Eternal Brand (8 page)

So her car hadn't broken down or been in an accident. She was fine. Immense relief was swiftly followed by anger. She was late because she hadn't cared enough to call him. Was she punishing him? Rage gripping him, Brand yanked open the front door and stormed out to the yard, Gus and George skipping along beside him.

The car had activated the sensor lights that rimmed the house, so Brand could clearly see Emily climb out of the passenger side. The fact she wasn't driving registered only dimly as his fury took precedence. He stalked toward her, abruptly grabbing her by the shoulders. “Where the hell have you been?”

Her eyes rounded in shock as she stared up at him. “What the…”

“I've been going crazy here, Emily. I expected you back before dark.”

Her brows drew down over her eyes, which suddenly appeared less shocked than irritated. “I told you I was going out.”

“I had no idea where you were.”

Again with the irritation. “I'm a grown woman. You don't own me. If I feel like getting away—”

“For Christ's sake!” He cut off her ridiculous reasons, shaking her slightly in his frustration. “I thought you were dead!”

Irritation moved right back to shock again. She stared at him, wide eyed. “What?”

Heat crept up Brand's neck as he realized how crazy he sounded. Remorse followed when he noted how he held on to Emily's shoulders. She looked hunched up and uncomfortable. His fingers were biting into her flesh. He'd shaken her.

Another flash of memory came back to him, of how his father used to treat the women in his life, the women he thought he owned. A shake here, a slap there, a little pressure to the throat when they were unruly. The best way to keep them in line, he'd said.

Horrified at the undeniable comparison between that past and his present, Brand abruptly removed his hands and backed up. Emily took a step forward and reached for him. Brand moved out of the way, too afraid to touch her.
Undeserving
of the right to touch her. “Brand?”

“Forget it,” he said, his voice flat now as he tamped down the memories and the unwanted emotions. “You're here now.”

“Brand, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you'd be so worried.”

“It's all right.”

It wasn't all right. His pulse rate remained sky-high, and the tension in his gut could pulverize rocks. But he'd deal with that later. Right now he had to stop scaring Emily. The thought that his bluster might intimidate her… It was too appalling.

He spoke carefully, neutrally so he wouldn't be tempted to yell again. “You didn't have car trouble, so what happened?”

She looked abashed. “I had a bit too much to drink.”

“With who?”

“With me.”

In the whirlwind of crazed fury, Brand hadn't given the driver of the car a thought. Now he stared in disbelief at the man rounding the front of the vehicle.

Jet. Why in hell had Emily been drinking with Jet?

“Don't blame Em. I gave her the wine.”

Brand's pulse spiked again at the way Jet used the shortened version of Emily's name. Or maybe it spiked because Jet was within five feet of him. With all the emotions swirling inside him, it was hard to tell. “She hardly ever drinks wine. What were you trying to do—get her drunk?”

Jet raised the sardonic eyebrow that had always driven Brand crazy. “She asked for a drink and I'm a gracious host.”

“Host?” He wasn't yelling now, but his voice sounded steely even to his own ears. “She was in your hotel room?”

“It's an apartment, actually,” Emily chimed in. “And I'm a grown woman with my own mind. I had a drink because I needed one.”

Brand swung his gaze back to Emily. She was wearing that aggravated expression again. “I know you've got your own mind. I want to know what it was thinking when you decided to get piss drunk with my ex—”

He cut himself off, but Emily filled in the blank. “Your ex-boyfriend. Is that the word you're looking for?”

Brand cast a glance between Emily and Jet, seeing that both their expressions were set in hard lines. As though they were ready to call him out if he denied it. Not that there would have been any point doing that now. The cat had sprung out of the bag days ago.

He pushed out a rough sigh. “I was going to say ex-lover but that's close enough.”

Jet let out a scoff that had Brand swinging his gaze back that way. “I'm not surprised you'd choose lover. Boyfriend sounds all commitment-like.”

“You will never stop busting my balls about that.”

Jet smiled wolfishly. “I like doing things to your balls.”

A heat that had nothing to do with discomfiture crept over Brand's skin. The balls in question tightened and his cock stirred. Would he never be free of the effect Jet Durante had on him? Not even now, when he was in love with someone else?

The thought had his gaze tracking back to Emily. He expected to find her distressed or angry by his exchange with Jet. Instead she appeared merely curious.

Well, not
merely
curious. It was more
intently
curious, as though she was hanging on their every word. Her eyes were round as saucers, her pupils huge within their circumference of green. Her lips were slightly parted and her breathing seemed rapid.

Maybe she was still distressed by the way he'd greeted her. But Brand couldn't escape the impression she was turned on.

What the fuck?

Suddenly, Emily said, “We should go in.”

Brand let out a breath, glad he was going to be alone with Emily so they could talk. They hadn't talked enough, and he'd meant what he'd said earlier that day when he'd promised to answer her questions. It had scared the shit out of him to make the offer, but he'd done it. He didn't have to tell her all of it—some things he didn't want her to have to know—but he could talk enough that she might understand. That she might let him into her arms again, the only place he'd felt calm in…possibly ever.

He turned to head toward the house, placing his hand on Emily's back. He couldn't have been more surprised when she looked back at Jet. “Are you coming or what, driver?”

“Of course, milady.”

Brand's hand flexed on her back. Quietly, he said, “Em, I think we need to talk.”

“You're right, we do.” Emily held his gaze, the determination in hers clear even in the dim light. “All three of us.”

The bottom dropped out of Brand's stomach. She wanted him to share a room with her and Jet? Christ. One pissed-off lover at a time was plenty for him to deal with. “Not a good idea, Em.”

“I don't care if it's a good idea or not. It's happening.”

Like she'd assured him earlier, Emily had her own mind. Brand respected that about her, loved her for it. But she'd never openly ignored his feelings when making a decision before. Taken aback, Brand ceased walking and stared at her. “What could you possibly think the three of us have talk about?”

She glanced over her shoulder as she strode up the porch stairs. “About where we go from here, obviously.”

Chapter Ten

“I made spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.” Brand sent Jet a look as they both stood at the threshold ready to follow Emily inside. “There's only enough for two.”

Jet merely laughed. “Subtle, Brand, subtle.”

“I could be blunter if you like.”

The bland expression on Jet's face didn't do much to hide the ferocity of his words. “It won't make a difference. I won't leave until Emily asks me to.”

Brand stared at him, seeing the determination in the set of his jaw that he recognized from times past. Jet was a persistent bastard when he saw something he wanted. Years ago he'd wanted Brand, and despite Brand's absolute terror of acting on those feelings, Jet had eventually gotten his way.

The memory made his stomach roll with some of that same fear he'd experienced long ago. He wasn't afraid to admit his attraction to men anymore, but somehow he was still afraid of Jet.

Jet was the only man who'd made Brand think of giving up women completely, and Emily was the only woman who'd made him start wistfully picturing a happy-ever-after he didn't believe in. If the two of them were ganging up against him now, he was in deep trouble.

What the hell were they up to?

“Are you two boys going to stand out there all night?”

Emily's voice came from the kitchen. Brand tore his eyes away from Jet's to see she was opening the bottle of red wine someone had given her for her last birthday. It had been sitting on the bench for two months and she'd never been tempted to open it, but for some reason tonight she seemed determined to shake up the status quo.

The thought didn't soothe Brand's nerves. The feeling of impending disaster worsened when he walked inside and noticed how Emily's hands shook as she lifted the wine to her lips and took a large sip. “Shit, sweetheart. Something's wrong.”

“Yes, something is wrong.” Holding her wine glass cupped in both her hands, Emily moved from the kitchen to the living room. “Something has been wrong with us from the start, but I chose to move along in blissful ignorance, believing everything would somehow work out on its own.”

She'd left two empty wine glasses on the counter, an unspoken offer for him and Jet to partake in the alcohol as well. Jet didn't touch it, and neither did Brand. “Things can work out, Em. I know you don't trust me at the moment, but at least trust that. We can get through this.”

He followed Emily into the living room. Was this him trying to turn someone else's negative outlook around? He was the one with the bleak beliefs, not Emily. But Brand hated that he was responsible for the way Emily's sunny smile had dimmed over the last few days. He'd do anything to bring it back, even try to believe in the impossible.

When he reached her side, Brand rested his hands on her shoulders. Unlike outside, his touch was exceedingly gentle. Aware of Jet standing close by, Brand lowered his voice. “I told you what happened the other day wouldn't happen again. I love you, Em. I want
you
.”

“It's not just about the other day anymore.” Her words warned him that bad news was coming, but her admission still came out of left field. “I kissed him too.”

Brand felt himself actually flinch. He dropped his hands and took a step back, staring at Emily as if he'd never seen her. “What?”

“I kissed Jet. This afternoon, at his place. Not just a peck. I
kissed
him.”

Brand didn't need the detail she gave him. He was already picturing a hundred scenarios in his mind. Jet and Emily kissing. Locked together in a passionate embrace. Writhing against each other. He was frozen with shock for several moments while his heart rate slowed to a sickeningly dull thud.

He saw Emily swallow, her hands tighten on the wine glass. “Brand, say something.”

He couldn't deal with how he felt about Emily kissing someone else, so he focused on the one thing he understood. Anger. He turned to face Jet. “You son of a bitch.”

Jet didn't even blanch. “Don't be a hypocrite.”

He might be a hypocrite, but he'd be a satisfied hypocrite if he punched that smug expression off Jet's face. Brand stalked toward him. Jet didn't move a muscle as Brand approached, didn't flinch or even appear to brace himself. His composure pissed Brand off even more, and he grabbed two fistfuls of Jet's shirt in frustration.

“Brand!”

Brand ignored Emily's exclamation and stared at the man he held. They were the same height, or close to it. Brand had maybe an inch on Jet, but he outweighed him by a good ten or fifteen kilos. Brand was trained in hand-to-hand combat. All Jet had was attitude. If they were to fight, Brand would undoubtedly be victorious.

The thought made him hesitate. He didn't beat on weaker opponents. If he whaled on Jet, what kind of bully did that make him?

The kind who was defending his territory.
Even knowing Emily would hate to be referred to as “territory”, the thought was enough to renew Brand's determination. He shoved Jet backward until he collided with the door.

The breath flew out of Jet's lungs, but his gaze didn't waver. He simply continued to meet Brand's stare with those indomitable black eyes. He raised a cocky brow. “What are you gonna do?”

“Kill you.”

From behind Brand came Emily's voice. “No you're not. You won't hurt him.”

Brand continued to stare at Jet as he spoke. “What makes you so sure?”

“Because you don't hurt people.”

Fuck.
He didn't hurt people. Brand wanted to be that man, the one that Emily had so much blind faith in. The one who was the complete opposite of his father. He loosened his grip on Jet's shirt, easing out a breath to expel the fury that had taken hold of him.

Once the anger began to dissipate, other things, more dangerous things, rushed in to replace it. Brand became conscious of how close he was to Jet, how their bodies had been brought into contact by his act of aggression. Their chests rose and fell mere millimeters apart. Their legs intertwined, one of Brand's pressed between both of Jet's. Against his thigh, Brand felt the swell of Jet's cock as it hardened.

His own responded in kind before he could stop it. Frustrated by his inability to remain stoic around this man, Brand made to move back.

Emily was there, blocking him. She pressed herself against his back and said, “Don't. Don't deny that you want him.”

Brand thought he must have misheard her. “Em?”

“You don't want to kill him. You want to kiss him. Tell me the truth. You owe me that.”

Knowing he owed her that and more, Brand told her the truth he needed her to accept. “I want you, Em.”

“And you want Jet.” She stood on tiptoe so her hot breath brushed over his ear as she whispered. “So do I.”

Brand sucked in a stunned breath. When his stomach contracted, Emily slipped her hand into the gap between him and Jet. She caressed his abs, making them clench. When Jet let out a tortured sigh, Brand realized her knuckles must have grazed his stomach.

Jet wanted Emily too.

It was too much to take in. Brand's brain wasn't functioning enough to make sense of how this had happened, how he'd ended up pressed hard against Jet, with Emily behind him, urging him to freely take what he'd always had to steal. All he could do was feel, and what he felt was an overwhelming desire to lose himself in the magic that both these people seemed to spin so effortlessly around him.

But his need for Jet was something he'd kept secret since he was seventeen. The idea of being open about it in front of Emily was daunting. “Em, sweetheart. I can't. I can't.”

“You can.” Her voice was threadbare. “Because I love you.”

She rubbed her breasts over his back, their sharp tips scraping him through his shirt. Maybe she'd taken hers off. The thought sent a fresh surge of blood to his cock. He was so hard he knew Jet must feel it against his thigh. In a last-ditch attempt to deny what everyone already knew, Brand shifted his hips back.

Immediately, Emily's hand curled around his erection, squeezing it through jeans that had grown far too tight.

“Oh, God, Em.” Brand rocked into her touch, helpless to do otherwise. Helpless, helpless.

The unbearable tightness lessened momentarily when his fly was lowered. Brand thought it was Emily's doing until he looked down and saw Jet parting the fabric of his jeans with rough jerks. Then Emily's hand was in his underwear, stroking his bare flesh.

Brand would have sworn but his throat was too tight to allow speech. Everything in him was tight. He watched in mounting excitement as Jet covered Emily's hand with his own and guided her movements.

They were both pleasuring him, and Brand had never experienced anything like it. He couldn't control his responses. He had no defense against Jet's capable touch and Emily's soft body. His hips moved of their own volition, rocking to an ancient rhythm more powerful than logic or fear. Heat engulfed him, seized his groin and his balls. He was going to come if they didn't stop.

Brand's eyes flew to Jet's. He was watching him intently, every emotion displayed in eyes that were usually too dark to read. Jet was as knocked off-kilter by this as Brand was. Stunned and almost reverent as his hand continued to pump Brand's rigid flesh. The defenselessness Brand saw in Jet's expression was his final undoing. He grabbed Jet's face and drew him in until their lips touched and melded, until their tongues dueled and their teeth clashed.

Emily's hand tightened around him, the precome that had leaked from his cock providing lubrication enough that she slid over him in just the right way. With Jet's help.

Oh, Christ. I won't survive this,
Brand thought a moment before he felt the surge of pressure move up from his balls through his shaft. Too damn quick, but he couldn't stop it. Groaning into Jet's mouth, Brand came, his orgasm exploding out of him with all the force of a freight train. His essence covered Emily's hand, seeped onto Jet's stomach. He rocked his hips and lost it completely.

He lost his mind and his body to both of them, and it was the headiest experience of his life. As mind numbing and addictive as any drug. He knew even before his pulse slowed that he would want more of this—more of both of them.

If this was something both Emily and Jet wanted, Brand would have no defense against them.

Emily experienced every tremor that went through Brand as if it originated in her own body. The solid flesh of his back undulated against her chest, causing her breasts to quiver and her nipples to sing with delight. Her heart pounded, her breathing labored. She was close to orgasm herself, merely from having facilitated Brand's.

When Brand's body began to settle, Emily lifted her cheek from where she'd rested it between his shoulders. Brand's face was buried in the curve of Jet's neck. She saw Jet's hand running over Brand's hair, stroking it. His eyes were closed as though he were savoring the moment of having Brand in his arms.

Emily didn't think she'd seen anything more beautiful than the two men embracing like that.

Eventually Brand pulled himself together. He used the hands he'd planted on the door to lever off Jet. Emily stepped back, allowing him to clean up. Jet opened his eyes and looked at her. She saw wonder there, and a reflection of Emily's own trepidation about how Brand would react to what had happened. And she saw gratitude. So much gratitude it made her chest hurt.

Jet had loved Brand for half his life. It must have killed him to come here and find Brand committed to someone else. Just as it must have been slowly killing Brand to deny the part of himself he'd given to Jet all those years ago. Emily decided that no matter what happened now—no matter if Brand grew cold or yelled or if he walked out of here—she wouldn't regret what had happened or her part in encouraging it.

It must have shown on her face, because the corner of Jet's lip kicked up, as though acknowledging her thoughts and agreeing. Feeling bolstered, Emily let out the breath she'd been holding and turned toward Brand.

His back was to both of them now, his head bowed while he gathered his thoughts. Emily wanted to touch him but the small part of her that feared he'd shake her off stopped her. She twisted her hands together in front of her. “Brand, I…I think that was wonderful. I hope you're not—”

She cut herself off when Brand whirled on her. His gray eyes were stormy, so full of swirling emotion that she didn't breathe. It wasn't anger she saw there, but something more frightening—more exciting. Before she could blink, Brand had her by the waist and had pushed her up against the wall.

The breath she'd been holding flew out of her lungs as her back connected with the solid surface. It was cool but Brand was hot, so hot as he pushed his hips between her thighs. Emily wrapped her legs around him, rocking against him.

Brand took her hands off his shoulders and placed them against the wall above her head. Securing them there with one hand, he let the other roam. He stared hard into her eyes as he touched her face, her neck. Emily dropped her head to the side, allowing him access. Her flesh tingled as he touched her throat, then burned as he traveled lower to capture her breast in his hand.

He squeezed the flesh and pinched the pointed tip. Wet juices gushed from her pussy to coat her underwear. Emily arched, inviting more of the commanding caress. Brand gave it to her, the heat of his gaze on her face as she writhed against him.

“You're turned on,” he noted gruffly. “You liked watching me lose it.”

Emily opened her eyes, her gaze connecting with Brand's. It was an effort not to flinch away from the pained emotions she saw there. “I only want to know you, Brand. All of you. No matter what.”

“Don't say that. Don't say no matter what. You don't know what that even means.”

“Show me.” She thrust her breast into his touch. “I'm not afraid.”