16. Brantley
B rantley~
Five days later, I was still living at the condo, but barely.
Except for the bed and my desk, all the furniture was gone, everything set perfectly for a quick sell.
The plan was to move back into the house this weekend, and I no longer cared if my wife hated me or not.
I was done sleeping alone, and I refused to break my wedding vows just because she wanted to be stubborn about shit.
Walking into the house, I headed straight to her room. I knew that she was at home because the security system always notified me of any traffic on the property. Keris had arrived home from work about two hours ago, and she was still here according to the security app.
Not bothering to knock, I opened the door to her room, and I found her sitting in a chair, her work computer resting on her lap. When she looked up, she looked surprised, then that green fire quickly ignited in her eyes when she realized who it was that was standing in her room.
“Because you don’t know how to knock?” she bit out.
“In my own home? On my wife’s door?” I stepped further into her room. “Yeah, while I know how to knock, I won’t be doing that in this house or on any door that you’re standing behind.”
Keris carefully set her laptop on the nightstand next to her chair.
I watched as she stood up, and I wanted nothing more than to toss her on the bed, then fuck her again.
Whatever black magic swirled around her, it had me hooked and captivated, and I knew in my heart that if Ares Cormac ever did touch her, I would kill him.
Hell, if any man ever touched her, I’d kill him.
Instead of calling me on my caveman side, Keris asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Kingston Industries is having a business social tonight,” I told her. “We’re expected to be in attendance.”
She let out a dark laugh. “Oh, are we?”
“Yes,” I clipped out. “So, you have an hour to get ready. I’ll be in my room, doing the same.”
“Because you think that I’m going?” she challenged, and the mouthier that she became, the harder that my dick got, and this shit was not fucking healthy.
I walked towards her until I was standing directly in front of her, and to her credit, she stood her ground, not backing up at all. Those green eyes held mine, and I bet she made one hell of a businesswoman at work.
My arm snaked out, and I had a fistful of her dark hair in my hand before she could stop me.
Twisting it, I ignored her gasp as I yanked her head back.
Glaring down at her, I said, “You’re going, even if I have to drag you by your fucking hair in whatever outfit you have on, Keris.
If you think that I give a fuck what people think, then you clearly didn’t see that video of me and Ares last week.
” Her jaw ticked, and she was fucking breathtaking when she was angry.
I had no idea what it was about a fiery female, but this one had to be the most beautiful thing that I’d ever seen.
“It’s up to you how you want our first outing as husband and wife to appear to the masses. Personally, I don’t give a fuck.”
“Let go of me,” she hissed. “You can’t just keep putting your hands on me without permission, Brantley.”
A primal growl escaped before I could stop it. “Oh, but I can,” I countered. “In fact...”
Insanity could be the only reason why I did what I did next.
Before she could stop me, I slid my other hand down the front of her yoga pants, and my fingers immediately found her soaked through.
Keris looked livid as I shoved two fingers deep in her cunt, and I hated how she was bringing out this monster in me that I’d never known existed.
“I’ll touch you whenever the fuck I want,” I snarled down at her.
“And do you want to know why?” I didn’t let her answer.
“Because you love it. Your pussy wouldn’t be leaking if you didn’t.
” I shoved a third finger in her tight channel, and the whimper that she let out had me feeling incredibly violent.
“Get fucking dressed or don’t. But we’re going to that party, and if you even think of defying me in public, even God won’t be able to save you.
” I let go of her hair as I pulled my fingers from her body.
Stepping back, I asked, “Do I make myself clear?”
Her chin came up, and maybe I really was a masochist, because a part of me hoped that she slapped the fuck out of me again, just so that I could throw her back on that bed again. “One day, you’re going to make the mistake of underestimating me, Brantley,” she said, and I could only smirk.
“Oh, baby, the last thing that I’ll ever do is underestimate what you’re capable of,” I shot back. “I think that it’s you that might be underestimating what it is that I’m capable of.”
“After last week, I know exactly what you’re capable of,” she fired back, and she wasn’t wrong.
Refusing to give an inch, knowing that she’d beat me with it if I did, I said, “Last week wasn’t shit. But if you’re curious, go near Ares Cormac again, and you’ll see what happens.” I stormed out of her room before I lost my shit on her.
An hour later, we were both in the car, being driven to the Birch Center.
We always held our events there because it was big enough to keep things comfortable.
Tonight’s event was to celebrate a multi-million acquisition that had Kingston Industries on the cover of Forbes again.
My father did enjoy pomp and circumstance to its fullest.
Walking into the building, I knew that all eyes were going to be following Keris everywhere, and not because of that shit with Ares last week.
They were going to follow her because she was easily the most beautiful woman in the room.
With her hair up, diamonds dangling from her ears, her face pure perfection, and a dark green dress that brought out her eyes, no other woman could compare.
The dress was also a thin-strapped piece of liquid silk that clung to every curve, and they were some incredible fucking curves.
Keris was built like an hourglass designed to hypnotize anyone that looked at it.
She was also all fucking mine.
When Magnus and Onyx walked up to greet us, I noticed that they were both dateless, and that meant that a couple of ladies were going to get lucky tonight.
“Magnus, Onyx,” I greeted as we all shook hands.
“Hey, Brant,” Magnus greeted back.
“Hey, Brantley,” Onyx said.
I put my hand on the small of Keris’ back, then looking down at her, I introduced the guys. “Keris, these are my closest friends, Magnus Saint and Onyx Mercer. Magnus is our CFO, and Onyx is our VP of Operations.” I looked at the guys. “Magnus, Onyx, this is my wife, Keris.”
“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Keris,” Magnus greeted.
“Same here,” Onyx added.
“No need to stand on ceremony, gentlemen,” Keris replied, and I could already feel my teeth clench.
“I’m not really Brantley’s wife. I’m just the woman that he unfortunately had to marry to secure the mines for his family’s legacy.
” Keris leaned to the side, then added. “Considering that he prefers blondes, I’m the last person that he should be married to.
I mean, just look at her.” Magnus and Onyx both turned to see who she was talking about, but unfortunately for me, I’d already had a front row seat.
“Talk about an absolutely stunning creature.”
“Keris-
“I’m going to go get a drink,” she announced, cutting me off as she looked up at me. “I’ll leave you to catch up with your friends.” Then she patted me on the chest like we were buddies or some-fucking-thing. “Tell your girlfriend that I said hi.”
I almost had her in my grip, but Onyx quickly stepped in front of me, allowing Keris to make her getaway. “Relax,” he said. “Now is not the time, Brant.”
“Soooooo, I take it that she has no idea that you actually prefer brunettes?” Magnus quipped, and I just shot him a look. “Oh, hey...I’m just saying.” He let out a low chuckle. “You’ve always preferred brunettes.”
“What the fuck is Rochelle even doing here?” I snapped.
“Carl Russell brought her,” Onyx informed me. “Either he’s not aware of your past with the woman, or else he doesn’t care.”
“If you ask me, the fact that she accepted the invitation is the real problem,” Magnus remarked. “I’d keep an eye on that if I were you, Brant.”
“You know, I’ve always thought that Keris Bishop was beautiful, but up-close, she’s seriously breathtaking, Brant,” Onyx remarked, causing my back to go up and him to chuckle.
“I’m just saying that you better get your shit under control.
If Ares finds out that she actually hates you, he’s going to go after her with everything that he’s got.
Whatever she has in her head about Rochelle, you better get it out of there. ”
Just then, my parents made their way over, and I just stood there as they played their parts for Onyx and Magnus.
Beau was also somewhere around here, and I could see him causing trouble for me just to do it.
Plus, brother or not, he wasn’t above trying to fuck my wife if it would give him one up on me.
Ignoring everyone around me, I went in search of my wife. I also didn’t care if she was glaring daggers at me the entire time, no way was I letting her out of my sight tonight. My protective instincts were firing brightly, and I always trusted my instincts.
When I finally found her, she was smiling up at the waiter handing her a glass of champagne, and I wondered how it would feel to have her smiling up at me like that.