Branded (Strand Brothers Series Book 1) Read online

  Branded

  (Strand Brother Series, #1)

  Lora Ann

  Branded

  (Strand Brothers Series, #1)

  Lora Ann

  Branded

  Published by The Greatest of These, LLC

  Florence, KY

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locals are entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved below, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2014 by Lora Ann

  ISBN 13: 978-0-9888787-3-0

  www.loraann.com

  Cover design by Sprinkles On Top, Inc.

  Photograph by Lora Ann

  This book is dedicated in loving memory of my late grandmother, who taught me love is worth the fight.

  Grandma G, even though you’ve been gone eleven years now, the lessons you taught me and your love for Jesus has never been forgotten. I will see you again. I love you.

  There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

  a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance

  Ecclesiastes 3: 1 & 4 (NIV)

  Contents

  Prologue: Aimee

  Chapter One: Aimee

  Chapter Two: Aimee

  Chapter Three: Nik

  Chapter Four: Aimee

  Chapter Five: Nik

  Chapter Six: Aimee

  Chapter Seven: Nik

  Chapter Eight: Aimee

  Chapter Nine: Nik

  Chapter Ten: Aimee

  Chapter Eleven: Nik

  Chapter Twelve: Aimee

  Chapter Thirteen: Nik

  Chapter Fourteen: Aimee

  Chapter Fifteen: Nik

  Chapter Sixteen: Aimee

  Chapter Seventeen: Nik

  Chapter Eighteen: Aimee and Caleb

  Chapter Nineteen: Nik

  Chapter Twenty: Aimee

  Chapter Twenty-One: Nik

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Aimee

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Nik

  Chapter Twenty-Four: Caleb

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Aimee

  Chapter Twenty-Six: Nik

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: Aimee

  Chapter Twenty-Eight: Nik

  Chapter Twenty-Nine: Aimee

  Chapter Thirty: Nik

  Chapter Thirty-One: Aimee

  Chapter Thirty-Two: Nik

  Chapter Thirty-Three: Aimee

  Chapter Thirty-Four: Nik

  Chapter Thirty-Five: Aimee

  Chapter Thirty-Six: Nik

  Chapter Thirty-Seven: Aimee

  Chapter Thirty-Eight: Aimee

  Chapter Thirty-Nine: Caleb

  Chapter Forty: Nik

  Epilogue: Aimee

  Play List

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  A Special Note

  Contact the Author

  Other Books by the Author

  Preview

  Prologue

  Aimee

  What on earth was I thinking when I agreed to go to this charity masquerade ball? Some of the most wealthy and influential people would be in attendance. Seriously! I need to have my head examined. “Alright now, just breathe, you can do this,” I whispered to my reflection in the mirror. I turned myself every which direction to get a good look at the dress I was wearing. Renée had really outdone herself putting it together for me. When I placed the mask on for the full effect, I realized there was no way anyone would recognize me. Not that I ran in such circles; however, this was a staged event for me. An opportunity to see if I had what my—hopefully soon—employer was looking for. I stepped out of my room to get the final approval from my best friend, Renée.

  “Girl, you’re going to knock their socks off.” She exclaimed, “You look amazing!”

  On a long exhale, I released the breath I’d been holding. “Are you sure?”

  “Hell yes, I’m sure.”

  I ran my hand down the full skirt of my gown. It truly was a magnificent dress—emerald green in color with gold edging. I felt like I’d stepped back in time. The mask matched perfectly. While there was no question I was feeling beautiful, my nerves were frayed. “Ren?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m not sure I can do this.”

  She walked over to tuck a tendril of my hair behind my ear. “Hey. It’s only escorting. You’ve been clear that you want no part of the other business. Relax. They’re going to love you. You have the look men want—sexy yet innocent.”

  I scoffed, “My hips are too wide, and my boobs are too large.”

  “My point precisely. Men like something to hold on to.”

  I smacked her arm. “Renée!” Then I reiterated, “I’m not going to prostitute myself.”

  Her lips thinned. “So, I’m a whore?”

  Oh, shit. “No.” I inhaled deeply before I clarified, “That’s not what I meant. All I mean is that, that side of the business isn’t my cup of tea. You know I’d never judge you.”

  Her entire body relaxed. “Sorry, Aims. I know you don’t.”

  Truth be told, the lure of the money was quite intoxicating. And I would be a liar if I said I hadn’t thought about it. My only hang-up was married men. Strange, I know, call it my own sense of morals, but there were just some lines I refused to cross.

  “Okay, now.” Renée explained, “You’ll meet Ann and Jack around eleven-ish. They’ll either give you the go ahead or turn you down.”

  I still had a hard time grasping it was a brother and sister team that ran the escort service. But according to Renée, they were fair-minded and knew what men of such caliber required. So if I was turned away, it was nothing personal. Still, I really needed the money desperately. With my dad fighting cancer, there was not a dime left for me. And I had run up an astronomical amount of student loans. Bottom line, this was my best bet to pay them off quickly and help out my family. Renée brought me back to the here and now when she said, “Remember, midnight. You make sure you’re out of there.”

  I couldn’t stifle the giggle. She raised an eyebrow at me. “Oh, come on.” I clarified, “Even you have to admit it is rather Cinderella sounding.”

  She grinned, “Then, by all means, find yourself a very rich Prince Charming.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Ha! Surrrrre. I’ll make that my top priority.”

  My phone beeped with an incoming message. I read the screen and turned to her. “Car’s here.”

  She kissed my cheek. “Go get ‘em, girl.”

  I waggled my fingers on the way out. “Ta-ta.”

  *****

  I focused on breathing and tried to keep my heart rate under control. There was no point in showing up soaked with sweat while I panted like I’d just run a marathon. I gave myself a mental pep talk: You can do this, Aimee. No worries. Everything’s going to work out fine. If I could only believe it was true. I considered praying but then thought that wasn’t such a great idea. Yes, I was only apply
ing for an escort position; however, I knew God was fully aware of just how tempting the offer was to take it a step further. Right, nix on the praying. When the door to the limo opened, I was pulled from my musing. I stepped out onto a red carpet. Luckily, I was no one of significance or with anyone important; hence, the focus was on others that arrived at the same time. Thank goodness.

  I was gathered swiftly into the throng and rushed inside. While I took in my surroundings along with all the marvelous attire, a waiter passed by with a silver tray of champagne flutes. I grabbed one and took a sip. In a matter of moments, I was swept onto the dance floor where one gentleman after another danced with me. I eventually needed a break and excused myself to the nearest powder room.

  Upon my return, I did my best to observe—all to no avail. A deep voice whispered in my ear. “May I have this dance?”

  A chill of awareness instantly shot up and down my spine. I swallowed the lump in my throat and fought the urge to lean into whoever he was. “Yes,” I huskily replied. What the hell is the matter with me? Never have I had such a reaction to a man. He stepped around me. Once I was in his arms, we began to waltz around the dance floor. He was extremely tall, and his broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his tux deliciously. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip. He didn’t miss the motion. Due to the full mask he wore, I couldn’t get a good look at his face. But I could see his eyes, which were a brilliant light blue. They reminded me of a glacier: sharp, intense, and very observant. There really wasn’t anything else visible on him. I did notice his hair appeared to be blond, maybe a shade or so lighter than mine, and long enough that he could tie it back with a black leather thong. Everything about the man screamed danger, so, of course, I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Confidence radiated off of him in waves. I was immediately reminded of how you could tell a man made love by the way he danced. Although I was not delusional, this man would not make love. No. He would fuck. The thought made me wet. All of a sudden, I became aware of several things at once: He inexorably danced me into the shadows while Michael Bublé sang, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” The actual performer was there live, and, honestly, I couldn’t imagine a better song for how I felt at that moment. The next thing I knew, he had pulled me through a door I never noticed before.

  I looked up at him and inquired, “Where are you taking me?”

  His lips curved up slightly as he replied, “Somewhere quiet.”

  Oh, my word. I had let a complete stranger drag me away from everyone and everything. And damn, if the idea didn’t excite me more. You would think I’d be a bit more concerned about my safety. For all I knew, this guy was an axe murderer. Yet, for some reason, I completely trusted him. I knew he would never hurt me physically. Although I was quite sure, the man had left more than one broken heart in his wake.

  We slipped into a small library/office. The room was dimly lit; thus, I reached over to turn on a lamp sitting on a side table.

  “Don’t,” he murmured.

  I really wanted to know how his voice truly sounded. So far, the few words he had spoken were all whispered; therefore, I couldn’t hear it clearly. I did catch a slight rasp with a hint of some kind of accent but nothing discernable. Gah! The man became more frustrating by the moment. I heard the door lock, and then he was in front of me. He caressed up and down my sides, nibbling along my neck. I leaned to the side to give him better access, all the while I made little mewling noises.

  He suckled the tender spot just below my earlobe. “Tell me to stop if I’ve misread the attraction between us,” he demanded.

  No way in hell I was doing that. The electricity was arcing between our bodies with a mind of its own. Instead, I begged for more. “Please.”

  I felt his smile along my throat. “Right answer,” he groaned. Meanwhile, I began to explore his body. I managed to push the jacket off his shoulders, as he tugged the bodice of my gown over my breasts. With his teeth, he worked the lace of my bra out of the way and then laved my nipple. The man had a wicked tongue and knew just how to use it. He gently scraped the sensitive peak with his teeth, causing me to moan. “So responsive,” he purred. I reached up to draw the mask from his face when he stilled my hands. “No,” he commanded. “Let’s leave them on.”

  I growled out of frustration. In response, he decided to lavish attention on my other nipple. I was beyond hot and bothered. I wanted this man deep inside me. “More,” I demanded.

  With that, he eased me onto the sofa. He reached under my dress and traced his fingers under my panties. “You’re ready for me.” His finger dipped inside my core.

  “Yes.” Was the only coherent thing I managed to say.

  Another finger joined the party while his thumb began to draw slow, exquisite circles around my tight nub. I was going to come if he kept that up for much longer. All of a sudden he stopped, and I actually whined. “Patience, little one,” he instructed. I bit my lip in an attempt to hold back my protest. As his fingers continued to explore my body, he leaned back on his heels. “I can’t decide where to taste you first. Should it be here?” He ran the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip, and I could taste my essence. “Or should I kiss these lips?” His finger teased my cleft before he traced up to circle the bundle of nerves at the top. Oh, fucking, my! I arched my hips. “I agree,” he confirmed, and then his mouth was there at my center—licking, sucking, and nipping. While I rode his face, I tugged his head tighter into me. The man knew his way around a woman’s body. And, let’s be honest here, there was nothing hotter than a man who enjoyed going down on a woman. My orgasm hit ferociously. Before I could come down off the first one, his fingers were inside me coaxing the second.

  Once I regained some semblance of composure, he released himself into his hand. Holy shit. He was very large there as well—thick, long, and incredibly swollen. I was not convinced he would fit. He pulled out a condom and ripped open the package with his teeth. As he slid it over his impressive penis, his fingers were, once again, sliding in and out of me. He placed the head of his cock into my entrance, and I moaned in pleasure. Slowly, he inched inside me. Just when I thought he couldn’t go any further, he grabbed my ass and lifted. After he fully seated himself, he held still for a moment. “You’re so damn tight,” he growled as his eyes closed.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist to get even closer, which caused him to groan. Then, he began to move. It didn’t take long for me to catch on to his rhythm. As I predicted, he began thrusting harder and faster. His hips slammed into my butt with enough force to rock the sofa back. I worried someone could hear the thumping. But there was no way I would stop him. My climax was building, and I knew this one would be even more intense than the other two. He didn’t fail me. My eyes rolled back as the orgasm hit, and then with one more powerful thrust he followed.

  As our breathing began to regulate, I stroked my hands across his expansive chest. “You are amazing.”

  He pulled out and said, “You’re the astounding one.”

  I watched as he removed the condom, tied it off, and put it in his pocket. Then, he stuffed his still semi-erect sex back into his pants. He handed me my panties and watched as I put them back on. Once we were back to rights, he hauled me into his hard body and kissed me senseless. When he pulled away, I was once again breathless. He held out his hand to me and walked over to the door. We stepped out of the room hand in hand.

  *****

  I turned towards him and queried, “Are you going to tell me your name?”

  He shook his head. “And ruin the mystery? Never.”

  “But… if I don’t know your name and you don’t know mine, how will I see you again?”

  He half-smiled. “I’ll find you, little one,” he promised.

  “Mmm.” I pointed out the obvious. “You don’t even know what I look like.”

  “Now that’s half the fun.”

  Once we reached the ballroom, he pivoted towards me and drew my hand to his lips, where he kissed my knuckles. “Till we meet ag
ain.”

  I stood there dumbfounded. Before I could say another word, he turned and left. The synapses finally fired in my brain. Oh, hell, no. He was not leaving here until I knew who he was. I searched frantically; however, I was unable to tell who was who in the sea of masks. I reached the door to the outside but couldn’t see in the dark. I slowly pivoted and then scanned the room urgently. It was useless. He was nowhere to be found. I noticed the song playing was “We’ll Meet Again” by Johnny Cash. How ironic. I shook my head to clear the fog and then stepped outside.

  *****

  I walked to the line of limos. When I heard my name, I turned around to see a couple striding towards me. The woman stuck out her hand. “Hello, Aimee. I’m Ann. And this is Jack,” she introduced.

  I shook hands with both of them. “How do you do?”

  Jack asked, “Were you going to leave without speaking to us?”

  Crap. I’d completely forgotten why I was here. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to locate you, and it has been a long night.” Okay, yes, I was lying. I hoped they didn’t figure that out.

  Ann smiled, “No worries, my dear. We just wanted to welcome you.”

  Well, now I really felt bad. “Thank you.” I smiled. “When would you like me to start?”

  They both grinned. “We’ll be in touch,” Jack answered.

  Ann replied, “Expect a call on Monday.” They turned to walk back inside. She looked over her shoulder and called, “Have a good night, Aimee.”

  I responded, “You as well. Again, thank you.”

  With that, I found my limo driver holding the door open for me. I crawled into the backseat and closed my eyes. On the drive back to my apartment, all I could think of was my mystery man. How would he ever find me? More importantly, that had been the best sex of my life, so, how was I supposed to go on like nothing had ever happened? I inhaled deeply and could still smell him on my dress. The memory of his hands, his mouth, on my body brought forth an ache deep inside my core. Ah, hell, I’m in serious trouble.