Demanded by Him (Chosen by Him #7)

Demanded by Him
(Chosen by Him Series, Book Seven)
(An Alpha Billionaire Romance)

by Ellie Danes

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental

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Third-party websites addresses listed in this book are accurate and age appropriate as of the time this book went to press, but are beyond the publishers control. The publisher cannot guarantee that the content of these sites will not change.

I kissed Chase lightly on the lips and tiptoed out of his bedroom, hoping I wouldn’t wake him. The sun had barely crept up over the horizon as I snuck out for a morning drive to clear my head. An unseasonable chill cooled the pavement as I walked barefoot across Chase’s driveway to my beat-up car, carrying my heels in one hand and purse in the other. I stared at my not-so-elegant-ride as I approached. Small patches of rust along the rear fender contrasted against the dirty white paint.
What twenty-five thousand wouldn’t do for me.

The door quietly clicked shut as I pleaded with my car to start on the first try. It had become a ritual. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. I mashed the pedal to the floor and begged. “Please, please, please.” This time I was lucky. It definitely wasn’t always that way.

The streets of the city were mostly empty. A few morning joggers pranced down the sidewalk as I slipped into my zone. I needed coffee, but I needed to clear my head more. Brandon and Chase riddled my thoughts. How could I have let this happen? How could I have let that slimy piece of shit back into my life and pull away something I had worked so hard for? He had almost done it once and it wasn’t going to happen again.

After hitting the drive-thru at the local coffee shop I made my way down to the overlook and stared out toward the city, the flowing river just in front of me. I hesitantly turned off my car and leaned back, sipping my coffee and debating what I was going to do.

“Damn it!” I slammed my hand on the steering wheel as I thought about the money Brandon had demanded. Twenty-five thousand, or else. “Or else what? You’re going to lock me out of my campus email?” I yelled at myself as I shook my head. No, Brandon had threatened more than that. He threatened to make it so I couldn’t or wouldn’t graduate. I knew what he was capable of, but I wasn’t going to let him get the best of me.

I had to protect Chase like he would protect me. I turned the key in the car, starting it on the first try and headed home to shower. I knew what I needed to do.

I woke up aroused and ready to pick up from where we had left off the night before, but Summer had already left. She’d been a differently person lately, distant, yet driven. I wanted to believe it had something to do with her newfound passion for this investment project.

The office building was empty, as usual, for this time of day. I had gotten started at my normal time, as much as I wanted a little early morning distraction and to show up late. I sent Summer a playful text, begging her to get to the office early but I didn’t get a response.
Work
. I laughed at myself.
Who was I to criticize when I had done the exact same thing so many times before?

Sometime around ten, Summer made her way into the office, looking sexy as hell in a black pencil skirt and light green blouse. Her heels clacked on the floor, and I had a sudden desire to see her in nothing except those heels. I only had one thing on my mind: her. Everything else in my world was going to wait. I put my phone on do not disturb and closed the door as she walked in.

“Come here gorgeous…what do you think you were doing this morning?”

“Huh? I mean, I was–”

“No more sneaking out in the morning, got it?” I chuckled as I pulled her close. I felt myself growing more aroused as we pressed against each other.

“Promise.” She smiled and quickly gave me a kiss before pulling away.

“Not so fast… you have someplace you need to be?” I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her back, but this time, deeper and longer. My own selfishness and need were overpowering any self-control I had. “You know, hardly anyone is in the office, my door has a lock, there’s that couch over there…” I smiled and motioned toward the window.

“Rain check? I do have that meeting this morning.”

I let out a deep sigh and released her, my fingers trailing across her back as she stepped away. “Okay, rain check.” I walked behind gently smacking her on the ass in a playful way. “So, how much was that check? Twenty-five, right?” I opened up my checkbook and tore out the check I had written earlier and slid it across the desk as I took a seat in my chair.

Summer edged into the seat on the other side of the desk. She sat up straight and stared at me with a stern, blank look on her face. “Yes, but,” she hesitated, “I’m thinking that maybe I wait until they’ve actually shown me a bit more, so let’s go with ten. I’m sorry.” She fidgeted with the bracelet on her wrist as she continued to look at me with her blank stare. “Is that okay?”

“Ten it is.” I scribbled out another check and slid it across the desk, taking the other. “I’ll just put this one in the drawer here. I have a feeling you’re going to want it. I trust your judgment on this investment.” I smiled and dropped the check into the drawer.

“Thanks,” she said, but it sounded tense and fake. There was a darkness in her eyes that I wasn’t used to.

“Are you all right? You just seem off this morning.”

“Nerves.” Her voice quavered as she spoke.

I watched as her eyes grew big and distant. Grinning, I said, “You know, I can help distract you from that…”

“I should get going, but Chase, thank you so much for this.” She carefully folded the check in half and slipped it into her purse.

I moved around the desk, extending my hand as she stood in front of me. “Are you sure that’s all there is to it?” I cocked my head to the side as I met her gaze straight on.

“Yes, promise,” she said, biting her lip and letting out a little smile as her eyes met mine. “This is a big deal for me. I need to get going, I don’t want to be late.”

Summer leaned in and kissed me gently on the mouth.  She inhaled and held her breath for moment and then pulled away, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. We held each other for a minute before she eased out of our embrace and smiled again.

I ran my finger over her lips. “I’ll see you tonight? You can tell me all about how your deal went?”

“Perfect.” She smiled through pursed lips as she nodded in agreement.

Summer turned and before I could say another word, she was gone. A sense of loneliness and longing filled me. I felt as if she had just said goodbye, forever.  I stared at the door wanting to chase after her and find out what was really on her mind. She wasn’t telling me everything, and I was worried. Was she really that nervous? I wanted to assure her that she was going to do just fine.

I smacked my hand on the black, dilapidated dashboard of my car to stop the rattling, but it continued. There were days I wanted to leave it running in a bad part of town, hoping someone would steal it so I could collect the whopping five hundred dollars from the insurance. I laughed to myself at the thought.
I doubt I would even get that.

Wilson’s Snack Shop was just far enough away from campus and Velocity Capital that I knew I wouldn’t run into anyone. It was also close enough that I knew my car would make it there and home. I parked out front and stared into the large glass windows. I couldn’t tell if he was inside or not. It didn’t matter. I needed to get this done and my nervousness wasn’t going anywhere. I squeezed the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white and rested my forehead on my wrists.
You can do this Summer. You can do this.
I opened the flap to my small black clutch and stared at the check, still folded inside.  “Fuck! What am I doing?” I yelled to myself.

If I got inside before him I could position myself in a good seat, away from anyone else. I could keep my eye on the door. I’d try to get the power position. I had learned about that in Chase’s class. Things like body language, how you looked at people, even how you shook someone’s hand could show who was in control. I didn’t plan on shaking his hand, let alone look at him for too long.

I stepped inside Wilson’s and took in my surroundings. A few tables were already filled in the back corner of the restaurant. One of those would have been my choice.

“Hey, over here!” Brandon partially stood and waved his hand from the booth in the opposite corner. He had been watching me from his seat. It provided the perfect view of my car.

My lungs filled to capacity as I inhaled deeply and then let out a quiet breath.
Just because he got here first, doesn’t mean he has the upper hand. He needs what I have.
I walked through the small restaurant like I was on parade for everyone to see. I looked around, but no one even noticed I was there. I slid into the booth opposite Brandon and didn’t say a word.

“No Mercedes today? Did your sugar daddy take it away? Let me guess, you were misbehaving.”

“Fuck off, Brandon. I could drive it if I wanted to, but I don’t need a car like that to make me feel better about myself.” The second the words came from my mouth I knew how they sounded, a bash to Chase. I had meant it to be an insult to Brandon.
Calm down, Summer.
“After this, we’re done, Brandon. Understand?” I sat up straight with my hands flat on the table as I looked him directly in the eyes. “Done.”

I studied his face, but he didn’t change his blank expression. I couldn’t believe we had once dated. He was attractive, but he was nothing compared to Chase. Back then I didn’t really know who I was. I only knew I wanted to graduate and I knew that some strong, attractive guy was really into me. He’d spoiled me and he’d taken care of me. In college that was unheard of.  Had I known he was shady and corrupt and would do anything for a buck, I would never have given him the time of day. Yet here we were, years later.

“Yeah, just like we agreed. Pay up and this is over.”

I pulled out the check, leaving it folded and slid it across the table. I kept my fingers on it as he reached for it, attempting to slide it closer to him. “Done.”

He nodded and I lifted my hand from the check. I wanted to make a fist and punch him, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good.

Brandon smiled and stared at me. “You know, Summer, we had something good back then, didn’t we? If not for that unfortunate situation, we could be together right now,” he sneered at me and raised his eyebrows. “Who knows, maybe we’d be married and have a kid.”

“You make me sick,” I spat, “and that would have never happened.” I might not have known much back then, but I liked to hope I’d learned enough over the past couple of years to know he and I couldn’t be together.

Brandon laughed and turned his attention toward the check still on the table. He unfolded it and looked up at me. “What’s this? This isn’t what we agreed to. Where’s the rest?”

“That’s it, Brandon. You aren’t getting any more. Cash it and consider yourself paid.”

I started to slide out of the booth as he reached across the table and grabbed my wrist. “Not so fast, Summer. We agreed on twenty-five. You agreed to twenty-five. That was the deal or–”

“Or what? You’re going to lock me out of my campus email? You’re going to try and fail me out of school with some hack? Schools are smarter than that. Are you really that stupid?” I shook my head as I ripped my arm from his grasp. “It’s over.”

Brandon smiled through tight lips and cocked his head. He quickly slid out of the booth and pushed into my side of the table, forcing me into the corner. “You agreed to twenty-five thousand,” he whispered through gritted teeth. “This isn’t done. In fact, consider this a down payment.”

My heart pounded as I felt his thigh rub against mine. I slid further into the corner to get away from his touch and he inched even closer.

“You aren’t going to do anything, Brandon. You wouldn’t do that.” I lifted my elbow and attempted to push him away, but my strength was no match for his size as he firmly planted himself next to me. He smelled like fried foods, like onion rings. “Move away, or I’ll scream.”

“Do that…and you’ll regret it. I promise.” Brandon reached into his backpack and held his hand inside, concealed for a moment.

I kept my eye on him, taking quick glances down toward the backpack. I waited to see the black metal of a gun as my palms began to sweat. “Brandon, you don’t have to do this,” I begged. “Just let me go.”

He jerked his hand out from his backpack, revealing a small tablet. It wasn’t a gun, but somehow it was worse. My heart sank into my stomach. Tears welled up in my eyes as I quickly wiped them away and attempted to glance around to see if anyone were watching. No one cared what was going on in our little corner booth.

“Does this look familiar?” Brandon tapped the tablet and played a video.

I watched as the girl in the video danced around, almost seductively, looking at herself in the mirror. I watched as my mouth fell open.
That girl was me.
The night Alyssa and I had slept at Chase’s house. The night our apartment had been broken into. Brandon snickered to himself as he watched. He seemed proud, almost like he was gloating at his accomplishment.

“Enough!” I hissed. “Turn it off.”

“Yeah, I’ve already watched it a few times myself. I loved the part just before this…before you had the shirt on.” He closed his eyes as the dirty smile spread across his face.

Disgust and bile filled my throat. I reached for the tablet and he pulled it away, just out of my reach. Instinctively, I elbowed him in the side. “Bastard!”

“I like this one the best, though.” Brandon turned his back towards me, blocking the screen. I waited, horror building within me as he tapped a few more times on the screen. He spun around, finally revealing another video. “Your man is a stud, isn’t he? Better than me?”

I stared at the screen as I watched Chase’s naked back and ass facing the camera. My hands grasped his back as I pulled him close. I remembered that night, how tender and loving he’d been. Now it was unforgettable for other reasons. “Okay, okay,” I begged, “Turn it off.”

“I’m impressed, Summer. Forty-five minutes, huh?” He laughed as he continued to tap on the tablet and then stopped. “It would be a shame for these videos to get sent out to his corporate email list, wouldn’t it? Or better yet, the university? I’m sure that’d do great things for his career.”

“You wouldn’t!” Saliva began to fill my mouth as the urge to vomit took over my body. I quickly grabbed the glass of water sitting on the table and chugged a few swallows.

“I would. You know I would, and there’s more. I’m sure all of these are enough to crush his career, but I’ll spare you the gory details.”

I took a deep breath and took another sip of water. I really needed to puke. “Okay, I’ll get you the money, just don’t show those to anyone. You can’t destroy him like that, he didn’t do anything to you.”

“Just hold up your end of the bargain…and Summer, next time I come around, can you introduce me to your gorgeous roommate?” Brandon swiped the screen to reveal a video of Alyssa standing in our bathroom at the apartment. She was wrapped in a towel and it appeared she was getting ready for class. “She’s pretty fucking hot. Think she would be in to me?”

“You’re a sick fuck.”

“Maybe, but I seem to get what I want regardless. Why don’t you call her, see what she’s up to? Maybe you want to tell her to not dance around naked in your apartment.” Brandon chuckled and stared at me as he tapped the screen again. “Go ahead, call her.”

I slowly removed my phone from my purse, but then hesitated. “I can’t. She’s in class. I don’t want to bother her.”

“Do it!” he grunted.

I tapped the button and trembled as I held the phone close to my ear, waiting for her to pick up. “I told you, she’s in class right now,” I whispered to him.

“Hey, Sums. What’s up?”

“Oh hey, I was just going to leave you a message. I thought you were in class.”

“No, I’m skipping today. I have something to take care of at work. I’m actually getting ready right now, I’m late.” Static filled the phone and then cleared. “Dammit.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Brandon laughed as he pointed at the tablet, staring at Alyssa, naked on the video. “Jackpot!” he whispered.

No, this was so wrong. I had to get his eyes off of her. Get her off his screen.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said, “I just dropped my towel. Listen, is there something you needed? I really need to get going. I’m sorry to cut you off.”

“No, it can wait. I’ll talk to you later.” I hung up the phone and looked at the video, where Alyssa continued to get ready. I quickly grabbed the tablet from Brandon’s hand and pounded it against the table, cracking the screen.

He looked at the expensive gadget I’d just smashed, and he laughed. “Twenty-five thousand, Summer.”

Brandon slid out of the booth and left the restaurant as I sat, trembling, by myself.