Brandon nodded, but didn’t move. Instead, he glared at Travis and Zeck. Jess knew no one would move if she didn’t say something. “Travis, Zeck, I’ll see you tomorrow at school. Thanks for coming around.”
They didn’t say anything as they left her room. When Jess was alone in her room she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and walked to her closet and opened it. Jess looked at her clothes. She didn’t have many nice going out things, as usually she didn’t go out anywhere to need them. She didn’t go to parties, or shopping with girls, or even on a date. Picking out a dress her mother had bought her, Jess promised herself she would take Sasha up on a shopping trip. Jess would buy some going out things. After all, her mother was always offering her money and credit cards to go out and get some new clothes, shoes, and girlie items, and now Jess was going to take her up on the offer.
Slipping into her only high heels she sat in front of her vanity and put light make-up on and brushed her hair. She stood and took a deep breath before she walked out of the room and down to Brandon.
In the family room she found Brandon, but Travis and Zeck hadn’t left. The room was full of tension. It was so thick that when Jess walked in, she knew they’d sat there glaring at each other the whole time she’d gotten ready to go out.
Sighing at the men she walked by to sit between Travis and Zeck when Brandon grabbed her and sat her on his lap. She let out a squeal as he wrapped his arms around her.
“You look beautiful.” He kissed the nape of her neck and placed a wrapped box in her lap. “Happy birthday.” He turned her head up to give her a quick kiss.
Jess didn’t dare look at Zeck or Travis. Instead, she focused on the gift before her, undoing it. Jess’s heart raced as the paper fell to reveal a blue velvet box. Taking a deep calming breath she opened it and gasped at the sight before her, two yellow emerald stud earrings and a heart necklace with two yellow emeralds one in each top loop. “Brandon, I can’t accept these. It’s too much.” She looked up into his green eyes that flashed gold the same color as the necklace and earrings. Turning away before he caught her in them she muttered, “I mean I’ve only known you for two days. This is a lot.”
Brandon leaned over and caressed her cheek. “I want you to have them. I want you to know I’m serious. You’re mine, Jezebel.”
A choking noise caught her attention, and she glanced over at Travis and Zeck. Zeck was glaring daggers at Brandon, but Travis looked pale and his eyes were wide as he stared at her and Brandon.
Brandon’s fingers tilted her chin to look back at him. “I want you to wear them all the time and think of me.”
“I can’t wear them all the time. They are too expensive.” She couldn’t believe she was even considering wearing them.
Brandon gathered her hair to the side and undid Travis’s necklace. He put his on her and placed Travis’s in the case. Brandon then took her earrings off and placed them with Travis’s necklace.
“I want you to wear them. I bought them for you to wear all the time.” He placed the earrings in her hands, and Jess put them in. Brandon smiled when she had then on. “Perfect. You look stunning.” His mouth took hers in a possessive kiss, and she melted into it.
She felt herself being grabbed. “What the fuck is going on, Jess?” Travis pulled her from Brandon.
Jess looked at her friends. “What the hell did you do that for, Travis? What’s gotten into you?”
“You can’t kiss him. You’ve only just met him. You can’t want him to be your boyfriend. He’s not right for you.” There was a pleading to Travis’s voice, and his eyes begged her.
She didn’t know what to say. Was Brandon her boyfriend? Was he just her lover? Was he a friend? Jess had no idea what she was to Brandon. He’d told her she was his, a mate, but that didn’t really tell her what she was to him or he to her. Was Travis right? Chewing on her bottom lip she wished her parents would come in and interrupt. She had no idea what she should say.
“You may be right, Travis, but Brandon and I are going on a date. First we are going to dinner with his and my parents, so we can all get to know each other.”
“When I told you to look after her I only meant last night,” Travis whispered and stared at Brandon. “She doesn’t need you anymore. She has me … and she has Zeck.”
Jess shot her gaze to Brandon. “Travis asked you to look after me?”
Brandon shrugged, and he glared at her friends. “I would have looked after her whether you were there or not. Jezebel is my mate. She’s important. I will always make sure she is safe, looked after, and happy. She may not need me, but I need her.”