Looking around, the girls were getting ready to leave. Dominic had arranged transport to get them home and agreed an eleven o’clock party finish time with their parents.
I could pop down when the girls left and see Brandon, thank him for my gift, and then come back up here and put my pyjamas on and wait for Dominic to return. I’d saved him some birthday cake.
Travelling down in the lift, my friends and I hugged and kissed. I thanked them for coming over and for fully embracing me into their circle. I was truly grateful. Internally, I thanked Dominic for his decision to enrol me in school. I’d already expressed gratitude for their gifts but for me people were a far greater gift than material objects.
Security greeted us as the doors opened and in turn they ushered each of my friends into a car until I was the only one left.
“You okay, miss?” One security guard asked as he looked back towards the lift, presumably expecting me to go back upstairs.
I knew these guys had a job to do and were aware that I would now be alone, but I was also confident that they wouldn’t prevent me leaving. They might report back to Dominic but no more.
“I have a friend outside, another friend, a boy.”
My explanation was seemingly clear as two of the security guys exchanged a knowing glance.
“I’ll just pop out for a minute.”
“Of course, but should you plan on going on elsewhere, could you let us know?”
I nodded although that might seem invasive on their part, but again, I knew this was so they could report my whereabouts to Dominic because he would without doubt lose his shit if he returned home to find me missing. I knew that some people would consider this over the top and unreasonable, but to me it was more about Dominic’s protectiveness and obsession with safety and security. Briefly, and possibly for the first time, I questioned why he was so obsessive where protection and wellbeing were concerned.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I headed for the door and found Brandon waiting for me.
There was a chill in the air, and I didn’t have a coat on, triggering shivers.
“Come here.” Brandon pulled me closer and turned us, sandwiching me between him and the wall of the building. “Happy birthday,” he said, leaning in to kiss me.
We’d kissed before. Nothing like the kisses I’d shared with Dominic, and we had held hands, but no more than that and I didn’t want any more than that. Truth be told I didn’t really want that. I wanted Dominic.
“Do you want your present?”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure I did, especially not if this was going to be our last encounter, and for me it was.
“You didn’t have to.”
He frowned as he took my hand and moved it to the bulge in his trousers.
“Brandon, I . . .” I was at a loss for words.
“Happy birthday,” he repeated, and with his hand still over mine, he added pressure so I was almost squeezing him.
“No.”
I pulled my hand free and he moved closer, pushing himself against me so that his erection dug into my belly and that is when he began to move it against me while his lips covered mine and I felt one of his hands grabbing at my leg as it forced its way beneath my dress.
Initially I froze, experiencing some kind of out of body experience before pushing him hard, suddenly remembering some of the things Dominic had taught me in the name of self-defence. They enabled me to put distance between us and position myself so I was in the eyeline of the security desk that was permanently manned.
“I said no!”
“And we both know you’ve led me on. You’ve been begging for it for weeks and now, what? You want to act all sweet and innocent. Are you frigid, is that what your problem is?” He spoke with pure venom that shocked me.
What could I say to his accusations? Not that I owed him any kind of explanation. My no was clear and had been repeated. He should have respected that, respected me and my choices.
Turning, I reached for the door handle and prepared to scan my thumb print when I felt a hand on my shoulder, preparing to stop me.
