Trusting You (18 page)

Mason came over a little early and hung out with Claire while Brett and I got ready for the party, making sure to take our time. When I got in the shower, I wasn’t surprised when Brett joined me only seconds later. He lathered up the soap and massaged it into my skin, spending extra amounts of time on my breasts and in between my legs.

“If you keep this up we’ll be late,” I breathed huskily.

He chuckled deep in his chest, but then turned serious. “Look, I know you’re pissed at what Daniel did to you, but you obviously married him for a reason. Do you still have any feelings for him?”

Taking Brett’s face in my hands, I leaned up and kissed his water drenched lips, sucking down the liquid. “The Daniel I loved a long time ago is not the Daniel who you see now. We all change, and he changed for the worse. If I would’ve known that before we got married I would have made some different choices, but I didn’t. And to answer your question … no, I don’t have any feelings for him. Those died a long time ago. The only person in my heart right now is you and you only.”

He nodded and pushed me gently up against the shower wall, growling in my ear, “I don’t know how I’m going to handle it if he touches you tonight.” He lowered his forehead to mine. “The thought of him being anywhere near you fucking kills me.”

“Hey,” I whispered against his lips. “I’m yours, Brett. All yours.” Taking his hand I glided it over my breasts and said, “Yours.” Then I took his hand and made him cup me between my legs. “This is definitely yours, too. I ache to feel your touch every day and I will continue to feel that way for as long as you’ll have me.” Lastly, I held his hand and placed it over my heart. “And this right here will always and completely be yours, and no one else’s. It beats for you and it has my entire life, I just didn’t know it.”

Brett groaned and lifted me up under my ass so that my legs wrapped around his waist. “When you pretend tonight to be with him I want you to remember it was me that made love to you tonight, me that puts that ache between your legs, and me that will love you no matter what happens in our lives. If I’m going to have any semblance of control tonight I have to know that you’re body and soul is mine.”

Before lowering me onto his throbbing cock, I looked him straight into his stormy gray eyes and whispered with all my heart, “Always …”

Brett entered me slowly and I rocked my hips along with his while my back glided up against the slick shower walls. He was so deep and quivering between my legs that I shuddered under his gaze and under the spell he cast upon me. I was so in love with him that I couldn’t think straight. He stayed by me even when I’d lied to him and didn’t deserve his forgiveness.

“I love you, Melissa,” he uttered gruffly, holding me tight and thrusting harder. I could tell he was closing in on the edge and I knew I was about to as well.

“I love you, too.”

He lowered his mouth to my breasts and licked the water off my nipples before biting down firmly. Immediately, I was bucking against his body as the orgasm slammed into me from the inside out. As it heightened to its peak that was when Brett pounded harder and lost himself inside me. He held me to him for a moment before lifting me off of him and setting my feet on the floor. My legs felt wobbly, but he held me up and kissed me deeply, mingling the soft taste of his tongue with mine.

“I wish we could stay in here all night,” I pleaded.

Brett chuckled. “Me too, but I have a feeling this mess will all be over soon.”

I sure hope so
.

Brett and I didn’t mean to take so long in the shower, so once we were out I rushed to dry my wavy auburn hair and apply my make-up. Since it was a chilly November night I opted for a sleeveless, navy lacy dress paired with a long length cream colored cardigan to keep me warm.

“You look amazing,” Brett acknowledged with a sparkle in his eye.

He looked amazing as well with his hair all tousled and gelled, dressed in expensive dark denim jeans and a gray sweater to match his eyes. He was definitely going to get noticed tonight by all of the ladies, and the good thing about it was … he was all mine and coming home with me.

When Brett and I made our appearance into the living room, Mason stood up and threw his hands in the air. “It’s about damn time,” he snapped. “If it wasn’t for Claire keeping me occupied I would’ve stormed into your room to tell you what I found out.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, looking back and forth between the two.

Claire glanced warily up at Mason and back to me before he explained, “I just got the call. We have all the evidence we need to issue a warrant on Daniel. I have the go ahead to bring him in tonight.”

My mouth dropped open and I shrieked, “That’s great news. We can finally be done with him.” When Mason and Claire didn’t smile, my stomach clenched as the knots twisted and grew in my gut. “What’s wrong with you two? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mason sighed and closed his eyes. “We found out the information we needed on that hidden account,” he revealed.

“Okay …” I drawled out slowly. “You knew he had the other account so what’s the problem?”

“Yes, I know, Mel. But it’s not the money in the account that I’m worried about. It’s the name on it.”

I froze, and my legs almost buckled beneath me. Shaking my head back and forth, I backed away and collapsed onto the couch. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” I choked out, eyes wide.

Reluctantly, Mason nodded and blew out an angry breath. “It’s under your name, Melissa. It doesn’t show any withdrawals made by you or anything, but you’re going to need to answer some questions as well.”

“Dammit,” I shouted. “No wonder he’s trying to lure me back in. I bet he can’t get the money out without me. Please tell me you’re going to bust his ass as soon as we get there. He needs to go down. I don’t know if I can pretend through this mess without wanting to kill him myself.”

“You’re going to have to, Mel. I don’t think arresting him as soon as we get there is the way to do it,” Mason added. “I think we need to make him squirm just a little, don’t you think? He definitely needs to face his sister before I take him anywhere. She deserves an explanation as to why he would fuck her over and he’s going to do it in front of everyone.”

Brett put his arm around my shoulders, and rubbed my back. “I agree with your cousin, firecracker. Even though I hate the fact that he’ll be pursuing you the whole damn night I think we need to do this tactfully.”

“Okay,” I agreed, standing up and ready to go. I hooked an arm through Claire’s and gave her hand a squeeze. “Are you sure you’re all right with all of this.”

Nodding, she smiled and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’ll be perfectly fine. Right now I feel saddened by it, but I know once I see him and he lies to my face I’m going to be very pissed.”

“Trust me, I know how you feel.” Sighing, I grabbed my purse off the counter and turned back to them. “Well, all right you guys. Let’s get this over with.”

The distance to Daniel’s house was only about a ten minute drive from mine. Cars were lined up all down the street so we made sure to park at the very end, this way the chances of being seen were much smaller. Brett held my face in his hands and tilted my head up. “I told you it would all be over tonight. Should we celebrate by making up in front of him when Mason takes him away?”

I smacked him on the arm. “What is it with you guys feeling the need to claim your territory? Do you want to piss on me as well?”

Brett threw his head back and chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far with the pissing, but I do want him to know that he was never going to have you again. So yeah, I want to claim my territory. You’re mine … not his.”

“About that,” Claire interrupted. “Do you think he honestly wants you back, or do you think he’s just using you to get money out of you?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. What are you thinking?” I inquired curiously.

“I’m not sure, but we already established that he’s using you for embezzling purposes. Maybe he wants you on his good side so you’ll vouch for him if he ever got caught.”

“He would have to be really stupid to think I’d ever back him up on his scandals,” I muttered incredulously. “If he does think that then he’s seriously underestimated me. I’m actually kind of offended if he thinks I’d be that naïve.”

Claire scoffed. “He’s my brother, Melissa. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Glancing around the street, there were people filing out of their cars and walking up to the house. “Okay, you guys, we need to split up before someone I know sees us together. The last thing we want is for Daniel to know that we all came together.”

Brett kissed me on the lips before turning around and strolling up the sidewalk to Daniel’s house. To Claire, I said, “What are you going to do right now? Are you going to go inside the house?”

She pursed her lips and looked around. “I’m not sure yet. Do me a favor and text me his location when you find him.”

Giving her a hug, I handed her my car keys just in case, and pulled back, smiling warmly at her. “Will do. If you need to drive around for a while you can take my car. Just don’t speed.” Rolling her eyes, she nodded at me and gazed longingly up at Mason before we turned around and sauntered away from her. Mason glanced back at her once before taking my arm and continuing down the sidewalk.

“You like her, don’t you?” I asked slyly.

Mason sighed, trying to hide a smile. “There’s just something about her that’s wild and free. She’s lost so much here recently, but she still has that fire in her eyes that I saw when I first met her. But …”

He stopped mid-sentence and it didn’t look as if he was going to elaborate so I asked, “But what, Mase? What were you going to say?”

“It’s just it’ll never work,” he blurted out. “She’s in California and I’m here. The distance just isn’t doable. It would never work.”

I patted his arm. “I understand completely. I just think she would be a good one for you.”

He sighed and when I glanced up at him his lips quirked up into a half-smile. “Yeah, she would be a good one.”

If only
.

As we entered Daniel’s house, my eyes went wide at the amount of people he had flowing around. There had to be at least a couple hundred with the amount of people outside and in.

Mason tilted his head toward me and said, “Well, this should be fun. I wonder what all of these people are going to say when I arrest their host.”

I rolled my eyes at him and searched the crowd. I saw a few people I knew, but they were mainly Daniel’s douche bag friends that I never particularly cared for. Brett was over in the corner talking to a group of men, and when he saw me he smirked and joined back in the discussion.

“Do you see Daniel yet?” I whispered.

“Mm-hmm … and he’s coming this way,” Mason revealed, nodding his head in the direction Daniel was approaching.

When I turned to look at him his smile was radiant, which meant he was probably close to being drunk, and for a moment he didn’t look like the embezzling thief and liar that he was. “Oh, Mel, you look stunning tonight,” he purred, taking my hand so he could pull me to his side. He glanced over at Mason and nodded his head. “Mason,” he acknowledged.

My cousin smirked and acknowledged him back, “Daniel.”

“I’m sure you won’t mind if I take Melissa away from you now would you? I’m sure there’s lots of young ladies here that would love to keep you company,” Daniel uttered with a fake smile.

Mason glared at him, but turned a softer look to me, raising his eyebrows for direction. I nodded. “It’s okay. I’ll find you in just a bit,” I reassured him.

His devilish smirk was spine-tingling, and he focused it on Daniel. “Yes, you will.”

Daniel steered me away with his hand on my lower back like it belonged there. I sidled out of his grasp, but he chuckled and put it back. “Brett’s not going to see, baby,” he teased. “He’s too busy to notice anyway.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You love playing with fire, don’t you?”

He chuckled. “Yep, and you’re what ignites it.”

Remembering what Claire said, it all made perfect sense. Deep down I could sense that Daniel was just trying to use me to get what he wanted. I had known it all along, but I was done letting him play games with me, and I was done playing them.

Gripping Daniel’s arm, I pulled him down the long hallway, not knowing where I was going, but hopefully to somewhere I could talk to him and get some answers. “So soon, baby,” Daniel muttered mischievously. “I figured it would take a while.”

“Trust me,” I growled. “It’s not what you think.” When we got to the end of the hall, I flipped on the light in one of the rooms and pushed Daniel in it. Of all the spaces I could’ve picked, I had to pick the one with the massive king size bed.

I slammed the door and put my back to it. “I’m done, Daniel. I’m not going to let you play games with me anymore.”

A surprised look crossed his face, but then it turned serious. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I sneered,. “I’m talking me, you idiot. Stop trying to make it look like you want me back. You want something from me, don’t you? Maybe money perhaps …”

“And why would I need your money?” he asked, tilting his head to the side, studying me. “If I recall correctly I think I’m the one who has more money than you. Is it so bad that I wanted you back? Why does there always have to be an ulterior motive with you?”

He stalked closer to me, almost predatory, and caged me in with his hands against the door. My insides screamed for me to get away, that the look in his eyes weren’t just a simple I want to fuck you look. I swallowed hard and sputtered my words, “You may want to get me in bed again, Daniel, but I know that’s not all you want. You’re using me for something and I want to know what it is.”

He leaned lower and pinned me with a steely glare. “You have no clue what I want, Melissa. I want it all … I want you. Stop fighting me when I know you want to give in. You’re trying to make up excuses not to come back. Are you scared of me, baby?”

Pressing me hard against the door, he grasped my chin and was about to kiss me when I heard Brett’s angry voice along with someone else’s; he was in the room next to us. What the hell was he doing and who was he with? Immediately, Daniel cupped his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet.

“Not a word,” he whispered in my ear.

Whatever was going on next door wasn’t good, but I listened just as intently as Daniel was. Who was in there with him?

“How could you not tell me?” Brett asked angrily.

The other voice replied in a softer tone, but I could tell it sounded like a man in his later years, “I tried, but you never answer your phone when I call. This was the only way.”

Brett scoffed. “Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into? Do you even know about the guy you’re dealing with?”

Daniel stiffened and closed his hand tighter over my mouth, breathing hard and gritting his teeth.

The other man spoke, “I know he’s a man that will do anything to get what I want and that’s what he did. He got me you, right here, and right now. I didn’t know of another way.”

Brett growled, “Are you fucking kidding me? Daniel is a scam artist and a thief. The land he wants to build your billion dollar mansion on isn’t even his land. It’s his sister’s and he owns no right to it. You have no clue what he threatened my girlfriend with just to keep her mouth shut, not to mention the money he stole from his other clients just to make this possible.”

“What the fuck?” Daniel hissed quietly, glaring at me with his rage-filled brown eyes. “You told him?”

I closed my eyes in response and squeezed them tight. Daniel grabbed a fistful of my hair and jerked my head back, hard. “Open your eyes and answer me, dammit.” Reluctantly, I opened my eyes slowly. I had no clue what was going to happen now.

“Did you tell him everything?” he asked. When I nodded, he gripped my hair harder, making my muffled gasp sound like a whimper. “Fuck, fuck, fuck …” he repeated anxiously. “What am I going to do now?”

The other man’s voice next door grew louder. “Look, I had no clue Daniel was going to go through extreme measures to get me what I wanted, much less commit fraud and embezzle money. I’ll call my people now and get it all handled.”

“Yeah, like you handled Mom,” Brett countered.

Wide-eyed, I gasped when the realization of who Brett was talking to sunk in. Tears began to build behind my eyes, and my chest ached. Brett wasn’t with just anyone next door; he was with his father. His father was the investor who wanted to build on the land in California. He set the whole thing up so that he could get Brett in the same room with him and talk to him.”