Priceless (Forbidden Men 8)

My hand shot to my mouth, and my face went hot when I realized, yep, there was moisture collecting at the corner of my mouth. How humiliating. I wanted to cry out that I couldn’t help it, but I definitely didn’t want them knowing I was here now.

In Brandt’s room, he said, “Excuse me?” in a slow, deadly calm voice.

I’d known him long enough to realize that was his getting-pissed voice.

“It’s okay; you can be straight with me. You’re only nice to her because she’s...you know, handicapped, right?”

“No,” he growled. “Not right. I’m nice to her because I honestly like her. It’s not just some pity friendship. Fuck drool. Sarah is one of the most important people in my life. I love her.”

Warmth spread through my chest. I knew he didn’t mean his words in the full capacity that I wanted him to, but they filled me with this overwhelming sensation that almost made it hard to breathe because my heart was so bursting. I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.

It was bittersweet, as sad as it was lovely. I kind of wanted to weep happy tears mixed with depressed ones.

Until Hope sniffed. “Love? Yeah right. If her drool and wheelchair don’t mean anything to you and you love her so much, then why am I the one naked in your bed, and not her?”

That was actually a very good question. Brandt had never once made a romantic move toward me. He’d never kissed me or even come close to kissing me. He’d never once crossed the line of friendship. But if he loved me as he claimed, then yeah...why? What if it was because of my CP?

Instead of answering Hope, however, he snarled, “You’re about to be naked on my front porch if you don’t stop pissing me off. Sarah is off limits to you.”

Wow. My eyebrows shot up at that possessive little claim. It kind of made me feel bad for thinking he’d ever held anything back from me because of my condition. He really did love me. Just platonically.

“Jeez, Brandt. Calm down. I’m just trying to understand. She’s pretty enough when she isn’t writhing around. So why—”

“Because she’s my friend, and you don’t go fucking up your friendship by sleeping with that person. Not that it’s any of your business, anyway. Now, could you put your clothes on already?”

Oh, so that was why. Hmm, I wasn’t sure what to think of that. As I wondered if that was the only thing holding him back, Hope whistled.

“Wow, you’re really mad, aren’t you?”

“You just insulted my best friend. What’d you expect me to be?”

“You just had sex with me. I expected you to be a little less protective of another girl? You’re kind of making me feel as if you’re choosing her over me.”

“Hope, Sarah will be my friend forever. You...well, who knows how long you’ll stick around. I’ll always choose her over anyone.”

I’d heard enough. I wasn’t sure whether I should be thrilled because he so adamantly defended me or sick to my stomach with regret because he even felt as if he had to. Or disappointed in him because he was treating a girl he’d just slept with so rudely.

Spinning in my wheelchair, I hurried back to the kitchen as the argument in his bedroom escalated so that I could pretty much hear it as plainly as I had just outside his doorway.

“Oh my God, you are such an asshole. I can’t believe I let a jerk like you inside me.”

“Hey, you’re the one who showed up here, looking to get laid. I didn’t chase you down. I didn’t beg you for it. I think you got exactly what you wanted.”

“Yeah, until I found you were a sicko freak fucker.”

“That’s it!” he roared loud enough to make the walls shake. “Get the fuck out of my house. Right now.”

“Let go of my arm, you bastard. Hey! I’m not finished—my shirt!”

“You can finish getting dressed outside.” I heard their footsteps march through the house until the front door came open.

“You’re such a—” The slam of the door muffled out whatever name Hope was going to shriek at him next.

I jumped and pressed my hand to my mouth.

A second of silence passed before Brandt snarled, “Son of a bitch,” quickly followed by the boom of something crashing to the floor in the front room, quickly followed by shattering glass.

With another startled jolt, I squeezed my eyes shut, but tears still trickled through.