CHAPTER FOURTEEN – DESIRE
Brandon found himself sneaking glances at Stella while he drove. She had reclined in her seat, gazing out at the road and the passing cars. The tight grip on the steering wheel reflected his awareness of her pain. Her arm looked awful, and the recent attack had only made matters worse. Deciding to alter their route, Brandon took an unexpected turn, catching Stella off guard. She began to open her mouth, likely to voice her confusion, but the motion was quickly quelled by the soothing rhythm of the car ride.
Stella turned her attention to observing Brandon instead. While he was focused on the road ahead, she could feel his discomfort. Her arm ached, and the attack she'd experienced had left her rattled. With roles now reversed, she found herself studying Brandon, and her thoughts couldn't help but slip out. "You're handsome," she blurted out without intending to say it aloud.
Brandon tensed, briefly glancing in her direction. Stella's eyes widened in shock at her own words, which in turn activated a laugh from Brandon. It was like a shockwave of emotion surged through Stella, gripping her stomach. She couldn't help but marvel at how unfairly perfect he was. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing.
Brandon, now with a soft smile on his face, turned his head and gazed at Stella. "You're beautiful," he replied. This wasn't the first time he'd uttered those words, but each time he had, Stella had often been too overwhelmed to respond. Hearing it now, spoken so earnestly and directly to her, left her feeling flustered. She'd been attracted to him from the moment she saw him, but his approach to her had been utterly dissimilar. His demeanor towards her was different from how he treated others, and it only deepened her passion.
Reclining in her seat, Stella turned her head toward him. Their gazes locked, and he met her intensity with his own. She observed the way his throat seemed to work as he swallowed, her own insides responding to the tension between them. "It's better for you if you don't look at me that way, sunshine," he advised in a deep, almost whispered voice. Her insides warmed, something electric stirring in her abdomen.
"Why?" she whispered back, echoing his tone. Brandon's grip on the wheel tightened, his fingers turning white from the force. "I'm already struggling to hold myself back," he confessed. It surprised him as much as it did her. He wasn't typically someone who expressed himself so bluntly to girls, and he wasn't known for chasing relationships. There had never been anyone worth pursuing a relationship with, until Stella came along. Her energy seemed to draw something out of him, and every time he thought he had reached his limit, a new challenge presented itself. Stella's panic attacks were a source of concern for him. He wasn't accustomed to showing worry, except to his closest friends and family. Yet this girl, from the very beginning, had stirred something within him. He could admit he liked her; that much wasn't a secret. He could sense her feelings for him as well. Yet, they both held back, hesitating without knowing why.
"Why?" Stella asked again, her voice a gentle murmur, her eyes never leaving his. He had been lost in thought for too long, not realizing she'd repeated the question. He turned to respond, but they had already arrived at the hospital. The words that had lingered on his tongue would have to wait for another time. "C'mon, let's get you checked first."
Exiting the hospital, Stella was still in a state of anxiety. She was adamant about keeping her parents in the dark about what had transpired. At seventeen, she felt the need to shield them from the distressing truth. The doctor who had examined her was a close friend of her parents, and he had expressed genuine concern for her well-being. He had asked her about the cause of the bruise, and Stella had to cry to convince him of the truth she had lied. She hadn't wanted Brandon to be present during this intimate examination. There were questions that she didn't want him to hear, details about her sensitive condition and her mysterious attacks.
"Is something wrong?" Brandon's concerned voice interrupted her thoughts. Startled, Stella turned to him. "What? No. No, nothing's wrong." But Brandon could see through her facade. He gently held her arms, determined to get to the bottom of her distress. "Stella, you're shaking. What's wrong?" he pressed, his gaze unwavering.
Tears welled in Stella's eyes once more. "The doctor was my parent's friend. I just don't want them to find out about everything," she confessed, her voice trembling. Brandon studied her, realizing that he didn't have the right words to console her. Instead, he considered the best course of action to prevent any further distress.
"Why don't you call them and tell them what you shared with the doctor? That way, they'll believe you even if the doctor had doubts," he suggested, hoping to provide a solution. Stella took deep breaths, attempting to steady herself. Brandon's grip on her arms tightened, drawing her closer. He lowered his head to meet her gaze. "It's okay, you're fine, and that's what matters to them too," he assured her with the utmost gentleness. Stella found solace in Brandon's eyes, her anxiety beginning to ebb.
Brandon shifted his hands from her arms to her face, cradling it tenderly. "Don't cry, I hate seeing you cry," he admitted. Stella fought the urge to ask him to kiss her. 'What's wrong with me? I'm like a hormonal teenager. All I can think about are ways to comfort myself with him,' she chided herself, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Brandon drew her face closer to his, and Stella closed her eyes, torn between wanting to stop him and craving his kiss. Instead, Brandon pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, leaving them both stunned. Stella opened her eyes, struggling to find her voice.
Brandon's fingers grazed her cheek, delicately caressing the reddened skin. "You're going to freeze, sunshine. You can call your parents on our way to your home, okay?" he gently suggested. Stella, still unable to form words, nodded in agreement. He had kissed her forehead, leaving her pondering its significance.
As they walked towards Brandon's car, Stella couldn't shake the feeling of their unspoken connection. There was something between them, an undeniable pull that seemed to transcend their words and actions. But, why did he kissed her forehead?
As they arrived at Stella's home, a mix of worry and anger radiated from her friends and the bikers accompanying them. Brandon's brows furrowed as he addressed his friends, "Why are you still here?" he inquired, puzzled by their lingering presence. "You said to make sure they're safe, and that's what we're doing," Sky explained, dedicated in his obligation. Riven, on the other hand, rolled his eyes in irritation. "I'm here to make sure the Andros pimps won't be around. I don't care about the girls," he declared coldly, stirring a surge of anger within Stella.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Stella snapped, her patience worn thin. Riven shot her a withering look, hoping to silence her, but Stella had reached her breaking point. "What's with that look? You think you can scare me?" she retorted, refusing to back down. Riven, sensing her determination, began to approach Stella, intending to threaten her into submission. Brandon swiftly positioned himself between Riven and Stella, as a protective barrier. "Riven," Brandon's voice sliced through the tension, frigid and commanding. "Back the hell up," he ordered, his patience running thin. This night needed to end, and quickly.
Riven looked at Brandon. Yes, he was the youngest in the group and not like Brandon was the oldest, Nabu was though. Again, everyone respected Brandon more. He could see Brandon's protective stance for this blonde, that wasn't how Brandon would react to him normally. So he did as it was asked, he started to back away only to be facing a furious Asian beauty. Musa. Musa approached Stella with a mixture of concern and anger. She directed a series of heated glares at Riven, unapologetically expressing her displeasure. Once the questions and worries of the girls subsided, Stella turned her attention to Brandon, who was conversing with Sky. "Let's go inside, I need to check on your hands," she suggested. After ensuring the dogs were settled, Stella made her way to the front door, inviting Brandon inside.
"We need to leave. There's something that needs to be finished," Brandon disclosed, a steely determination in his eyes. The girls waved their goodbyes to the guys, except for Musa and Riven, who remained locked in a silent standoff. After girls got in the house and boys returned to their motorbikes, Brandon turned to face Stella now inching closer to her. Stella couldn't shake the lingering tension between them. All night they had flirted and exchanged emotions. Brandon could feel the tension but wanted it last as much as possible, kissing her was tempting and everything but waiting for the kiss to happen, was transforming him to someone he really wasn't familiar with. Stella leaned her back to wall next to the door, she wanted him to react but at the same time she wanted this tension to grow. Their unspoken connection seemed to throb in the air, palpable and magnetic. There was something between them, something uncharted, and both could sense it.
Stella turned to Brandon, waiting for him to join her. Slowly, they gravitated toward each other. Brandon leaned in, one hand against the wall, drawing nearer to Stella. A playful smile danced on his lips. "You're smiling," Stella observed, her heart pounding in her chest.
Brandon nodded, his fingers brushing against her cheek. "Yes?" he responded, his voice a soft caress. Stella couldn't help but ask, her voice barely above a whisper, "Why?" And she was saying Bloom was fast, Stella too could teach something to Aisha and Musa, because she was bloody running!
"I like seeing your confidence," Brandon admitted, his tone filled with admiration. Stella found her voice, speaking with newfound conviction. "These past few days haven't been fair to me, if I'm being honest. I never expected that racer from Andros to be so aggressive and violent. I might know self-defense, but this was beyond my capabilities. There's more for me to learn. Because next time..." Stella's words were cut off by Brandon, not letting his touch away from her, he grasped her chin gently and spoke carefully but confidently and ambitiously to her.
"If he got anywhere near you, closer than the stars or the moon, then you can consider me dead, Stella," Brandon declared resolutely, unwilling to entertain such a possibility. Stella's eyes widened, her brows furrowing. "Don't say that," she pleaded, her voice laced with concern. "You're not going through that again. You're not getting hurt because of him. Tonight, I'm going to make sure he understands that."
"Brandon," Stella began, but he gently placed a finger against her lips, silencing her. He traced her lips with slow, deliberate strokes, leaning in closer. His breath whispered across her face. "Nothing for you to worry about, sunshine," he murmured, placing a tender kiss on her cheek.
Stella let out a shuddering breath, her eyes drifting shut as Brandon's lips trailed towards her own. She parted her lips in anticipation, her insides ablaze. But she only managed to grab his arm. This small act sent shivers down Brandon's spine, he looked up to meet her eyes, but she had them closed. She was breathing slowly but heavily. He knew he couldn't do anything he really wanted to do. But only looking at her, waiting for him like this affected him in a way Brandon never was knew he could feel like this before. He wanted to grab her and press her to his body, feeling her closer.
Opening her eyes, Stella found herself grateful for the solitude. The guys had departed minutes ago, and the girls remained safely indoors. Brandon's smile had a contagious effect, and Stella couldn't help but mirror it. Still not letting go of Brandon's arm Stella was looking at him deeply. "You're so beautiful." he whispered to her ear. Stella let out another breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Biting on her lip, she remained lost in her thoughts, unaware that her nails were digging into Brandon's arm.
Brandon cursed under his breath, "I don't know what's happening or how you're doing this, but, sunshine, there's no way I'm letting you go anymore." He gazed intently at her, his touch gentle yet determined. He was watching her teeth that had grabbed her lip, but a sudden feeling made him stop. He needed to finish what he had started, Mike needs a visit he won't be able to forget. Otherwise, what was happening right now, and how he was feeling was definitely putted in risk. And Brandon would never allow this to happen. His fingers traced her cheeks, and he planted another kiss on her cheek, leaving them both breathless.
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Thinking about Mike had brought a furry and anger he had forgotten. But there was no need for Stella to know that. Brandon asked tenderly. Stella's disappointment was palpable, but she understood that now wasn't the right time. With the girls inside and Stella emotionally drained from the night's events, patience was key. "Take care, Brandon," she responded softly, her gaze lingering on him.
Aisha was right, next to Brandon Stella was a little kitten. Brandon smiled at her, slowly letting her go and walking to his car. If he didn't go right now, there was no way he could do it tonight. Stella didn't notice the smile forming on her face. When Brandon disappeared from the sight all the girls came rushing out of the door to bring Stella in. Oh boy, this night would never end.