Page 121 of Nothing to Win

“It won’t stop; it’ll never stop.My family don’t like losing.I could never live with myself if they—”

“Babe,” he said, stroking her face.“We won’t get into your lack of faith in my ability to protect you and us.This is more important than money.Money has nothing to do with our future.”

“What are you saying?”

“I want to be with you, Gia.I’m not afraid of your father’s threat.If they want a war, we’ll have one.I’ll do my damndest for you, but even if we lose every cent, who cares?If you don’t want our future, say it and we’ll forget this whole thing.But don’t you fucking dare let them scare you.Irish, do you honestly think we’re not at war now?Tell me how this could get worse.”

Her family didn’t have the warm fuzzies for Brogan and wouldn’t be gracious in their triumph, he was right.The war was on.That wasn’t going to change.Her father would keep her locked up and still punish Brogan.Bram and her dad would be as vicious as they always had been.Wasn’t like there was love lost between them before this.

Something buzzed and she jumped, electrified by the anxiety zipping through her.This was wrong and risky.So risky.She dreaded to think how her life would be further constrained if she and Brogan were discovered.

Brogan smoothed his fingers down her cheek.“It’s Julius,” he said, retrieving his phone.

Her head bumped against the wall.“Answer it,” she said, closing her eyes.

When his mouth took hers by surprise, she yelped but didn’t get a chance to relax.He startled her again by bending down to run both hands up her thighs under her skirt.

“What about Julius?”

“He can wait,” he said, licking her neck, running his fingertips over the crotch of her panties.“Have you thought about me this week?”

“Constantly,” she whispered, her body awakening to his.

Over her panties, he trailed a finger around her clit.“Have you thought about me here?”

“Oh, God, Mister, all this mess and I cry at night knowing I’ll never be naked with you again,” she said, pressing herself into his hand.“Yes.Yes… Every time I touch myself, I think of you.”

He placed short damp kisses along her jaw.“You will never think of any other man.”

“I couldn’t, Brogan.There is only you,” she said, moving her hips, moaning at his torment.“I want you so bad, you have no idea.”

His warm laugh rumbled against her throat.“I have exactly an idea, Irish.”

She grabbed his hips, desperate to give back.“Let me blow you, baby.”

“Not a chance,” he said, seizing her upper arms to force her back against the wall when she tried to kneel.

“I want you to fuck me,” she said, a frustrated fist swinging down to hit the wall by her side.

Lifting her skirt, she wriggled out of her panties, dropping them to the floor.

“I fuck you here, I’m taking you home.”

Her jaw clenched.“I don’t feel very in control,” she said, giving in to the exhaustion now that she was in a presence of an ally.“But you’re right.I should get back to Bram.”

“Didn’t say that.”

“Could you get a message to Shanna for me?I don’t know how, but I—”

“She’s worried about you,” he said, surprising her again.

“How do you know that?I thought she’d be too intimidated to call the office.”

“I figured, that’s why I called her.I had to update her on Jarrod.We’ve been keeping in touch.”Her mouth fell open and he laughed at her surprise.“I promised you I’d take care of it, didn’t I?”

“I’m speechless,” she stuttered.

“I see that,” he said, smirking as he swooped in to kiss her again.