CHAPTER ELEVEN
I hesitated, caught between the fear of opening my eyes and the lingering embrace of the safe arms around me. Brandon's breath grazed my neck, occasional deep inhales suggesting he was savoring my scent. My inner voice chuckled at my naive musings, "Who would want to smell your scent?" It was a mere analogy, yet his proximity blurred lines in my imagination.
Despite my aversion to physical contact, I marveled at my lack of objection to his breath on my neck, especially while seated on his lap. Tremors subsided, replaced by soothing sighs, as Brandon's hand delicately caressed my hair and his firm grip held me close. Understanding the complexity of my emotions eluded me; I couldn't complain about the current situation.
My gaze shifted to the man in the chair opposite where Brandon was on the night we first met. His scrutinizing look startled me; it was unlike any gaze I'd encountered, more like an attempt to understand. Maybe it was the most legitimate look given to me. No one ever tried to question me and everyone had tried to protect me from the beginning. Of course I was thankful for everyone and especially Brandon, Flora and Helia. But what if I was a fraud? The voice in me cursed silently, "You think Brandon didn't search your past? How stupid are you?" I sighed, silently agreeing with the voice, even if it pained me to.
Perhaps startled by my reaction, Brandon stepped back, his gaze shifting to my face. As he again delved into my being with his deep, mysterious eyes, I glimpsed the man on the sofa standing and walking toward us. He still was half naked.
"Since everyone calmed down a bit, can we talk now?"
Blushing, I turned away, focusing on a rich-looking carpet that matched Brandon's emerald green eyes. This corner felt safe; I should have stayed there. "Put something on," Brandon's stern voice revealed lingering tension. His unease made me endlessly anxious. Shifting slightly, I moved my numb legs. As his eyes shifted to me, I was instantly struck by his smile. Why did he have to look at me so beautifully? The fact that, apart from Helia and Flora, he treated me better than anyone in my life, and his looks and smiles involuntarily etched moments in my mind. I knew I exaggerated. Brandon's protective instincts, perhaps an occupational hazard, echoed my father's environmental concern. Now, confronted with a victimized girl, Brandon was doing his best, driven by his intolerance of injustice. While answering his look and smile with a sigh, I was stunned again when he pressed me to himself, burying his face in my neck and taking a deep breath. But, in books, such scenes only happened between couples.
As a girl newly emerged from her cave, I had the right to question and judge everything by the books, unaware of the complexities of real-life situations. So was I exaggerating about thinking that he was acting like he had some kind of interest in me? The same voice chuckled again, "Can you stop dreaming?" How I hated this voice!
My fingers ached as if they pleaded for mercy, yet I persisted in pressing my nails onto them, a feeble attempt to calm myself. In the living room, the voices of Brandon and his older brother, Nabu, filled my ears, but I lacked the courage to join them. Finally, Brandon began explaining the situation about me, and Nabu listened in silence, his brow furrowed. Brandon, still gazing out of the giant window, continued his discourse.
"Brandon," I heard Nabu say, "Are you stupid?" his words hit me like a chilling wind, and freezing me I pressed my back against the wall separating the living room and corridor. Fear churned in my stomach, and from my concealed vantage point, it was impossible for them to see me. Brandon's response lingered, leaving me in suspense. I dared not look at his reaction; the anticipation felt like hours. Finally, Brandon's chilling voice broke the silence, "Why?"
"You don't even know the girl, Brandon! Instead, you've taken her under protection and you're struggling for her like a headless chicken! What if she's a scammer? What if she's using you?"
Nabu's words stabbed into me, and I tried to swallow, the lump in my throat only intensifying. Brandon's response, once again delayed, sent a shiver through me. Had doubt crept into his mind? What would I do without him? Nails dug into my skin beneath the concealed pajama shorts, a desperate hope that the pain could dispel my growing fear. I wasn't a trickster or a blackmailer. I wasn't using anyone, and I would never willingly humiliate myself before a group of people exuding nobility. My eyes filled with rebellious tears, flowing freely before I could wipe them away. The weight of bitterness and unending gratitude bore down on me, but I had to endure. For the first time, I felt as though a guardian angel had taken me under his wings, bringing order to my chaotic life. How could I afford to lose this?
I closed my eyes forcefully, biting back the sob that rose in my throat, sinking my teeth into my lower lip. How could I ignore the emotions surging within me and disregard the inexplicable connection I felt with this enigmatic man?
"Considering my profession and who I am, I would expect you to know that I wouldn't blindly take a step without doing some research." His voice cut through the cold fog inside me. It was a sentiment I shared; Flora had emphasized how every move her cousin made was meticulously planned, carefully calculated, and rooted in the historical context of the ground he tread upon. Nabu said nothing after that, and I didn't dare to look at his reaction. "One more thing," a warning tone in his voice sent shivers down my spine, and yet, as his voice returned to its usual cadence, a wave of relief washed over my numb body, "Try not to use that tone when talking to Stella."
My eyes widened in surprise, a sudden unease settling in as I found myself unintentionally becoming a source of tension between the two brothers. Movement echoed from within the room, yet my legs refused to carry me forward. I remained pinned to the spot. When Brandon emerged in front of me, I swallowed hard, pushing back the lump that had persisted in my throat. Suppressing the fear of summoning the courage to swallow once more, he delicately tucked strands of hair behind my ear, his hand caressing my cheek with a gentle touch, accompanied by a warm smile. "Come, beautiful."
I found myself staring into Brandon's compassionate eyes, my own eyes still wide. A storm erupted within me, stirred by his soothing voice and the impact of his warm hands on my skin. When I failed to respond, Brandon repeated the action, causing a slight furrow in his forehead as he peered at me with a concerned expression. Another step forward brought him closer, a reminder of our proximity before he left the house. No matter how many times I swallowed, the lump in my throat refused to dissipate. His warm hands touched my frozen arms, and his brows furrowed even more as he leaned in, scrutinizing my face. "Are you cold?" he murmured, his hands moving up and down my arms in an attempt to warm them. My heart raced, the closeness of our faces sending it into a flurry. Though I simply shook my head, he seemed dissatisfied with my silence, prompting me to clear my throat and wet my lips. "I'm not," I lied, knowing full well that my anemia made me susceptible to the chill. But it was summer, and these beautiful clothes were a luxury I appreciated despite the cold.
"Don't lie to me, Stella," his voice held a scolding tone, yet there was an underlying softness. Biting my lower lip, I gazed at this mythological god standing before me, missing the feeling of warmth in his arms. A growl rumbled in the back of his throat as I leaned against the wall, startled by his sudden anger. "You better stop making that move, princess," he warned in a deeper voice, adding to my confusion. I was burning with both warmth and uncertainty. Turning his gaze to the ceiling, he sighed deeply, then refocused on me. His hands shifted from my arms to my waist, and just as I anticipated being drawn closer, he disappointed me by guiding me toward the living room with gentle nudges.
The stranger in the room turned his attention to me, sighing deeply before extending a hand with a forced smile. I studied him more freely this time since he wasn't naked anymore, pondering why I had screamed and recoiled from him when, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have frightened me. Of course, I could have reacted the same way if there was a stranger in front of me at that moment, because there was usually only one person standing over me while I was sleeping, and that person's purpose was definitely not to watch me innocently. Cursing the tears that welled up, I lowered my head to hide them and shook the hand Nabu offered, muttering, "I'm sorry." His handshake suddenly felt lifeless, like a plastic baby's hand. When I looked up, spurred by the tears that escaped, I saw him staring at me with a perplexed expression. Just when I was about to begin to explain, assuming he didn't understand my apology, Brandon's hand on my waist pulled me to his side, settling me on the couch. "There's nothing to apologize for." His clear tone made me tilt my head again, nervously scanning Nabu's face.
"At least you're not the one who should apologize." Nabu raised his head blinking in surprise and probably biting his tongue to not curse his brother. Brandon's hand on my back was gently moving up and down as to calm my nerves. I can say, it definitely worked heavenly.
Now, both of them were locked in a silent exchange, the tension in the air so palpable it felt like my bones might fuse together. The standoff came to an abrupt end when Nabu addressed me with a deep, apologetic tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. If I had known you were at home, believe me, I wouldn't have had the rudeness to enter like this." Approaching with genuine sincerity, I moistened my lips and mumbled a reply in kind, "I just felt like I was reliving a few bad memories. That's why," I halted, biting the inside of my cheek to stave off further words. My tendency was to be sparing with speech; even with Brandon, I was the less talkative one. Fingers on my back halted, sliding toward my waist, providing gentle support. Nabu, seemingly unaware of these movements, stood a bit away, illuminated by a dim light.
"I understand," Nabu muttered, after that a soft laugh escaped him saying, "I don't usually stand over sleeping people like that, Stella." Perhaps he wasn't conscious of it, but his smile brought relief that I couldn't suppress, and a smile mirrored on my lips involuntarily. "I just didn't expect to find such a beautiful girl in the bed of my obsessed brother, who doesn't include anyone in his private life." My smile froze as Brandon's hand on my waist tightened, his gaze sharp, jaw clenched. Nabu, catching the shift in his brother's expression, rolled his eyes. "I'm engaged, you imbecile, calm down."
As my eyes found Brandon, he redirected his intense gaze from Nabu to me, but they changed on me, carrying a warmth that melted my unease. While he observed me with a slight smile, my cheeks reddened as his eyes lingered on my lips. Don't look at me like that, though.
Nabu cleared his throat and offered a conciliatory smile, grabbing both our attention. "I'm so sorry for waking you up so abruptly. Let's have breakfast together tomorrow; I still feel like I owe you an apology." I bit my lower lip, a subtle move that prompted Brandon to squeeze my waist in response, invited an unexpected enjoyment of his touch. I ran my tongue across my lower lip slowly, surprising even myself. Why was I trying to provoke this man? Well, I enjoyed it, but should I not do it? Regardless, I would do it anyway.
"Thank you," I mumbled. "I'm not supposed to go out." Nabu frowned, his gaze shifting to Brandon, and growled in response, "Did you imprison her in the house?" Brandon sighed, his eyes leaving me to meet Nabu's gaze, I just realized now that he was staring at me. "It's a security measure while the case continues. I can't risk anything happening to her." An exchange of glances occurred, and I felt Brandon's hand on my waist tighten, his grip becoming assertive. The intensity of his gaze, if directed at me, might have frightened me to the point of fainting.
After what felt like an eternity, Nabu sighed and stood up. "If you didn't love loneliness so much that you bought a one-room house, I wouldn't have to crawl around in hotels now." Brandon stood up and rolled his eyes, extending his hand, gesturing for me to get up. Although I didn't need the support, I stood, taking his hand so it wouldn't linger in the air. "Buy yourself a house then, stingy guy." This time, it was Nabu who rolled his eyes.
Was he planning to forsake the comfort of home to stay in a room alone because of me? Despite their wealth, I couldn't bear the thought of the two brothers sacrificing their comfort while I lounged in a huge bed. "You can stay here." As I blushed, two pairs of eyes turned to me. I pulled my hand from Brandon's and wrapped my arms around myself. "I'll sleep here, and you two can share the bed." If I spoke a little more, I might be able to sink into the wall headfirst. The discomfort of speaking while being scrutinized made me ponder which wall would be less embarrassing. The opposite side was glass; if I entered there, I'd probably end up on the balcony and might consider crawling and jumping down. Brandon sighed, capturing my chin with his long, slender fingers, redirecting my gaze toward him. Anticipating anger in his eyes, I was met with care and a smile.
"That's yours, now go to bed and have a good sleep." My cells, now seeing swallowing as a life purpose, stood poised. I would swallow hard if he stopped looking at me like that. "We'll sleep in the living room. There are armchairs long enough for both of us." Shifting my gaze to a single, elongated L-shaped seat, noticing the separation in between, I nodded. Apparently, the two seats had joined together to create the long L-shaped seat. I turned my head to the side and contemplated Brandon's offer. As his fingers on my chin released their hold, I found myself lost in the emptiness that ensued.
"I need something like pajama bottoms," Nabu mumbled, engrossed in his phone. Brandon's brows furrowed as he shifted his gaze from me to his brother. "You didn't bring anything, did you?" Nabu glanced up from his phone, met his brother's eyes, and grinned. Brandon rolled his eyes, his fingers, for the umpteenth time, finding my waist, guiding me towards his room.
The moment we stepped into his room, a scream seemed ready to escape from my throat to my mouth. Even though I could guess why I felt so excited around him, I realized how pathetic and helpless these thoughts were. Being around Brandon, let alone in his life, felt impossible. While his pity for me and his business ambitions kept me by his side for now, it wasn't hard to guess this wouldn't last. The case would eventually conclude, and I would have to fend for myself.
After grabbing something from his closet, Brandon turned to me, already seated on the bed, and approached. While making his presence known on the bed with his weight, I refrained from biting my lip to avoid testing his patience and crossing my own line. Lip nibbling might be more of a tension act than an erotic one, but it seemed men only perceived it one way. I couldn't change my habits in a month!
"Stella," I turned towards him, hoping his voice wouldn't awaken the zoo in my belly. His warming touch found my cheek, his gaze wandering over my face, pulling me towards him. "You'll always be safe with me," this time, the weight started to beat rapidly, falling on my heart. I was being drawn to this man, and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. Like a hungry mouse reaching for cheese in a trap, knowing it was a trap, I wasn't thinking about anything other than the taste of the cheese.
Closing my eyes, I opened my lips and started taking deep breaths, unable to stop his hand on my cheek from descending to the back of my neck, making me shiver. "As long as I exist, I will never let anything happen to you." The scream stuck in my throat since we entered the room, begged to come out. The surge of emotions inside me was so intense it made me feel faint. I couldn't breathe! His breath drew closer, caressing my face and awakening all my senses. The palpitations of my heart had increased, as if it were screaming to be set free. My body moved under the guidance of my feelings, as if I had put my brain into sleep mode. As my fingers wrapped around the wrist of his hand grasping the back of my neck, a wheezing breath reached my face like poetry.
"You're driving me crazy." Ah! Please shut up. I had no idea what kind of swamp I had fallen into, but I wasn't afraid of sinking. There was no movement from him, and I wasn't brave enough to do anything. Despite everything, I still thought I misunderstood something. "Brandon," I muttered, a mumble full of question marks, not understanding this knot between us. He responded by taking a deep breath and letting it out through his teeth. His free hand, no longer burdened by clothes, had already been tossed on the floor. He grabbed my waist and pressed me to himself, leaning on his chest between his legs on the bed, literally breathing in his breath.
"Say it," he murmured. What was I going to say? Shouldn't he be the one talking? He was braver than me, and all our close encounters so far had happened when he took the first step. He must have known the meaning of this more than I did. "What are we doing?" His forehead found mine, and he took a deep breath, practically breathing me in. I opened my eyes and looked into his eyes that made me tremble. "Does this bother you? Don't you want it?" What didn't I want? Isn't it a little late to ask this? I suppressed my inner giggle and stepped back slightly, causing his eyebrows to furrow. I then made the mistake of biting my lip, causing him to wheeze again and say, "You're killing me." My fingers suddenly reached out and grasped his arm, and I shook my head. "Don't say that," I said in panic.
When he looked at my face with a smile, his fingers grasping the back of my neck slid into my hair and slowly began to massage my skull. Okay, now I was starting to melt down. As he brought his face closer to mine, my eyelids suddenly fell unconsciously. While his lips were rubbing on my cheek, he said to me in an extremely arousing voice, "You're so pure and naive," I swallowed and surrendered to his touch, "So contrary to me," when his breath fell on my lips, I felt my toes curl and tingle with satisfaction. "You have no idea how much I,"
I could hear my heart pounding, the temperature of my body rising so high that it almost dissolved into the air as smoke. My skin was tingling, my body was twisting, a hungry and thirsty predator was wagging its tail in my groin. I wanted him so much.
His lips brushed my jaw, slowly moving up to exactly where I wanted him. My chest was rising and falling rapidly with my frequent breathing. One of his hands gripping my waist, the other was buried in my hair behind my head. While I grabbed his arm, the other one was still holding on to his wrist. I couldn't even imagine what Nabu would think of me if he came in right now. But I didn't care. Brandon was so close and warm that all I cared about now was the target of his lips. As his breath touched my lips and filtered through my parted lips, all I wanted was to burn with him.
"BRANDON! Where the hell are these clothes? It's been days man!" As his arm under my hand tightened, he let out a harsh breath through my lips, pinning me to my place. I was breathing him! After swearing under his breath, he turned his eyes to my face, licked his full lips, and forced himself away from me by pressing his forehead to mine. "It would be a pain if you brought your damn clothes, bastard." While giggling at what he said under his breath, I lowered my hands to my lap and watched him pick up the clothes from the floor and turn to me, turning his eyes to my smile. "Did you just giggle at me?" While examining my face with his eyes, he suddenly reached out and cupped my cheeks. Causing for the clothes to fall to the ground again. "Whatever you are doing to me, don't stop." As he pressed his lips to my forehead, I thought the electricity I felt would suddenly throw him against the wall. I wonder if he thought the same thing because he suddenly left me and started looking at my face strangely.
As his eyes continued to wander over me, Nabu yelled, almost like a woman's scream, "BRANDON!". Brandon closed his eyes and picked up the clothes on the floor with a flash and headed towards the door. Just when he was leaving my voice rushed through my mouth.
"Brandon!" I had no idea what I was thinking when I called out at the last minute and stopped him from leaving. He instantly turned and was already moving towards me. "Tell me, princess," his hand gently grasped my chin and lifted my head to meet his gaze. "Good night," I smiled at his eyes examining my face, while my fingers grasped his wrist again and caressed it lightly. I heard him swallow more than I saw. He leaned towards me, rested his head on mine, and whispered, "Sleep well," in a voice that would probably haunt my dreams all night.
He didn't stop smiling at me as he closed the door, but as soon as he closed it, I heard him say to Nabu, "Get out of my house."
3RD PERSON POINT OF VIEW- Brandon was glaring at his brother that had choose tonight to come. Moreover, not only did he come, he also scared the shit out of Stella. While Nabu was video chatting with Aisha, unaware of his brother's gaze, Aisha suddenly asked, "Is the girl beautiful?" Nabu grinned when he heard the question. As his gaze found Brandon, he saw that his brother was already looking at him, and it wasn't a pleasant look at all. "What the hell are you looking at?"
While Brandon turned his gaze towards the glass in anger, he didn't know why he was so angry. Actually, of course he knew; if it weren't for his brother's big mouth, his lips would now have tasted the lips he was so curious about, and he would close his eyes to the night in peace and open them again in the morning to taste those lips one more time. As his skin tingled, he thought about the person sleeping just one wall away and whom he wished were in his arms right now. But the bastard had to come today.
"She's so beautiful, darling. She's such a beautiful girl that I stood over her and stared at her, and then I almost killed her by scaring the shit out of her." Brandon stood up in a fit of rage, grabbed Nabu by the collar, and lowered himself to his eye level. Before Aisha could figure out whether to look at the strange exchange of glances between the two brothers on the phone or to get angry at her fiancée's comment about another girl, Nabu started laughing. As Brandon let go of Nabu's collar and pushed him back, he talked through his teeth to Nabu, "If you wake her up, I'll skin you." he hissed.
"Brandon!" said Aisha in shock. Nabu continued to laugh, only more quietly, as Aisha looked at her fiancé's brother in surprise. "As you can see, someone's screwed up badly." Blinking her eyes, Aisha was still looking at the two brothers in astonishment. "Shut up," Brandon muttered. His eyes were fixed on the door of his room, waiting to kill his brother if Stella came out rubbing her eyes because he had waken her. While Nabu was looking at his brother with a smile, he suddenly turned his gaze to his fiancée with anxiety and said in a humming voice, "My dear, I'm very tired. Let's talk tomorrow, okay?" Aisha nodded and blew an air kiss, bidding them both good night and then hanging up. With a deep sigh, Nabu turned his gaze to his brother, who was still staring at the door of the room where Stella was sleeping. "You're so obvious."
Brandon made a tsk sound as if he was cleaning his teeth and turned his gaze to his brother. "I don't care," Nabu frowned, straightening his back and leaning over to Brandon, he spoke quietly in case Stella wasn't asleep. "Are you sure you did your research properly?"
Maybe if he had cursed Brandon would have been less angry; this issue was bothering him now. "Nabu, it's not just me, Sky is also involved. He's helping me. So are Flora and Helia." While Nabu's eyebrows were furrowed, he could not make sense of the uneasiness inside him. "Even if it isn't, which is impossible, I have nothing to lose." As Nabu's eyes widened in surprise, he could barely hold himself back from hitting his brother, "Are you an idiot? Am I so blind that I can't see how you look at the girl, how you protect her, how you can barely stand in the same room without touching her?" Brandon looked at Nabu with raised eyebrows, "I wouldn't have to protect her if you hadn't scared her." Nabu rolled his eyes, stood up and looked outside for a while, waiting to calm down. "Brandon, I'm afraid you'll get hurt."
Brandon took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the high ceiling of the room for a while, even if he was going to be hurt, it was okay if Stella caused it. Every cell in his body wanted her, and he was definitely not in a position to escape it now. Stella's innocence had literally captured him. Even if it was a classic situation, he had never met such an innocent and wholesome girl in his life. Even Flora was not this clean-natured and innocent; her witchcraft came out when she was angry.
Swallowing, he thought about Stella's presence in his arms, how well she fitted and how he like to see her there. It felt like she was supposed to be there, she was supposed to stay there and live there.
Even though he didn't want to, he had to convey what he knew to his brother, otherwise he might involve his parents and cause a bigger racket. He couldn't risk harming Stella. He closed his eyes, opened his lips, just like Stella did, and shared with his brother the painful story of that beautiful girl who had been on his mind every moment he ate, drank, walked, and wandered since he met her.