37. Reed

37

Reed

I wiped my hands on the towel, staring at the small scab on my lip in the mirror. Avoiding Beckham wasn’t hard to do, especially with my mind—and now, body—so wrapped up in Brandy that I didn’t have time to care.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to worry about my brother’s struggles, but they weren’t mine to battle. Beck was always carefree growing up, never overthinking the what-ifs, and now that he was handling something hard for once, he didn’t know how to navigate it. He knew our family was here for him, but he chose not to confide in us. There’d be no changing that.

So for now, I’d sit by and wait. For an apology or a smile, I didn’t care. As long as he snapped out of whatever dark place he was in, I’d be happy for him.

I headed out of the bathroom, planning to make a quick bite to eat when a knock sounded on the door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, but I figured it couldn’t be a stranger since I lived in the middle of my parents’ property. Changing direction to the front door, I unlocked the handle, opening it wide.

Brandy stood there, sad eyes gleaming up at me before she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and crashing her lips to mine. I met her pace, curious why she was here but quickly not caring with the way the feel of her clouded my senses and made every nerve in my body home in on her. I walked backwards enough to kick the door shut, all the while Brandy clung to me like I was a lifeline she needed to stay alive.

Her palms met my neck, and immediately, I felt the tremor in them. I set my hands on her cheeks, pulling her face away from mine. She fought my effort, but I didn’t let her get her way.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, already breathless.

She shook her head, trying to kiss me again. “I want you.”

I craned my neck back, staring into her glassy eyes. “And you can have me right after you tell me what’s bothering you.”

Hazel eyes found mine, devastation coursing through every little line in her irises. “Please, Reed. Not now.”

My lips pursed. I didn’t want her sad or upset, and most of all, I didn’t want her to hide her feelings behind closed doors any longer. But if a distraction was what she needed, I’d give it to her, and after, she’d tell me what was causing those eyes to lose their fire.

“Fine,” I grunted, releasing her cheeks and scooping her up under her thighs.

She moved with me fluently, easily wrapping her legs around my waist. I walked us down the hall, nudging my bedroom door open with my foot before walking in and tossing her on the bed. She bounced slightly as she propped her hands behind her. I didn’t miss a beat as I shucked my shirt off and to the side, then moved to my pants.

“I want you naked and on your hands and knees by the time I get back.” I slid off my belt, tossing it to the ground before moving into my bathroom. I opened the cabinet and grabbed a container of lube. After shutting it, I walked back into the bedroom to find Brandy had obeyed. Her ass was facing me, her back arched as she waited.

“So obedient, Little Devil. I’m surprised.”

Coming up behind her, I planted my feet on the ground, running a hand over her perfect little ass. I gripped her cheek before letting go and landing a slap to the plump flesh. She jerked a bit, then perked her ass higher, begging for more.

“You like when I spank you, don’t you?”

She swayed her hips slightly, humming her agreement.

“You want something to distract you from your feelings, so you came to me,” I said, spreading her ass.

She nodded, letting out a breathy, “Yes.”

“How much of a distraction are you really looking for?” I asked, running a thumb over her puckered hole.

“Anything.” She sounded so desperate, but I heard the undertone of sadness. I’d give her what she wanted, but then I’d get what I wanted in return. Answers.

Bringing my thumb to my mouth, I slid it past my lips, coating the skin in saliva before bringing it back to her ass. I ran circles around the hole, watching as she flexed.

“Is this okay?” I asked, wanting to make sure she set boundaries if she wanted them.

She nodded. “Yes.”

I opened the cap on the lube with one hand, holding it a few inches over her hole and letting it drizzle down her crack. She hummed at the cooling sensation as it traveled, clearly enjoying the anticipation of what was to come.

Collecting as much lube as I could with my thumb, I ran it in circles over her hole before adding a bit of pressure. She let out a gasp as the tip of my thumb slid in, the tightness of her ass unreal.

Giving her a moment to adjust, I set my knees on the bed, positioning myself behind her. I set my other hand on her shoulder blades, lowering her chest to the bed so her ass was perked high in the air. My thumb slid in to the knuckle before I stopped again.

Using my other hand to unbutton my pants and slide down the zipper, I freed my throbbing cock. I wanted her so badly it hurt, but I also hated that this was what she wanted to distract herself rather than to talk to me about what she was feeling. Out of all of it, though, I was glad she came to me, regardless of what she wanted out of this right now. She used to shrink in on herself when emotions got the best of her, but now, I was her outlet. These were baby steps, but steps nonetheless.

Slowly, I slid my thumb deeper, seeing her body tense, then relax, as she adjusted to the feeling.

“Does that feel good, Little Devil?”

She nodded, her cheek pressed against the bed. “Yes.”

“Good. Because it’s about to feel a whole lot better.”

Dragging the head of my cock through the lube, I slid into her pussy seamlessly, burying myself as deep as I could go. Her hands fisted in the sheets, her mouth opening on a moan as my thumb disappeared inside her ass.

At the same time and pace, I slid both out nearly all the way, then thrust back in, repeating the motions as her breathing picked up and her body pushed back against me, aching for more.

“Fuck, you’re so perfect like this, Brandy. Laid out and begging for me with your body. Is this what you wanted?”

She nodded again as I picked up the pace, fucking both her ass and her pussy. I felt her tighten, her orgasm growing near as I filled her. My fingers dug into her ass cheek as I hooked my thumb. My other hand reached underneath her, rubbing circles around her swollen clit. She cried out, instantly clenching around me as her release took over, consuming both me and her.

The moans, the cries, the screams that passed her lips were all I needed to let go. I lost myself in her, mind, body, and soul, as I groaned, her pussy milking every last drop from me.

As her body relaxed, I slowly slid my thumb out, careful with my movements. Once it was out, I pulled out of her pussy, watching as my release followed. Dragging my finger through it, I shoved it back inside her, pumping her a few times for good measure. After I was done, I grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her back.

She let out a squeak as I climbed over her, grabbing her hands and pinning her to the bed.

“Talk.”

She blinked, attempting to clear the fog of her orgasm as reality set back in. She was upset. I was concerned.

“We said no more running from our feelings, Brandy,” I warned.

She nodded, inhaling deeply. “I know.”

I softened my posture, loosening my grip on her hands but keeping them locked in mine. “I want to help you. To be that shoulder you need when you feel like this.”

She tried to give me a small smile, but it fell flat with the look in her eyes. “Can we take a bath?”

I hesitated, wondering if this was another tactic of hers to avoid telling me what was wrong. I quickly decided it wasn’t. I’d give my girl what she wanted to be comfortable. Even if that included taking a bath. Something I hadn’t done since I was a kid.

“Of course.”

Leaving her on the bed, I went into the bathroom to start filling the tub. Once it was nearly to the rim and steaming, I led her in there. With my pants now off, I settled in with my back to the porcelain. She stepped in after me, lowering herself with her back to me. Wrapping my arms around her chest, I scooted her back until she was pressed against my front.

I peppered soft kisses to the soft spot between her neck and shoulder, moving her hair away for more access. I let her take all the time she needed to say what she wanted to say.

Finally, she spoke. “I saw my mom today.”

My body instantly tensed, worried that her dad had done something.

She set a hand on my arm, running it up and down my skin in soothing strokes. “He wasn’t there. Don’t worry.”

A fraction of the tension left my bones as I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

“I told her about that night at the party. I kind of just…let all my emotions spill out. All the things I’d felt over the years and hadn’t told her. It felt good, but I can’t help but feel bad for upsetting her with all of it.”

I tightened my hold around her. “Sometimes, we have to tell people hard things, because in the end, the only ones who can truly protect ourselves is us. If getting that off your chest helped you, don’t feel guilty. Feel proud.” My thumb ran circles under her breast in a small attempt to soothe her. “You held that in for years, and while it may have hurt her to hear it, no one can do better if they don’t know what they did wrong in the first place.”

“Yeah, but now she feels guilty. I know she does. That’s the last thing I want her to feel. She did her best raising me, despite the circumstances. Now I just…failed her by basically telling her things I’d kept locked inside for so long.”

My lips moved against her skin as I spoke. “I’d hardly call that failing, baby. You may not see it right now—hell, she might not either—but she’s proud of you for speaking up about how you feel. We don’t go through life simply feeling okay about everything. We’re allowed to be upset or mad or get angry when things aren’t fair.”

Her head fell back against my shoulder. “But I never was. I—” Her voice broke, and she swallowed before continuing. “I bottled it up for years, and now I laid it all on her and left.”

“That’s what we have to do sometimes, baby. That’s growth.”

She shook her head. “I wouldn’t call that growth.”

I cupped her cheek, turning her to face me. “It is. Whether you leap a mile or take one step, you told her how you felt, and you came to me. You didn’t keep quiet and stuff it inside that locked box in your head. You voiced how something made you feel, and you came to me when you were upset.”

“But if I’m supposed to feel good about letting that out, why do I feel so bad?”

I ran a hand down her hair. “Because you care.”

She stared at me a moment before she let out a long, pent-up breath. She brought a wet hand up to my wrist, running her palm along my arm. “Thank you.”

Warmth flooded my chest as a small smile pulled at my mouth. “No matter what it is, you can run to me. I’ll always catch you.”

Tears welled in her eyes before she pressed her lips to mine, sealing my words between us like a spoken vow.

Fuck, I loved Brandy Rose with my entire fucking soul.