Page 42 of Playing with Forever (Players Club Sinners #1)

Andrea

Unless Brandon started doing something other than stare at me, which I was beginning to find disconcerting. We were in the conference room, sitting across from one another at the table, and I could feel him looking at me. It was taking everything in me not to snap at him.

I exhaled a deep breath and told myself it was just the stress from the last couple of days. On top of the stress from the last week. On top of the stress from the last couple months.

Wow, I needed a vacation.

Brandon was probably just worried about me, but I suspected that wasn’t the case.

I had appreciated his sympathy and listening ear the other day, but I had the feeling that he was going to try to ask me out again and I really did not have the patience to get it through his stubborn skull that I wasn’t going to date him. Ever.

Brandon was a good guy. But no matter how many good qualities a guy had, they could piss you off if they wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

You’re just being paranoid, I told myself, sighing and sitting back in my chair. I had been an absolute wreck for the last week. Of course I was going to start getting pissed off for no reason at people who didn’t deserve it.

I couldn’t wait to get back to Chase’s place. I was sure he’d find a way to get rid of the stress for me…

Brandon cleared his throat. “Andrea?”

I glanced over at him. He was still staring at me. “You okay?” I asked.

“I’m—I’m fine.” Brandon smiled at me. It was a cute smile, he was a cute guy, but I suddenly felt the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. “I’m actually doing really great, because you and your boyfriend broke up. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I didn’t say anything at all. But that uneasy feeling inside of me increased.

“I’m sorry you were hurt, I really am. I never want you to be hurt,” Brandon continued, sounding robotically sincere.

“But that’s why you need a different kind of man.

A kind, nice person who will show you just how special you are.

I hope that you’re ready to see that now.

You just had to go through that breakup with that jerk, to appreciate what you really need, what you really want. ”

I opened my mouth to tell him actually, the last thing any woman enjoys is being told what she wants, and then forced it shut again because I didn’t want to do or say anything to antagonize him.

I had to remind myself that most people weren’t like Chase, they didn’t like it when I was defiant and prickly.

Still, Brandon was delusional, and I couldn’t ignore that horrible sick feeling swirling in my stomach. Some instinct in me screaming that something was wrong, and I didn’t know why , but I knew that I needed to listen to that voice.

“Brandon,” I started slowly. “You’ve been incredibly kind to me…”

My phone buzzed and I glanced at it. It was from Chase.

“Sorry, one sec…” I opened the text.

IT’S brANDON, Chase’s text read. GET OUT OF THERE NOW. I’M COMING FOR YOU.

Panic jolted through me, and I felt my expression change to reflect that apprehension the second I read the message. You have no poker face, Violet would always tell me, laughing. She wasn’t wrong.

Brandon. It’s Brandon. Brandon was my stalker.

I slowly looked up, trying desperately to stay calm and keep my expression neutral, and I found myself staring at a complete stranger.

The man sitting across from me was Brandon, of course he was, but he was not at all the man I knew.

Something completely shifted, and now I could see a dangerous, gleaming light in his eyes, a tightness to his face.

He knew that I knew.

I swallowed hard. I wanted to flee, terror gripping me, but I ignored it. I’d never backed down before and I wasn’t going to back down now. Whatever happened, I was going to go down fighting.

I stood up, and he did the same. A standoff, it felt like, judging by the way his gaze narrowed in on me. I calculated the distance to the door, but knew he could easily intercept me, so I remained where I was for now.

“You’re my stalker,” I said, calling him out on his shit. “It’s you.”

“Of course it was me, Andrea.” Brandon sounded completely unashamed. Pleased, even. Relieved, like he was happy that I knew. “Who else would love you enough to do what I’ve done?”

“Love?” I gaped at him in shock. Yep, definitely delusional, but weren’t most stalkers? “That’s what you call it?”

“That’s what it is.” Brandon shrugged and gave me a smile that was no longer cute, but creepy.

“I’m so glad that it’s all out in the open now.

It’s been exhausting waiting for you to figure it out.

To open your eyes and see what’s right in front of you.

I’ve been patient, love must always be patient, but even I have my limits. ”

“You don’t even know me.”

“Of course I know you,” he said, tapping his fingers on the conference table. “I know everything about you, even the parts that you don’t want people to see.”

“You have no idea who I am,” I snapped. “Following a person around doesn’t mean you know them! So you saw my shoulder tattoo, and you figured out where I live. That doesn’t mean you know jack shit about me .”

Antagonizing Brandon probably went against everything you should do when facing a potentially violent psychopath, but I figured I just had to keep him talking until Chase arrived. I only had to hold out until then. And I wasn’t very good at being diplomatic.

“I know jack shit, huh?” Anger vibrated through Brandon’s voice and flared to life in his eyes. “I know exactly what you get up to, you little slut. Visiting an exclusive sex club and letting that asshole put his dirty, filthy hands all over you. You can do so much better than him, Andrea.”

I was sure my horror showed all over my face. Brandon had been doing far more stalking, and for far longer, than I’d realized. I wanted to throw up.

He started around the table. “I tried to be nice. I really wanted to be a gentleman, but clearly you like it rough, and dirty, and I’m more than happy to accommodate those desires, too.”

I backed up instinctively, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might rip straight through my chest, but I forced myself to stay upright. Alert. In control.

“You don’t want to do this,” I said, forcing my voice to stay level, despite the terror coiling through me. “If you touch me, there’s no coming back from that. My boyfriend is former military and works at a private security firm. He’ll make sure you never see daylight again.”

“You mean ex -boyfriend,” Brandon sneered, moving closer. “He threw you away like trash. I’m the one who’s been here for you. Watching out for you. Loving you. I see you. He doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as you.”

He was unhinged. Fully gone. There was no kindness left in his eyes, and I knew I had no choice but to try and make a run for the door. I started in that direction, but Brandon was faster. He lunged in front of me, grabbing my arm and yanking me back. I cried out in pain.

“What’s the matter, baby?” Brandon asked, his voice eerily soft. “Isn’t this how you like it?”

I glared at him. “Let go of me, now .”

“I know you don’t mean that,” he said, shoving me back against the conference table. “Now I know exactly what you want.”

He grabbed my throat and I gasped as my airway closed off. I clawed at his arm, but couldn’t dislodge his hold. Brandon leaned in close, eyes bright with what my terror-addled brain could only describe as madness. “You. Are. Mine. Got it?”

“Fuck you ,” I gasped out, and I brought my knee up as hard as I could between his legs.

Brandon doubled over, crying out in pain, his hands grabbing his crotch.

I sprinted for the door, kicking my heels off as I ran.

I didn’t bother with the elevator but lunged for the emergency stairwell, running down them.

I could hear movement above me and I knew that Brandon, even with the injury, was hot on my heels. And now, even madder than before.

I hurtled down to the lobby. Of course, of course the security guard wasn’t there. Probably doing his rounds now that most people had left for the day. I screamed with frustration, tears pricking my eyes.

Behind me, I heard the door to the stairwell slam open. Fuck, I didn’t have much time. I sprinted for the front doors, rushing out into the parking lot—and right into the path of a car. The car screeched to a halt and I felt my entire body sag in relief as Chase emerged.

“Andrea—”

I saw his face change to unconcealed rage as he looked behind me, and the next moment I was shoved aside, put behind him, as Brandon emerged from the lobby the same moment Chase charged toward him.

Chase moved faster than I thought possible.

He grabbed Brandon by the wrist and used Brandon’s forward movement against him, twisting his arm and flipping Brandon over on himself.

Brandon hit the ground hard on his stomach, arm bent behind him, Chase’s knee planted firmly in the middle of his back, keeping him pinned.

“If you ever come near her again,” Chase snarled at him, “I’ll make damn sure you regret it. I will fucking destroy you for even looking in her direction then bury your fucking body somewhere in the desert where nobody will find you.”

Brandon thrashed, trying to buck him off, but Chase didn’t budge. His entire body radiated fury—controlled, focused, deadly.

Chase dug his phone out of his pocket with his free hand and dialed. “Hello? Yes, I need police immediately…”

My entire body shook with delayed shock. Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I was still standing. Still breathing. Because of Chase.

Chase kept Brandon subdued until the police arrived, and once they took him into custody, Chase walked toward me like I was the only thing left that mattered in the world. When he reached me, he gently cupped my face in his hands, his intense eyes searching my expression.

“Are you hurt?” His voice was rough with emotion, like he was scared the answer might undo him.

I shook my head. “You got here just in time.”

The words felt inadequate. Nothing could capture the pure relief flooding through me. Nothing could express the way my knees nearly buckled from the weight of what could have happened, had Chase not arrived.

“You’re okay,” Chase promised, his voice calming me as he enveloped me in his strong arms, anchoring me. “You’re okay.”

“I know,” I whispered, burrowing my face against his chest. “You’re here.”

As long as Chase was here, I was safe.