Brandon (Members From Money Book 19)

by Katie Dowe

  “Why?”

  “You look as if you are on the verge of breaking someone’s neck.”

  He downed the liquor in one gulp. “I have never been involved with an employee before. I have never been tempted until now. She is pregnant with someone else’s child and I want her,” he added grimly.

  “There is always a first,” Leanne pointed out.

  “Not for this. It complicates things and I would not want it to turn south and then she would have to leave. She has a baby on the way.”

  “It does not have to turn south.”

  He lifted his head and stared at his sister. “It will.” He walked over to the cabinet and put the glass down. “Talk to your friend and get her to tell you the full story.” With that he was gone.

  *****

  “Oh, my dear, I am so excited!” Gabrielle clapped her hands and stopped short of doing a jig. “We are being awarded the honor yet again for our excellent work in the print media. It is going to be a very huge function and it happens next Saturday. We are all invited of course.”

  “I am not sure-”

  “You have to be there, Yanique, and I would be very upset if you did not show. It is a formal event and Mr. Reynolds and the others from all over the country will fly in for it. Usually it is kept in New York but this time it will be kept here.”

  “Okay,” Yanique said trying to drum up some enthusiasm. It had been two weeks since she had seen him or even heard from him. She had tried to tell herself that it was not hurt she was feeling.

  “Good,” Gabrielle said briskly.

  The place was abuzz with the excitement of the function and even the security out front was talking about it.

  “I was thinking of buying something expensive. Will you come with me?” Lori asked her persuasively.

  “Why not?” Yanique said with a shrug.

  “I want to look my best. You never know, maybe someone from one of the other offices might catch my eye,” she said with a laugh.

  “Maybe,” Yanique said with a smile. She was starting to like the girl even though she was very cautious.

  “How about Saturday?”

  “Around ten. I will meet you at the mall.”

  *****

  He was looking out for her and saw her the moment she came in. It was the first week of spring and she was wearing an electric blue dress that billowed around her and successfully hid her slight bulge. He had never seen her in a social setting before and felt his heart contract at how stunning she was! Her thick black hair was caught in a chignon at the nape of her neck and she wore dangling gold earrings that came to her shoulders He saw when she smiled at someone and waved and almost went over to her but it was at that moment his sister came over and distracted him.

  Yanique looked around the vast ballroom in amazement. The dress she had picked up at the high end store in the mall had cost a pretty penny but could not compete with what some of the women were wearing. She recognized several faces as the wives of the members of the Elite Club. She watched them and envied the ease at which they mingled and their confidence knowing that they were loved by their husbands and respected by society.

  “Quite intimidating, huh?” Lori whispered as she came alongside her. She was wearing green and her hair was combed back from her face. She looked quite attractive and had not stopped thanking Yanique for helping her to choose the dress. “The who’s who in society.” She had taken a champagne from the tray and was sipping it. “The editor for the New York branch.” She pointed her out. “And that’s the editor for the Chicago branch.”

  “I see Gabrielle is having fun,” Yanique said in amusement as she watched as the woman chatted with her associates.

  “It’s times like these that we get to mingle with the ‘big wigs’ in the business.” She looked up suddenly. “Speaking of which…” she muttered.

  Yanique felt her heart slam into her chest as she saw him coming towards her purposefully. He looked achingly handsome in a dark blue suit jacket with a light blue shirt and red tie. His dark hair was brushed back from his forehead and he looked very imposing.

  “Ms. Smith.” He nodded and stared at Lori. “How are you?”

  “I am fine, sir. I am sorry, please excuse me,” Lori muttered as she hurried away.

  “You look so beautiful,” he said softly.

  “Don’t!” she warned him.

  “I am trying to stay away,” he told her, his eyes roving her face. “I want to dance with you. I just want to feel you in my arms.”

  “You need to stop.” She felt weak and confused as she stared up at him. Suddenly, the couple coming through the doorway caught her attention and she stiffened. He had been looking at her closely and saw the shift in his expression. He turned to look and his eyes narrowed as he saw Wayne and his fiancé. He turned around and effectively blocked her behind him so that the couple who were coming over did not notice her.

  “Brandon, this is quite a crowd,” Wayne said warmly. “Have you met my fiancé?”

  “I know her family,” he turned and said to them. “This is our editorial assistant Ms. Yanique Smith.” He watched the man’s face closely and saw the look of shock there. “You know each other?”

  “She is a client of Wayne’s.” His fiancé Marisa spoke up in the uncomfortable silence.

  “I see.” Brandon looked from one to the other. “Is that so, Ms. Smith?”

  “We should not be talking shop right now!” Wayne said with a blustery laugh as he tried to recover from his shock at seeing her here. “Let us enjoy the evening. Darling, I see the Bartleys over there. Let’s go say hello.” He practically dragged the woman away and without saying goodbye.

  Yanique wanted to slip away and go home. The evening had been ruined for her and she did not want to stay.

  “Is it him?” he asked her softly.

  “Please excuse me-”

  “Stay.” His voice was soft and menacing enough to stop her flight. “I need to know.”

  “Why?” she asked him challengingly.

  “He happens to handle the company’s accounts and I need to know what to do.”

  “What I am going through has nothing to do with that!” she said trying to keep the fear from her voice.

  “I am afraid it does.” He looked up as his name was called and then added, “Please don’t leave. We need to talk.”

  Chapter 6

  She fled! As soon as she knew that he was distracted she went to get her coat and told both Lori and Gabrielle that she was not feeling well and made her escape.

  “The baby?” Gabrielle had asked her sympathetically and she had grabbed onto that, hating herself for using her unborn child.

  She had nodded and the woman had told her to go home and get some rest.

  She had not expected to see Wayne there and she had wanted to disappear into the carpeted floor as soon as she saw them come into the room. She had seen the engagement announcement in the papers and the impending nuptials which will take place in June. She had read it and not felt anything. She actually felt sorry for the girl knowing the kind of man he was.

  She got home an hour later and let herself in, kicking off her shoes and flopping down on the sofa wearily. She had always avoided complications and had gone about her life quietly determined to make her mother proud. She had seen the look of hurt on her face too many times to count. Now she was facing the same situation!

  She had started to drift off to sleep when she heard the knock on the door. Her eyes flew open and she looked at the wall clock. It was almost eleven. Suddenly she knew who it was outside her door. She should have known he was coming after her!

  She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and went to the door. He was standing there waiting as if he knew she was going to let him in. She closed her eyes briefly and unlocked the door barring him from entering.

  “It’s freezing,” he pointed out.

  She stepped back and let him in closing the door behind her. “I was just about to go to bed.”

&n
bsp; He looked at the dress she had worn to the function pointedly.

  “I fell asleep,” she said defensively.

  “I asked you to stay.”

  “No, you ordered me to stay,” she corrected him. “As far as I know I only work for you. I am not owned by you.”

  “I confronted him.” He took off his jacket and slung it over the back of the sofa as he went into the living room, his movements restless. “I almost beat the truth out of him and he told me that it was a mistake and that you forced yourself on him. The bastard!”

  “It’s none of your concern.” She wrapped her arms around her body as she felt the weariness and shame.

  He turned and walked to her causing her to back away at the thunderous look on his face. “I wanted to rearrange his face!” he said tightly as he caught her arms. “I barely stopped myself from doing so.”

  “Why?” she challenged him as she stared up at him. “I am just an employee-”

  “Don’t kid yourself,” he said with a harsh laugh. “You are much more than that.” His head descended and she turned her face away but he merely caught her chin between his fingers to hold her still. “I have stopped trying to fight it and I suggest you do the same.” His mouth captured hers and she sighed in defeat. He gathered her into his arms and carried her off, lifting his head to look for a bedroom. He found what appeared to be hers and sat on the side of the bed with her in his arms. His head descended again and he kissed her deeply, his tongue doing battle with hers. Yanique clung to the jacket he had on, her fingers tight in the smooth material. She was lost in a swirl of emotion that deepened as his tongue caressed hers! His fingers fisted in her hair at the back of her neck as the kiss deepened to the point of an emotion so intense that it threatened to overwhelm them! He lifted his head and looked down at her, his breathing harsh and his body shuddering. “I want you,” he said hoarsely.

  “No,” she said shakily. “I cannot do this.”

  “I am not leaving here.” His hands cupped her full breasts and his fingers found her stiff nipples through the folds of material. “I have no idea what I am doing but I am aching.” He moved against her and the feel of his erection had her shaking. “Let me love you.”

  She wanted to say no and mean it but she would be lying and her body was already betraying her. She did not respond and he turned and put her onto the bed, his eyes staring at her. She had dark brown eyes that looked almost black and her lashes were long making shadows on her cheeks. He used a finger to trace the outline of her lip and groaned as her lips parted. “This is wrong,” she whispered.

  “No.” He shrugged off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt taking off his tie as well. “Maybe it is, but right now I don’t care.” He lifted the dress over her head and took it off gently. Yanique almost squirmed as his eyes went to her bulge. She shivered as his hands moved over her belly. She had no idea of the sex yet and was going to find out next week. He bent his head and kissed her there, his tongue touching her skin. Yanique moaned and shivered at the touch of his tongue. He got to his feet and took off his clothes, his eyes holding hers. He took off his white boxers and her eyes flew to his sex, her body going weak as she stared at it. He climbed onto the bed and hovered over her, bracing his hands against her head. He lowered his body and took her lips with his slowly, holding the rest of his body suspended above hers. His mouth took and took as his tongue captured and teased and then delved. Yanique lifted her hands and touched his solid muscled chest, her fingers tangling in the hairs on his chest. Her mind had stopped and her body had taken over. There was a fire that was raging inside her that had a life of its own. She was not very experienced but she knew that she had never felt anything like this before! His mouth left hers to explore her cheeks and down to the hollow of her neck where his tongue lingered. She arched in shock, her body vibrating as his tongue sought her sensitive nipple! She could not stop the cry as he pulled the hardened flesh into his mouth sucking on it, his tongue swirling around the tight bud. Her body jumped as his fingers sought the protruding flesh of her sex, his fingers dipping into her wetness and going further inside. Yanique cried out and arched her body eagerly begging for more! He obliged her, his fingers making slick sounds as he thrust into her rapidly bringing her to a crashing orgasm that had her digging her fingers into his chest. He lifted his head and looked down at her, his eyes darkened. His fingers were still inside her, wet from her explosion, his face expressionless as he stared at hers flushed with passion. He pulled out slowly and she watched as he used the wetness from her to rub on the reddened tip of his sex before entering her slowly inching in. Yanique did not think it was possible to feel such an intense rush of desire as he went in deep inside her. Brandon stopped, his body stiff as he looked down at her. There was a rushing sound in his ears and he could feel his heartbeat drumming inside his chest. It was exquisite! This passion that he felt being with her! He lowered his head and took her lips with his. He abandoned the control that had been slowly slipping away from him and gathering her hips with his hands he thrust into her with frantic movements that had her clinging to him. She came again, tearing her mouth from his as her body lifted to his, her fingers digging into his muscled shoulders as the orgasm overwhelmed her!

  He came in the middle of hers, his body shuddering on top of hers as he poured his seed inside her! He did not move, at least neither of them were able to after that. He felt weak and disoriented. Even after he had given her everything he still moved inside her as if he could not help himself. She was like a warmth of a very enticing home and he did not want to move out of her. She had turned her face away from his and he wondered what she was thinking. He eased out finally not that he wanted to but he was wondering if he was hurting her or the baby. The minute he got off her she moved swiftly from off the bed and hurried into the bathroom. He stayed there for a moment and when she would not come out he went to find her. She had put on a robe over her nakedness and was staring at herself in the mirror.

  “Look-“

  “Don’t!” she said sharply as she turned to stare at him. “Please leave.”

  “Not until we straighten this out.”

  “Straighten what out?” she cried, her dark brown eyes flashing. “The fact that I had sex with you while carrying his baby? The fact that you are my boss and we were not supposed to do that?”

  “It happened.” He advanced as she shrank back. “Let me take care of you and the child.”

  She looked at him incredulously. “You want to pay me and take care of my baby while we screw each other?”

  “It is not like that.” His eyes roved over her face. Her thick black hair tumbled over her shoulders and she looked like a sexy siren.

  Her eyes went over his body and she felt herself going weak as she took in his well-toned body.

  “It’s an unusual situation,” he was saying to her. “We can find a way to work around it.”

  “I want you to do me a favor,” she said wearily as she averted her gaze. “Just leave me alone.”

  “I cannot do that.” His voice was soft as he came nearer and lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Not after this.” He kissed her roughly and then stepped back. He looked at her for a moment and then turned and left. His taut buttocks caught her gaze and she remembered sinking her fingers into his flesh. She stayed in there and waited until he had left before she came out. She could still smell the expensive scent of his cologne in the room. With a sob she climbed into bed and pulling the sheets over her she gave in to tears!

  *****

  Wayne could not sleep. He had prayed and hoped that the bitch had not said anything to Reynolds about him and had pretended that he was not almost pissing his tailor made pants the entire time he had been at the function. He had watched out of the corners of his eyes and saw them chatting. What the hell were they doing together? He knew the look he saw on the man’s face and could see that he was into her. He had also watched with relief as she made her way out and realized that she had gone when sh
e did not come back. But his fear had doubled when later that night Reynolds had confronted him in privacy.

  “She is not a client of yours as you told your fiancé, is she?” He had asked the question mildly giving the impression that he was not in the least bit interested, but Wayne had known better.

  “No,” he had said smiling sickly. “You know how it is, man. We had a few drinks too many and she came onto me the worst way. Now she is trying to pin a kid on me.”

  He had shrank back at the look on the man’s face.

  “Are you sure you do not want to change your story?” he had asked menacingly.

  “Look, man,” Wayne said as he sweated profusely. “It was a mistake plain and simple. I am engaged to be married and I do not want Marisa and her family to know about it.”

  Brandon looked at him in contempt. “You don’t deserve her,” he said scathingly. “I will let you know if you still have the Reynolds’ account.”

  “You are going to take that away from me because of some bitch-” He had not gotten to finish as Brandon’s fist plowed into his midsection sending him on his knees!

  Brandon had stood over him, his fists clenched. “Stay away from her!”

  He had found Marisa and had told her that he was not feeling well and had taken her home before coming back to his apartment. He had unknowingly made an enemy out of one of the most powerful man in the country and he had no idea what he was going to do! He was the one who handled the account and it had been one of the reasons why Marisa’s father had looked at him with different eyes and had encouraged his daughter to start dating him. How was he going to explain losing the account and how was he going to solve this?

  *****

  “It’s a girl,” Doctor Romaine said with a smile. “She has a very healthy heartbeat and she is doing fine.”

  Yanique looked at the grainy monitor as she tried to make out the features of her baby girl. It had been a week since she had made the colossal mistake of having sex with Brandon and she had not heard from him. The mistake she had made sleeping with Wayne and getting pregnant paled into insignificance when compared to this one. This was something that she had no hopes of coming back from. She was nervous at work expecting him to show up and tell her that she was fired!