Well, it looks like chapters might not be as frequent as I like. My new job is kinda wiping me out. But I shall not give up! I swear!

Chapter 18

I felt everyone stare at me as if my head had suddenly expanded or something. But I ignored the feeling. I suddenly felt more confident than I had in years. Energy seemed to pour out of the room and into me.

"What?" both men said at the same time, awestruck.

"You heard me. Now, I don't want anything to do with either one of you!"

"WHY?"

I stood, anger and rage filling me and giving my words more power.

"Because, NEITHER of you have EVER thought about my choices or feelings! Neither of you have ever taken the time out of your petty fights to ask me how I truly felt about things. You two assume too much and I'm sick of it! Jaiden, all you have done is treated me like dirt and pushed your feelings onto me! You have never thought about me or given me any free choice in this situation! And YOU-"

Andrew jumped and stopped grinning at Jaiden in victory

"You have assumed that I would simply wait things out and just go out with you! I never said I would! Only that I didn't want to think about those things until this was all over! And it seems that both of you only see me as a trophy, not a girlfriend!"

Silence seemed to slide thru the room as my words stopped. Both men looked pale and shocked at me.

"The way things have been between us, so far, Dracula has done a better job seducing me! And no-" I said as they opened their mouths to speak, "That does not mean I am going to him. I want nothing to do with him. I'm making a point. So both of you can go jump in a lake for all I care!"

I turned to Kristin.

"Wanna watch some TV?"

She simply nodded and followed me out the door. I slammed it on the men's stunned faces.

As the door closed, we both burst out laughing, walking down the hall.

"Did you see their faces? It's like you stuck a hot poker up their asses!"

I laughed harder as we walked into the TV room.

"Maybe now both of them will get off their thrones and have a nice smack of reality!"

…..

The rest of the day seemed to glide by. Jaiden and Andrew seemed to go back to their jobs with no other words said. I felt a little bad for snapping the way I did, but I didn't regret a moment of it. Christian and Mary were spending some alone time together while I was keeping Kristin company as Daniel was on guard duty tonight.

Kristin and me finished our television program and we both stood, ready for bed.

"Well, I'm going to bed. Yelling at those men today really wore me out."

She laughed.

"Yeah, I'm going to go tell Daniel all about it. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night."

I went to my room and went to the dresser. Without thinking, I threw off my shirt and went to grab a nightgown.

"I think I should warn you now your not alone."

I Jumped and turned without thinking.

Jaiden was leaning against the bedroom door. I froze and watched his eyes wander over me. I quickly grabbed my nightgown and held it against me.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" I demanded, feeling angry and vulnerable.

Jaiden looked calm and a lot more relaxed.

"I wanted to talk to you privately and I figured this was the best place to do it."

"Yeah well I don't appreciate you coming in here and waiting till I'm nearly naked to speak up!"

He chuckled. "Sorry, but I didn't expect you to just come in and strip. I was hoping to be noticed before then."

"Well, what the hell do you want?"

He looked serious within seconds.

"I realize I owe you an apology."

I didn't say anything, but was very surprised. He sounded very sincere.

"I want to apologize. For everything. You made a very good point when you went off on Andrew and me. I'm very sorry for how I treated you. I never bothered to listen to your feelings or ask you what you truly wanted. And Andrew was wrong also. He may not have admitted it yet, but he shouldn't have snapped at you either. We had no right to make you choose between us. So yes, I am truly sorry."

I stood there, stunned. Jaiden seem like the type to just apologize. Even if he was wrong.

I stared at him, wondering what to do now.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What? You're looking at me as if I have something on my face."

"Well… I just never thought you would apologize to me."

"I didn't either until you smacked me in the face with the truth."

I giggled, then blushed, realizing I was still topless with a shirt held against me.

"So…" I said awkwardly.

Jaiden took a step towards me. "So do you forgive me?"

I blushed and looked towards the floor. "I suppose so."

We stayed like that for several moments. I felt his eyes on me the whole time.

"So… can you go so I can change now?"

He tilted his head to the side and continued to stare at me.

"Do you want me to leave?"

I opened my mouth to say yes, but froze. Something was stopping me.

He stepped closer to me. "Do you really want me to leave you, Brianna?"

I closed my mouth and looked back to the carpet. My nerves suddenly went into overdrive.

Jaiden walked up to me to the point where I felt his breath on the top of my head.

"I wasn't lying when I said I loved you, Brianna. No matter what happens and no matter what you choose, I'll always protect you and stand by you."

I felt tears come to my eyes. Never had he sounded more sincere and open.

Slowly, he grabbed the corner of the shirt and pulled it away.

"Just us tonight, Brianna. Nothing else exists…"

…..

YAAY! Chapter update! More soon!

WARNING! NEXT CHAPTER WILL CONTAIN LEMONS! DO NOT READ IF IT OFFENDS! YOU CAN SKIP IT OR WAIT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER TO CONTINUE! YOU WILL NOT MISS ANYTHING!