His Nasty Little Pussy

Brady slid his hands into his pockets, his gaze darting toward the ground.

Brooke shot him a harsh glare and then looked back at me, tucking her hair behind her ears. “It’s our parent’s fiftieth wedding anniversary. We celebrate it here every year.”

“It’s your what?” My neck snapped sideways so fast that it cracked. “Brady. You said this was a fancy event with the mayor.”

“Well, he’s here,” Brooke whispered over the champagne glass.

“Because he’s our dad’s cousin.” “Huh?” I gasped.

“Oh, fuck, here they come,” Brady whispered. I glanced across the room as an older couple in a tux and gown waved at us, then turned to walk toward us. “Act natural,” Brady said.

“Act natural?” I whispered.

“Oh, this should be good,” Brooke added.

“Brady,” I hissed, twisting around and leaning closer to him. “Why the fuck did you invite me to your parents’ anniversary party?” “It’s fine,” Brady said.

“I think I know why,” Brooke said.

“Why?” I asked her, desperate to unearth whatever information I could before their parents reached us.

“Brooke, stop making stupid assumptions,” Brady said.

“It’s not an assumption when it’s the truth,” Brooke smirked. “And the only thing stupid here is you.”

“What are you? Five?” Brady rolled his eyes. “That’s the dumbest comeback I’ve ever heard.”

“Not dumb when it’s the truth.” She chugged back the remainder of her champagne right as their parents reached them.

“Really, Brooke?” their mother snapped. “Brady, darling, you made it.” She kissed Brady on both cheeks, her eyes focusing on mine the whole time.

“Only two hours late,” their dad said, adjusting his suit. “Brady.” He offered Brady his hand, and as Brady took it, I suddenly understood much more about Brady’s cold demeanor.

“Happy anniversary,” Brady said, his tone flat and monotonous.

What father didn’t hug his son but shook his hand as if he were a colleague? And one he didn’t appear to like either.

“Brady, don’t be rude. Are you going to introduce us to your friend?”

“Ah, yes,” Brady said. “Mom, this is Tess Perkins. Tess, this is my mother, Sandra Wyler.”

“Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Wyler.” I offered my hand, but to my surprise, she leaned in, grabbed me by the shoulders, and kissed me on both cheeks.

“So nice to meet you, dear,” Sandra said. “We’ve heard absolutely nothing about you.”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“That’s what I said,” Brooke whispered.

“And please,” Sandra continued. “Call me Sandra. All of Brady’s girls do.”

Brooke snorted, and my words caught in my throat as the bartender appeared with Brady’s whiskey. “I’ll take the same thing,” Brooke said. “You will not,” their mother said. “She’ll have champagne.” “Mother, don’t be rude,” Brady said.

“I’m not being rude,” Sandra insisted. “The last time Brooke drank whiskey, she attempted to start a karaoke party.” “It was funny,” Brooke whispered.

“We were at the MOMA!” Sandra snapped.

“I’m not talking about Brooke,” Brady said. “Please, don’t refer to any woman I bring around as ‘one of my girls.'”

“Well, that’s what they are,” Sandra laughed. “Unless you’re into men now, which would be totally fine by me, but if you bring women around,

I’m going to refer to them as women.”

Brooke snorted. “Mom, how much have you drank tonight?”

Brady adjusted his suit. “You’re the one who is so eager for me to get married, mother. And yet you attempt to scare off any woman I bring around.”

“I do no such thing!” Sandra scoffed. She turned to me. “Honey, am I scaring you?”

I gulped back the knot in my throat. “I’m a little startled by this entire interaction, I’ll be honest.”

“Well, then you don’t know Brady very well, do you?” Brady’s father said.

I glanced over at him, unsure how to respond.

“Tess,” Brady said. “My father-”

“Marcus Wyler,” his dad introduced himself. “If there’s one thing to learn about dating our son, it’s that the unexpected is usually to be expected.”

“I’m not dating him,” I said quickly.

Sandra looked at Brady. “You brought your hookup to our anniversary party? Do you have no class, Brady?”

“No, no, there’s been a misunderstanding here,” I jumped in again.

“We’re not hooking up.”

“Not presently,” Brooke whispered.

I shot her a glare. Yep, there it was-she’d definitely heard my comment on the elevator. But just in case she thought my intentions were more than just about work, I quickly shot in.

“And not in the future, either,” I added. “At all.”

“I’m sorry,” Sandra said. “I’m very confused. Who are you?”

Brady leaned forward. “Mom, dad, I’d like to introduce you to my new business partner.”

“Your business partner?” Sandra gasped.

Brooke grinned. “Perkins as in Perkins formula, mom. The miracle cream you swear by. ”

Before I could see if this realization would have any effect on Sandra’s impression of me, Brady’s father stepped forward.

“Is this your idea of a joke?”

To my surprise, he was looking at me.

“I’m sorry, but I am also very confused about what is happening right now,” I admitted.

“Not a joke,” Brady said to his dad. “Tess is my business partner. And I’m very much looking forward to working with her. I thought you of all people would be happy to see the headlines of the gossip columns report something other than my promiscuity.”

“Are we that in the wrong for wanting you to settle down, Brady? There is nothing wrong with that! Excuse me.” Sandra slid between us and headed straight for the bar.

“I didn’t know partnering with a woman would be so offensive,” Brady said.

His father shook his head. “Your business is your business, Brady. But don’t think you can disrespect your mother on our anniversary and act like she is in the wrong. It’s like you try to be a disappointment to us.”

Brady’s brows furrowed. “I’m sorry you feel that way. Definitely not my intention. Just trying to introduce you both to my new partner. Sorry it wasn’t the kind of partnership you had in mind.”

A weight dropped in my stomach. “Excuse me.” I spun around and caught the elevator just as the doors were closing.

My heart was pounding hard, my chest was expanding, and this gown suddenly felt incredibly tight on me.

I trotted across the lobby as quickly as I could without eating shit in these halls. I shoved the doors open and threw myself out onto the New York street, the sounds of the city rushing me.

“Taxi!” I cried.

“Tess-will you wait a second.”

I glanced behind me as Brady emerged from the doors.

“Oh, I don’t want to hear it,” I snapped.

“Just hear me out,” he said.

“Hear you out? You dragged me here just to piss off your parents. And you disguised it like it was a business event.”

“That’s not what I was doing.”

“That’s exactly what you were doing! I’m sorry you don’t stand up to your parents’ expectations, but how dare you throw me to the wolves like that?”

“Yeah, well, I figured it was best if you find out before it’s too late.” “Find out what?” I gasped, throwing up my hands.

“That this is my life,” he snapped. “And it’s fucked up. It’s far from perfect. And if we’re going to work together, then you need to know you’re going to be scrutinized by every single eye. My parents, the public, paparazzi. The three Ps of my life. I had to show that to you.”

My shoulders sunk, my body deflating. “No, you didn’t. Just like you didn’t need to park a helicopter in my street. You could have just told me. And have enough respect to not lie to me on top of everything else. You didn’t bring me here for my benefit. You brought me here for yours. And you know what? I’m not going to do this again.”

“Do what?”

“Sacrifice my happiness for a person who pretends to have my back.

This is done.”

“What’s done? This partnership?” “Yeah,” I said.

His face hardened like setting concrete. “It can’t be done because it never even started to begin with.” A taxi pulled up beside us.

“And thank God for that,” I whispered. I opened my bag, ripped out the unsigned contract he’d given me, and slapped it against his chest. I slid into the backseat and didn’t look back.