50 Shades of Drake 1 and 2

50SOD II: Chapter Eighty-One

    Seated in the back of a limousine, hands primly folded in her lap. Facing an undeniably attractive man with pale skin, dark hair, and electric blue eyes. Those eyes were focused on her. He stroked his jaw while studying her, but didn't speak.

    Destiny was grateful for the silence. The entire situation was so painfully awkward, she preferred peace and quiet to forced conversation. She wasn't in the mood to exchange pleasantries while pretending that she didn't know he would rip her clothes off of her if he had the permission.

    Instead of paying Brian any mind, she recalled the conversation she'd had with Aubrey prior to leaving his condo.

    "Now...I want you to remember that your contract is terminated, meaning that you do not belong to me," Aubrey had told her. "What that means is, you can do whatever you want with whoever you want."

    She hadn't understood where he was going with that. "But...we're still together."

    "We intend to reconnect."

    "So...what does that mean?" she'd demanded. "We're not together? Are you trying to politely say that I'm single now?"

    He had closed his eyes. "I'm saying that if anything happens...while you're staying with Brian... I can't judge you for it. I just...wouldn't want to know about it."

    "Nothing would happen with Brian," she had snapped. "And I can't believe you're giving me your permission to do anything with him."

    "We don't know how long we'll have to be apart. And I know how persistent he is."

    She had rolled her eyes and pushed past him, so she could set her luggage near the door.

    He had followed her. "I don't mean to sound like...like I don't care about you."

    "You're jerking my feelings around and I don't appreciate it."

    "Not my intention. Hey. Look at me."

    She spun around to face him. "Yes? Sir?"

    "I don't want you to do anything with Brian. Or anyone else. I just...I'm telling you that if something did happen, you have my forgiveness. In advance. The situation is murky. You'll be living with him."

    "I don't want to hear this!" she shouted at him, dropping her suitcase on the floor and stomping back to the master bedroom.

    She stared at Brian now. Apparently, the Brian seated before her was the well-behaved Brian who could do no wrong. He hadn't flirted once since the limousine had pulled up. Points for him.

~~~~~~

    A beautiful, brown-skinned woman was seated across the limousine from him. She probably wasn't even aware of it, but she was shooting daggers at him with her eyes, glaring at him as if he'd stolen money from her. Brian couldn't tell if it was displaced anger, or if she was using her eyes to warn him not to try anything with her. Trying to make a move on her was the furthest thing from his mind. After the discussion he'd had with Aubrey, he just wanted to make sure that she was safe.

~~~~~~

EARLIER THAT DAY...

    Brian closed the office door at his back after getting a pretty severe glare from Bridgette. "What's so hush-hush that we had to meet in your office?" he questioned.

    "This matter isn't business-related," Aubrey advised, moving behind his desk. "This matter is personal. A favor that I need to ask of you."