Jezebel's Lion by Hazel Gower Read Free Book Online Page A

for coming around.”
    They didn’t say anything as they left her room. When
Jess was alone in her room she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been
holding and walked to her closet and opened it. Jess looked at her clothes. She
didn’t have many nice going out things, as usually she didn’t go out anywhere
to need them. She didn’t go to parties, or shopping with girls, or even on a
date. Picking out a dress her mother had bought her, Jess promised herself she
would take Sasha up on a shopping trip. Jess would buy some going out things. After
all, her mother was always offering her money and credit cards to go out and
get some new clothes, shoes, and girlie items, and now Jess was going to take
her up on the offer.
    Slipping into her only high heels she sat in front
of her vanity and put light make-up on and brushed her hair. She stood and took
a deep breath before she walked out of the room and down to Brandon.
    In the family room she found Brandon, but Travis and
Zeck hadn’t left. The room was full of tension. It was so thick that when Jess
walked in, she knew they’d sat there glaring at each other the whole time she’d
gotten ready to go out.
    Sighing at the men she walked by to sit between
Travis and Zeck when Brandon grabbed her and sat her on his lap. She let out a
squeal as he wrapped his arms around her.
      “You look
beautiful.” He kissed the nape of her neck and placed a wrapped box in her lap. “Happy birthday.” He turned her head up to give her a
quick kiss.
    Jess didn’t dare look at Zeck or Travis. Instead, she
focused on the gift before her, undoing it. Jess’s heart raced as the paper
fell to reveal a blue velvet box. Taking a deep calming breath she opened it
and gasped at the sight before her, two yellow emerald stud earrings and a
heart necklace with two yellow emeralds one in each top loop. “Brandon, I can’t
accept these. It’s too much.” She looked up into his green eyes that flashed
gold the same color as the necklace and earrings. Turning away before he caught
her in them she muttered, “I mean I’ve only known you for two days. This is a
lot.”
    Brandon leaned over and caressed her cheek. “I want
you to have them. I want you to know I’m serious. You’re mine, Jezebel.”
    A choking noise caught her attention, and she
glanced over at Travis and Zeck. Zeck was glaring daggers at Brandon, but
Travis looked pale and his eyes were wide as he stared at her and Brandon.
    Brandon’s fingers tilted her chin to look back at
him. “I want you to wear them all the time and think of me.”
    “I can’t wear them all the time. They are too
expensive.” She couldn’t believe she was even considering wearing them.
    Brandon gathered her hair to the side and undid
Travis’s necklace. He put his on her and placed Travis’s in the case. Brandon
then took her earrings off and placed them with Travis’s necklace.
    “I want you to wear them. I bought them for you to
wear all the time.” He placed the earrings in her hands, and Jess put them in.
Brandon smiled when she had then on. “Perfect. You look stunning.” His mouth
took hers in a possessive kiss, and she melted into it.
    She felt herself being grabbed. “What
the fuck is going on, Jess?”   Travis pulled her from Brandon.
    Jess looked at her friends. “What the hell did you
do that for, Travis?   What’s gotten into
you?”
    “You can’t kiss him. You’ve only just met him. You
can’t want him to be your boyfriend. He’s not right for you.” There was a
pleading to Travis’s voice, and his eyes begged her.
    She didn’t know what to say. Was Brandon her
boyfriend? Was he just her lover? Was he a friend? Jess had no idea what she
was to Brandon. He’d told her she was his, a mate, but that didn’t really tell
her what she was to him or he to her. Was Travis right?   Chewing on her bottom lip she wished her
parents would come in and interrupt. She had no idea what she should say.
    “You may be