Priceless

by Linda Kage

“So...you prefer total control, huh?” I said. Then I lifted my eyebrows with a curious interest. “Like...restraints...kind of control?”

  He was slow to answer, but after a moment, he gave a reluctant nod. “Sometimes, yeah. That’s been known to get me off. I don’t want to forcefully subdue anyone or hurt a girl, nothing like that. I just like...doing all the work, you know, while she lays back and takes in the pleasure.”

  Air seeped from my lungs as I soaked in the mental picture he drew. It sounded...nice.

  Very nice.

  Finally, when I had phased out for too long, he whispered, “Sarah?”

  I licked my dry lips and glanced up to meet his worried gaze. I knew I needed to answer, but oh my God, what could I say to that? That I actually liked the idea of what he thought was fucked up?

  “Sorry, uh...I think I just had a mini-orgasm there. I’m okay now.”

  “Orgasm?” He sat up straighter. “You mean you—”

  “Yeah,” I muttered, cutting him off. “Sorry. What you described sounded like, well...fun. But whatever. We should probably head back in now...” He opened his mouth to respond, but I wasn’t sure if I could take another sex rejection from him, so I rushed to add, “I have a bad feeling your family’s trying to watch us out the window.”

  Simultaneously, we shifted our gazes toward the house, and sure enough, about half a dozen silhouettes loomed at the back windows.

  Brandt blew out a shuddered breath and spiked his hands through his hair. “I don’t know what to say to them. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t even want to think about it. God, I wish Colton had kept his fucking trap shut.”

  “It’s okay,” I murmured, petting his arm. “I got this. Let’s just...we’ll get this one confrontation out of the way, and then you can come home with me tonight, okay?”

  He nodded, looking relieved. “Okay. Thank you.” Leaning in, he pressed his mouth to my temple as if trying to eke some courage from me before he let out a breath. Then he slid me off his lap and pushed to his feet.

  I didn’t want the wheelchair and when I said so, he didn’t argue. I think he kind of wanted to stay close to me, anyway. Looping an arm around my waist to support me, he made himself my crutch while we took painfully slow steps up the ramp and back inside through the rear entrance.

  As expected, all his siblings, plus their spouses, but no children, were still loitering in the kitchen.

  We pulled to a halt and faced them together.

  Noel took one look at Brandt’s still-incredibly-pale face and swollen, bloodshot eyes before he erupted. “That fucking bitch! I’m going to kill her.”

  His words uncorked the pressure brewing in everyone, and they all started talking at once, threatening all manner of disembowelment and torture to their mother, and promising justice for Brandt.

  Knowing this was exactly what he wanted to avoid, I held up a hand and shouted, “No!”

  The family actually quieted, which made me blink, a little shocked my command had worked. But now that I had everyone’s attention, I was going to steer the conversation to where Brandt wanted it.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” I started. “Each of you will have a turn to say whatever you need to say to him. There will be no questions about the actual event, but you can let him know that you do not blame him for anything, and love him no matter what. And then, after that, we’ll never speak of this again. Got it?”

  This time, I think my authority managed to shock everyone else too. Even Brandt gazed at me with raised eyebrows. But at least they followed my rules.

  Ten was the first to clear his throat and wave a hand before stepping forward. “Can I go first?” When I realized he was asking me, I raised an eyebrow and gave him a nod.

  He turned to Brandt. “Dude... You’re my wife’s brother and my daughter’s uncle. You’re family, and you always will be, no matter what. I got your back, man.”

  When Ten reached out a fist to pound it out, Brandt tightened his grip on my waist but used his free hand to bump his knuckles against his brother-in-law’s.

  Following right behind her husband, Caroline threw her arms around Brandt’s neck and hugged him hard. He had to let go of me to hug her back, so I shuffled toward the kitchen counters and leaned against them to support my weight as his sister cried, “I love you, bubba. I’m so sorry I didn’t save you. I wish I’d known what was happening. I would’ve torn into that room and broken her fucking neck.”

  Nodding, Brandt took her words with a small smile that dropped as soon as Colton stepped forward.

  “I’m sorry,” his younger brother choked out. “I’m so sorry.”

  Jaw hard, Brandt didn’t seem to want to forgive him. But after a glance at me, he turned back and said, “It’s all in the past.”

  Aspen was next to hug him. For a moment, I thought all she was going to do was hold him, but after an infinity of keeping him close, she pulled back, tears glistening in her eyes. “I know I’m only your sister-in-law, but after nine years of helping raise you—”

  “No, Colton was right,” Brandt assured her. “You are our mom.”

  Her tears fell a little faster as she smiled. “Well, I must say, I have a mother’s pride every time I look at you. You’ve become the noblest, kindest, most compassionate man I know. No matter what happened to you in that hellhole before Noel brought you to me, you haven’t let it mar your integrity or keep you from being happy. I know you think us finding out was the worst thing that could happen to you, but you’ll find out soon, it’s actually the best thing. We love you. So much. You’ll get past this.”

  After another quick hug, she stepped back, leaving only Noel to speak. With a helpless shrug, he shook his head. “Well, hell. I don’t know what there is to say after that.” But then his eyes filled with tears as he studied Brandt’s face. “Except, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I’ve failed you.”

  “No.” Brandt shook his head and yanked Noel in for a hug. “No. You saved me. You saved all of us. And I never thanked you for showing up when you did and bringing us here.”

  “Dammit,” Caroline muttered. “Now you two are making me cry.” Hurrying forward, she joined their hug. A second later, Colton announced he was feeling left out.

  The four siblings hugged in a group, all of them crying until they began to laugh weepily at themselves. Finally, when they pulled apart, Brandt immediately sought me out, and he seemed to release a relieved breath when our gazes met.

  I’d never seen him look so vulnerable, so serious, so beaten. It broke my heart. But knowing I was the one he depended on most also emboldened me. He wanted to escape this moment, so I was going to help him.

  Pressing a hand to my abdomen, I said, “You mind if I sit down? Feels like my legs are about to wobble out from beneath me.”

  “Shit, sorry.” He leaped forward and then steered me toward a chair at the table. Then he hovered next to me and set a warm hand on my shoulder before glancing at his siblings. “I’m going to take Sarah home. I’ll probably stay there tonight.”

  No one had a problem with that, so...it was settled. Brandt was coming home with me.

  BRANDT

  I felt drained, exhausted, and sore. For a moment, I wasn’t sure why I was so sore, but then I realized I’d been holding myself tense for the past couple hours. My muscles were probably screaming for a little relaxation.

  When the door to Sarah’s bedroom opened, I turned my face on the pillow where I’d been resting my head and staring up at her ceiling to watch her roll into the room. My chest tightened with emotion as she smiled at me. But my muscles, they seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

  I was so fucking glad she’d been there tonight.

  The first moment I’d seen her wheelchair in the kitchen, I’d thought my life had ended. I was ready to wilt away into nothing, because I hadn’t trusted our friendship the way I should have. I was certain I was going to lose her.

  But Sarah had ended up saving me instead of leaving me to
drown in the horror.

  I didn’t think I could love her any more than I did in this moment.

  “Hey,” she murmured brightly, dressed in her nightclothes and ready to sleep.

  Shifting under the covers to make room for her, I smiled back. “Hey.”

  After everything that had happened tonight, all the shit we’d been through lately, the drama that had seemed to take over our lives, all we had to say was “hey” and it covered everything.

  “You look beat,” she told me as she climbed onto the mattress with me and settled the blankets in around us before lying down with her head on my shoulder instead of on her pillow.

  I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her more snugly against me. “I am beat,” I admitted, “But my brain is fucking wired. I doubt I’ll get much sleep tonight.”

  “That would actually work great for me. You can rub my back while I sleep.”

  When Sarah fluttered her lashes at me in a begging manner, I chuckled. “Oh, is that how’s it going to be, huh?”

  “Sure. You can get started now if you like.” She even tried to roll away from me so I’d have full access to her back, but her bare shoulder where her tank top wasn’t covering her soft, sleek flesh had my body sparking with awareness.

  “I don’t think so, smart-ass. Get back here.” Rolling her back so that she was once again facing me with her breasts and warm belly pressed into my side, I tucked her against me. Her cheek settled back onto my shoulder, and I closed my eyes, content.

  “Well, you can’t blame a girl for trying.” She sighed out her disappointment even as she cuddled closer.

  Even though I’d rejected her request for a backrub, my fingers began to lazily strum up and down her arm. And no, I couldn’t blame her for trying anything at all. All her warmth and softness soaking into me reminded me of what else she’d tried lately.

  I knew I was being a total guy, but every thought in my brain turned to sex. After the night I’d had, sex should probably be the last thing I wanted, but for some reason, all I could think about was how every reason I’d been trying to stay away from Sarah suddenly seemed moot.

  I’d been worried about freaking her out with my weirdness, except she was aware of that now and had actually seemed turned on by the idea of bondage.

  I’d been afraid our friendship might suffer, but it felt so strong at the moment, I knew I could trust it to weather anything.

  I’d thought everything with my mother had made me dirty, but after a stern talking-to from Sarah, I was finally accepting the idea that maybe I had been a victim, so honestly, I shouldn’t feel too filthy to contaminate her. And she didn’t seem disgusted by me, which went a long way.

  So, yeah, with all those reservations out of the way, I just wanted to do her. Hard, fast, slow, intense, languidly, and every way in between.

  I wondered if she’d kick me in the nads if I asked, though. She’d tried so hard to talk me into it, and I’d resisted; it would serve me right if she spat a rejection right back in my face now that I was on board with the idea.

  Then again, she’d been brave and faced rejection for me. It only seemed right that I do the same for her.

  “Sarah?” I murmured, my heart beginning to pound as I looked up at the ceiling and bit the inside of my lip.

  “Mmm?” she asked, nuzzling her nose up my throat and making my already hard dick pulse with need.

  I groaned and took her wrist before drawing her hand down and placing her palm firmly over the crotch of the sweatpants I was wearing. The warmth from her fingers soaked through the cloth and made my cock jerk.

  Sucking in a surprised breath, Sarah lifted her face to look into my eyes. “I...are you saying...are you sure it’s okay that I’m touching you here? No bad déjà vu?”

  With a laugh over how cute her reaction was, I shook my head. “Not yet. I think holding your wrist and controlling every move you make helps.”

  “Oh! Well...” She gulped, looking so adorably excited I wanted to kiss her. “Control whatever you need to, then.”

  “You don’t mind?” I asked, searching her flushed, wide-eyed expression as I made her hand rub up and down my length.

  She snorted. “You’re kidding me, right? This is freaking awesome. I can’t believe...” Her gaze ran over me before it settled on her hand that still pressed against my junk. “It’s so hard.”

  I laughed. “Well, that’s an improvement from last night when you called it soft.”

  “What?” Brow knitting, she glanced at me before she remembered she’d said that. “Oh...no! That’s not what I meant. It was hard underneath, sure. But the surface...I didn’t know the skin would be that soft.”

  Grinning, I finally relieved her of her worry, saying, “I knew what you meant.”

  She scowled and called me a meanie for letting her think I’d been hurt. But I only laughed again and pulled her hand off me before rolling us until she was nestled on her back and I was on top of her.

  Settling my hips between her legs, I pressed against the apex of her thighs, making my erection grind against her clit. Together, we gasped and gripped each other. I caught her hands and pulled them above our heads. Then I lowered my mouth to hers and kissed her.

  Our tongues dueled and tangled. Our breaths mixed. Our bodies strained.

  I could feel her breasts through her tank top, and I needed to taste them, so I caught the hem of her top and tugged it up and over her head.

  “Your shirt too,” she gasped, her eyes glazed with need. “I love seeing your bare chest.”

  It took me half a second to rip my shirt off, and once I did, I was finally able to focus on the breasts I’d just unveiled.

  “Fuck...me,” I uttered.

  “I will if you want me to,” Sarah said cattily, making me dart my gaze to her and realize...we were doing this. We were really going to do this.

  “Okay,” I started, only to wince and press a fist to my head. “Shit. I don’t have anything.” Then daring to ask, I met her gaze hopefully. “Do you think Mason has any—”

  “No.” Sarah pointed a finger at my nose. “We are not stealing condoms from my brother. Besides...” A smile lit her face. “Open my top drawer there. Dig to the bottom of the pile of underwear.”

  “Undies?” That word sold me. Sitting back on my haunches yet remaining on top of her with my thighs straddling her hips, I reached for the drawer and opened it before burying my hand inside, feeling soft cotton and cool silk until my fingers bumped into cardboard. I drew it out only to drop my jaw in shock. “Holy shit.”

  A small, unopened box of Trojans sat in my palm. My gaze moved to her, one eyebrow lifting in question.

  She offered me a small, guilty smile. “Courtesy of Caroline.”

  I barked out a laugh, then announced, “Oh my God, I love my sister so much right now.” And I tossed the box to the side before saying, “Now about these boobies.”

  I’d avoided them long enough, which had to be a crime because...damn. They were so ripe and pert, the hardened nipples like berries just waiting to be plucked. I kind of liked that they were on the smallish side because they were going to fit into my hands perfectly.

  Flexing my fingers in preparation of touching them, I pulled a laugh from Sarah for my antics before I reached down and cupped her in each palm.

  Together, we drew in a ragged breath. “Oh...wow,” she said in a daze. “I had no idea that would feel so good.”

  I grinned at her. “Wait until I suck on them.”

  She whimpered, so I took that as my cue and leaned down before tugging a begging peak into my mouth.

  “Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod!” She clutched my hair hard and her legs writhed uncontrollably, making me feel all masculine and accomplished. But, damn, she even tasted as sweet as a berry.

  Batting her fingers out of my hair, I skimmed my other hand down her side as I worked the second breast, making her moan and squirm even more. Except this time, she gripped the sheets and not me.

 
While I was biting the end and then licking away the sting, I tugged off her sleep pants and panties in one fell swoop.

  “I swear, there’s like a string inside me,” she panted out, “connecting my breasts to my pussy. Every time you”—I tugged on the end of her breast with my teeth, making her gasp—”yeah, do that...I can feel it down there.”

  “Down here?” I asked, slipping my hand between her legs and pressing against her clit.

  “Ohmigod, I’m naked!” she squeaked, glancing down in shock. “When did you take those off?”

  I laughed. She really was too adorable. But then I looked down at the pussy I was holding, and the chuckle turned into a groan. Fuck, she was flawless.

  “You’re so perfect,” I said. My jaws ached and mouth watered with the need to taste her. “So do you want to try an experiment?” I asked. “See if it works the other way around, and you can feel it in your breasts when I suck on your clit.”

  “Uh...” Her gaze filled with lust. “Okay.”

  I grinned and licked her. She yelped in shock, then moaned in need, and finally screamed in release.

  I loved every little—and big—sound she made. It told me I was doing my job well.

  Sitting up, I grinned down at her. “So, did you feel it?”

  She blinked at me, looking dazed and confused. “What?”

  I chuckled. Oh, yeah. I’d done my job real well.

  “That was so much better than any orgasm I’d ever given myself,” she slurred, looking so limp and sated and happy that she might just fall asleep any moment.

  “Hey, don’t go passing out on me. We’re not done yet.” Climbing out of my sweatpants, I watched her tired eyes spark with interest as my cock sprang free.

  “Oh, wow. Is it bad that I like to look at it?” she asked, licking her lips while I reached for the condom.

  “I guess I’d rather you like it than don’t like it,” I decided, grinning when her eyes drew wide as I rolled the latex over my length.

  “That is so freaking hot,” she whispered. “Okay, I like looking at it even more when you’re touching it.”

  “What? Like this?” I stroked myself for her, and she went crazy, squirming on the bed and clutching at her breasts in one hand and her pussy in the other.