Free Demanded by Him (Chosen by Him #7) by Ellie Danes Page B

didn’t plan on shaking his hand, let alone look at him for too long.
    I stepped inside Wilson’s and took in my surroundings. A few tables were already filled in the back corner of the restaurant. One of those would have been my choice.
    “Hey, over here!” Brandon partially stood and waved his hand from the booth in the opposite corner. He had been watching me from his seat. It provided the perfect view of my car.
    My lungs filled to capacity as I inhaled deeply and then let out a quiet breath. Just because he got here first, doesn’t mean he has the upper hand. He needs what I have. I walked through the small restaurant like I was on parade for everyone to see. I looked around, but no one even noticed I was there. I slid into the booth opposite Brandon and didn’t say a word.
    “No Mercedes today? Did your sugar daddy take it away? Let me guess, you were misbehaving.”
    “Fuck off, Brandon. I could drive it if I wanted to, but I don’t need a car like that to make me feel better about myself.” The second the words came from my mouth I knew how they sounded, a bash to Chase. I had meant it to be an insult to Brandon. Calm down, Summer. “After this, we’re done, Brandon. Understand?” I sat up straight with my hands flat on the table as I looked him directly in the eyes. “Done.”
    I studied his face, but he didn’t change his blank expression. I couldn’t believe we had once dated. He was attractive, but he was nothing compared to Chase. Back then I didn’t really know who I was. I only knew I wanted to graduate and I knew that some strong, attractive guy was really into me. He’d spoiled me and he’d taken care of me. In college that was unheard of.  Had I known he was shady and corrupt and would do anything for a buck, I would never have given him the time of day. Yet here we were, years later.
    “Yeah, just like we agreed. Pay up and this is over.”
    I pulled out the check, leaving it folded and slid it across the table. I kept my fingers on it as he reached for it, attempting to slide it closer to him. “Done.”
    He nodded and I lifted my hand from the check. I wanted to make a fist and punch him, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good.
    Brandon smiled and stared at me. “You know, Summer, we had something good back then, didn’t we? If not for that unfortunate situation, we could be together right now,” he sneered at me and raised his eyebrows. “Who knows, maybe we’d be married and have a kid.”
    “You make me sick,” I spat, “and that would have never happened.” I might not have known much back then, but I liked to hope I’d learned enough over the past couple of years to know he and I couldn’t be together.
    Brandon laughed and turned his attention toward the check still on the table. He unfolded it and looked up at me. “What’s this? This isn’t what we agreed to. Where’s the rest?”
    “That’s it, Brandon. You aren’t getting any more. Cash it and consider yourself paid.”
    I started to slide out of the booth as he reached across the table and grabbed my wrist. “Not so fast, Summer. We agreed on twenty-five. You agreed to twenty-five. That was the deal or–”
    “Or what? You’re going to lock me out of my campus email? You’re going to try and fail me out of school with some hack? Schools are smarter than that. Are you really that stupid?” I shook my head as I ripped my arm from his grasp. “It’s over.”
    Brandon smiled through tight lips and cocked his head. He quickly slid out of the booth and pushed into my side of the table, forcing me into the corner. “You agreed to twenty-five thousand,” he whispered through gritted teeth. “This isn’t done. In fact, consider this a down payment.”
    My heart pounded as I felt his thigh rub against mine. I slid further into the corner to get away from his touch and he inched even closer.
    “You aren’t going to do anything, Brandon. You wouldn’t do that.” I lifted my elbow and attempted to push him