I felt myself waking up not long later, not knowing where the fuck I was and how I got there. I stared around at the foreign environment before remembering that I had passed out not long after seeing Brody. I quickly looked down at myself to make sure I was completely still dressed and everything which thankfully I was, not a single article of clothing was out of place.

I got up from the bed and glanced around for any sign of Brody but there was none. Wherever he was, he wasn’t in this room or in the en suite bathroom. Quickly, I decided that I no longer wanted to be in a fuckboy (who I just so happened to have a crush on)’s room. I opened the door and found myself in a decently long hallway, looking around, I decided my safest option was to find the stairs. Upon finding the stairs, I find myself going down slowly, not wanting to make any super loud noises due to the fact that I was in a strange frat house where one of the only men I knew here, wasn’t here and wasn’t exactly someone I trusted.

As I approached the stairs, I could faintly smell bacon, as I crept down the stairs and closer to the bottom, the smell grew stronger and stronger. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, I could hear someone rummaging around in the not-so distant kitchen. I approached the sound, peeking around the corner to try and see into the kitchen before making my presence known. I could see Brody, proceeding to make breakfast, shirtless. I could see the snake tattoo he had spiraling down his left wrist as well as his memento mori tattoo on his rib cage. Surprisingly, Billy was nowhere to be found. Though I was definitely somewhat enjoying my view of the tall, shirtless and somewhat muscular man in front of me. I hated how much I enjoyed his body, his lean muscles, long legs and torso. The way his 6’5 figure towered over my 5’3 one.

Deciding to make my presence known due to my desire for answers on why I was here, I moved within his field of view.

“Mornin’ sunshine,” Brody teased, which strangely weirded me out as he wasn’t calling me bitch like I was so used to.

He must’ve noticed the strange look on my face as I watched his smile turn into a smirk. “Oh? Do you prefer me calling you a bitch?”

I shook my head slowly, letting myself take the small win that he was treating me like a person for once. I watched as he motioned for me to sit at the island while he continued to cook.

“Why am I here?” I blurted, no longer able to hold in the question I’d been sitting with for a good bit too long.

“You uh.. passed out in my arms and I didn’t want to fish through your clothes for your keys to try and get you back to your dorm, which I don’t know where that is either. So I brought you here, had you sleep in my bed while I slept on the floor because I’m actually not a creep believe it or not.” He explained, his eyes scanning my face for any sign of anger or disapproval of what he had done.

“O-oh,” I said softly, chewing my lip as I tried to come up with something to say in response.

“You really shouldn’t do that,” Brody scolded softly, referring to me chewing on my lip.

“Oh? And why shouldn’t I? I’m a grown woman.” I glared playfully back at him, continuing to chew on my lip.

“Fine then, do as you want, but don’t say I didn’t warn you to stop,” Brody shot back, narrowing his eyes and moving so that he was more against the counter as he finished up breakfast.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

I studied Brody for a moment, unsure of why he had moved himself so quickly away from me after I had teased him about wanting to bite my lip. But he seemed to be staring off at the food, almost in a daze rather than noticing my staring at him.

Quickly, he set the food down on the kitchen island as he finished and glanced at me expectantly. Causing me to immediately settle down and begin putting food on my plate as I didn’t want to keep him waiting and part of me wanted to get out of here sooner rather than later. Brody only loaded foot on his plate after I had picked out my portions, wolfing down his food rather quickly.

“Why do you eat so fast?” I asked him, a bit confused because I didn’t plan on stealing his food and yet he was eating so fast it would seem as if I was going to.

“I grew up with a lot of siblings, you learn to eat quick if you want seconds,” He shrugged before helping himself to more food.

I nodded slowly in understanding, “How many siblings do you have?”

“Four,” He replied, briefly looking up at me from his plate as he continued to shovel his food into his mouth.

Choking a bit on my food, I looked at him with surprise, “Four?!” I raised my eyebrow, “I can’t imagine growing up with any siblings, let alone four,”

“I take it you’re an only child?” Brody responded, his eyebrow cocked, finally looking away from his food completely.

“Yeah, my parents didn’t want any more children, I begged and begged growing up but they didn’t budge so it was just me and then Ivy rolled around and she’s like my sister from another mother,”

Brody nodded slowly, “I couldn’t imagine life without my siblings if I’m honest,”

I scanned his mostly stoic face for any glimpse of emotion. I glance back down as I see a smirk begin to grow on his face.

“You seem to enjoy looking at me don’t you.” He teases.

“What’re you talking about? I most definitely do not enjoy looking at you,” I shake my head, turning my face more towards my food as I quickly finish it. Determined to get away from him as soon as possible. As I finish my food, I get up from my spot at the island, rinsing my plate off and placing it into the dishwasher. As I advance towards the door, I feel Brody’s presence behind me.

“Leaving so soon?” He asks, sounding almost sad in a way that I was already trying to leave.

“Aw don’t you sound sad,” I tease, turning to face him, “were you really hoping I stay? I have homework to do and I also have to return to work because unlike you, I actually have responsibilities.”

Brody scoffed as he scanned my face. “I do have responsibilities, thank you,” He growled.

I rolled my eyes and walked out the door. I didn’t want to argue with him as that would likely make me later than I already am and I knew my boss was going to ask me why I was a whopping 30 minutes late when I am almost never late.

Once I finally arrived at work, I opened the door and hurried over to my desk. “Sorry I’m late,” I say to my boss as he looks up at me from his computer screen.

“What happened? You’re usually my never late, picture perfect employee,” He says, with mock disappointment.

“My alarm didn’t go off,” I lie, not wanting to tell him that I had been so sleep deprived I passed out in one of my biggest rivals’ arms.

“Oh? Did you forget to set it?” He asks, his eyebrows raising as he scans my face.

I feel my face heat up with embarrassment as I contemplate backing down from the lie. “Yeah, I must’ve been so tired last night that I forgot to set it,” I say while sitting down at my desk. I was still wearing my clothes from last night and I honestly hoped he didn’t notice.

I booted my computer up and logged in to work on the paperwork processing as always. I typed up the remainder of the report from last night that I had noticed David had left for me. Even though I was often included in the crime scenes and had to report with them for the calls, most of my job was paperwork and processing what David wrote or didn’t want to finish. I had just gotten started on the paperwork when I heard David’s phone ring. I quietly listened in, knowing it may not be good. I heard David’s voice as he responded to the caller before I watched him pick his coat back up and throw it over his shoulder, getting ready to leave.

“We need to go Jade.”