LOGINBrandon “This had better be good, son,” my father said in a gruff voice as he disembarked from the plane. My mother followed but unlike my father who looked displeased at my presence, her face was filled with smiles and the second she saw me, she pulled me into a hug and asked, “Are you okay?” I hugged her until she let go of me.“You seemed really troubled over the phone, son,” she said, her voice dipped with worry. I was glad it was my mother whom I was asking this favour from and not my father. They were both kind people but my mother had more empathy than he did. “I… I will explain everything soon,” I told her in a small voice. The expression of worry on her face deepened her frown, “Is this about Elaine?” There was news about Elaine that they had not heard yet. Like she was pregnant and as a result, we were getting married within three weeks. But that was news for another day. “No.” “Because if you decide you do not want to marry that girl, I'll support you. I know your fa
Salma When I woke up the next morning, my head swam with his scent. My eyes fluttered open at once and I sat up in bed, looking beside me to discover a naked Brandon. The previous night came flooding back in my memory. We kissed in the elevator and then did it against the door of his suite. Then on every surface in his goddamn room. I tried standing up and realised I was more weak-kneed than I had ever been. I ran my hand through my hair. I had chosen my desire last night and I knew that I was going to pay for that choice eventually. I could imagine what Elaine would do to me if she discovered that I had slept with her man without the slightest feeling of remorse. I made my way towards the bathroom for a quick bath and then stepped out seconds later with a towel wrapped around my waist, leaving my chest completely bare. Brandon was up now and he was staring at my chest with heated interest. “Good morning,” I greeted him to break the awkward silence between us. “It is a good mo
Brandon I did not believe Elaine. That was the thought that settled on my mind as I drove across the city to the Ritz-Carlton. When Salma and I were still best friends in college, she had never felt comfortable talking about her father. But when she did, she told me about his several campaigns over the years that had strained their relationship. She would never get over her father using her mother's death to acquire sympathy votes only to marry another woman within a year of that happening. She hated the way he had justified his quick marriage to another woman as promoting family values.But I did not remember her hating him. She was only a girl who was starved of his attention since this new woman and her daughter had interrupted their lives abruptly. How had that same woman told her dying father that he could go to hell? How had she stood doing nothing as her father collapsed to the ground from a heart attack?Also, it was hard to reconcile the cold-hearted bitch Elaine had descri
Brandon When I entered Leona's room that night, I met her beady-eyed great-grandmother who clearly hated me, and as I had come to learn, her godmother, Josephine. The two women looked up as I entered the room. “Salma is not here,” Rita said hoarsely, her tone harsh. She had no intention of being on good terms with me which was understandable. From her perspective, I had knocked her granddaughter up and had not taken responsibility for the pregnancy. Then five years later, I showed up trying to snake my way into my daughter's life. “I came to see my daughter,” I said, keeping my tone polite and firm. I wanted to prove to them also that I intended to do just about anything to keep Leona in my life even after all of this was over. She would just have to tolerate me for the rest of her life because I had no plans of keeping Leona out of my life. If I had to uproot my existence from Texas and move to Baltimore permanently to be within the orbit of my daughter's life, I would do it. I
Salma I walked into the Ritz-Carlton lobby at 7:10 pm. Taking a quick sweep at the lobby, I saw Ariel standing there, looking around like she was frustrated waiting for someone—me. “You have five…” I said as I snuck up on her. “Jeez!” she jumped, then quickly adjusted her expression. “What did you do that for? And you made me wait for…” “You're the one who wishes to see me,” I reminded her, “if you do not have anything…” “Let's sit,” she said, lowering her voice and then walking deeper into the hotel. We entered a large waiting area with several comfortable luxurious sofas. “Father needs your kidney,” she stated the second we sat down. I remembered the DNA test, so I said, “I think this conversation requires alcohol.”“No,” she said, “you just want us to go to someplace that is too noisy so you can pretend like you are hearing nothing.” I swallowed. That was a pretty good darn reason too. “I am not giving him my kidney,” I told her, my voice firm as steel, “you know this al
Salma“It's your choice, Salma,” he said, walking away from me, and leaving me in the hallway with only the sharp sound of my ringtone. I took in a deep breath and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I held my breath as I checked the caller—Brandon. My shoulders slumped in temporary relief. I still had not decided what I was going to do with the information John had just given me about Ariel and my father. “Brandon?” “I wanted to give you an update on…” he paused, “are you okay? You sound like you're about to cry. Did something happen?” “No, no… I guess I'm just tired,” I said. “My parents are in the Caribbean,” he said. My heart dropped. “So she can't come?” I asked. “Oh, no… She's coming,” he said, “they should have boarded their jet by now.” Their jet? Then I realised that Brandon was not just a billionaire but his father was one too. He was the typical trust fund baby. “Thank you,” I said, my heart flooding with relief. “Have you told her? About Leona?” I asked him. “No
Salma A part of me felt like a fool. I had allowed myself to get lost in lust with Brandon's green eyes and throaty sexy voice. I had allowed him to run his rough fingers over my skin, brushing against my nipples like… The honk of several cars behind me brought me out of my reverie. I could not t
Salma “He stopped me from leaving Texas!” I shouted into the phone, letting out my anger and frustration towards Brandon. Who the hell was he to just show up in my life? Who the hell was he to disrupt my life at will? He had not cared then; so what was his deal now? “Salma, I know you're very ang
Brandon “I'm just making sure you're not getting into the pants of your business dates,” she returned with an air quote. “Clearly, you do not trust me…” “You're damn right I don't! You chased that woman to the airport this morning. Why would you do that?” Her eyes were red with anger. There was
BrandonI was drawn to her like a magnet. I could not stop looking at her and although we were in the middle of a clearly tense argument. I wanted to kiss her, be on top of her, and inside her. I wanted to suck on her full peach lips and plant kisses down her throat. “Oh, my goodness! Brandon McCl







