Brendan (The Doherty Mafia Book 4) Read online

  Petra and I danced together and I finished the can of beer. It didn’t taste as bad anymore, now that I was enjoying myself. I had to admit—it felt like I’d been missing out by not going to these parties. I was actually having fun.

  Then, as Petra and I danced to music I had never heard before, I looked through the doors into the house and saw Brendan walk in.

  He walked in looking slicker than any guy had ever looked before. I was eighteen and he looked older, although he couldn’t have been that much older than me. But he had a whole entourage with him.

  Brendan walked in with his dusty brown hair styled in a quiff and a leather jacket. All heads turned to him and his gang. But it was pretty obvious that nobody was looking at his friends. All eyes were on the handsome tall guy who smoked a cigarette as he stood there by the front door.

  Even the people who had been dancing and chilling out by the pool craned their necks to look.

  Petra voiced my thoughts before I could get them out.

  “Who is he?” she asked a girl who was standing near us. She was one of Mia’s close friends, so she seemed like a reliable source.

  “Brendan Doherty,” the girl said in a zombie-like voice, walking away from us, almost like she was in a daze.

  We watched as Mia went running up to Brendan with plastic cups of beers in her hands. They were her offerings to him—she was giddy and giggly like she couldn’t believe her luck that he would grace her home with his presence.

  “Looks like an important guy,” I said to Petra. She was transfixed by him too. “Do you know who that is?”

  Finally, Petra was able to break away from the spell and she looked at me. Her eyes were all glazed too, which I assumed was from the weed.

  “I’ve heard of him.”

  “He wasn’t in school with us, was he?” I asked.

  “I don’t think he ever had the need for school. He’s a Doherty,” Petra replied. She tracked him with her eyes as he went around the house, shaking hands with people who drooled after him.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Petra shrugged.

  “I’m not sure. I guess his family is into stuff.”

  “Stuff?”

  “Why do you care?” she snapped. She clearly didn’t know as much as she wished she did.

  “I guess I don’t. I was just curious.”

  Petra sighed. “I’m going to go in and get us more beers.”

  “You’re going to try and talk to him? Get his attention?” I asked with a smirk.

  Petra rolled her eyes at that.

  “I can bet Brendan Doherty has better things to do than talk to us. All of a sudden, I’m very horny,” she said, breaking into an uncontrollable laugh. I had to smile at that.

  Maybe it was just the weed, but seeing Brendan made me feel a certain way too. Like I wanted to be touched. I wanted to feel the strength of a man’s muscular arms around me.

  But I also knew no other guy would do. It had to be Brendan, and Petra was right, he had better things to do than spare a moment of his time on me.

  By the time I had my third beer of the night, combined with the weed and all the dancing I did with Petra—I had pretty much forgotten about Brendan.

  For a while I paid attention to where he went around the house and who he was speaking to, but eventually, I gave up. There was no point fantasizing about him.

  Petra disappeared after a while too.

  Like she had already stated, she was horny—and there were a few guys she’d been flirting with all night. I didn’t go looking for her as I figured she would have wanted to be left alone.

  If there were any guys eyeing me up, I hadn’t noticed. I was too lost in my own world for that. I hung around by the pool even after Petra left. The beer suddenly tasted very good. I asked for a few puffs of the joint being passed around. I pretty much kept to myself though. I had never been much of a talker.

  So when I felt a tap on my shoulder, I expected it to be one of the guys offering me a go at the joint again. I turned with a floppy smile, grinning from ear to ear like an idiot. I could barely focus clearly on the person standing in front of me.

  But when reality registered, it hit me like a jolt.

  It was Brendan Doherty. He was right there. In his leather jacket and all. Hands tucked into the pockets with a handsome smile on his face, looking me up and down.

  “You look like you’re having fun all by yourself,” he said.

  What? Had he been watching me swaying to the music alone?

  I felt embarrassed. I couldn’t find the words to say to him. I wanted to tell him I wasn’t usually this dumbfounded. Usually, I had a lot to say.

  “I…uhh…” I must have sounded like a bumbling drunk idiot, but for some reason, Brendan chose to stay. His entourage was nowhere in sight.

  When I glanced over his shoulders, I noticed how there were other people staring at us. Everyone was curious why Brendan had chosen to come over and talk to the weird girl who hadn’t spoken to anyone else at the party.

  “It’s okay, it’s cool. You enjoy your own company,” he said.

  His smile was so handsome I almost melted to a puddle right then. At least I didn’t feel so high anymore. He had somehow managed to pull me back to a more sober state.

  “I usually do, yes. Nobody else is nearly as funny,” I replied. I was finally able to formulate words. Brendan smiled at that.

  “Okay, tell me a joke,” he said, arching his sharp dark brows.

  What had I done? I panicked. I could feel the color rising in my cheeks. Here was this guy—this perfect male specimen—and he expected me to make him laugh. I had nothing. I drew a complete blank.

  “Michael Jackson moon walks into a bar,” I said.

  “What?”

  “That’s it. That’s my joke.”

  Then he broke into a rip-roaring laugh.

  That memory hit me like a slap on the face while Brendan’s mouth moved over mine. Four years later and he was kissing me. I was in his arms. My ultimate fantasy of making out with Brendan Doherty came true and I melted. I was transported back to being that same giddy teenager with a crush on the local ‘bad boy’.

  I put my hands on his chest and pushed. That broke up our kiss.

  He stepped away from me, looking surprised. I was surprised by my own actions too. The kiss was good. The kiss was great. There was nothing wrong with the kiss.

  But there was something wrong with me, right?

  I was a mother now. I was an adult with jobs and responsibilities.

  Surely, I would have been able to resist falling into that same trap again—falling for Brendan with just one look. One handsome smile.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, brushing a hand through his hair.

  His hairstyle was different now, a little less showy, but still smart. His face was more mature, he was more muscular. He appeared bigger now somehow. Towering over me.

  Was I blushing? I could feel my cheeks going very hot.

  How could he reduce me to nothing all over again? Four years later, hadn’t I grown up at all? Did I learn nothing from the last time?

  He was a guy who took what he wanted and then threw it away when he was done playing. As for me, he left a mark on my mind despite how short our interaction had been. To him, it had meant nothing. He was just having fun. But to me, it had meant everything.

  Brendan was the guy of my dreams—well, maybe not, because I’d never dreamt of a guy like him. He was more than that.

  I wiped a hand over my mouth, glaring back at him.

  “I don’t…”

  “Want to do this?” he asked.

  I couldn’t make myself nod. I couldn’t make myself agree with him. If I told him I wanted out, he would let me leave. He wouldn’t hold me back by force. And then I’d miss my chance. Was that what I wanted?

  That was what I should have done.

  “I don’t know what I want,” I murmured. It was the truth.

  Brendan smiled,
then stepped up closer to me again. Slowly, he reached for my wrists and then lifted my arms up above my head. Before I knew what he was going to do next, he pushed me up against the wall, pinning my arms there.

  “Why don’t I give you a sample sized taste and then you can decide. Try before you buy, right?” he said.

  I was in heaven.

  Six

  Brendan

  She tasted too sweet to pass up.

  Whatever it was that was holding her back at first, dissolved after we started kissing. And even though she stopped, it was only temporary. When I pinned her up against the wall, it was a done deal after that.

  Rosalie purred like a cat when I undid her jeans and peeled them down her legs. With one hand still holding her wrists up above her head, I pushed my hand down her panties. She sighed when my fingers found her swollen clit.

  She was already hot and wet for me.

  I leaned my face close to hers again, and this time, she was the one who lunged for me, kissing me fiercely.

  Our mouths mashed together roughly while my fingers slipped into her dripping wet pussy. My cock throbbed in my pants. I knew I wanted more. I wanted to be inside her, feel that tight pussy around my cock, but for now my fingers would have to do.

  My thumb rubbed her clit while my fingers thrust in and out of her.

  She pulled her mouth away from me for air and I smirked. Her eyes were wide—almost like she was in shock at what was happening.

  I couldn’t believe it either. I couldn’t believe she could feel this good. I knew I wanted her from the moment I saw her, but I didn’t expect it to be this perfect.

  She rolled her hips to the rhythm of my thrusts. My fingers were covered in her juices and I pushed them deeper into her. She thudded lightly against the wall with every thrust of my hand. Her breath fell on my face.

  “Sorry about the hard sell, have I convinced you yet?” I asked.

  Her breath was harsh and heavy and I could see she was close to the edge of coming. I thrusted harder, rubbing her clit the way I knew would make her come for me.

  Rosalie tipped her head back, pressing her eyes close and finally she surrendered. I watched her with narrowed eyes, enjoying that look on her face of complete abandonment. This was a girl who didn’t like to lose control of herself, but now she had. She had no way to stop what was already happening to her.

  She moved and thrust back, sucking my fingers deep within her as she came. She sighed and moaned with pleasure and I could see how good it felt.

  My cock was so hard it was almost painful. I wanted to rip those panties off her and wrap her legs around me so I could be inside her. But I waited until she came.

  Rosalie’s shoulders heaved and she opened her eyes to me again. She was completely out of breath. I released my grip on her arms and stepped away from her. I was smiling. This was good. Now it was time for the second part.

  But she was already pulling up her jeans.

  “That’s it?” I growled.

  Very quickly, I was beginning to lose my patience with this chick again. I just gave her an incredible Earth-shattering orgasm which she couldn’t deny, and now she was just going to walk out of there like nothing happened?

  “What?” she snapped, while buttoning up her jeans.

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Yes. Like I mentioned earlier, I need to get back to work. I have a job I would like to keep, if that’s okay with you.”

  I was too surprised to say anything for a few moments. This had never happened to me before. No girl just walked out on me in the middle of the hottest experience of our lives. And the more she ignored my glares, the more I wanted her.

  I couldn’t even get this girl to look me in the eyes. It was like she was ashamed of herself for what happened between us.

  “I’m all for you keeping your job, but we were in the middle of something here.”

  Rosalie perked up her eyebrows, then shook her head slowly.

  “Why am I surprised? You’re like every entitled dickhead I come across at this place. You think I owe you something now?” She hooked a hand on her hip as she stared me down.

  Once again, she had me backed into a corner. I was speechless.

  Rosalie smoothened her hair which had become tousled from all the kissing against the wall.

  “No, you’re right, you don’t owe me anything,” I replied, even though that wasn’t exactly how I felt at that moment.

  I made her feel good. Better than good. I made her feel amazing. Didn’t she owe me something in return? I wasn’t running a fuckin’ charity here.

  “Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page,” she said, walking to the door of the store room.

  “Hey!” I called after her. I wanted her to stay. For fuck’s sake, I just wanted to talk to her a little bit so I could find out exactly what happened between us. This was a first for me.

  “What?” she snapped, turning to me.

  “Will I see you again?” I asked.

  Rosalie breathed in deeply. I noticed how her cheeks were still flushed from the toe-curling orgasm she just had. But she had no problem looking me in the eye now.

  “I don’t think we should see each other again,” she said.

  “Why the fuck not?”

  “Because this is where it ends for you and me, Brendan. I’m done with you. I hope you accept that, even though I’m sure you’re not used to things not going your way.”

  I was confused by the way she spoke to me. It felt like this was deeply personal to her for some reason. Like she had this little speech bottled up inside her for a long time.

  How the fuck did she know me?

  Before I could say another word, she walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

  I stood there speechless in the storeroom for a little while after she left.

  It took me some time to come around to the idea that there was something different about this girl. She had a strange hold over me.

  I was usually the one walking out after a quickie in a backroom.

  My cock still throbbed hard, enraging in my pants. I had to clench my fists tightly to control the urge to smash my hand into the wall.

  Anything to make it stop.

  I still wanted her.

  I couldn’t get her out of my head. How delicious and ripe she felt in my hands. How tight her pussy felt. I needed to be inside her. To fill her up. But she was gone now, without explanation.

  Going back to work wasn’t good enough as an excuse.

  Who the fuck cared about going to work when you experienced something like that?

  Finally, after I managed to calm myself again, I barged out of the storeroom. The music in the bar hit me like a slap across the face. I’d forgotten where I was.

  I went looking for her again, but this time, I knew she was gone. She’d left already. Clearly, she had lied to me when she said she needed to get back to work. She just wanted to get away from me.

  The bar was packed. People were everywhere. I was tempted to just go and order a few more drinks…until I remembered I wasn’t welcome in there. So, I too, had no choice but to leave.

  I didn’t even know her last name. Rosalie. Blue eyes. Golden hair. Those were the only things I knew about her.

  And how crazy she made me feel.

  Why did she run from me?

  I didn’t know the answer to that and I didn’t know if I’d ever find out. There was a chance I would never see her again.

  Tristian was gone by this time too. Maybe with some of the girls he was with earlier. I’d interrupted his night by attacking those guys. He must have seen me across the bar and he came running to help. We always had each other’s backs.

  I lit a cigarette angrily as I walked out of the bar. It was busy outside because this was New York. I kept replaying everything that had happened with Rosalie that night, and even though I felt like crap and a little insulted now that she was gone—I wouldn’t have changed anything.

  I would have
come to her rescue every night of the week if anybody tried to touch her. But how could I keep her safe when I didn’t even know where she was?

  I wandered the streets like a lost puppy for hours before I eventually went back to my apartment that night. By the time my head hit the bed—I was pretty sure she had pulled a number on me.

  Seven

  Rosalie

  I didn’t know if I would still have my job at the bar when I went back there the next night. Rocky expected me to return to my shift after the brawl Brendan started. But I disappeared after that.

  I followed Brendan out of the bar, but when I recognized him I ran. I had made my way to the store room to catch my breath.

  The shock of seeing him again after all these years was harsh. Memories, feelings, regrets—everything came flooding back to haunt me just from that one chance encounter.

  I didn’t think I would ever see him again after that night at the house party. I’d somehow managed to push him to the back of my memories and I never thought about him. I’d convinced myself he was insignificant.

  I was drunk and high that night.

  I was sure he was drunk too.

  So, whatever was said and done between us didn’t actually mean anything. And it was evident by the fact that four years later—he didn’t even remember me. He had no recollection of that night.

  So I went to the storeroom to gather myself. Tears emerged in my eyes because seeing Brendan again was a reminder of what life had been like back then. All my hopes and dreams.

  The last thing I expected was for him to turn up at the store room. I didn’t even know how he found me. But he came charging in and took control of the situation. How was I supposed to resist kissing him back?

  How was I supposed to walk away when he had his hand down my underwear?

  He had the same effect on me as he did the night we first met. I was entranced. It was like I was in another world. I wasn’t even myself.

  But as soon as I came, sense returned to my brain again.