Demanded by Him (Chosen by Him #7) Read Online Free

the doorway and swayed side to side as she held the stack of folders. “So, did you want to give me the answers to the final?” she laughed. “Kidding, I’m only kidding.”
    I forced a small laugh from my throat. “Is everything all right with Summer?”
    “Yeah, she’s great.”
    “She’s been acting a bit differently lately. She seems…distracted.”
    Alyssa giggled. “Well, I did catch her trying to track down a spider in the bathroom vent in the ceiling. That’s pretty strange, at least for her, but otherwise, she seems normal.”
    “She hasn’t seemed overly stressed about this investment project she’s been working on?”
    “Investment project?” Alyssa cocked her head as she looked up towards the ceiling. “No, I mean, I haven’t heard anything about it…but that’s not unusual. I’ve been out a lot lately. We really haven’t had much time to catch up on things. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
    I stared hard into Alyssa’s eyes, waiting for a sign as to whether she was lying, but she didn’t break.
    She raised the stack of folders a bit higher, calling attention to them. “I’m sorry, I really should get going to this meeting. Everyone’s probably waiting on me. I have the files, after all.”
    I quickly nodded, letting her escape the rest of my questioning.
    Something wasn’t right. My instincts were usually spot on about things like this and I hoped that I wasn’t being played like I had been once before, allowing my heart to blind me.

Summer
    The dingy, musty smell of the motel room burned my nose. Brandon sat on the edge of the bed that was covered with a green flowered bedspread. The thick blackout curtains were open just enough to let the harsh light inside off the room. The air conditioner rattled and redistributed the cool, smelly air.
    This seemed to be one of those motel rooms that you rented by the hour or maybe planned to live in for an extended period of time. I hoped neither would be the case with Brandon. I wanted him out of our lives as quickly as possible. I had put my life at risk coming to the seedy part of town to meet him at his hotel and now I had to face him here and pay him even more money.
    “What the fuck, Brandon? I asked you to take the money and go.” I clenched my jaw as my eyes shot him a look of wanting to kill him. “I’ve done everything you’ve demanded,” I snapped. I wielded Chase’s check like a white flag. “Here, take this last damn check, cash it, and get out of my life for good. I can’t get any more money for you.”
    Brandon smiled and stood, making his way closer to me. A sly, nasty smiled hung on his face as he plucked the check from my fingers and opened it briefly to look at the amount. “Nice. But maybe there is something else you can give me.”
    “Not a chance in hell.”
    He tucked the check into his pocket and extended his arm, his fingers touching the exposed skin on my shoulders.  “Remember back then? We used to have all kinds of fun…”
    I froze. “Don’t touch me, asshole.”
    He slid his fingers under the strap of my sundress and moved them down towards my breast.
    I jerked away from him. “I told you to get your hands off of me.”
    I wondered how I’d gotten myself into this mess. How I’d allowed him to get this close to Chase and me. I’d been a total idiot, that’s how. Taking the easy way out, hoping for a quick end to the tumult Brandon had reintroduced to my life. I hadn’t wanted complications, I hadn’t wanted to be embarrassed.
    I’d wanted to protect Chase from all of this.
    “Come on, Sums, don’t be like that. Just once, for ole times’ sake.” He chuckled and leaned in closer. His hot breath brushed my cheek.
    Instinctively, I raised my knee, catching him in the crotch, but without making the full contact I had intended.
    “Close,” he chuckled again. “I remember how feisty you were. Maybe you can use some of that now.”
    “I’m not going to touch you or be with you or do anything