by Bryce Evans
Before he could stop himself, he moved in and gently pressed his lips to hers. A small whimpering sound came out of Sage’s lips, and when she didn’t push him away, he continued showing her just how much she meant to him.
Chapter Ten
Sage couldn’t believe what she was doing. She shouldn’t lead him on, but dammit, she couldn’t stop this kiss. Never had a man kissed her like this. He didn’t pull her in tighter, but instead continued to lick and suck her bottom lip into his mouth, until the feeling became almost painful. He wasn’t hurting her, but the ache between her legs was throbbing. She needed more, much, much, more. She had never been good at sex. The men she had chosen only wanted to be pleased, but Brody felt different. He stepped in closer and never missed a beat with those lips of his. Was he being honest? Did he really mean what he’d said, or was it something he would eventually get over like everyone else did? Oh yeah, at first it was new and exciting, but once the newness wore off it was pure hell on the one who’d vested her heart in the relationship.
Brody pulled away. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was the most stunning golden eyes she had ever seen.
“Perfect! Just like I thought.” Brody answered with a laugh. “Trust me when I say there is nothing boring about you, sweetheart.” The corner of Brody’s eyes crinkled. His expression wasn’t smug. Those brown eyes of his held the truth in them; he actually was being honest.
She looked away, hoping he couldn’t see the fear on her face. He was telling her the truth. “Brody…I just need some time to get used to this. It’s a lot to take in and—”
“You want to believe me, but whoever that idiot was did a number on you and now you don’t trust anyone. Does that sum it up?” Brody’s face went blank.
Sage blinked and closed her mouth as she stared at the man, because Brody was right…but how could she tell him he was right? He would think she was a bigger loser then she was. I’m not a loser, she repeated to herself. I’m so not a loser…but the more she stared at him, she couldn’t stop the way she felt. And if she was honest, it wasn’t just one man who’d told her that, but several of the men she’d dated.
But for the first time she felt alive. Being with Brody made her feel good about herself. So why shouldn’t she believe him now? Even though she knew he was telling the truth, she was scared of it all going to hell one day, afraid that it would break her.
Placing his finger on her forehead, Brody rubbed the crinkle between her eyebrows. “Stop thinking so hard about this. Just let it evolve and it will. What you need to realize, Sage, is that I’m not going anywhere. No matter how much that self-doubt creeps up in that pretty little head of yours, I’m still going to be here wanting you.” His eyes burned with fire as he walked past her. He opened the door and held it, waiting for her to come in.
She didn’t deserve this man. She really didn’t, but God help her she was going to try and make it work. If it didn’t, then it would be her heart that was broken and not his. She would never intentionally hurt this gentle giant.
Making up her mind, Sage took a deep breath and turned around and walked toward the door. When she got in front of him she stopped. Looking down, he gazed into her eyes waiting for her to speak. “I love…I love the necklace. Thank you.” Sage pulled it out from her shirt and showed him that she had the sister stone hanging from his mother’s necklace.
Smiling, Brody picked it up in his hands and studied the sister stone. “It’s a very pretty necklace for a very pretty woman.”
“It is beautiful,” Sage responded. She didn’t even know how to take a compliment from the man. She was so damaged.
* * *
Brody inhaled as she passed by him. Her musky scent had become a part of him, forever seared into his conscience. He craved it and it was rapidly becoming something he needed to get through the day. The woman had no clue what she did to him.
His stomach growled as they entered in the kitchen. She stopped, touching the cold granite, “I want to cook for you. I can’t cook a lot but my specialty is spaghetti with meat sauce.” Sage winked. “I also do a mean salad.”
His lips turned up. “Are you sure? I don’t mind cooking for us both.”
“Afraid?” Sage’s voice was teasing.
“Not on your life, sweetheart.” Brody leaned forward, skimming his lips over hers. Her lips tasted better than the sweetest wine he had ever had. His hands twitched wanting to pull her into him, to feel her soft body slide against his.
He had to pull away and adjust himself. All he had to do was think of her and he got hard. He didn’t want to push his luck. A cold shower might cool him off and get the beast back under control. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a shower.”
“Go ahead. I can find everything I need.”
He stood at the doorway, watching as she moved around in the kitchen. She looked natural here in his home and he planned on keeping her here. He would show her every day how much she meant to him.
Before his shower, Brody sat on the edge of his bed and opened his laptop. Several e-mails had been sent from Nolan and Judd, telling him that everything was going according to plan on their end. With everything that was going on, he’d forgotten to talk to Lex about the twins. A meeting needed to be scheduled. Picking up his phone, he sent a quick text asking Lex to meet him in the kitchen in a few minutes.
Brody got in the shower and thought about how he wished they could go back in time and fix this. If Claudia never had the opportunity, then maybe this would have never happened. The twins were innocent in this game she was playing. Now that evil witch had corrupted them. God only knew what she had them doing. They were so innocent and she was using them like puppets. Now he would be acting no better and doing the same. He hoped they would forgive him when this was over.
Chapter Eleven
Brody walked back into the kitchen, hearing Sage and Lex laughing. He wanted to knock that fucking jealousy off his shoulder when he heard how happy she sounded. Nothing was going on between them, he knew, and trusted his beta with his life, but he wanted her to smile and laugh with him.
Lex was telling her stories of when they got into the beehive and the bees chased them for miles. “We were pulling stingers out of our butts for days.”
Brody smiled when Sage bent over laughing. He loved to see her so happy.
“Hey,” Lex muttered.
“Hey.”
“Lex was telling me about the beehives and how the bees chased you two for miles.” Sage wiped her eyes.
“It wasn’t funny then, but we did pick the biggest hive I’ve ever seen.” Brody chuckled. “We thought we could take it, but we really pissed them off. It hurt, too. Damn stingers were all over us. We looked like the walking dead with all the places they stung.” Brody chuckled.
“That is too much. Oh!” Sage jumped up from her seat and went over to the stove and stirred her sauce. “I hope you two are hungry, I think I made too much.”
“There can never be too much. Here, let me help you.” Brody took the pot out of her hands and set it on the table. “I think Me-Len and Meryl are staying at London’s house tonight so this is plenty.”
“Okay. I hope you like it. It’s been a while. While we were at Claudia’s we were never allowed to cook. She had a chef who thought she walked on water. So this is the first time making it since my mom and I joined the coven.” She tried to hide her pain, but he saw it. She missed her mom.
“It smells delicious. Come sit down.” Brody pulled her hand a little as she half smiled at him. She walked over and sat beside him.
“This smells wonderful. We haven’t had spaghetti in a while so this is a treat,” Lex added.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t just smell good but tastes good, too,” Sage said with a wry laugh.
Brody poured the sauce on her noodles and passed the plate to her, then dished some out on his and Lex’s plates. She hadn’t even had time to put any in her mouth before they both ate a huge forkful. “This is…”
&
nbsp; “What?” Sage asked, concerned.
“Great.” They both said with their mouths full. But they achieved their goal when she smiled before she started eating. They ate in silence for a few minutes, and then Lex asked what he needed between bites.
Brody spoke first. “I wanted to go over the meeting with you and let you know what’s going on. I would have missed it if Me-Len hadn’t pointed it out, but the twins have been put under Claudia’s spell. They aren’t doing it because they hate us, but she is using them for what I don’t know yet.”
“Great news! Now we can remove the spell and get them somewhere safe.” Lex’s smile faded when he saw Brody’s expression. “What’s wrong, this is good news, right?”
Brody frowned. “It’s not that simple, Lex. We need to know what Claudia wanted them to do and the only way to do that is to reverse Claudia’s spell and then get Me-Len to put them under another one.”
“But what if Claudia finds out?” Lex asked, dread coming over him as it dawned on him what could happen to the twins. “I…I’ll be outside, checking the perimeter.”
Brody nodded, watching Lex put his plate in the sink and walking out the door. He understood his beta’s unhappiness. He felt the same way, but he had to think of everyone right now and sometimes as an Alpha, he had to make unpopular decisions that his clan wouldn’t understand. It still didn’t make him feel better. He hated doing this to them. Would they forgive him when they found out? No, probably not, and he couldn’t blame them.
“Brody?” Sage’s voice cracked.
He looked up to find her almost in tears. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I understand and I can tell that it’s eating you up about the twins. I’m so sorry you are having to deal with this. It’s not fair to those poor girls or to you. I wish I could help.”
“This is why they pay me the big bucks.” Brody tried to make light of what he was going to do, but he couldn’t. It was eating at him. He understood why Lex was mad…hell he was mad, but he had no choice.
Sage laid her head on his shoulder. “I understand.”
Those two words gave him the strength to carry on with the plan. He wanted to change it and say screw it, and get the spell reversed and out of town. But everyone was right—this was an opportunity to stop this if they could. He would make sure the girls were protected at all times.
“Go talk to Lex. He needs you now. I’ll clean this up.”
“No, you cooked and I should clean,” Brody protested.
“I appreciate it, but it’s normal and boring and it keeps my mind off what has happened. So go and talk to him. You both are hurting right now, but you have to stay strong together. We all do.” Sage got up and took the plates to the sink. He watched her for a few seconds, but did like she said and walked outside to talk to his beta.
* * *
Lex was propped up against the fence staring off into the sky. His beta knew he was there as Brody came up beside him and stared off into the woods. He loved it at night as the wind blew through his hair. His land was beautiful, but he could fell his beta’s restlessness.
“This decision isn’t something I take lightly, Lex.”
Lex pointed toward the stars. “There’s the big dipper. Funny how clear it is tonight, and then tomorrow it will go to hell when that dragon takes to the sky.”
“We hope that tomorrow we can shake him up a little. Throw him off kilter. Bast wants us to use high-powered water hoses against him and when he is trying to fight that off, we use the weapons we have to try to hurt him. I don’t know if it will work, but we have to do something. I feel so fucking helpless and I’m worried that everything we have planned is going to go to shit, but I don’t see a way around this except to stick to the plans the Order has made. I need you to have my back, Lex. I want those girls protected at all times. I want cameras in their house, on their vehicles, and in their phones. I have to do what I can to make sure they are safe, but I know if we waste this opportunity that has been given to us, we will regret it.”
“I understand, Alpha, but don’t you ever worry about me not having your back. I will always be right beside you, protecting this clan. We’ll make sure they are all right.”
“Call them and ask them to come to the lodge tomorrow. Tell them that we have some members that need some help.” Brody spoke quietly. “Me-Len will do the rest.” Lex stood quiet as he looked back at the house. “We have to win this or I’m afraid of what’s coming next.”
Lex didn’t have to say anything. His beta felt the same way. They had to win this.
Chapter Twelve
Brody walked back into the house not realizing how late it was. The kitchen was clean and the overhead light had been turned off. He started walking toward her room when he noticed that the light was on in the library.
Sage was lying on the couch with a book in her hand. He smiled when he saw she had on one of his long button-up shirt and long socks. She looked so comfortable.
“You’re staring,” Sage muttered, pulling the pen out from between her teeth.
“Yes ma’am, I am. You look so comfortable.”
“Come cuddle with me.”
Smiling he walked over and stood over her. “I don’t think we’ll both fit.”
“Sure we will.” Sage pulled on his hand and moved over to the side giving him enough room to lie down. “Come on, big boy.”
Brody smiled and sat down, then lay back on the couch. He liked her playful like this and relaxed. His body was almost falling off when Sage moved her body over to the side so she was partially lying on top of him. Dear Lord, this woman is killing me, he thought, lying completely still, allowing her to be in control. Propping her head in her hand, Sage gazed up at him. Slowly she ran her other hand up and down his chest.
“Now we fit,” Sage pointed out.
“Are you comfortable?” Brody asked, concerned. He wanted her comfortable because she could lie on him all night if she wanted to.
“You’re like my own personal pillow.” Sage batted her lashes at him in a playful mood. Then she sucked her bottom lip in her mouth. Brady knew he should look away instead he followed her actions.
“You can lie on top of me anytime you want.” He could hear his own heart beating faster as Sage continued to look at him with those fuck-me eyes of hers. He could feel himself getting bigger the longer she stared at him. He didn’t dare move, knowing that if he did she would feel how hard he was.
“How did everything go with Lex?” Sage asked.
Looking away from her sweet lips, Brody answered, “It’s fine. He feels the same way as I do and we both worry about the girls getting hurt.”
“They will understand.”
Shaking his head, Brody replied, “No Sage, they won’t.” Brody picked up a piece of Sage’s hair and started playing with it. “Put yourself in their shoes. When they find out what kind of danger they were in, and that their Alpha had a chance to get them out but chose to use them as guinea pigs, how do you think they’re going to feel?” Brody shook his head again. “So no, they won’t understand and I won’t blame them. What matters is that I keep them safe. I can take them being mad at me, but I don’t know if I can forgive myself if something happens to them.”
Sage lay her head down on his chest. “You will. I know you will.”
“How do you know that? How can you be so sure? I can’t even…”
“Brody.” Cupping his jaw, Sage leaned up and pressed her lips against his, and whatever thoughts he was having disappeared. Now all he could think about was Sage and how soft her skin was as it pressed up against his. All he could think about was that they had too many clothes on. When she ground herself against him, hitting the rising appendage, he knew it was only a matter of time before he lost it. The woman was seducing him with her voice, her body, and her gentle nature. Everything about her drew him in. Her velvety sexy voice was pure lust. Her body was soft and curvy, and her calm nature made him want to protect her and never let her go.
&nbs
p; Flipping her underneath him, Brody went completely still, waiting for any sign she wanted this to continue. Both of them stared at each other until he couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to kiss those plump, sweet lips again. They curved just right, making him go weak in the knees. Damn…whenever she parted her lips, he couldn’t think straight. They both moved at the same time, crashing into each other, their teeth clacked against each other, but neither of them stopped. His tongue moved further inside, demanding her to be his. It was fast, exotic, and simply the best kiss of his life.
The woman wasn’t holding anything back as she melted into him, pulling up his shirt until he yanked it free so she could run her hands up his chest. Her eyes lit up as she scraped her fingernails down his chest. She had no clue what she was doing. Marking him, making him just as much hers as she was his. Gripping her shirt, Brody gave it one final tug; buttons flew off, hitting the floor. He stopped and just stared at how beautiful she was. Her breasts would fit perfectly in his hands. The round globes tightened under his stare. He could hear her heart beating faster as he continued to look his fill, but still he wanted her to be sure. There would be no going back. She would be his to love and protect.
