Cursed Love (Broderick Coven Book 1)

by AJ Renee

  Brandy could not formulate an answer.

  “What do you need?” he asked, running a finger through her folds.

  Meeting his eyes, she whimpered, “You.”

  Ryan leaned forward and crushed his lips to hers as he rid her of her panties in record time. His hips bucked, thrusting into her in one swift, breathtaking move. Locking her ankles behind him, she dug her fingers into his shoulders. She never needed anyone so badly in her life, never wanted to be owned by a man.

  Brandy held on as he marked her with each soul-searing stroke. He reached deep within her and was weaving himself around every cell of her body.

  “Oh!” a moan ripped from her throat as she spiraled into paradise.

  The beautiful, shattering experience made her heart race, and her breaths short and shallow. He managed to short-circuit everything she thought was real. A peaceful calm washed over her, and a small voice in the back of her head warned to raise the walls around her heart, to guard against the sexy, life-altering man.

  Before she could listen to the war raging within her, her spent body slipped into the deepest of dreams with Ryan cocooned protectively around her.

  Chapter 23

  Brandy’s warm, slick body fit perfectly against his own. He knew they had royally screwed up, but he couldn’t muster enough guilt to never do it again. There was no way loving this woman could be wrong. He felt like such a pussy-whipped asshole for it, but he didn’t give a damn.

  Their relationship was anything but normal. His feelings early on had been an inconvenience, and he had done what he could to avoid her. But now he needed her… wanted her… and would never be happy without her.

  Glancing down at her tousled hair, he admired the beautiful woman. Her skin was silky soft against his, her breaths were shallow, and a satisfied smile graced her lips. He loved her; there was no doubt about it. His chest squeezed with excitement and nerves at the truth threatening to burst free.

  I just need to tell her, he thought before following her into a blissful sleep.

  A sound in the distance woke Ryan. Listening closely, he tried making out the noise as he noted the lock on the door was still in place. The protective spells over the apartment were also untouched.

  Looking down at Brandy, he brushed a hair off her face and smiled. The pull between them was too raw and too strong, but he knew without a doubt she was where she belonged, in his arms.

  Waking up to her gone, after Peter had clocked him, had been one of the worst feelings ever, or so he’d thought. The fear that had flooded his senses at her call for help, the real possibility of losing her at the hands of some lycan? That turned out to be the worst feeling he had ever experienced.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  Brandy yelped at the pounding on the door. Fear flashed in her eyes at the loud noise. He pulled her tightly against him, their lips a breath away as her wide eyes searched his.

  “I know you’re in there. Get your asses out here! We need to talk,” Peter yelled from the other side of the door.

  Ryan sighed and brushed his lips against hers. His pulse beat erratically with the contact. When her dazed eyes met his, he smiled. He ran his nose along hers before turning toward the locked door. “All right!” he yelled back.

  Reluctantly, he slipped out of bed and offered her his hand. Her face brightened as she let him lead her into the bathroom.

  “Won’t Peter be mad?”

  He turned on the water and drew her into his arms as it warmed. “He can wait a bit longer. How’d you sleep?” he asked, ignoring his friend’s muffled reply from across the apartment.

  Brandy pressed her cheek against his chest and sighed. “Great. Much better than by myself. You?”

  He chuckled, her hair ruffling at his breath. “Much better. You belong in my arms.”

  After checking the water, he pulled her in and took his time tending to her. He focused on each inch of skin, lingering over spots where she trembled. His brows knit and he lowered to a knee, kissing her hips where small circles had formed. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, unable to look her in the eye. He had been too rough with her and had marred her delicate skin.

  “Why?” she asked, pulling him to his feet.

  “I hurt you. I was too rough,” he muttered.

  Brandy cupped his face, forcing him to look at her before shaking her head. “Oh, no. That was… amazing.” She grinned.

  She grabbed the loofah and washed him. It was innocent by all accounts, but her touch made Ryan crazy. It was soft and teasing, her fingers brushing along him as she scrubbed him down.

  When she poured body wash onto her palm and wrapped it around his semi-hard erection, he stilled. Blood rushed south as her soapy hand slid up and down his shaft. Unable to help himself, he watched the erotic show, the thick vein running down his length pulsing at her touch.

  Turning him toward the spray of water, she rinsed him before enveloping him in her hot mouth. Ryan was a goner. He didn’t give a rat’s ass if Peter walked in. The special kind of magic she worked over him was incredible.

  His fingers tangled in her hair, all the while reminding himself to be gentle when all he wanted to do was fuck her pretty mouth. Her eyes met his, and the tingling in his spine warned him of his impending release.

  Pulling her to her feet, he smiled when she pouted. “I wasn’t done!”

  Ryan guided her to face the wall, her palms flattening against the glass, and slipped into heaven. “Ah,” he hissed.

  In a matter of thrusts, their cries of pleasure echoed throughout the bathroom. He hugged her from behind, their hearts hammering as one. Once he could catch his breath, he turned her and captured her mouth in a sweet kiss and poured into it all the love he held inside. He wasn’t sure when to tell her, but until then, he’d show her what she meant to him with each touch and kiss. Baring his heart should terrify him, but he could not drum up the emotion.

  “We better get dressed before Peter tears down the door,” he whispered and loosened his hold around her.

  Brandy’s eyes rounded, and her cheeks flushed at the real possibility. “He’s already pissed at me.”

  Ryan frowned and nodded. “He is, but now he’ll be pissed at both of us.”

  Chapter 24

  The peaceful, post-orgasm bliss was gone. Brandy hurried to dress, sneaking glances of Ryan as he did the same. He was gorgeous. His body was toned, not bulky but far from skinny. The man was confident, and the way he took care of her in and out of bed made her heart melt.

  “You’re staring.” He chuckled, his brow raised. He slipped his shirt over his head, and it stretched perfectly over his muscles.

  Brandy tipped her head in thought. “Why haven’t you lit into me about what I did?”

  “I’m not your parent, sweetheart.” He walked to her and cupped her hips. “You didn’t listen to us, and you got yourself in some serious trouble. I was livid, but mostly…” He sighed. “Mostly, I was terrified I’d lose you. I’m happy you’re in my arms and not with whoever is after you.”

  He wrapped her into his arms. With her cheek resting against his chest, she let the steady sound of his heart calm her. After a moment, Ryan kissed the top of her head and stepped back. “Ready?”

  Brandy nodded as he threaded their fingers together. They walked down the hall to the main part of the condo. There she found Peter, Ethan, and a woman she had never seen.

  “About fucking time,” Ethan said, surprising her. He had only raised his voice at her a handful of times. He rushed toward her and gave her a bear hug. “Don’t do that again!”

  Ryan shook Ethan’s hand in some silent manly acceptance before Ryan’s heavy arm wrapped around her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to accept whatever tongue-lashing Peter had in store. She was not a child and refused to cower before the were, but she had been reckless in leaving. Not only could she have been taken or killed, but the lycan could have hurt them.

  “Serena? What are you doing here?” Ryan asked, and jealousy s
lithered through Brandy at their familiarity.

  Serena looked from Brandy to Ryan, and her mouth pulled tight into a thin line. Brandy sniffed the air but could not tell if she smelled Peter or another werewolf in the mix.

  “I’m not a werewolf,” the beautiful woman snapped.

  Brandy raised a brow as she bit the inside of her cheek. “What are you then?” she asked, studying her with narrowed eyes.

  Ryan squeezed her to him, a silent warning. “Brandy, this is Serena Bishop. She’s the high priestess of my coven.”

  Coven? He had never mentioned being in a coven. They still had so much more to learn about each other. She put her hand against his stomach and looked up at him.

  “You never mentioned being in a coven,” she told him.

  “She’s in charge. Don’t piss her off. There’s a reason she’s here. I just don’t know why,” he told her.

  “Oh my God, you’ve slept with her?” Brandy’s eyes widened.

  “You’re…” Serena paused as her brows pinched. “Mates then.”

  Brandy ignored the alarm on Ryan’s face and straightened to her tallest height. “Yes.”

  The woman’s gaze lowered as she stepped forward. A charge formed within Brandy, the itch to protect working its way up her spine.

  No one spoke as Serena lifted and examined Brandy’s left hand. “Has this always been there?”

  Brandy glanced down. “Yeah, it’s a birth mark.” She raised it closer, noticing it looked different. The skin was normally a shade darker than her own, but now it was a pale rose.

  Peter and Ethan stepped closer to see as Serena whispered, “It looks like a bird. Has it always been this color?”

  “No, it’s usually darker.” Brandy mindlessly rubbed the skin between her thumb and index finger as Ryan scratched an ear.

  “I believe congratulations are in order,” Serena announced.

  “For what?”

  Serena glanced at Peter. “Is she…”

  “What?” Brandy asked. “Am I what?”

  Peter’s lids lowered and his nose flared. When he did not speak but stepped into her personal bubble, she prepared to shove him away. Her attention darted from the werewolf to Ryan, who seemed to lose his voice or his decency to stand up for her. A burst of air tickled her neck as Peter exhaled.

  “Oh,” he muttered before stepping away and nodding. “Yeah, but barely.” Peter rubbed the back of his neck and looked from Ryan to Brandy. “You’re pregnant.”

  “What?” they yelled.

  She was pregnant? How? They had only had sex three times, and two of those were in the last twenty-four hours. Brandy’s knees buckled under her, but before she could hit the ground, Ryan scooped her into his arms and dropped into the armchair with no finesse. His face reflected the same shock flowing through her.

  Movement caught her eye a second before Serena flipped Ryan’s left ear forward. “Did you get a tattoo?”

  He released Brandy’s hand and searched the skin behind his ear with his forefinger. “A tattoo? No. What are you talking about? My ear’s been itching. That’s all.”

  “Mmhmm,” Serena muttered.

  Tilting his head to the side, Brandy found a black design. “Is that a horse’s head?”

  Pushing to his feet, Ryan set her down and rushed to the bathroom as everyone stared at her.

  “Why do you think I’m pregnant?”

  Serena pointed at her hand. “A raised, rose-colored mark on a witch is a sign of pregnancy, which tells me you hit the baby load. Peter confirmed it by smelling the change of hormones off of you.”

  “But how?” she asked at the same time Ryan asked, “What the hell is this thing?”

  “Maybe you should ask Mommy and Daddy about the birds and the bees,” Serena told her in a baby voice.

  All of Brandy’s emotions from the last ten minutes boiled over at the woman’s snide remark. “No reason to be a bitch about it.”

  “Babycakes!”

  “Brandy!”

  “Sweetheart!”

  The men called at her as fireballs formed in each of her hands, the new marks long forgotten. Her heart pounded in her chest as an eerie calm came over her. Serena’s eyes flashed with anger, and Brandy found herself pushed against the nearest wall.

  “You dare challenge me, little girl!” Serena snapped.

  As the youngest of seven, Brandy loathed being called a little girl. It was something that had been thrown at her all her life. Her position against the wall reminded her of the tubar Ryan had killed when they met.

  Brandy stared at the priestess, tuning out the frantic men in her life. “I think someone needs a time out,” she told Serena, her icy voice drawing the men’s attention as she froze the other woman in place. With a flick of her fingers, Brandy dropped to the ground in a crouch. Her hand grazed her belly. If it was true, she needed to take more care.

  “Are you okay?” Ryan asked, blocking her view of the frozen woman.

  Brandy nodded and brushed her lips against his. She turned from him, marched up to Peter, and punched him in the arm.

  “Ow! What was that for?” Peter cried.

  “Why the hell did you bring her here? When the hell were you going to mention you could smell pregnancies? Where the hell did you go last night?” she asked, snapping question after question.

  “Umm… Bran?” Ethan pointed at the witch shimmering as she tried to break free.

  Brandy hit Serena with another burst of magic, and the woman stilled. “So?” she asked Peter.

  The front door opened then, and Peter turned on his heels, positioning himself in front of Brandy from the newcomer. She peered around her large friend and spotted a man. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight as Peter relaxed in front of her.

  “You’re drooling, sweetheart,” Ryan teased.

  Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. Peter stepped forward and gave him a simple pound-on-the-back hug before stepping back.

  “Ethan. Brandy. I’d like you to meet Xander.”

  Xander was tall, dark, handsome, and smelled of dirt. From the look in his eye, he was a joker.

  “Don’t let his looks fool you. He’s deadly,” Ryan warned her.

  Brandy turned toward Ryan with surprise. “Really?”

  “If you’re done being rude, we need—Brandy?” Peter nodded at Serena, who was near escaping her frozen state.

  “Why is she here anyway?” Brandy asked after hitting Serena with magic once more.

  Ryan cupped her face. “You need to release her.”

  “She was acting like a bitch,” Brandy said, forcing herself to not stomp her foot like a child. “Fine!” She moved in front of the witch and released the freeze on her head.

  “How da—”

  Brandy froze Serena’s mouth shut. “There, much better.”

  Muffled chuckles resounded behind her as the woman narrowed her eyes.

  “For the record, Serena, my parents are dead.”

  A flash of sadness crossed Serena’s eyes before they went hard once more. “I feel your magic. Stop it! I will release you on the condition you start playing nicely. Do we have an understanding?”

  When she did not do anything, Brandy unfroze her mouth. “So?”

  “You’re being disrespectful, litt—”

  Ethan moved to her side. “Serena is it? Brandy has never been a fan of being called a little girl. She’s kicked my brothers and me in the balls quite a few times over it. I suggest you respect her for the grown woman she is.”

  “She’s acting like a…” Serena stopped and cleared her throat as she glanced at everyone gathered.

  Brandy released her and raised a brow. “If we can start over again, I’ll stop freezing you now,” she said, trying to compromise.

  Chapter 25

  Ryan watched the women come to some sort of understanding. He studied Serena and wondered why he had allowed his dick to lead him into her bed. Surely if not for their past, she would not have treated Brandy so poorly. So
metimes dealing with Serena was like walking on a tightrope. If he was not careful, he was going to end up in a lot of hurt.

  Glancing down at Brandy, his chest tightened with emotion. Watching her stand up to the priestess was terrifying and interesting to say the least.

  Serena shook out her body and turned toward Peter. “Why did you call us here?”

  Xander stood next to Peter with his hands clasped behind his back. The beta was good at perceiving a relaxed posture, but Ryan knew he would rip out someone’s throat in a heartbeat. Wolf form or not.

  There was not a more loyal were to have Peter’s back. Ryan looked at Brandy, who observed Xander with open curiosity.

  “Last night, a lycan cornered Brandy,” Peter announced.

  “How can that be?” Serena asked while Xander sized up Brandy, clearly not believing what Peter had not said. The lycan cornered her and she lived.

  Brandy shrugged. “I froze his furry ass.”

  “I interrogated him and spent the night at the normal spots, looking for more information to support his claims.” Peter turned his eyes toward Serena. “There’s a witch hunt going on for Brandy. You need to advise your coven of the danger, especially if any of them resemble her.”

  Serena nodded, and Ryan could see the concern in her eyes. She was a good priestess and cared for the coven. He knew she would heed the warning and gather their people as soon as she left.

  “Xander, the pack needs to be made aware of the situation. Brandy is one of our own, and no one is to touch a hair on her pregnant ass.” Peter’s eyes flicked to her stomach, and Ryan saw the mix of concern and excitement in his gaze. In the little time she had been around, the two had formed a special bond.

  “The pack? Is Xander Peter’s alpha?” Brandy asked.

  “No, Peter’s the alpha. Xander’s his beta,” Ryan told her.

  His lips fought not to smile at the cute way her jaw dropped at the news.

  “Goddamn it, you two. Will you pay attention?” Peter snapped as he glanced from one to the other.

  Thoroughly scolded, they returned their attention to the matter at hand. Peter’s next words landed in his stomach like stones. “Volark is looking for her.”