Carter’s POV:
“She hasn’t even called us! It’s like she doesn’t even care about us anymore.” Jenna pouted, as she sprawled across my bed.
“She has a lot of shit she’s going through right now. How would you feel if you had to marry a prick you didn’t love?” I asked rolling my eyes.
“True. But, she should at least talk to us. I miss her a lot and it’s weird not having her around us all the time.” Kourtney said staring out the window.
“This is annoying, why did she have to get married?” Keegan demanded throwing my baseball in the air.
“Because her dad is an asshole.” I responded.
Lately, when we all hang out all we do is talk about how Brynn is always with the Emerson’s. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with any of them…except Payton. He was a trouble maker and he didn’t know how to even treat Brynn right. She was suffering now because of his stupid actions. Then again my brother was the moron who let her go without explaining anything to her.
“So are you guys all going to that stupid business party tomorrow?” Joelle asked, her head resting on Peter’s lap. Those two were perfect for each other.
A mutual chorus of “yeah,” went around the room. All of our parent’s worked for Brynn and had to go to their annual dinner gala which was a total waste of time. We all usually hid in an office and got drunk so that we couldn’t leave and “make an embarrassment” out of our parents. Trust me; they don’t need us to do that.
I leaned back against my wall thinking of who I was going to take to this damn dinner when my phone rang.
“Brynn! Finally, what’s up?” I asked, smiling. I felt like I hadn’t talked to her in weeks.
“I need to talk to you alone, so don’t put me on speaker phone.” She said quietly.
Everyone was staring at me so I got up and left, walking down the hall way I stopped and leaned against the wall. “What did you do?”
“I decided to try this whole relationship thing with Payton.” She said quickly.
“What in God’s good name possessed you to do that?!” I shouted.
“I knew you would be mad at me. Look, I love your brother. So much that it kills me. But, I can’t sit around and wait for him to decide he wants me back. I’m moving on. I want you to accept that because your opinion matters most. You’re my absolute best friend.” She whispered.
“I am not happy with this, but I support whatever decision you make.” I muttered trying not to sound pissed.
“Thank you. I have to go; my wonderful mother wants me to try on dresses for tomorrow. I’ll see you and everyone else there right? I miss you all.”
“We miss you too, yeah everyone here is going.”
I heard Payton call her in the background and I resisted the urge to tell her off for being so stupid.
“Hey, I gotta go. My mom called and said she had the ‘perfect’ dress for me.” I could see her using air quotes in my mind and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Okay, I’ll see you later. I love you.”
“Love you too.” She said quickly and hung up.
I pocketed my phone and ran into Ronan’s room without knocking, thankfully, he wasn’t having sex with that dumb whore.
“What the hell, Carter? Where’s the fire?” He demanded sitting up.
“You need to figure out a plan to win Brynn back fast or else you might lose her. She’s moving on.” I said as his face fell.
“Help me come up with a plan.”
Brynn’s POV:
Yesterday I had told Carter that I was getting into a relationship with, at that point it had felt right. Now, as I got ready for my father’s stupid business gala, I couldn’t help but feel like being in a relationship with Payton was not right. Sure, he gave me butterflies and duh, I wanted to jump his bones but I was still so in love with Ronan that it nearly killed me every time I saw him.
I sighed and finished up my makeup. I really hated my father for putting me in a position like this when all I wanted was to be with Ronan. I knew from the moment we met and he told me my pigtails were ugly that we were destined to be with each other. I laughed at that stupid memory. Ronan was a complete asshole when we were kids.
“What are you laughing at?” Payton said, causing me to yelp in fear and clutch my chest.
“What the hell!? You could have given me a heart attack!” I said gasping for air as I tried to steady my heart.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I was coming in here to tell you that the car is waiting outside and that we should probably go soon.” He said leaning down and kissing my cheek.
I smiled up at him, “I’m just adding some last minute touches and putting on my dress and we can go.”
“Okay, I’ll see you downstairs.”
I watched as he left to go to the car and quickly finished up. I checked myself in the mirror, satisfied with the way I looked and walked to the car. I had a strange feeling that tonight was going to be an extremely long night.
Ronan’s POV:
“Champagne, Mr. Rivers?” Another hostess asked, giving me a flirty smile.
“I still have the one your friend gave me in my hand. Come back in five minutes.” I said giving her a smirk.
She giggled and walked off.
“Finally!” I muttered under my breath. Now I had to start avoiding these freaking leeches. I was on a mission and flirting with two very ugly chicks wasn’t involved.
“Ronan, where is Melissa?” Alexi asked.
I groaned internally, Alexi was one of Melissa’s followers and she drove me crazy with her annoying, nasal-like voice. She always had something stupid to say. I noticed that I had zoned out when she started to wave her hand in my face.
“Look, we broke up. I dumped her. Go away.” I snapped walking away from the annoying slut.
Everyone was riding my ass tonight-figuratively not literally, that would be freaking gross man- and I was going crazy. All I wanted was to see Brynn. I walked past her father, who was still bragging about how Brynn was going to marry that douche bag, Payton, and my father was talking with Payton’s father about training him.
I was sick of this whole damn thing. Even worse, I was sick of all this stupid talk about the wedding. If there was a God there wouldn’t be a wedding.
“Dude, she’s here!” Carter’s voice called me out of my thoughts.
“Where?” I demanded, look all over the place.
“Stairs.” He pointed.
I turned and nearly choked on my breath. Brynn walked down the stairs with her hair curled to the side in a side ponytail, and a strapless extremely short dress. She looked beautiful and she had almost a helpless look in her eyes. I was captivated.
I didn’t approach her or try to get her attention. I watched her, like a hawk watching its prey, as she was dragged to guests. Every time she was brought to another couple she would force a extremely fake smile and grab Payton’s arm and tilt her head at him affectionately. I laughed at the fakeness of their relationship…that was until he kissed her.
My hand tightened on my champagne glass and I threw back the rest of the contents.
“Go fucking distract him now.” I growled at Carter as I thrust my empty glass at the dumb waitress who had been hitting on me.
I watched as Carter walked over to Payton and told him what we went over. Payton looked confused and I laughed. The gullible asshole followed Carter outside and I waited a few minutes before walking over to Brynn and grabbing her arm, probably not gently, and dragged her to an abandoned office. She silently struggled against my grip and I felt her getting angrier and angrier. I locked the door and turned to her. She had a whole hell of a lot of explaining to do.
Brynn’s POV:
My insides were shaking I was so mad. Ronan dragged me like a ragdoll once we’re out of sight all the way to some back office. He locked the door behind us and pulled down the blinds.
“Why did you bring me back here!?” I shrieked, slapping his beautifully toned chest.
“You wouldn’t listen to me otherwise.” He shrugged, the douche bag.
“I don’t want to listen to you! Why should I? How many times did I come to your house and try to talk you into listening to me? Do you know how much it kills me inside to know that I hurt you? Do you know how hard I cried the day you looked at me like I was nothing more than a slut to you? You know me. I don’t cry. I was depressed, miserable and here you were flaunting around that you were fucking a walking STD!” He didn’t answer me and I screamed, frustrated. “ANSWER ME!”
“How dare you?!” I yell.
He’s shaking too I can see it. He took a few steps towards me but I blocked his path with my palm as I shove him away. He stared at me with this look that makes me pause.
This is my chance. Carter gave me this chance. How did I not see this coming? This is it. And I’m going to take it.
I took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry.” He scoffed and began to laugh. All of a sudden I realize this isn’t going to end well.
“You’re sorry?” He sneered. Tears fill my eyes. “You’re sorry? For what?
For leading me on?”
For starting to have a relationship with me?”
For going behind my back?”
For having another life?”
For having another BOYFRIEND?”
Or for playing me?”
From the moment he started raising his voice to the time that he was screaming, my blood was boiling and my temper was raging. I had every right to be just as pissed at him. He wasn’t the one getting married to someone they didn’t love. He had his choice. Mine was sold.
“You think I wanted to do that? You think I WANTED to do that?!” I threw my arms down and let the tears fall from my eyes. “I was SOLD, Ronan. I was sold into an arranged marriage. MY FATHER SOLD ME TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER TO PAY OFF HIS FUCKING GAMBLING DEBT. NO ONE LET ME DECIDE WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I WASN’T GIVEN A CHOICE. There is no choice. I HAD NO CHOICE!”
He’s shaking with laughter and I wanted to punch him. He doesn’t believe me, and that made me angrier that he was laughing in my face. So I punch him.
“I deserve that.” Ronan said clutching his nose.
“Damn right you do.”
All you could hear was the sound of our angry panting, my blood was pulsing in my ears and I was pretty sure he could hear it. He looked back up at me after making sure there was no blood.
Ronan’s eyes flash with anger, “Like I could believe that bullshit! Brynn you’re so desperate to keep me you’ll do anything, SAY anything. You’re so full of it.”
“A choice,” he scoffed, more to himself then to me. “You made your choice. THE SECOND YOU GOT INTO BED WITH THAT PRICK.”
“I don’t want to get married! I’m a teenager! A CHILD! Besides, HE’S NOT YOU.” My chest was heaving and I couldn’t see. Ronan was blurry. I just wanted to see him. I could feel his body like a live wire, I could feel the burning heat and I just wanted to feel his touch.
“Are you saying you want to marry me? If you want me so badly, then why are you with him?! Huh? You two make me SICK. WHY WOULDN’T YOU BE WITH ME?!”
I turned around, pulling at my hair. “Do you have any idea how guilty I feel? It never stops. I am CONSTANTLY feeling guilty for hurting YOU. Don’t you get it Ronan?! I HAVE NO CHOICE. IF I HAD A CHOICE I’D CHOOSE YOU.”
He closed the distance between us and when I closed my eyes he slammed his mouth against mine. It’s like a punishment for everything I’m not allowed to have but want so desperately. All of the love for him poured out of me in response but he grabbed hold of my hair and yanked my face away from his.
“Prove it.” He spits out.
I pound my fists into his chest until my knees give out. He catches me before I crumple to the floor and crushed my body against his. I whimper because it feels so right. His arm creates an iron bar across my back, clutching. The hand in my hair pulls me towards him involuntarily and the kiss makes me moan in relief.
“Ronan,” I sigh. His grip tightens in response.
“I love you. I fucking love you so much it hurts me!” He said.
“Let me go.” I said quietly. It was taking all I had to resist. I changed my mind. I couldn’t.
“Tell me you don’t love me.”
I looked down and lied, “I don’t love you.”
He chuckled, “Look in my eyes and tell me that.”
I glared at him, “I don’t love you.” I lied, we both knew it.
“Liar.” He said before pressing his lips to mine, and this time I didn’t want to stop.
To feel his lips against mine after so long relieves all of the pressure that’s been building. Our kisses are short, passionate, and intense. I can’t catch my breath. I ply off his shirt and he ripped the zipper on my dress.
Finally, it’s skin on skin. I ripped the button on his pants and let them fall. He slid my underwear down to my ankles and in the pause before I gave in I smile.
“He did this to you, didn’t he?” He demanded, looking at the hickey Payton left there.
My smile faltered as I nod. He attacked my neck and sucks vigorously on the spot.
I moan, “I love you,” before he presses me back onto the empty desk. He groaned as he pressed his erection against my pelvis.
Holy hell he was going to kill me.
This time wasn’t gentle, but it was ten times more special. At one point we rolled off the desk and crashed to the floor, laughing but never stopping. Every kiss was vicious and every touch was rough, but I liked it that way. We liked it that way. He made me scream his name in absolute ecstasy. I knew I wanted life to be like that forever more.
In the calm silence that followed, I confessed everything. I told Ronan about how I was forced to become engaged, how I hated Payton and all I wanted was to be with him, how in love with him I’d truly always been. He took it all in rubbing circles up and down my shaking body.
I was getting sleepy in his arms when he whispered in my ear, “Brynn, I love you too. It’s you and me babe, forever. Sleep now…I’ll figure this out. I’ll make a plan. We’re going to be together.”
I believed him.
Before my eyes slid close I whispered his name and he looked down at me, “You owe me a new dress.” I murmured softly. I heard him chuckle before I slipped into the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had.
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Okay, I have no excuses for not uploading soon. I've had this written for almost a week now. For all you Payton lovers, don't you worry. For all you Ronan lovers, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Plus, you should thank my lovely best friend Rachel or RPerna176 for writing the office scene ;) I should have the next chapter up soon depending on how much I have to work this week. I'm also in the process of writing two other stories sooooooo, idk when those will be up. But the song on the side is Shania Twain- Still the one and it describes Ronan's and Brynn's relationship perfectly and the dress on the side is the dress Brynn is wearing.