Unbreakable

5. Obsession

BRODY POV

When Brielle linked me last night, my heart stilled in my chest. It’s taken every ounce of strength that remains in my body to give her space.

‘That’s because you are a greedy son of a b***h,’ Jace grumbled.

He wasn’t wrong. I was greedy. Every second that I spent with Brielle made me feel alive again. My heart raced wildly when I was near her, and I would take sitting in silence next to her over just about anything else. Her scent drove me mad. She smelled of berries and freesias mixed together. It was one of the most beautiful smells. I wanted to hug her, hold her, just so that scent could cling to my clothes and body.

I would chase that feeling with her until the end of time.

It was a split-second decision to run and grab the candy. It could have gone one of two ways. She would hate me for reminding her of her dead mates or appreciate the sentiment and enjoy the moment for what it was.

In my opinion, it went the way that I had hoped. She seemed to enjoy the candy and searching through all of my choices for something that would remind her of Sam and Nico. The perfect distraction. And as much as it hurt that she was in love with another, it brought me nothing but joy seeing her face as she tried to chase the high of finding something to remind her of them.

The moment that she slid that Sugar Daddy into my mouth, f*****g hell. The only thing I could taste was her. Screw the candy. Even Jace reacted, fighting to push to the surface.

Is it wrong to think of buying different flavored suckers and having her try them just so that I could taste her, even if it was only for a second?

‘When are you going to tell her that your heart belongs to her?’ Jace asked, sounding impatient.

He gave me all sorts of s**t for falling in love with the woman that I was meant to capture. When Colson first approached me, I had no idea that I would become so infatuated. During the research process, I learned everything about her. Where she was born, who she associated with before the world turned to s**t, and where she was. I began watching her the moment that she made it to Mount Vernon. It was honestly not hard to follow her. She covered her tracks well, settling down somewhere that Colson would never have expected. But she was no match for me.

My tracking skills were something that I was proud of. Not only could I track, but I knew my way around a computer. I watched her movements on the daily and to be honest, I was a bit jealous the moment that Nico stole her away. Watching her was the first time my heartbeat quickened since Amora died.

And watching her from afar became an obsession the more I learned about her.

The moment that she went into that Underground, I knew my time had come to reveal myself. I was mesmerized watching her dance. You could smell the unease on her, but she had mastered the art of manipulation. Every man in that room had their eyes on her and when I tell you Colson took a spicy hit on his money when I won her auction, it was detrimental. Every man in that club bid on her that night, but I made sure that I was the winner.

Walking into that room and not taking her right there and then, was an internal battle I’m ashamed to say I almost didn’t win. She was stunning. Perfect. The way that despite her racing heart, she put on a brave face, and fought through her fear. Many would have crumbled.

When she stood her ground, I felt my c**k twitch, wanting her to tie me up and dominate me right there in that room. But she wasn’t mine, and I wasn’t the type of man that would ever force myself onto a woman. I just continued watching from afar, playing my cards right, until I realized that my obsession turned into something else. Love.

She broke something in me when we were in that forest. Every word she said about me was true, and so much more. It’s a hard pill to swallow when someone sees you for who you really are. Sees the darkest parts of you and uses those words as a weapon.

Brielle was a weapon, and I don’t even think that she realizes it.

I promised myself after that moment that I would no longer uphold this mask that I had used for so long. At least not around her. She had already analyzed the depths of my soul, no need to hide the truth now.

Nico and Sam were a part of her and, with that, I began falling for them too. I never shied away from the fact that I found men attractive, but it wasn’t something I had actually considered exploring until the three of them walked into my life.

I wanted to believe the feelings were mutual, but I’m not so sure. I’m an attractive man, that much is true.

‘You’re also an arrogant asshole,’ Jace added to my thoughts.

‘You are a part of me, so that makes you an arrogant asshole too.’

He growled in response, ignoring me further and allowing me to continue getting lost in myself.

Nico was attracted to me, but I don’t think he really was interested beyond physical attraction. Which was fair. I did hand his mate over to be murdered. That and he knew I had fallen in love with her. Nico was perceptive. I cannot tell you how many times his voice filled my head when we were together, warning me that she was not up for the taking.

Sam, on the other hand, his feelings carried a little more depth. He and Brielle were very similar in the way that they feel, and I think that is what drew me to him and him to me.

None of that matters now that they are gone. They took Brielle’s heart with them and I’m not sure she will ever truly open up again. But I’m content with loving her from a distance. Being there for her when she needs me. As long as she wants me around, I can live with that.

My phone buzzed, distracting me from myself. Reading the message, I frowned. Wes said that it was ready. Nico had been working on a surprise for Brielle before the challenge and, in his absence, Grant and Wes made sure to finish it.

My heart raced, reading the message over and over again. After spending the evening with Brielle, hearing the hurt in her voice as she spoke about Nico and Sam, I’m not sure she’s going to appreciate what he left behind.

Despite that, Grant and Wes were insistent that she get the opportunity to see Nico’s plans in the flesh. I promised that I would try and get her there, but I don’t know how.

Should I be honest, or should I trick her with a lie?

‘You are even more stupid than I thought if you think you can fool her,’ Jace chuckled.

Brielle is too smart to be tricked......and I am far from stupid. I rolled my eyes at his words. Jace was a s**t talker. I swear, he would never miss the opportunity to take a jab at me.

**********************

“What is so important that we need to travel all the way to Crimson River for me to see it?” Brielle questioned. I didn’t miss the fear in her eyes as she spoke. Since the funeral, she’s not come back. She couldn't bring herself to be here.

When I walked towards that flower field on the day of the funeral, her pain was rolling off of her in waves. I could feel it from a distance, and it took everything in me not to sit down next to her, surrounded by all of those flowers, and hold her close.

I’m ashamed to admit that I wanted to kiss her so badly. Even just to distract her for a second from the pain she was feeling. Jace told me I was an i***t for allowing the thought to even cross my mind.

‘You are an i***t no matter what. I called you the most massive dickhead i***t that has ever graced the Goddess’ Earth,’ Jace reminded me.

His language is quite colorful, and I was biting back laughter at his repetition of the comment.

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy, but I promise you, it is important for you to see.”

She picked at the skin around her fingernails, which killed me, because I’ve seen her hands recently. It’s become a bad habit and there were bits of missing skin where she’d pulled away the layers until they bled.

Reaching over, I grabbed her hand in an attempt to get her to quit, but she just scowled at me, ripping her hand away from my grasp.

I sighed, “I don’t like seeing you hurt yourself.”

She frowned, looking lost in thought but said nothing.

The rest of the drive was quiet. The closer we got to Crimson River, the more I felt my nerves going haywire. It was like electric currents moving throughout my nerves, but not the good kind. The kind that stings, burns, and causes pain.

I tried not to let her see or feel the inner turmoil that was raging beneath my skin. Part of me wondered if this would push her over the edge. She was still struggling with their deaths as if it happened yesterday. When she sees what Nico planned, it’s either going to bring her immense happiness or cut the last thread of resolve holding her together.

We finally made it into Crimson River. Wes and Grant linked me directions, and I followed a long, winding gravel path for a few minutes before it had begun to appear in the distance, hidden within the trees.

Brielle swallowed hard as she looked out the window, seeing why I brought her here. I could physically hear her heart stop as we approached.