Chapter 49

Chapter 49

I woke up the next morning to find the bed empty. Joss had spent the night with me. We hadn’t had sex; he’d only held me, his arms wrapped around me as I drifted in and out of sleep.

But even with him beside me, all I could think about was Brant.
I couldn’t get him out of my head—the way he kissed me, the way his fingers moved inside me.

The way he made me feel like my body belonged to him.

How much I needed him right now…

I forced myself out of bed and into the shower, trying to focus on not being late for breakfast. The warm water didn’t wash him out of my mind or my body.

When I finally made my way downstairs, the Paxton brothers were already seated at the dining table. I greeted them, and Joss stood to pull out a chair for me.

I sat and ate in silence, my mind elsewhere, my thoughts full of him even though he was right in front of me.

Right before breakfast ended, Joss stood.

“I have an announcement to make… or maybe I should say a proposal to make.”

Kit let out a low whistle, making me laugh a little despite myself. I glanced toward Brant—he still hadn’t looked at me. Ever since I sat down, he’d given me nothing. No glance. No smirk. No acknowledgement.

After what happened yesterday, I’d thought things would change between us. I wasn’t asking for much, not even words. Maybe just… something. A sign that he still wanted me. But he gave me nothing at all. Just a smile from him would’ve been enough. But no—nothing. He acted as though I wasn’t even there.

And it hurts.

A slow, twisting stab straight to my already bruised heart.

“Sable… Sable…”

A hand touched my shoulder, and I looked up to see Joss staring at me, his brow furrowed, concern in his eyes.
“Are you okay?”

I nodded quickly. “Yeah… yeah.”

He took a breath. “Sable, you’ve made me believe in love again. You were there during a dark time in my love life, when my heart was broken and I thought I’d never let anyone in again. You made me want to try.” His voice softened. “I know you and I have this… thing between us, but I want more. I want you to be my girlfriend. Let’s make it official.”

My eyes widened.

Rhett laughed under his breath, and my gaze shot instinctively to Brant. He still wasn’t looking at me. Not even a flicker of the man who had told me, just yesterday, how badly he wanted me.

It was like he’d completely erased what he told me yesterday, how he wanted his cock in my pussy. And without that look from him—the one that always gave me courage I’d never admit—I felt my strength slipping.

Why wouldn’t he meet my eyes?
Why wouldn’t he give me something, anything, to hold onto so I could find the strength to say no to Joss?

Had he already forgotten?

Maybe he had already forgotten.
Maybe he’d never meant it.

Tears pricked my eyes. I turned back to Joss and forced a desperate smile to my lips.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Yes?” Joss said, almost like he needed to hear it twice, relief flooding his face.

“Yes, I will be your girlfriend,” I said louder this time, though my voice wavered—thin, fragile, like it could break apart at any moment. “I will be your girlfriend, Joss Paxton.”

Rhett and Kit clapped, Kit letting out another low whistle.

Joss tilted my chin up and kissed my lips, smiling faintly against my mouth before straightening, clearing his throat, and sitting down.

“I know you two are fucking,” Kit said bluntly, “but making this official… that’s like a stab to my heart… Congratulations.”

“Yeah. Congratulations to you two,” Brant said finally, his voice calm, his expression unreadable as always. But when his eyes locked on mine, my heart jolted painfully in my chest. The way he stared at me… There was heat there, dark and unspoken, but buried deep, guarded. The kind of look that said everything he wouldn’t say out loud.

And that was somehow worse than him looking away.

“We have to celebrate,” Rhett said.

After breakfast, I went straight to my bedroom, tears slipping silently down my cheeks. I knew why I hadn’t been able to say no to Joss. After everything he’d done for me, it felt impossible to reject him or humiliate him in front of everyone.

And Brant… he hadn’t even given me the strength to try. He’d just ignored me, like nothing happened between us yesterday.

Like he hadn’t told me how he felt.

Like those words, those fingers, that look meant nothing.

But why?

I couldn’t stay in my room for another second. I didn’t care who saw me as I marched down the hall and straight to his bedroom. I didn’t knock. I pushed the door open, stepped inside, and closed it behind me.

He was standing near the bed, wearing nothing but his boxers. His clothes were tossed carelessly across the mattress, and a leather belt dangled from his hand.

'Why doesn’t he just smack some sense into you with that belt?' Selene’s voice hissed in my head, irritated.

But instead of annoying me, the thought sent a hot, dangerous pulse through me. I could almost feel it—his belt striking my skin, the sting fading into a delicious burn, the slow heat of each stripe branding me as his.

I pictured him wrapping that belt around his fist, his hands forcing me closer until I had no choice but to look into his eyes, to submit to whatever he wanted. His voice low and commanding, while I gave myself over to him completely.

I bit my lip, my thighs pressing together instinctively as I ached for him, craving that edge of pain tangled with pleasure.

I swallowed hard and walked toward him.

“What are you doing in my bedroom?” he asked, tossing the belt onto the bed.

“Why did you ignore me during breakfast?”

He sighed, his eyes locking on mine. “Listen, I’m not going to hide from you or beat around the bush, because I know that’s why you’re here. And I know you, Sable. Even if you think I don’t.”

“Go on,” I said, crossing my arms, though my pulse was still pounding.

“I knew my brother was going to ask you to be official. That’s why I told you how I feel about you yesterday. And today… if I’d looked at you, even for a second, my brother would’ve thought I was standing in the way of his happiness. You’re not a young girl, Sable. You make your own choices. So don’t come here and tell me I made you say yes to my brother. I never forced you to do anything.”

And he was right.

He stepped closer, his tone dropping lower. “But know this—if you hurt my brother, you’ll have me to deal with.” His expression was deadly serious.

I ignored the warning, my eyes flicking to the clothes on his bed. “Where are you going?”

“To the club,” he said, glancing at his bed as he began dressing.

“To Leslie?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“After everything that happened that day… are you getting back together with her because we—”

“If I ended something, I ended it,” he cut in. “Just because I’m going to Leslie doesn’t mean I’m going to have sex with her.”

He pulled on his jacket, smoothed it down, then stepped close enough for his lips to brush my cheek in a quick, unexpected peck—quick enough to leave me stunned—before heading to the door.

He opened it and walked out without another word.

I stood there, frozen, wondering what the hell had just happened.
Did he seriously just kiss me like that and leave?

When I finally followed, he was already downstairs.
And he was standing with Marirose.