Chapter 21: Hidden Heir: Chapter 21

“You can’t be serious!”

Upon hearing the argument raging downstairs, I headed to my office and pulled the room they’re in up on CCTV. Ant stands near the window, shifting his weight back and forth as he picks at his sweater sleeve. Brooke paces near the door, dragging one hand through her thick hair.

“Me?” Ant turns toward her. “You’re the one that’s selling yourself to that man.”

“I’m not selling myself,” Brooke snaps. “I’m choosing this for myself and Tiff so we can be safe and have a chance at a good future. I’m also choosing it for you, you fucking idiot. Not sure why you have an issue with it seeing as you were so happy and encouraging for me to do whatever the Irish demanded. In fact, you were thanking me through tears in your eyes because me being sold as a sex slave and going through hell would’ve saved your worthless skin!”

I shake my head as my blood boils. Brooke may hold her brother in high regard but it’s clear that most of it comes from familial obligation and not love. He doesn’t appear to care about her beyond how he can use her, while she remains desperate to find her brother under all that drug-addicted mess. Unfortunately, I’m not sure there’s a brother left to find.

“This is different,” Ant hisses.

“How is it different?” Brooke throws her hands in the air. “Is it because I’m making the choice this time?”

“You talk like you’re fucking in love with him or something.”

Brooke stamps her foot in anger. “Will you stop being so pig-headed for five seconds!”

She doesn’t deny it and my pulse quickens slightly. Caring for her didn’t have any requirements on my end but I can’t deny I like the idea of her loving me. Beyond the deal, of course. She’s a beautiful woman and I’m utterly addicted to her. Is it possible she feels the same? I recline in my chair, entertaining the thought as the argument continues.

“I’m pig-headed?” Ant snaps. “You’re the one always trying to fix things! Getting involved in my life like it’s yours to lead when I didn’t ask you to.”

“What the fuck? Yes, you fucking did. You begged me to take you in when you lost your apartment, which, by the way, I’m now thinking was a ruse, that you really needed a hideout from the Irish. Every time you get clean you ask for my help. You brought all this shit down on me and don’t think for a second that I’ve forgotten that when I was going through hell for you, you were shooting up instead of watching over my daughter. The only way I’ll ever forgive you is if you get clean, stay clean, and spend the rest of your pathetic life apologizing.”

“I’m not apologizing!” Ant yells. “You don’t understand and you don’t even try. You have no idea what it’s like to be an addict. How much it consumes me. How it’s so much stronger than me. You have no idea and you don’t even care!”

One bullet and Brooke’s troubles would be over. That’s all it would take. One bullet and her useless sack of shit brother would be six feet under.

“I have to get out of here, I can’t do this.” Ant starts pacing about like a caged animal.

“Don’t be stupid,” Brooke snaps. “You think you’ll get help out there or is it drugs you’re really after?” Ant stays silent. “For fuck sake, Ant. You’re so close to getting clean. Why can’t you just do this for me?”

“It’s a disease, Brooke, and you’re killing me by keeping me here.”

The rest of the argument fades away as an incoming call from my father steals my attention. I answer it, pressing the phone to my ear as I swivel around to stare out over the estate gardens now cloaked in darkness.

“Father.”

“What the hell are you playing at, you fool?”

My gut tightens. “Excuse me?”

“Tell me, Leonity, why I just received a call from Ronan Murphy.”

Shit. The Irish Captain. “I have no idea.”

“Don’t play dumb with me, boy. You know as well as I do that it’s bad news when the Murphys are on the move. They’ve crawled out of the woodwork to come for us. What the hell did you do?”

I drum my fingers lightly on my thigh. “I have done nothing. They, on the other hand, have some internal strife that they’re struggling to handle.”

“Is the truth simply fiction to you?” My father grunts sharply. “He told me that we’re harboring someone who has insulted the Irish to the point that there’s now a kill order out on them. Imagine my surprise when that little whore’s name popped up when I asked who it was.”

“Why did he call you?” Irritation begins to heat up under my skin. “You’re retired.”

“Clearly, he felt he could get more sense out of me than you. What are you playing at, Leonity? This woman is not one of ours. It’s not like she’s someone you paid for, so why are you risking so much of what I’ve built? The Murphys are not worth the trouble so hand her over. Son, you have to do what’s best for the family.”

My eyes track a patrol of guards as they move through the gardens and I hum softly in acknowledgement. “The Irish lost some drugs and are blaming a low-level dealer. In fact, it was a smaller family, the Conti’s, that started this mess. So if the Murphys want a solution, they can look closer to home.”

“Son, you know it doesn’t work that way. You know⁠—”

I end the call because I spot my door opening in the window’s reflection. Brooke storms in.

“Are you busy?”

I set my phone down and turn to face her. “For you? No.”

“I’m so… ugh, I just want to scream!” She drags her hands down her face. “I’m so damn angry and frustrated, and I don’t know what to do.”

Pushing slightly away from the desk, I tap my thigh and invite her to sit. “Talk to me.”

Brooke strides over and drops into my lap, then sags back against my chest and heaves a deep sigh. “Ant. He says the coldest things. Accuses me of not caring about him and part of me thinks he’s right. I look at him and I don’t see my brother anymore. I think he’s lost for good, and all my attempts to reach him have just been feeding the monster that took his place. But then he talks about his disease and his lack of control. I always end up feeling so guilty.”

“Don’t feel guilty.” I press my lips to the side of her neck.

“Ok, I won’t because it’s that easy,” Brooke mutters. “Let me just switch off my feelings.”

I chuckle softly and kiss up to her hairline. “He’s an asshole and you’ve given him way more than he deserves. He’s family, I understand, but everyone has a limit.”

“He’s all I have,” Brooke says dismally.

“Not true.” As I kiss around to her jaw, I slide one hand up her quivering thigh and under her skirt to the soft heat of her inner thighs. “You have me.”

“Do I?”

I slide my hand higher and cup her heat only to find that she strolled in here without any panties on. “Of course you do. I told you that the day you came here. Your brother, on the other hand…” I can’t think of anything nice to say so I let my words trail off. I cup her jaw with my other hand and coax her to face me. As soon as she does, I kiss her.

“Just focus on me right now,” I murmur against her lips. “And I’ll focus on you.”

Brooke grumbles into the kiss, but as my fingertips start dancing over her pussy, she allows herself to melt entirely into me, relaxing in my lap. She’s wet within seconds and before long, soft moans escape with each gasp she makes as we part from one kiss and fall immediately into another. I adjust her against me, allowing me to slide my fingers through her heat deep into her pussy. My thumb finds her clit and Brooke shudders against me.

Her hands clutch at my arm and her nails cut into my skin, the bite of fire making my blood run hotter.

“Spread your legs,” I whisper against her mouth. She obliges, her legs falling on either side of mine, giving me easier access to her pussy. This new position allows me to thrust my fingers deeper at a more rapid pace while flicking and rubbing her clit in time to the motion of her hips.

“Oh god,” Brooke moans sweetly. Our kiss breaks and her head falls back onto my shoulder. I turn my attention to her throat, licking and sucking as she squirms with pleasure in my arms. Closer and closer she tumbles toward an orgasm. Her pussy clenches rhythmically around my fingers, her breathing grows more rapid, and her head tosses side to side on my shoulder.

“Leon, oh my god. I’m so close. I’m so… fuck!”

It’s all the encouragement I need to hear. I double my efforts in fucking her with my fingers and within thirty seconds, Brooke is trembling in my arms with breathy cries and whimpers. She jolts forward and I hold her close, rapidly teasing her clit to get her the most out of her orgasm until she slumps back, panting.

“Feel better?” I ask, lazily kissing her jaw.

“Yeah,” she gasps. “Loads better. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Brooke swivels in my arms and kisses me deeply. “Come with me to bed?”

“How can I resist?”