by Anne Leigh
Before I could take a step, Brennan was standing in my personal bubble. Dan stepped away, his eyebrows furrowed.
"You know Sedona?" Dan asked Brennan.
Brennan, in his maroon shirt, khaki pants, and sneakers looked good. I'd give him that. It was the look on his face that gave me the creeps. He was not the Brennan I dated. This Brennan was someone whom I didn't know. He looked meaner.
"Do I know her?" he was addressing Dan but his eyes were on me, his face masking the underlying anger in his voice, "I was with her for a long time until she left me for Zander!"
Dan, trying to deflect the anger rising from his quarterback, said, "The bus is here. Let’s go, dude.” Dan walked towards the bus, hoping his teammate would follow behind him.
Brennan ignored him. I took three steps towards the tunnel's entrance. What was taking Zander so long? Where was Kieran? I really needed to get away from Brennan before this situation got out of hand.
I thought I was going to be able to walk away. I was about to take two more steps when my whole body was spun around. Brennan pulled me, maneuvered me into his arms, and yanked my face to his. I struggled to get him off me.
His lips were rough on mine. I kept trying to push him off and kept my mouth closed. One minute, I was struggling to keep his face away from mine. The next minute, he was flying onto the cement floor.
It was the sight I was trying to avoid.
I saw Zander lifting Brennan from the ground and banging his body against the wall. I have never witnessed Zander's anger like this. Nor would I ever want to see it again. His eyes were mad with fury. I heard a loud smack as Zander's right hand connected with Brennan's nose and blood gushed out of his nose. Brennan retaliated with his own punches and kicks.
I screamed to make them stop; neither one of were hearing me. Brennan's teammates hurried off the team bus and tried to pull them away from each other. Three of Zander's teammates were holding him back to stop him from throwing more punches.
"Fuck you, Zander! You fucking stole her from me! What does he have, Sedona? What does he have that I don't have?" Brennan's rant could be heard across the field.
Tears streamed down my face. Was this the Brennan I liked? I didn’t even know this guy. The Brennan I knew was decent, caring, and loving. Who was this guy in front of me? Embarrassing himself because I broke up with him? Because I didn’t take him back after he cheated on me?
"I bet she didn't tell you, Zander. I bet she didn't tell you how good she had it with me. She had me wrapped around her fingers but she wouldn't put out! Did she tell you that I fucking begged her to take me back? I fuckin’ begged her in her apartment but she shut the door on my face because she said you were coming over! I bet she didn't tell you that I came over, huh?!" Brennan continued to scream obscenities as his teammates pushed him into the bus.
"I'll fucking sue your ass! You can't run to daddy, asshole!" He was still screaming in the bus.
It took five guys to hold Zander down. I saw him struggle to get out of their hold but they held him down.
When Brennan's bus finally left, Zander's teammates let him go. They asked him if he was okay. I saw him nod his head, told them he’d be fine, and he needed time alone. They slowly left his side. He sat on the floor with the back of his head, leaning against the wall.
Kieran finally showed up. He must have heard of the commotion. He took one look at me and hugged me. He knew just what I needed. When he asked what happened, I just said, "Brennan."
He said, "Shh, it's ok, Ace. You can tell me later. I'm sorry I wasn't here." His eyes morose. Before he could say anything else, I asked him, "Kieran, can you give us a minute or two?" I needed to get to Zander.
"Ok, I'll wait for you here."
I approached Zander who was still sitting on the floor. His head was bowed, I couldn't see his face. I sat in front of him and touched his hair, "Babe, are you ok?" I asked gently.
He didn't answer. He slowly lifted his head. His eyes were stormy; a bruise was starting to form on his right cheek.
"Is it true? What that dickhead said?" he said shakily. His fists were clenched at his sides.
I was treading on shaky waters. Zander was at the end of a very tight rope and he looked like he was ready to spring loose at any time.
"Which part?" I asked.
"Did he go to your apartment?" He was looking at me intensely.
There was no way I could lie to him. Especially in his current state. He deserved the truth.
"Yeah," I said.
He averted his gaze and stared at the wall behind me, "When? What did he do there?"
"4 months ago. He begged me to take him back. When I told him no again, he didn't want to leave so I threatened to call the police."
Silence met my explanation. He put his head down and his chest heaved.
I was filled with remorse. I should have told him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
His eyes flickered with anger when he said, "Sedona, how can I protect you if you don't even tell me the truth? He could've done something to you. God, I don't even know what I would do if something happened to you."
"I'm so sorry," I suppressed the tears forming in my eyes. It was wrong of me to hide what Brennan did.
"I wasn't thinking. I thought he was just upset that I broke up with him and that he'll get over it." I explained.
"Is there anything else you're not telling me?" he asked.
I took my phone out of my purse, scrolled to the text messages from Brennan, and handed it over to him.
He took the phone from me and as he looked through the text messages, I knew what he was seeing. He was seeing the empty threats, pleading messages, and angry texts from Brennan. Zander slowly stood up and held onto my phone.
The only indication that he understood what I told him was him kissing me on top of my forehead and asking me if I was okay.
I assured him that I was good. He then proceeded to tell me, "Stay here, babe. I need to talk to Kieran."
I motioned for him to go while I settled myself on the floor. My miniskirt rode high on my legs. After all the drama that Brennan caused, I felt warm. My body was still reeling from the adrenaline.
Why would Brennan do what he did? Was he really that dense? How come I never saw that side of him? I've known him since we were kids. He grew up with Kieran. We used to hang out together before he became my boyfriend. What was Zander going though right now?
I heard footsteps walk toward me. Zander and Kieran were engrossed in a serious conversation as they stopped in front of me.
Kieran spoke first, "Ace, Zander just told me about how psycho Brennan has been. I never thought he could be like this. It just goes to show that sometimes, we can never really truly know people."
Zander helped me up. His hands caressed my back. He was calmer but his eyes were still teeming with unspoken anger.
"I should've told you, guys. I thought he was just heartbroken. He stopped texting and calling for months now so I thought he was over it. Until tonight.” I needed them to know that I didn't mean to hide anything from them. I honestly thought Brennan was harmless.
"I think you should file a police report," Zander spoke with conviction.
As much as I hated Brennan right now, I knew that the moment I filed a police report, he would have a mark against his record. He might not be able to play football anymore.
"No. I don't want to. I don't want him to have a black mark against his record. His parents would flip out. Please understand," I put my hands to my eyes in exasperation, "He has never hurt me. He might scream and do all that, but he's a good guy. Isn't he, Kieran?"
I looked to Kieran for agreement but he shook his head, "I don't know, Ace. I don't know what he is anymore."
My shoulders started shaking. I felt exhausted and extremely emotionally drained from today. We were supposed to be celebrating Zander's win. Instead, we were stuck in the web of Brennan's unreasonable claims towards me.
Zander engulfed me in his embrace. He w
as so strong and reliable. I felt the tension in his body but I also felt the tenderness in his voice, "Alright. As much as I hate this, we don't have file the report tonight," he paused, "But you are never going to be alone with him. Ever. And if he sends a text or calls you one more time, you have to tell us." It was hard for him to say those words, judging by the way his eyes darkened as he spoke. He was respecting my decision.
He lifted my chin, "You have to promise this, babe. Please."
I stared into his gaze and sighed, "Yes. I promise."
He seemed slightly appeased as he buried me deeper into his arms, before saying, "Let's go home."
Zander asked me to stay over at his place that night. We stopped by my place first to grab my nursing uniform and toiletries for the next day. We drove separately so I could drive to the hospital in the morning.
I wanted to get his mind off of the ugly incident so badly. Once we were inside his room, I had no qualms about removing my top and leaving my black bra on while I walked towards him and helped him out of his shirt.
"You sure you're ok, babe?" he asked in a throaty voice.
"Yes," I replied, as I helped him remove his jeans.
"Sedona, don't dress like this again, ok? You cause fights when you dress like this," he was lightening the mood.
"You don't like this mini skirt?" I climbed off of him and raised my right leg on top of the bed, while standing on my left leg. His view was my newly waxed and bare skin encased in a tiny, yellow thong. Tanya had convinced me to get a Brazilian wax the other day.
"Ohh baby, you're bare." He pulled me on top of him as he lifted my skirt higher. The pain of the Brazilian wax was torture but the expression on Zander’s face was definitely worth it.
I saw our reflection on the mirror behind his bed and I became turned on even more.
Zander's hands were on my skirt as he opened my legs further apart and hiked my skirt to my stomach. I felt my juices slowly drip down to my thighs.
"It’s all part of my surprise for you tonight. Do you like it?" I didn't mention that the surprise was ruined because it wasn't. We still had each other.
I stood straighter and pulled the skirt and thong I had on to down to my legs. I was going to lift my legs but Zander had other plans. He slid a finger inside me and my knees buckled. It's was a good thing that he was right there or I would have fallen from the sensation.
"Ahhh, baby," I moaned. The feel of his finger against my bare, sensitive skin was too much.
"Like it? I love it!" He exclaimed as he deposited me on the bed and started working his mouth and tongue down my body.
When his tongue made contact with the center of my thighs, I almost lifted out of the bed.
Zander loved licking me. I usually shaved but waxing heightened every lick and nip that Zander made.
His tongue was now joined by his fingers as he mimicked lovemaking with both of them.
I felt every lick, suck, and bite. When Zander lifted his head up, I was worked up in a frenzy. When he kissed me with my juices on his lips, tongue, and mouth; it made me totally wild.
"I need you inside me now!" I urged him.
He didn't hesitate. He entered me slowly while he sucked on my tongue. The smell of my juices on him made me crazy. I tasted myself as he was kissing me.
"Baby, I want to be on top."
Zander lifted me up on the bed while he was still inside me to change our positions. I felt him go deeper inside me. He pulled out to get me all settled on top of him.
"Ride me," he ordered. His eyes were raw with desire.
I set up the pace. Alternating between long and fast. I bent my knees to go down and raised it up as I went up. The bed was making soft creaking noises beneath us.
Zander's hands were now on my nipples, slightly pinching them while his eyes alternately opened and closed. I knew he was so close to the edge.
I upped my rhythm and nudged him, "Suck on them harder, baby."
His pupils got even wider and he lowered my body to his so he could suck on them; his lips creating enough pressure and suction, it made me cry out, “Ohhh, feels ssoo good, babe.”
His voice was hoarse, "I'm coming,” followed by loud grunts of ‘Aaahhh’."
"You’re so fucking good,” he said after a few minutes. I remained on top of him with him still buried inside of me.
He kissed me until we both fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, I woke up to his hardness inside of me. He tried to pull out but I stilled him, and said, "No, I want you."
He broke no argument as we ended up making slow, passionate love.
Chapter Seventeen
“Honesty is and should always be, your best policy.”
Sedona
News of the brawl between Zander and Brennan spread like wildfire. Zander was the first to notify me that media was all over campus.
My phone was ringing as I walked to class.
“Babe, there’s a lot of media in campus. I guess they heard about the fight. Just don’t say anything to them, ok?” Zander’s voice was worried.
“Ok. Where are you?”
“I’m still here at my place. I already called my parents. My dad’s talking to our lawyer.”
Lawyer? This was getting serious.
“What exactly is going on?”
“Brennan filed assault charges against me.” His voice sounded pained.
“But, he’s at fault. He started it,” I reasoned.
“I know. We’re trying to sort everything right now. I just want you to be careful, k? I’ll see you later.”
“Ok.”
My mind was reeling from the realization that Brennan had actually filed a lawsuit against Zander. How could this happen? Brennan was the one at fault. He started it all. He acted like a complete psycho. And now, Zander was being dragged into this.
I went to class, but I was constantly checking updates on my phone from a local news media outlet. According to the report, Brennan Townsend filed an assault charge against Zander Zobowski, son of Sev Zobowski. It was unknown what caused the fight, details to follow.
No images or videos were attached to the report. Apparently, football players had a code of conduct. If the fight had happened somewhere else, I was pretty sure that video footages or pictures would be all over the web.
It was difficult to concentrate in class. Zander was facing assault charges! I was scared and upset for him. He did not deserve this. He was only defending me against being attacked by Brennan. What if the National Football Association heard about this? Well, they probably heard about it by now. But what if this case dragged on before the draft? Zander’s dream of playing for the National Football Association would be in jeopardy. The NFA had strict rules and regulations on good conduct by players. The assault charges against Zander would not be taken lightly by the Commissioner.
I had to do something. I had to change Brennan’s mind.
Without giving my brain enough time to process my decision, I texted Zander that I was going to be in a group study. He was probably too busy discussing the case with his parents and lawyer, and setting up a game plan so he wouldn’t think twice of the change in my schedule.
I drove for two hours to get to Brennan’s apartment. Traffic was extra heavy. On the way over, I was formulating what I was going to say to Brennan. How I would ask, if not plead, for him to drop the charges. I was so worried about what the charges would mean to Zander’s reputation and how it would affect his future that I dismissed the nagging feeling that I should have told someone where I was going.
I grabbed my phone and called Brennan after parking 2 blocks away from his place.
He answered on the fourth ring.
“What?” His voice bubbled with irritation.
“Hey, can we talk?” I was not going up to his apartment. I did not want to be alone with him.
“Why?” his voice, filled with malice, “So you can ask me to drop the charges against pretty boy?”
“Please, Brenan, f
or old time’s sake,” I appealed to our past friendship.
He was silent for a minute, he sighed upon answering, “Ok, where do you want to meet?”
Thank god.
“How about the coffee place on Union Street?” He and I used to go there all the time.
“What time?”