Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
“Are you fucking serious? You threw your sister in my lap, knowing damn well she wanted to be there. I tried to deny my feelings for her because of our friendship.” Maybe I shouldn’t have said that because he’s frothing at the mouth at that one.
“It was just a crush she was playing on years ago. It would have worn off by now and obviously you didn’t try that hard,” he snarled.
“Don’t talk about all the women you screw. Just because you fuck anything that walks don’t demean our relationship. You wouldn’t know what a real relationship is. I’ve waited for your sister all this damn time because of our friendship, letting her make her own path because I respect her.”
“She’s my sister, and you were supposed to be my friend. It’s just wrong.”
“You can be pissed all you want, but it doesn’t change shit because Everly is mine and one day soon, she’ll be my wife.”
“Wife?” Everly gasps coming from the bedroom fully dressed. I’d been so angry I didn’t hear her come out.
“Yes, I thought I made that pretty damn clear,” I growl, sliding my hand around her waist, dragging her to my side so he can see that I’m serious.
“Drake, I’m sorry, but I’m the one who threw myself at Julian.”
He wanted to debate it, but he just admitted that he knew she desired me. “Mom’s going to freak out.”
Everly stiffens in my arms. “It’s okay. We’ll call and talk to her. We’ll make her understand,” I say.
“She’s going to be furious,” Drake continues.
“No, she’s not. She’s the one who has been telling me that Julian has feelings for me.”
Both of our eyes opened wide at her revelation. “Mom knows?”
Everly tries to pull away from me, but I’m not having it. I tighten my grip on her because she’s not getting away from me that easily. “Yes, she’s the one who suggested it in the first place. Hello, it wasn’t your idea or mine. She knew I was in love with Julian.” I’m going to buy a nice wedding present for Carol. She deserves it.
“I’m still not comfortable with it.” He ducks his head, shaking it. “I’ve got to go. I can’t deal with this.” He walks out the front door, and I let him go because Everly and I need to have a conversation, and she doesn’t need his bullshit.
“What are we going to do Julian? My brother hates us right now. Do you hate me too?” The last question startled me, and I turned her around in my arms, staring at the woman I adore with every fiber of my being. There is no motive in her eyes, no deception or even need to be reassured. What I see is pure fear.
“Hate you? For what?” I asked, needing to know what I missed.
“Because my mom and I tricked you into taking me in.” Tricked? I wish I’d made her my woman sooner. All these years wasted. Technically, I knew they weren’t because she had to grow up a little more and I had to get my life together, so it was right, but that didn’t mean our feelings had changed, but it had been the right decision.
“Sweetheart, you didn’t trick me into taking you in. If anything, it was the kick I fucking needed to do to get my head out of my ass. The thought of you leaving almost destroyed me in those mere seconds that your mother left me hanging before revealing that you were staying in Texas. Then they tossed the offer of you living with me. I practically had to fight off the idea that I wasn’t interested in having sleep mere feet away from me. Temptation at my door. My desire, my hunger were just inches from me. Hating you is impossible.”
I kiss her so fiercely that she can’t catch her breath when I pull back, she presses her cheek to my chest. When I lift her face with my thumb, I can see the sadness. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Drake hates me,” she chokes out; the pain was so damn clear in her voice that it cracked my chest. I want to kick Drake’s ass for hurting her. He had a lot of nerve getting pissed about us when he was screwing everything that walked.
For years, I worried that he’d be pissed because we were friends and she was young, but as he whored around, I wondered if he cared. Then he put me in the awkward position of guard duty which only made things worse because I knew he’d hate me for it. Still, she was an adult and so was I.
“He doesn’t hate you, sweetheart; he hates me.” She’s fighting back tears, and I kiss the top of her head. “Don’t cry, please don’t. I’ll kick his ass if you cry.” He deserved it. The manwhore didn’t get the right to upset her when he paraded woman after woman in here. I wasn’t some young punk knocking her up. I could give her everything and more.