Possessed by You

by Jo-Anna Walker

  I stared straight ahead as memories invaded my thoughts. “A year ago.”

  “Father or brother?”

  I looked up at him. “Both.”

  We sat there staring at each other for what felt like an eternity. Unsaid feelings soared around us as I fell into the depths of his gaze. My heart fluttered, my stomach flipped and I realized at that very point that I was falling in love with him. It was too soon for those words to leave my lips. Distracting my thoughts, I grabbed his hand and kissed his palm. “I should go. Get this shit done and over with.”

  He nodded, and sighed.

  I took a deep breath and unbuttoned the top four buttons of my red blouse.

  A growl escaped Brett’s lips at the show of cleavage threatening to escape my shirt.

  I looked up at him and narrowed my eyes. “Don’t.”

  “Evvie,” he bit out.

  “Brett, stop. It gets me longer visits with my brother.” I shrugged. I was the only person Ethan had that could get through to him. I learned at a young age that being a woman had its advantages.

  “You put your tits on display for those fuckers to stare at so you can spend more time with an asshole who put himself there?” he snarled.

  “What I do is none of your fucking business, Brett,” I said, my voice turning cold.

  “Like hell it’s not.” He reached out and grabbed my shirt, doing up the buttons.

  I slapped his hands away.

  Brett’s face reddened as I pulled the buttons apart, defiantly lifting my chin.

  “Evvie,” he growled.

  I pushed him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. You don’t own me, Brett.”

  He cupped the back of my neck and pulled me closer. “Yes. I. Do.”

  I inhaled a gasp and punched his shoulder. “No, you fucking don’t. You don’t own any part of me.”

  The tendons in his neck strained against his skin as he glared at me. “Well you fucking own me, Evvie. Every single piece of me. Mind, body and soul. I am fucking yours.”

  I sat there and gaped at him. He was mine? Like hell he was. Me and every other woman that entered his office. I was just a lay. A good time. He didn’t want me permanently. His cold eyes and his mood swings proved it.

  His eyes searched my face, waiting for my response.

  I shook my head and pushed open the door. “I can’t deal with this right now, Brett.”

  He grabbed my arm, forcing me to look up at him. “Just…” he took a breath. “tell me you feel something for me.”

  My mouth fell open. Big strong dominating Brett MacLean was asking if I felt something for him. Hell had officially frozen over. “Are you teasing me?” I shook my head. This didn’t make sense. It was just sex between us. Sex. That was it. I didn’t understand—

  Warm lips captured mine in a soft but demanding kiss. My eyes fluttered closed as Brett cupped the back of my neck before licking his way into my mouth.

  I sucked on his tongue, needing him inside me.

  A rumble erupted from his chest as he pushed against me.

  I grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer, needing to crawl up his body. If we weren’t sitting outside a jail waiting for me to visit my brother, I would have begged him to take me right then.

  Confusion coursed through me. I didn’t know how Brett felt about me but the kiss was hot, passionate as he devoured my mouth. Our feelings for each other mixed, flowing around us as the kiss became frantic.

  Brett released my mouth, trailing light kisses down my jaw. His breathing deep and heavy, scorching my neck. “Tell me you’re not attracted to me.”

  My eyes fluttered closed as his lips caressed my skin. “Of course I’m attracted to you.”

  “Do you have feelings for me?”

  I pulled back and stared intently into his heated gaze. “Brett, I thought this was just sex.”

  “It was.” He rubbed his kiss swollen mouth, a smug smile splaying on his lips when he caught me staring. He pinched my chin. “But the need for you consumes me.”

  My eyes popped open at his deep words. “What are you saying?”

  His gaze lowered to my lips and down.

  I followed his gaze and found his hand gripping my inner thigh like I was his. My heart thudded hard. I was nobody’s possession, but the way Brett touched me let me know that he would not give up without a fight.

  “I’m saying that I want more. With you.”

  I met his eyes and swallowed. “I’m not one of your whores. You can’t use me like you’ve used them.”

  His jaw clenched. “I would never fucking use you, lover.”

  “Is that what you tell all of the other women, too?” I cringed as soon as the words left my lips. They just slipped. I wanted something more too, but I wasn’t just a hole he could fuck whenever he got bored.

  He pulled away, his back stiffening. “I guess I deserve that.”

  I sighed and placed a hand on his arm. “Brett, I’m sorry. I’m just shocked.”

  He shook his head. “And you don’t think I am? I’ve only had feelings for one woman in my life and that turned to shit.” He chuckled. “I’m such an idiot.”

  My stomach twisted. “No, you’re not.”

  His head snapped to mine. “I’m not? I’m telling you how I feel and you assume I’m fucking using you.”

  “You’re cryptic. I don’t—”

  “I’m falling in love with you, Evvie. There, is that less cryptic for you?”

  His words hit me like a slap in the face. In love? With me? It was too soon. Wasn’t it? “Why?”

  His eyes went cold, deadly as he glared at me. “You’re fucking asking me why I’m falling in love with you?”

  I swallowed hard. “I just—”

  “Go see your brother,” he bit out.

  ***

  I stormed to the doors of the large building, my heels clicking along the sidewalk. My blood boiled and my ears rang. He loved me. I scoffed. Yeah, right. My heart fluttered and I sighed. If he did, it would make the raging emotions that had travelled through my body since the first time we kissed make sense. I was deeply attracted to him but was it love? My stomach flipped. Mine.

  Brett was also right when it came to using my cleavage to spend more time with a brother who obviously didn’t want my help. God, what was I thinking? The shit Ethan did to get himself locked up throughout my life probably should have made me hate him but I couldn’t. He was my brother, my best friend besides Kane and I was the only one that could even make an attempt at getting through to him.

  I took a breath and pushed through the double doors, heading into the waiting area. A cop sat at a desk behind a window typing away at the computer. He looked up as I approached him, his eyes immediately falling to my cleavage.

  A flutter of unease spread through me and I opened my mouth to speak when the hairs on the back of my neck tingled. I turned around and frowned when I saw Brett sitting in a chair against the far wall. His gaze bored into mine, daring me to challenge him.

  We continued to stare at each other as I did up the buttons on my shirt.

  A smug smile spread on his face and he crossed his arms under his chest. The casual demeanor made my stomach flip.

  “Evvie?”

  I startled at the deep voice behind me and turned around, looking up into the warm gray eyes of Officer Bronson. “Hi.”

  He smiled, the lines on his hard older face relaxing. “Here to see your brother?”

  I gripped my clutch at my side and nodded. “How’s he doing?”

  Office Bronson indicated my clutch. “Rules, remember?”

  My cheeks heated and I headed to Brett. “Hold this for me, please?”

  Brett grabbed the clutch and made a point of brushing his thumb along my hand sending a jolt of electricity straight through my body. “Anything for you, lover,” he purred.

  I rolled my eyes and ignored the flutter of my heart. Focus, Evvie.

  I walked back to Officer Bronson as he opened the door.


  “Boyfriend?”

  My gaze snapped to his. “No,” I bit out.

  The corners of his mouth twitched. “Ethan is pretty pissed that he got caught.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief at the change in subject. “What the hell did he do?”

  “Evvie.”

  I stopped as we reached the end of the hall. “Please, tell me.”

  Officer Bronson sighed. “Dealing, again.”

  My stomach dropped. “What was he dealing this time?”

  “Everything.”

  Of course he was. “How’s my dad?”

  Officer Bronson opened the door after it buzzed and we walked down another long corridor. “Keeping the peace.”

  I let out a breath. As we reached the waiting area, my heart sped up. No matter how many times I had been to the jailhouse to see my father and brother, it always made me nervous. Left a bad taste in my mouth.

  “Deep breaths, Evvie,” Office Bronson coaxed.

  I sighed and walked into the large waiting area. Metal tables and chairs lined the vast space as people milled about. Males, young and old in orange jumpsuits visited with family, friends, anyone who would go and see them.

  I sat on the cool hard chair at the back of the room and waited, wringing my hands in my lap. I squeezed my eyes shut, taking deep cleansing breaths. I hadn’t seen my brother in a year. The last time, I had pleaded with him to stay out of trouble. If not for him, then for me.

  Images of the first time he was taken from our childhood home rained full force in my mind. Police vehicle lights flashing red and blue across our yard. Cops raiding our small house and taking my fourteen-year-old brother away.

  “Evvie.”

  I looked up into eyes that were big and blue, filled with so much strength that it took my breath away. The hard contours of Ethan’s young face relaxed when our gazes met. A year in age between us showcased eyes of an older soul. Why he put himself through the shit he did, I’d never understand.

  Ethan smirked. “Aren’t you going to give me a hug?”

  I rose to my feet but noted the dark purple bruise under his left eye. He hadn’t been here for long and already he was fighting. I swallowed past the hard lump in my throat and stepped into his open arms. The rough fabric of the orange jumpsuit scratched at my cheek as I embraced him in a strong hug. “You shaved your head.”

  He pulled out of my grip and ran a hand over his buzzed head as he sat down. “Makes me look tougher.”

  I scoffed and sat across from him. “You don’t need help with that.”

  He grinned and rubbed his jaw.

  My chest ached at the cold permanent stare of my older brother’s deep blue gaze. Tattoos lined his thick neck, travelling down beneath the collar of the standard uniform.

  Ethan leaned back in the chair and looked around the room.

  “What did you do this time?” I demanded.

  His gaze travelled back to mine, twinkling with mischief. “No beating around the bush, huh Ev?”

  “No. What happened?”

  He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “Don’t worry about me, sis.”

  “Ethan.”

  He slapped the table. “I don’t want you worrying about me. I can take care of my own shit.”

  “Clearly. You’re doing a damn good job at it, too.” I glared, feeling the familiar sense of anger bubbling in my belly at the constant fight I had with him. Same fight. Different day.

  Ethan’s jaw clenched. “Did you come here to give me hell or ‘cause you missed me?”

  I crossed my arms under my chest and leaned back in the chair. “Both, asshole.”

  He sat back and looked around the large room. “The last time I was here, I was sitting where you are, visiting Dad.”

  A lump formed in my throat at his admission. “How is he?”

  Ethan met my gaze and shrugged. “He’s stuck in this hell hole. How do you think he is?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have to be a dick.”

  Ethan smirked. “God, I’ve missed you.”

  “That’s because I’m the only one that won’t put up with your shit.”

  He laughed and crossed his arms under his chest. “Yeah, I guess getting caught was stupid on my part.”

  I searched his face. He always got caught. It was like he was punishing himself. “Ethan.” I rose from my seat and walked around the table, sitting beside him.

  He looked away and I followed his gaze. Officer Bronson raised his hands, indicating ten minutes left of our visit.

  Ethan looked back at me. “Who’s the guy?”

  My back stiffened, my cheeks heating. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  His eyes twinkled. “Bullshit.”

  I frowned. “How do you know there’s a guy?”

  Ethan winked. “You seem more relaxed and that’s saying something after the shit Dad and I have put you through.”

  “It’s not just me.”

  Ethan grabbed my hand. “Everett left the country and Evan doesn’t think of anyone but himself.”

  I shook my head. “That’s not true.”

  “You know it is.”

  “I…” I never thought about it before. Evan always took care of us while our dad and Ethan…I swallowed. If he spent more time with Ethan like he did Everett and I, maybe we wouldn’t be sitting at the jail.

  Ethan sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. “Evan loves you. Just don’t let him try and control you like he did me.”

  No one controlled me. Not up until now at least.

  “He treat you good?”

  He tried to control me and dominate me, taking ownership of my life… ““Yes.”

  Ethan nodded. “Good, then I won’t have to kill him.”

  I sighed and placed a hand on his arm. “Please be good. I’m begging you.”

  Ethan’s strong jaw tensed. “Don’t worry about me.”

  “It’s not just me that worries about you,” I cried.

  Ethan rose to his feet. “I’ll come see you when I get out.”

  “Ethan.”

  He turned back to me and winked. “They won’t be able to hold me here for long.”

  ***

  Once reaching the waiting area, my gaze instantly met Brett’s. My tense body relaxed at the sight of him sitting there waiting for me.

  I took a step towards him when a large man came into my view. My eyes widened. “Daddy!”

  Edward Neal grinned a toothy smile as I threw my arms around his hard middle. Being in his late fifties, he shouldn’t have been so fit for an older man.

  “Hello, sweet pea.” My dad ran a hand over my hair and kissed my head.

  I released him and blinked past the tears that burned my eyes. “You’re out?”

  He nodded and cupped my cheek. “I am.”

  I bit back a squeal and wrapped my arms around his middle. No matter the shit we had been through in our lives, he was my father. I knew he loved us. He did everything. For us.

  He chuckled and held me tight against him. “Who’s the young man staring our way, Evvie?”

  I swallowed a groan, my cheeks heating. God, sometimes I forgot that my father was a retired cop. Once a cop, always a cop. “A friend.”

  My dad held me at arm’s length and stared into my eyes. White stubble covered his strong jaw as his full lips tightened. “He’s in love with you. I’d say that’s more than a friend.”

  My mouth fell open. “How…what…” I stumbled over my words, my cheeks heating.

  “I’m falling in love with you, Evvie.”

  My dad smiled and kissed my forehead.

  “How did you know?”

  He looked at Brett over his shoulder.

  I followed his gaze.

  Brett sat up, his body stiffening waiting to pounce. To protect me.

  My heart swelled and I smiled lightly.

  My father’s breath caught before he turned back to me. “Only your mother could make me look like t
hat. All hot and bothered ready to pounce for her.”

  “Evvie?”

  I turned to the deep smooth voice of Brett as he came up beside us. My heart fluttered at the warm look of concern in his blue gaze.

  My dad stiffened and looked up at him.

  My gaze passed between the two and I swallowed as the silent battle of protection over me soared around us.

  “Daddy, this is Brett MacLean.” I looked up at Brett and placed a hand on his arm. He met my gaze and smiled. “My father, Edward Neal.”

  Brett held his hand out in front of him. “Sir.”

  My dad raised an eyebrow, his hard gaze boring into Brett’s. He slowly returned the handshake, sizing him up in the process.

  “Eddie?” Officer Bronson clapped a hand on my father’s shoulder.

  “I’ll call you soon,” my dad told me.

  I nodded and gave him one last hug before I watched him follow the cop to the waiting to see Ethan.

  My chest ached, anxiety swirling deep in the pit of my belly. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I wrapped my arms around myself. I needed to leave. To get out of there before my body broke. Would my family ever be normal? God, I missed my mom.

  “Brett,” I said, swallowing past the hard lump in my throat.

  “Yes, lover?” Brett cupped the back of my neck, brushing his thumb up and down the side.

  My heart swelled, the unease that had settled in my belly, simmering. “Take me home,” I whispered.

  Brett wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me outside to his car. He opened the passenger door and I slid into the seat.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose, breathing through the oncoming headache that started pounding in my skull.

  A warm hand landed on my inner thigh, gripping me in a hold of possession and protection? I didn’t need to be protected. I needed the men in my life to stop treating me like I’m fragile. An expected sob escaped my lips. I needed my mom. She would know what to do. She would know how to keep Ethan out of jail.

  Brett squeezed my leg reassuringly.

  My back stiffened. I didn’t need reassurance. I grabbed his hand and pushed it off of me. “Don’t.”

  “Evvie.”

  I ignored the warning in his voice. “Please, stop…I just…I don’t…” I sighed heavily, tears flowing down my cheeks.