Chapter 4
The tension between Brody and Reed was thick enough to cut with a knife.
We were sitting in a private booth at a fine-dining steakhouse.
I stayed totally quiet, focusing entirely on the food in front of me.
Everything was absolutely delicious. Good thing Brody was paying, because I’d never spend this kind of money on myself.
Brody carefully peeled a giant shrimp from the seafood appetizer platter and placed it on my plate.
"Try this," he said softly. "Flown in fresh today."
I froze, staring blankly at the shrimp.
Reed let out a cold laugh. "Wren is allergic to shrimp. She ended up in the ER once because of it. Don't tell me you didn't know?"
Brody’s hand stopped mid-air. "When did that happen?"
"Last semester. She accidentally had some clam chowder. I carried her to the hospital myself."
I quietly pushed the shrimp to the edge of my plate.
Reed wasn't done. "Wren loves spicy food and iced drinks. She absolutely hates pumpkin pie, and she can't stand crowded places. You really didn't know any of that?"
Every word was a calculated provocation.
Brody’s face grew darker by the second.
"Oh, by the way," Reed added, dragging out his words. "A lot of people on campus think we’re a couple. They say we're a—perfect match."
He hit those last two words hard.
I set down my fork and placed my hand gently over Brody’s.
His tense muscles instantly relaxed under my touch.
"We might look like a match, but Brody and I are the real couple, right?"
Brody looked at me, and I gave him my warmest, most generous smile.
He smirked, turning back to Reed. "Yeah. Reed has always loved coveting my things since we were kids. Too bad he never succeeds. Not with my stuff, and definitely not with my girl."
There were only three days left until the one-month mark.
The fraternity group chat was buzzing with bets.
Everyone was saying Brody was guaranteed to win.
Brody didn't care about the money. He just loved the feeling of being in total control.
His mood had improved drastically. He looked at me with open affection and took me on a massive shopping spree.
Designer watches, luxury bags—as long as I acted a little cute and pouty, he swiped his card without blinking.
"Wren, if only you were always like this," he murmured.
Holding a new Hermès bag, I forced a perfect smile in the mirror.
So this was the version of me Brody actually liked.
The sales associate led me to a VIP fitting room to try on a dress.
The zipper was in the back, and I reached over my shoulder to grab it.
Suddenly, a large hand clamped down firmly onto my waist.
The zipper was pulled all the way up, slow and intimate.
I gasped as a familiar figure appeared in the massive floor-to-ceiling mirror.
"Reed! Are you crazy? Sneaking into a women's fitting room?"
He pinned both my wrists, pressing his hard chest tightly against my back.
"I got a little jealous," he whispered. "You smiled so brightly at Brody out there."
"He's my boyfriend. Who else should I smile at? You?"
Reed didn't answer. Instead, he lowered his head and pressed a trail of hot, desperate kisses along my neck and shoulder.
I turned my head and bit down hard on his ear.
"Fuck!" He let out a hiss of pain and released his grip.
I shoved the door open and hurried out of the fitting room.
Brody walked over, his eyes immediately dropping to the red marks on my neck.
"Are there mosquitoes in the fitting room?" he asked, his voice tight.
I nodded quickly and slipped my hand into his. "Yeah. I don't want to buy anything else. Let's just go back."
He had bought me hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods.
He even handed me a premium credit card.
It was enough. My exchange program fund was finally secured.
That night, Brody walked out of the bathroom.
Normally, he wore a plush robe, but tonight he only had a towel wrapped low around his waist.
It was the first time I had really looked at his body.
He wasn't any less built than Reed.
Terrible personalities aside, both of them were top-tier when it came to looks and physique.
Free top-tier hookup, why turn it down?
I used to give Brody my whole heart. Now, I figured I might as well just enjoy the physical perks.
I reached out and lightly tugged at the edge of his towel.
His entire body gave a violent shudder.
I tilted my head up and looked him in the eyes.
"Brody, my period is late..."
