Someone’s heart is bound to break.
Ignoring the Helen’s words once more while walking out of the building, I tilted my head as my eyes landed on a rather peculiar sight. My flower’s shoulders were tense, almost apprehensive, as a somewhat familiar person held his hand on her back.
It looked comforting…invitingalmost. The opposite of my own demeanor. And as I stood beside them, listening intently to their conversation, I could already feel my jealousy and anger skyrocketing.
“Brent… you don’t need to—”my flower began like a good girl… trying to put the distance between herself and the recognizable man I was introduced to a few days ago. If I pieced together his side hustle of being a loan shark, as Gavin had mentioned to me before, and Rosenna’s hesitancy towards him, I could assume she was using his services.
“I insist,”he interrupted.
I placed my hands in my pockets. “Rosenna...” I started, and I had to hold back a smile as she practically shivered at my voice.
Brent didn’t seem to notice it, but he did retract his hand as I approached.
“Brent, it’s good to see you,” I began.
Throughout the conversation that followed, I could easily tell my flower was uncomfortable. However, as I looked into Brent’s eyes, I noticed something rather familiar. Anemotion…It wasn’t intense. It was awfully subtle. It reminded me of the gaze he held on my flower at the get-together a few nights ago when we were almost caught. I ignored it before, not interested in anyone but my rose, yet today…today I saw it.
Growing infatuation.Though from my track record, I was never quite the expert at understanding the emotions of others. The only person I made the effort with was Rosenna. However, I was not a stranger to feelings of obsession, fixation…addiction. And although it was slight, I couldseeit.
Nonetheless, it didn’t faze me. My infatuation for my flower was different… our passion, our desire was absolutely different.
However, I could tell Brent was feeling rather bold. It was unclear whether or not he knew Rosenna was unfaithful to Gavin, yet his demeanor was rather odd.
“If you’re serious about this, you know I’m always available to lend you assistance, Rosenna,” he attempted to assure her.
Assistancewas a rather interesting word choice. Being the son of a billionaire with an inheritance worth more than his law firm profits will ever reach, I’d say I had the ability to give my flowerassistance… Brent only had the ability to give her more problems than she already had.
“Something tells me she won’t be needing it,”I said as nonchalantly as possible, and his eyes gazed over to mine for a moment. In an instant, I knew my assumption was correct. Our silent exchange spoke volumes, though we said nothing in response.
Upon bidding him goodbye and going over to my car, I did my best to soothe my little flower, who was about to have a full-blown panic attack.
“Wait. What if Gavin’s back from the trip, too?! What if Brent’s going to tell him we were together?”
“He won’t,” I assured her.
Soon, after attempting to calm her nerves and coercing her to stay with me through the night, I found myself wide awake beside her sleeping body as the hours passed.
As my flower slept beside me soundlessly, my hand traveled back and forth from her navel to her chest possessively. Her body was soft, warm and mine. My hands mapped her, memorizing her, my fingers spread possessively, palming her, claiming what already fucking belonged to me. She whimpered in her sleep, her body responding to me even when unconscious. Even when her mind wasn’t aware, her body still begged for me. Like an instinct. Like ownership.
With my free hand, I scrolled through my phone, my gaze narrowing as I read through Brent’s law services.
I didn’t like him, and I didn’t trust him.Though I’d already told Rosenna that, I wouldn’t elaborate further to her. It would do her no better to know why.
I had a feeling he wouldn’t say anything to Gavin… not yet, at least. But I wanted to know why, or rather when he would. From my perspective, he and Gavin were good friends—disgustingly good friends given how much they spoke to one another. It was possible Brent had his own agenda and reasoning behind his actions. Maybe his actions were platonic or business-related. Or maybe, just maybe, he had another motive.
He probably had an agenda. Men like him always do.
After working with a woman like Rosenna, any sensible man with desires…urges…would look at her differently. Especially with the way her shitty husband treated her.
Brent had gotten too comfortable. Too familiar.Too fucking close. I saw the way he touched her. Casual and friendly… but not entirely. The way his hand lingered just a little too long. The way his eyes followed her when she wasn’t looking. And when I stepped into his view, the way his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes anymore.
He’s my loan shark, Beckham. You’re not supposed to like him.
So, I was correct… she’s in debt to him. But how much?
Regardless of whether or not he had feelings for my rose, I had a feeling he was hiding something. Maybe something to do with Gavin? Her potentially excessive loan? I was unsure… but I was going to find out. One way or another.
Setting the phone down, I made a plan to meet with my father sometime in the week to get some intel on the loan he’d given her. It would be the first step in knowing just how much my flower was drowning and how deep she was. I could simply ask her, but she was stubborn and headstrong. She wouldn’t tell me the extent of her money troubles that easily.
