Page 135 of Triggered By Love
“But he planned on proposing?” Jason’s gaze was expectant, as if he were waiting for a surprise ending or a twist to the story.
“I don’t know. I talked myself into it when I saw him slip the ring box into his pocket. I thought he was on the verge of breaking up with me.” She extracted her hand from his and wiped her eyes. “To this day, I don’t know if he would have truly proposed or done it for the publicity—you know, make news and then take it back later?”
“I’m sure he intended to marry you.”
“Not if I had to go back and do a private show every year. After we did what we had to do, he dropped me off at The Manor and turned off his phone. I knew then and there that I disappointed him. I wasn’t sure if he’d ever want to see my face again. Thinking about it now, I degraded him and dragged him down to my level.”
She shocked herself at revealing so much to Jason. She’d never even admitted to herself that she’d degraded Brando and that he suffered a trauma because of it.
She covered her mouth and cried, “It must have felt like rape for him.”
Jason rubbed her back and cuddled her close. “He must have love you immensely.”
“Why didn’t he refuse?” She almost said, like you did, but she swallowed the words. She should never compare one man with the other. Brando wanted to please her, even when it came to sacrificing himself.
“He was probably shocked. How did you get him to walk with you at the fashion show? You must have impressed on him how important it was to you.” He made it sound like she was a master persuader or hypnotist.
She laid her forearm over her eyes, not wanting to see Jason’s expression. His voice was enough to nail her as the one at fault.
“I was on pins and needles, not hearing from him. He didn’t answer my texts or return my calls. He didn’t even meet his mother for dinner. I was sure he wasn’t showing up for the ramp walk, but right before we lined up the models, he appeared—dressed in the suit I made for him.” She closed her eyes at the memory, knowing that a faint smile graced her face. “He was like a dashing prince come to kiss sleeping beauty. I hoped it meant he’d forgiven me.”
“You trusted him to come through.”
“Yes, he always did. To the end.” Tears spurted from her eyes, and she choked on her sobs.
Jason didn’t say anything. He just held her; for how long, she wasn’t sure. The constant pressure of his hard, hot body against her and his strong, solid arms. He didn’t make tutting sounds or say words of comfort, didn’t tell her she was right or had no choice, didn’t lie and tell her everything would be okay. She had failed Brando at the crucial moment. She should have been the one who died—not him.
Instead, here she was, with another man’s steady presence. A man who had blood on his hands, even if it was in service to protecting the public, but a man who for whatever reason insisted on being her shelter in the storm.
The tears gave way to sheer and utter exhaustion. She’d been running on fumes just to get through the show.
Her face found a snuggly spot tucked in the junction of Jason’s chest and bicep, and she yawned. “Will you forgive me if all I want to do is sleep?”
“That’s exactly what I want.” Jason adjusted his body in a more comfortable position. “You to be so trusting of me that you’d sleep in my arms, safe and protected. Knowing I’ll never hurt you and I’ll never let anyone else hurt you.”
Wow. She was knocked speechless. It sure sounded like he loved her, although she shouldn’t put words in his mouth. Could he truly settle for damaged goods like her?
“Do you want me because I’m easy pickings?” She put a joking lilt to her voice while trembling on the inside and dreading his disdain.
He feathered her lips with his and rubbed noses. “I don’t care if you’re easy or hard, as long as you let me be the one to protect you.”
“Who’ll protect you?” she asked, wanting to fold him into her arms and rest his head on her breasts. “Who’ll see to it that you won’t be hurt?”
His arrogant grin was back, splitting his rugged face wide open. “You just volunteered.”
“I did, didn’t I?” She rested her arm over his broad chest, as if it were a comforting shield. “I hereby solemnly swear that I will protect your heart with mine.”
She didn’t know if she could keep her promise, but then again, it was up to him to let it only go so far. She wouldn’t knowingly hurt him, but she didn’t have much left to give.
* * *
While Avery restedin his arms, Jason made a mental note to follow up on Brando’s state of mind after Avery manipulated him into performing for the professor’s lecherous pleasure.
Any man would have felt violated. Used. Betrayed. Angry enough to kill. Add to that the deep shame and utter disappointment. He must have wondered how a woman who professed to love him would put him in such a degrading position.
Had he made plans to avenge himself? Or did he drown his emotions with alcohol?
Had he considered reporting the professor to authorities? Or did he buy a gun and plan on hunting them down? Stalk the professor and run his van off the road?
