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“You're so damn sexy when you're pissed at me.”
I shake my head. “You're messed up, you know that, right?”
He laughs. “Yep.” He pulls me closer, and I wrap my arms around him. “Messed up for you. And right now, I need you more than I need to breathe.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Just been a rough morning.”
I stiffen under his embrace. There it is again, that sinking feeling I get every time he brushes me off. He's happy to get physical with me, but when I ask him for something real, he gives me nothing. “‘Just been a rough morning’ doesn’t tell me anything. You're so vague with me. Why are you keeping me at arm’s length?”
His head drops, and I notice the glassiness of his eyes. “Ma is sick again, and if I go into the details, I’ll fall apart, and I don’t want to right now. I’m here to apologize.” He sighs like the weight of the world is resting on his shoulders.
I take his hand in mine, squeezing it. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” I say, feeling close to teary myself. I feel like the world’s biggest bitch for even saying something now. I cuddle into him, and he lets me, kissing my hair as we both get lost in our own thoughts. I can't imagine what it must be like for him to have his ma so sick. She has had cancer on and off for as long as I’ve known him; it must be so rough.
He strokes a hand through my hair. “Yesterday, that didn’t really happen the way I wanted it to. I know you left annoyed at me because you think I don’t want you to come to my place and meet the guys I live with, but it’s not like that.”
I look up at him. “What’s it like then, Brandon? Because yeah, it looks like I’m not good enough for your friends, so you would prefer to sneak around with me instead. I’m worth more than that to you, right?”
He cups my face, looking deep into my eyes. “Cassie, you are. I’m not good enough for you, or your family anyway, not the other way round. You know how your parents feel about me. I was the poor kid that got into too much trouble when I was in high school. They didn’t love me hanging out with your older sister because I was a bad influence, in with the wrong crowd. And then when it came to you, their baby, it was even worse.”
I tug at his shirt, slipping my hand under to touch his smooth muscles below. Even now, when we’re having a discussion about something so important, I need to feel him. “Yeah, so, we’re not in high school anymore. Well, not students at high school, anyway. You’re like some mega star with a fortune to your name. You’ve changed a lot since you left town.”
“I have, in a lot of ways, but there are some things that haven’t changed. The guys I live with, we’ve known each other since we were kids. We have stuck together through thick and thin. I won’t change that for anyone. That’s why I was trying to buy you and me more time to get reacquainted. Before…“ He trails off, like he can’t commit to what we are.
I look at him, confused. He hasn’t mentioned anything about these guys to me before, other than he lives with friends. “Who are they?” I think out loud. He looks me over, his expression so serious it’s making me feel kind of sick. I pull away from him, needing some distance.
“Come around tomorrow. I’ll introduce you.”
I blink back at him. More vagueness. “You can’t just tell me who they are?” I push, knowing I’m not going to be able to get through the wedding today without having some insight into this side of him.
“Nah, I think it’s best if you meet the boys in person so you can gauge for yourself what kind of people they are. Not everything is black and white, Cass, like your dad thinks it should be. This is one of those times, and you need to work that out, make up your own mind.”
What kind of people they are? I look at him like is he for real? Who the hell is he hanging out with? I try to think back to when we were younger, but it was always just the two of us. I didn’t hang with him and his friends, not ever, and he didn’t talk about them at all. It was all just about us. Like it has been this time, until today. I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to feel about all this.
I catch sight of my watch and notice the time. I know one thing is for sure: Andy is going to kill me if I don’t get my ass back home soon. “Okay, if that’s what you think is best,” I answer, still not sure how I’m supposed to feel, but I’m glad he contacted me to talk it over before I was left for too long in my head, blowing this way out of proportion.
He takes my hand, and I don't know why but nervousness sweeps through me as he pulls me into his hard body. I stare into his eyes, wondering how much you ever really know about the people you fall for. I guess everyone has secret parts of their lives that they don't want anyone else to know about. Even me.
“You need to start trusting me, Shortcake,” he whispers into my lips as he claims them again.
Part of me knows what he’s saying is true. If I really want to make a go of us, I have to or it’s never going to work. But trust must be earned, and right now, he’s not giving me enough to go on. Until l meet these guys for myself, I’m not making any promises I can’t keep. So, I kiss him back instead, enjoying the way it feels to be caught up in the moment with him.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CASSANDRA
Luckily,thereissomuch chaos going on in our house today that no one even noticed when I stepped out to see Brandon. Since I got back, all the women in my family have spent the morning gathered in Andy’s childhood bedroom, getting beautified and drinking champagne.
While Andy was in the chair with the makeup artist, I snuck off with Jasmine to finally catch up with her about what's been happening with Axel Stone who is apparently her boyfriend now. I feel like I have missed so much while I have been sneaking around with Brandon. She is smitten with Axel and has even brought him as a date today. I'm surprised my dad is okay with it, given his reputation around town, but he seems to be. Guess being a Stone isn't as bad as a Lewis, no matter what his family is involved in.
Once Andy is almost ready, I get sent on the hunt to find my sister’s something blue, her garter belt, because apparently it was stashed in my room to hide from Brad.
I hurry down the hall of my parents’ house, knowing there isn’t a lot of time before the wedding starts. Nervous excitement swirls through my body. In less than half an hour, my big sister will marry the man of her dreams. He literally used to be a poster on her wall. I’m not a romantic like Jasmine, but something about that fact is just so perfect to me.
Pushing open my bedroom door, I scan the room for the white paper bag I know her garter is in. I spot it on my bedside table. Picking it up, I peek inside and inspect it, wondering if I will ever be so lucky to wear one of these and marry the man I have fallen for. Probably not since my parents literally hate him. And I’m not lucky like my big sister. I shouldn’t even let myself dream about what happens next with Brandon. The last time I did that, my world fell apart.
Just as I go to walk out of my room, a large hand slips over my mouth, my feet are lifted off the ground, and I’m pulled into a sold brick of a human. My head screams at me to do something, but my heart feels like it’s stopped as my eyes search my room, trying to make sense of what’s going on. I try to pull free but am pinned to him harder, both hands restrained under his bulging biceps.
