Only Yours

22. Learnt my Lesson

Tamina

I'm not sure how long I'd been there staring at the entrance, contemplating everything that's just happened and how I'm going to tell Brandon, but it doesn't take long for Jasmine to make her return.

"About time. How does someone like you attract the hot ones?"

Brushing past her with a clenched jaw, my muscles try to relax as I busy myself with cleaning the sitting areas until it gets busy enough to distract me until it's time to go home.

Once I'm home, I fire off a quick message to Charlie explaining what's been happening at work between myself and Jasmine, and after that, one is sent to Brandon to meet me tomorrow instead. After the events of today, some space and rest will have me back to my normal self in no time, but I'll admit, Lucius's words shook me.

But what if that's what he wants? Brandon did say he was sly.

Sighing, my head drops onto the arm of the sofa, and I'm not sure how long my eyes close for, but the knock at the door startles me. Shuffling toward the door, I'm quick to swing it open, only to do a double take.

"Brandon?"

A small smile tugs at his lips. "I'm sorry, love, I know you said tomorrow but I had to see if you were OK," he replies, bringing me into his arms before shutting the door.

Wrapping my arms around him, the smile is unstoppable as my face buries into his chest. "Thank you."

Pulling away, he raises a bag with the letter 'm' stamped on it before taking me toward the sitting room. We settle down on the sofa, and he carefully sets the packaging on the coffee table, and he waits for me to start before he does.

"How was work?" he asks, taking a sip of his coke.

"Glad to be home, if I've got to be honest." Turning to face him, I offer, "Any good manuscripts today?"

He chuckles. "Some, so you never know, perhaps there will be new material on the shelves."

Grinning, I occupy myself by munching on a fry before anxiety sets in.

"Um, Brandon?" I start.

"Yes, love?"

Fretting the hem of my top, my eyes struggle to meet his until he guides my chin for them to lock onto his. "You can tell me anything."

Feeling at ease with his confession, it's my turn. "Lucius came in the café. . . I tried not to talk to him, but he's tricky."

"What did he want?"

His tone isn't light anymore, if anything, he sounds displeased. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I answer honestly. "He just wanted a coffee, he got Jasmine off my back, and. . . he gave me advice."

"What kind of advice?" he rasps.

Biting my lower lip and letting it go again, I shrug. "That I should get another job, it's only because he saw Jasmine being a bit rude, that's all," I ramble, knowing it's best to keep the part about Brandon out of it. "But the bad news is, is that he's going to come again to cash in his part of the advice."

He curses under his breath and abruptly stands before pacing the room. When his eyes land on me, they're hard. "I told you not to talk to him, sweetheart."

"I know, but I can't turn away a customer. I tried, and it was harmless, it's not like he tried anything bad. Who knows, the favour will probably be something stupid. Why are you getting all worked up over it?" I retort, making sure to raise a brow for extra measures.