27. Brogan #2
I sat there for god knows how long before picking my cell phone back up. I checked in on Declan’s flight status and was happy to see that it’d finally landed. The need for his trip to be successful was even more important now, or else the two of us might end up going down together.
The rest of the day passed by in a blur.
Declan messaged me once or twice, but my responses had been of the one- or two-word variety.
There was so much going on in my head right now that by the time I left Sinclair Pharmaceuticals for the night, I almost just went to my penthouse.
I remembered Enslee, however, and I’d promised her I would stay each night until Declan returned from Mexico.
I ended up driving to Staten Island, and because of the late hour I was at work, and the accident on the highway backing traffic up for miles, it was very late when I arrived. All the lights were off in the house, and I figured that was for the best.
As I passed Enslee’s room, I opened the door and peeked inside, then furrowed my brow when I saw her bed not only empty but still fully made.
I moved down the hallway to the end where my room with Declan was, and lying on the bed in the dim lighting from the lamp, I spied the woman sprawled out on the bed.
She looked ethereal—almost like an angel—and I made my way quietly to the bathroom so I wouldn’t wake her.
I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my ragged expression.
I’d been in a foul mood since the visit with my father, and everyone from my secretary to those who shared the same floor all sensed it.
The whispered voices and suspicious side-eyes intensified, and I knew most had been talking about me.
The mayor had joined in with the police, and he vowed to get to the bottom of Layla’s disappearance.
The police had also indicated that their focus had shifted entirely from a missing person to a recovery, which meant they believed my fiancée to be deceased.
Fiancée. It was crazy as fuck to even call her that in my mind because the title was in name only.
I’d never so much as touched her outside of the few and far between public displays of affection.
And most of those were a forehead kiss or a hand hold.
Nothing one would ever consider romantic.
Now, because of a fucking farce, I was going to lose my freedom.
I shed my clothes and got into the shower.
As I stood under the scalding spray of water, my father’s words kept repeating in my head.
I had no doubt that he could take some of the heat off me if he so pleased, but I also knew he could persuade those same people to throw the book at Declan.
It wouldn’t be any misdemeanor charges, but the highest felony, which would land him in jail beside me. Only, we’d be separated.
I’m losing the love of my life, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
I balled my hands up into fists and beat them against the hard tile. I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t realized I was no longer alone until a soft hand grabbed one of my arms to stop me from slamming it forward.
Turning to look over my shoulder, I saw Enslee standing there. She was in nothing but a thong and one of Declan’s T-shirts, which was rapidly growing wetter as she got closer to me and the rainfall showerhead.
“Stop,” she said to me softly before stepping inside fully to grab my other hand. I looked down at them, and my knuckles were all bloody. At the sight of them, I glanced at the wall, then the water at my feet, noticing the pinkish hue to it. “Why are you hurting yourself?”
I had to remember that she couldn’t recall the events that had set her current situation in motion. She didn’t remember trying to pressure me into an interview on a possible homicide, and that she’d been so terrified of me that she’d fled, eventually hurting herself.
She moved in closer to me, then brought my still balled up fists to her chest. Enslee was soaking wet now, and the white shirt stood no chance.
Her nipples were dark orbs behind the light fabric, and I wanted to draw each hard tip into my mouth.
I wanted to bite all over her, needing to deliver pain to her so we could either wallow in our respective kinds, or to make someone else ache as bad as I did.
I was a monster she didn’t recognize, so I forced myself to stay calm and not act on those impulses. She was delicate like fine china and not able to handle the darkness inside of me like Declan could. He not only drew it out of me, but he craved it. Enslee and Declan were not one and the same.
“I had a bad day at work,” I finally said as she continued to stare up at me with those wide eyes.
They were blurred slightly by her own tears, and ones she was crying for me when I deserved them the very least. “Don’t cry,” I said as I pulled one hand away, then used the side of it to swipe at the tears sliding down her cheeks.
“I can’t help it,” she responded before quickly adding, “But I’d like to help you.”
I forced a smile, even though it was so tight it felt like my entire face was going to crack. “I’m not very good company when I’m like this.”
“And here I thought this was your normal demeanor,” she teased, and before I even realized it, I barked out a small laugh.
“You’re probably right about that.”
“Does this have to do with what you told me the other night?”
I briefly recalled talking to her about the conversion therapy, and at the thought of it, my mind immediately went to my father. Fuck, I didn’t want to just bloody my knuckles in frustration but crack the fucking marble tiles with my rage. I couldn’t with her right here, though.
“It doesn’t.”
“What has you so upset? Maybe I can help you.”
“With this mood, I doubt that you could help me even if you were on your knees. Go ahead and dry off. I’ll join you in bed after my shower.”
“Bro—”
“Go,” I said forcefully, but at an even enough tone not to scare her.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, then turned on her heel. When she did, I turned back around and placed my head against the tile. With my eyes closed, I stayed like that for several minutes until something had my entire body tensing up.
Looking down between my legs, Enslee had returned and gotten on her knees. She now had my semi-erect cock in her hand, and it only took a few strokes to make it harden to full staff. A groan escaped me as I stared down at her. She was moving her hand slowly and methodically, while looking up at me.
“Fuck, Enslee. That hadn’t been an invitation.”
She looked hurt, if her expression was anything to go by, but she was undeterred. As her gaze held mine, she leaned in and swiped her tongue along my length. Doing that several times, I now had only one thought pounding in my head.
I reached down and wrapped my hand around her throat, then yanked her roughly onto her feet.
Her gasp was pained but also hinted at her arousal.
Enslee liked when Declan and I manhandled her, and I knew if I stuck my hand between her thighs right now that she’d be soaked.
And it’d have nothing to do with the water from the shower.
Her eyes widened, but she let out the softest moan that ended up being my undoing. I pinned her against the tiled wall. With my hand still on her throat, I tore at the shirt and thong, eventually ripping them to shreds and tossing them outside of the shower.
She was breathing as heavily as I was, and my gaze dropped to her chest. Diamond-tipped breasts rose and fell with every ragged breath she took.
A slight tremor or two wracked her, but otherwise she remained still.
My own chest moved as I tried breathing in the same rhythm as her, but my pulse was racing as my heartbeat roared in my ears.
Pressing my forehead to hers, I kept a firm grasp on her throat, but not enough to cut off her windpipe. “I don’t trust myself when I’m like this,” I finally said. “In fact, I can’t promise I won’t hurt you, and that’s the last thing I ever want to do.”
And it was. Granted, I’d never wanted to hurt her even on the day we’d made each other’s unfortunate acquaintance, but definitely not now.
I was the type to bottle everything up inside until the rage and pain turned to venom in my veins.
From there, I’d strike out. Again, I didn’t want her to be the recipient.
“I want to be what you need, Brogan,” she whispered and I smiled at her foolishness.
“You have no idea what you’re asking for right now.”
“I trust you,” she replied before continuing. “And more importantly, I want you. Let me in so I can help you by being whatever you need me to be.”
I closed my eyes, and while willing my veins to go cold, the moment she ran one of her soft hands up my chest, my blood not only heated but began to boil.
It was liquid fire racing through my bloodstream, and with more force than adrenaline.
A low growl escaped me moments before I fused my lips to hers.
The hand on my chest raised, and I felt it wrap around the back of my neck to hold my head in place as I seized her mouth in a brutal kiss.
I kept telling myself to slow down and be gentle, but the fury rushing through me urged me to give her what she’d foolishly asked for, so I could show her why she should run in the opposite direction in the future.