Chapter Twenty
Tabitha
“Your family is fucked up, gorgeous,” Brody growls.
We’ve been back at the hotel for a couple of hours. We ordered room service and watched television. That’s it. We didn’t talk about what happened, we didn’t go over it, nothing. Brody seemed to know that I needed time to digest what happened and come to terms with it. He even left me alone to take a shower.
Apparently he has decided I’ve had enough time, because he comes striding out of the bathroom with a towel hooked at his hip and another towel on his shoulders—using it to ruffle and dry his hair. He looks good—as in really good.
“Yeah. I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this Brody,” I tell him, my voice full of regret. No one wants other people to witness their pain and embarrassment. The fact that Brody not only saw mine, but got involved, to the point he did, is humiliating—even if I am grateful he was there. I don’t know how I would have survived if I’d been on my own. I would have, I always have with my family, but it wouldn’t have been easy and I’m pretty sure they would have seen me cry…
I owe Brody so much…
“I’m not sorry—well, at least not about that. I’m sorry I didn’t do more damage to Rodney.”
“Robbie—”
“Whatever. I should have kept hitting the asshole.”
“I think you knocked his teeth loose as it was.”
“One could hope,” he says with a sigh. “How are you doing, gorgeous? I know it has been a bad day for you,” he adds, coming over to sit on the bed with me.
“I’m okay. I… it’s going to sound horrible, but I’m glad it happened. I’ve never felt close to my family and now I don’t…”
“You never have to be around them again,” he finishes and that’s exactly what I was thinking, but hearing it out loud makes me cringe.
“I should feel horrible, Brody, because that idea makes me feel…better.”
“No you shouldn’t. You don’t owe them a thing, Tabitha—not a damn thing.”
“They’re my family,” I try and defend.
“They’re not. They’re snakes… and most reptiles eat their young.”
“Is that a proven fact?” I ask, blinking.
“I say it is, so it is. You don’t need them, gorgeous. You have me.”
“But, Brody…”
“What?”
“Well, it’s just now that this stuff with my family is done…”
“I’m telling you, they are not your family. Maybe you were switched at birth.”
“I have that thought often,” I sigh. “But regardless, you don’t have to mess with me anymore. You were so amazing to help me out and go through all of this for me, but now there’s no point. We don’t have to pretend to be dating anymore.”
“No point.”
“Right. It’s done now.”
“Done,” he repeats and his voice is different. It’s a tone I’ve never heard from Brody before.
“That’s what I said,” I tell him, confused.
“Are you the same woman who told me that she loved me earlier?”
“I—” I blush bright red at his reminder. His voice is harsh and it’s clear he’s angry. I get up off of the bed and put some space between us—not a lot because the room is small but at least three feet. I don’t think Brody would hurt me, but I don’t really feel like having his anger directed at me right now either. “I think I’ll just go out for a walk.”
“The hell you will. What you will do is answer my question, Tabitha.”
“I don’t think I like your tone, Brody.”
“I can’t stress to you how much I don’t care about that right now. Now answer the question, did you or did you not tell me you loved me.”
“I did, but…”
“But what? Were you lying?”
“What? Of course not. I do love you—although right now, I’m not sure why!”
“So why in the hell would we be done if you love me? Did you think I slept with you just to help fool your family? Because, gorgeous, they weren’t in the room with us then. I would hope that by the third time I buried myself inside of you, that you understood the only person I was trying to impress was you.”
“Now you’re just being an asshole,” I grumble. “And if you were trying to impress me you should have went for four times,” I add, just because I can and he’s pissing me off now too.
“I’ll make sure I do that next time.”
“Who said there was going to be a next time?” I yell at him.
“I did! This might have started off a little fucking unorthodox, Tabitha—”
“You’re the only man I know who can say words like fucking and unorthodox together!”
“I’m the only man you need to know!” he growls.
“Brody!”
“And in case you didn’t get the memo, I’m keeping you.”
“You can’t keep me. I’m my own person!”
“Too damn bad. I’m keeping you. You’re mine now.”
“I… Wait. What are you saying Brody?” I ask as his words finally register.