by Sarah Bailey
“Do I really have to go to dinner at theirs?”
He gave me a look.
“Yes, Jennifer. That’s part of the deal.”
I rolled my eyes. The very last thing I wanted to do. I was glad he didn’t expect me to bring him over to Dante’s. He’d met them all anyway. I hadn’t really had a chance to talk to Fi about it. She’d been busy with her own extra work from Dante as had James. We were all working overtime since he still hadn’t come back into the office, although he was working from home thankfully.
The rest of the evening passed painfully slow and by the time I escaped, I just wanted to curl up in bed. I had no such luck though. The moment I stepped into the house, the cats tried to run out the front door. I stopped them, slamming it shut behind me. They both gave me evils.
“Don’t look at me like that you little shits. Liora would have an absolute fit if you escaped.”
Okay, so I did like Sooty and Sweep. They were adorable, especially when they curled up next you on the sofa. They always spent the night on Dante and Liora’s bed though, much to his annoyance.
“Who are you calling little shits?” Liora said, coming out of the kitchen, rubbing her stomach.
“These two tried to run out the front door.” I pointed at the cats, rolling my eyes. “How are you feeling?”
“Better, but your brother keeps wrapping me up in cotton wool. He won’t let me do anything.”
I couldn’t help laughing. The way she looked so put out cracked me up.
“Welcome to the club. The overprotective brother act got old years ago.”
She waved me over, giving me a grin. She grabbed my hand when I approached and placed it on her stomach. I smiled when I felt the baby kick.
“He’s been moving like crazy for an hour. I’ve been to the bathroom like three times.”
“I can’t wait to meet him.”
“I’m sure Logan can’t wait to meet his Aunty Jen too.”
I put a hand on my mouth. They’d picked a name.
“Logan?”
“Logan Reid Benson.”
I’d known for a while his middle name would be Reid as it was a family name. Her father was Angus Reid Stewart.
“Ugh, he’s going to be the cutest baby in the world. I mean he has you and Dante as parents. How could he be anything but?”
“I know it’s still a few weeks away, but I’m ready for him to get here.”
They’d turned the bedroom next to theirs into a nursery already. Liora hadn’t wanted to redecorate it too much since it was the room Dante had designed for her, but they’d changed things around to accommodate a crib.
“I think we all are.”
“You look nice. Where were you?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Attending a do with our new investor since I have to keep him happy according to Dante.”
It was more than that, but Liora didn’t need to know. She patted my arm.
“I know it’s been shit with him being here all the time, but he appreciates it.”
“Hmm, I’m sure.”
She laughed and began to walk towards the stairs. She turned back when she reached the first step.
“I hear you and Brent aren’t about to kill each other any longer.”
I grimaced, wondering how to respond. Brent and I needed a conversation about where we stood, but I was too tired to deal with him right now.
“Well, I still want to kill him sometimes.”
She shook her head and continued up the stairs.
“I’m glad you’re getting along at last.”
I chose not to respond to her statement, especially since Brent stuck his head out of the kitchen door with a grin on his face.
“What have you been telling her?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
I shook my head and turned away, intending to go upstairs to bed.
“Where did you go tonight?”
I was not in the mood for questions. Dealing with Max and his shit this evening had been enough.
“Can we not? I’m tired.”
I didn’t turn around, proceeding to the stairs. There were footsteps behind me.
“Jen…”
“What?”
“Are you pissed off at me?”
I stopped on the bottom step, looking over at him.
“No.”
“Then why don’t you want to talk?”
I sighed, rubbing my face before I continued up the stairs. Why did he have to start with me right now?
“Jen.”
“What?”
I felt him behind me, following me up the stairs. He didn’t say anything when we reached my bedroom door.
“Seriously, Brent, what?”
I opened the door before he could respond. What I didn’t expect was for him to follow me in there. The door closed behind us so I assumed it was his doing. I dumped my coat on a chair before slipping off my shoes. His hands rested on my shoulders and I stiffened.
“Where were you?”
“Out.”
He leant over me, his arm coming around me to show me something on his phone. I looked at it, trying to work out why until I realised it was a picture of me and Max from earlier this evening on Instagram.
“You want to explain this?”
Chapter Ten
Brent
I wasn’t pissed off at her. I swore to myself I wasn’t but seeing her with another man, his arm wrapped around her made my heart fracture a little.
“It’s nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
She batted my hand away and turned to face me. Her blue eyes were narrowed and her expression closed off.
“It’s a work thing.”
“Oh, I’m well aware you’re working with Max Graves. Dante made me do a background check on him.”
The guy had checked out just fine, but I had a bad feeling about him. My gut told me he couldn’t be trusted. Dante told me to keep an eye on the situation. Especially since he seemed to be very interested in Jen. These photos proved I was right to be suspicious. What was she doing with him?
“Then what are you questioning me about it for?”
“This doesn’t look like a work thing.”
Her eyes flashed.
“And so what if it doesn’t? I don’t answer to you.”
She spun on her heel and walked towards her wardrobe doors, tugging one open.
“Are you with him?”
It cut me to ask her that, but I had to. Not just for my sake but for the company too. She stilled, her back going ramrod straight.
“Not that it’s any of your business but no, it’s a publicity thing.” She turned her head towards me. “Do you think I’d have allowed anything more to happen between you and me if I was?”
That told me. I hadn’t meant to make it seem like I thought she’d cheated on this guy with me or anything. I was more worried about what she seemed to be getting herself into than whatever shit happened to be between us.
“No, I’d never think that about you.”
“Well, you’ve got your answer so you can leave now.”
I took a step towards her.
“You’re pissed.”
She seemed to grit her teeth before letting out a huff.
“I’ve had a long day.”
I closed the distance, wanting to soothe her somehow. Stupid really. Resting my hands on her shoulders again, I dug my fingers in, massaging them a little. She didn’t push me away. After a moment, she let out a little groan.
“You’re tense.”
“No shit,” she muttered, arching back into my touch.
I continued, working out the kinks in her shoulders and her neck.
“Ugh, why do you have to be so good with your hands?”
I couldn’t help smiling.
“You can lie down and I’ll do your back, if you want.”
“As
nice as that sounds, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
She stepped away from me and proceeded to tug out her pyjamas from her wardrobe.
“No?”
I wasn’t asking for anything, just to make her feel better. She shut the door and walked around me. I turned, finding her dumping her stuff on the bed before starting to unbutton her blouse. I averted my eyes. I’d seen her naked, but it felt wrong to stare.
“I had therapy today. Jensen said I had to learn how to be someone’s friend without it being sexual… so… Hello, guinea pig.”
My head whipped back to her as she tugged on a t-shirt.
“What?”
“You, me, just friends, no sex.”
“You told him what happened between us.”
She nodded, unbuttoning her trousers. I couldn’t stop myself staring as she slipped them off. You could barely call the thin strips of elastic and fabric underwear. Her pert arse was on show and my cock instantly sprung up at the thought of my hands on her cheeks.
Christ, fuck. This can’t be happening.
“Client confidentiality prevents him from revealing what was said if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I wasn’t.”
My feet carried me towards her, my fingers itching with the urge to touch her. I couldn’t be pissed since Jen needed someone to talk to considering she hadn’t mentioned it to Fi yet.
“Well, he’s right. There’s a multitude of reasons why we shouldn’t be sleeping together, but I don’t want to go back to us hating each other so I figured we can try the friends thing.”
I reached her, my hands curling around her waist and brushing over the bare skin between her t-shirt and barely-there knickers.
“What are you doing?” she squeaked when I spun her around and tugged her against me, my hands finding her arse.
Fuck she feels so good.
“Not listening to advice or common sense,” I told her before I buried my face in her neck, breathing in her familiar Dior scent.
She shoved her hands between us, trying to push me away. My lips trailed across her neck, revelling in the way she felt under my palms.
“Brent!”
Fuck knows where my brain was at, probably overtaken by my dick because I couldn’t stop. Seeing those photos of her with Max did anger me as much as I tried to deny it. Jen was mine. Another man touching her was entirely unacceptable.
What the hell is wrong with you? She isn’t yours.
“I don’t want to just be friends.”
The words were out before I could stop them. She stilled, a small gasp leaving her lips.
“I need to,” she whispered.
My hands went to her knickers, tugging them down her legs before I pressed her onto the bed. I leant over her, my lips brushing against hers as she stared at me with wide eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me to stop.”
I could see the conflict in her expression.
“Don’t make me do this.”
“Say no.”
I wished she would because then one of us wouldn’t be acting so recklessly. One of us wouldn’t be throwing caution to the wind. I needed Jen to be the strong one here because my self-control had left the building.
“Fuck.”
Her hands were on my face, dragging me down slightly to close the distance. Lips and tongues clashed with each other. Shit. Jen always tasted sweet. My hands went to my jeans, desperate to fill her with my cock. Christ, I was fucked up.
She ripped my face off hers the next moment, panting as her blue eyes blazed.
“No. No. We’re not doing this.”
I froze. She said no.
“I need you to be my friend,” she whispered. “I can’t move forward without this. Please. I just need us to be friends.”
How on earth could I ever say no to that? I wouldn’t force her. Tears pricked at her eyes and my heart snapped. I reached up and stroked her hair back from her face.
“Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, Jen… friends.”
Not what I wanted to say, but this would be better for both of us. I knew deep down somehow we had to pull back. To stop falling deeper into something we shouldn’t. Not just because I didn’t want to ever tell Dante, but this could never work. Not really. Jen wasn’t in the right place for anything more.
I got off her and walked towards the door. If I stayed, things might escalate again.
“Brent…” I paused by the door. “Thank you.”
I couldn’t say a thing to that so I opened the door and walked out. Every step I took downstairs to my flat made my heart burn. I’d lied when I said we were friends. I couldn’t be her friend when I was in love with her. Not now I knew how it felt to fall asleep with her pressed against me.
I had to try for Jen even though I knew it was impossible.
You’re so royally fucked.
***
The next week left me feeling completely unprepared for the desolation which set in. Every night Jen came home and insisted on spending time with me. I couldn’t escape her. My heart physically hurt around her. It was made worse when she fell asleep with her head in my lap one evening when we were watching a stupid action flick. Liora had stuck her head in the living room, raising a single blonde eyebrow when she spied us. I’d just shrugged. So far, she hadn’t asked about it, but I think it had more to do with her preparing for the imminent arrival of Logan. A couple more weeks and we’d have a baby in the house.
Jen was beating me at Mario Kart when my phone rang. I paused the race so I could answer it.
“Cam.”
“Oh god, Brent, everything has gone to shit.”
I almost rolled my eyes. My sister was nothing if not overdramatic.
“What happened this time?”
I hadn’t spoken to her since our last phone call. I knew she’d forget all about what I’d said because Cam loved her selective memory.
“Sid came around and started having a go at me over the kids. I need you, please. He wants to take the girls.”
“What do you mean he wants to take them?”
I stood up, frowning. Sid had never tried this shit before. Yeah, he was a piece of crap, but he wasn’t a fit parent for their daughters.
“He said I’m not taking care of them like I should. What the fuck does he know about looking after three girls? He’s acting all crazy.”
Cam sounded far more distressed than usual. As if the thought of someone taking her kids away was killing her. She might not always be the best mother to her kids, but she did love them.
“Is he still there?”
“Yes, he won’t fucking leave. The girls are terrified and Sid is having a go at Dad.”
I rubbed my face. My dad didn’t need that sort of shit. Yeah, he was an alcoholic and barely looked after me and Cam once Mum left, but he was still my dad.
“Okay, Cam. I’ll be there soon.”
She hung up without thanking me. Not surprising since she never appreciated anything I did for her. If Sid was really giving her shit, I needed words with him.
I turned to Jen, finding her blue eyes on me.
“I have to go.”
She jumped up from the sofa.
“Why?”
“My sister needs me.”
She cocked her head to the side. I never talked about my family. Especially not to Jen. They were my problem and no one else’s.
“Your sister…”
“Yeah, look, I don’t have time to explain. I need to go.”
I turned away, walking towards the door. She followed me.
“I’ll come with you.”
I almost stopped dead in my tracks.
“No, you won’t.”
Jen didn’t need to be involved in my family shit. Especially not if Sid was going off on one.
“Why not?”
“This is my shit to deal with.”
She kept up with me as I descended the stairs.
“We’re supposed to be friends. Friends help each other.”
I stopped in the hallway when we reached the bottom, turning to her. She looked earnest but you never knew with Jen. Sometimes she hid her real feelings all too well.
“You can’t help me with this.”
“But—”
“Jen, you’re not coming with me. My sister’s ex is harassing her and I need to go sort him out. You’ll get in the way.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.
“So what? You’re just going to confront this guy? Is that even safe?”
Since when did Jen worry about my safety? Fuck, our relationship, friendship, whatever it was with each other had got so complicated.
“I’ll be fine.”
I walked over to the cupboard, pulling out a coat and shoving my feet into shoes. Jen put a hand on my arm. It made my skin prickle. Her touching me had become a serious issue. It just made me want her even more and I couldn’t have her.
“Please let me come. I won’t get in the way.”
I sighed, shrugging my coat on. If I knew anything about Jen, it was that she didn’t back down from much. I really didn’t need her acting like this right now.
“I don’t want you there.”
“Why not?”
“You don’t need to see what I grew up with, Jen, okay?”
“I beg to differ. You think I’ll see you differently or something? I won’t.”
Jen had no idea what kind of shit I’d lived with. It wasn’t a part of my life I shared with Dante so why would I want to with her?
Jen’s different. You love her.
I told my brain to shove it.
“Christ, fine.”
It was stupid to agree but arguing with Jen was absolutely futile. She grinned and grabbed her trainers. I went down to my flat and tugged out an overnight bag, packing some clothes in case this went on longer than expected. I’d told Jen to do the same. Probably a good thing it was Friday night. Sometimes I had to stay to make sure everything was okay with Cam, Dad and the kids, usually at whatever hotel I could find which had rooms available.
“So why is her ex harassing her?” she asked when we were in the car and had set off.
I’d fired a text off to Dante before we left, failing to mention I had his sister with me. I think he’d cottoned on to the fact Jen and I had settled our differences. How he felt about that, I didn’t know. And whether Liora had told him about Jen falling asleep on me or not remained to be seen.
