to touch my clit, to allow me to come, but I couldn’t. He continued kissing me with such passion that I was ready to explode from that alone.
Then, his thumb brushed my clit and I nearly cried. It felt so good and I wanted to come so badly.
A strangled cry of desperation tore from my throat.
He released my mouth and moved to my ear. “Do you want to come?” His voice sounded ragged and like he’d been working out in the gym. It was the sexiest sound ever.
“Yes!”
His hand on my skull tightened, pulling some of my hair. It was like an electric current went straight from my head to my sex. “Yes, what?”
“May I come? Please?”
“Such a good girl, you are.” He increased the pressure on my clit, and I gritted my teeth. “Come for me, love.”
My orgasm started before he’d finished the sentence. It ripped through my body with enough force that I couldn’t contain my scream.
When my breathing began to slow and I became aware of my surroundings again, Stephan was hovering over me, a huge smile on his face. He was still inside me.
“I love watching you come,” Stephan said. “It’s one of the great joys in life to see you fall apart in my arms.”
Heat warmed my cheeks back up.
He chuckled and I felt it all the way to my toes. “I love it when you blush, too.”
“Was I loud?” I sounded loud, even to myself.
I didn’t think it was possible, but his smile seemed to get bigger. “Very. Good thing I soundproofed the walls.”
He was teasing me. I knew it. But that didn’t help with the embarrassment.
“Hmm.” He ran his nose from my neck up to my ear. “So very beautiful.”
I swallowed, feeling the tingle of arousal begin to stir again. “Did you . . . did you come?” He was still inside me, after all.
Stephan hummed. “Yes, I did. I came very, very hard.”
I sucked in a breath.
He laughed and let himself slip out of me. “As much as I’d love to stay in bed with you all day, we’re supposed to be meeting Logan, Lily, and Bridget for breakfast in an hour.”
Bridget. I’d forgotten about her. How she’d looked at Stephan. The questions she’d asked. I frowned.
Stephan raised his eyebrows in question.
“Bridget likes you.”
Giving me a quick kiss, Stephan rolled over and got out of bed. Then he held out his hand, indicating he wanted me to join him. I scooted across the bed and put my feet on the ground.
Once I was standing next to him, he took both my hands in his and looked me in the eye. “Bridget doesn’t like me. She likes my money.”
I scrunched my nose up in confusion. Yes, Stephan was rich, but how did she know that? “I don’t understand.”
Stephan sighed. “I was dressed to impress yesterday in one of my more expensive suits. Given Bridget’s rather forward
approach, my guess is that she deduced that I had money based on what she knew the suit cost. Someone who made a middle-class income wouldn’t likely be able to purchase a tailored suit like the one I was wearing.”
It was strange. I’d never thought about how much his suits cost. They were just clothes.
He squeezed my hands and brought them up to his mouth. “Don’t worry about Bridget. Lily said she’d talk to her. We’ll get through this wedding and we’ll never have to see her again.”
I tried not to think about it as we showered and got dressed. As we drove to the hotel where Bridget was staying, my nerves started to get the better of me. Normally, we were at the house, or we went to a museum, or something without so much socialization. Even if we went into town to shop, I stayed close to Stephan and we didn’t talk to many people other than maybe a server or a store clerk.
The last two days had been all about interacting with people. First Bridget and the lady at the bridal store. Then, last night with Josh and Cynthia. Now we were going to face Bridget again.
“Are you okay?” Stephan asked as he pulled up in front of the hotel. We were meeting everyone in the hotel restaurant.
“Yes, Sir.”
He never took his eyes off me even though the valet was standing by the car with the door open, waiting for him to exit. “What number?”
“Four.”
He nodded, got out, and walked around the car to help me out. I took his hand and he pulled me over to the side of the door instead of going in. “These last two days have been stressful, I know. You’ve been doing so well, though. I’m proud of you.”
“I’m not used to being around so many people.”
Stephan brushed his thumb along my cheek. “I know. But after breakfast we’ll head home and the two of us can lock ourselves away until Monday. How does that sound?”
“Can we watch more Buffy?”
He groaned. “You just want to drool over Angel.”
I giggled. There was no denying the actor that played Angel was cute, but he wasn’t Stephan. If I had to choose, I would choose Stephan every time.
