Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Thinking she’d feel safe there, Doc had put her up in my room. When I walked in, the room was dark except for the faint light coming from the bathroom. After what she’d been through, I wasn’t surprised that she’d left it on. I could see her silhouette curled up on my bed, and my heart ached for her as I crawled in next to her.
“Hey, baby.” I slipped my arm around her waist as I whispered, “I’m here. I’m sorry it took me so long.”
“I called you.” I could tell by the sound of her voice that she’d been crying, and it gutted me. “I called you so many times.”
"I know, and I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."
“Where were you?”
“Some stuff was going down with the club, and I couldn’t get away.”
"I needed you... I was so scared."
"I know, baby. And I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"I still can't believe it happened. I can't believe he actually came here." She kept her back to me as she continued, "It had been so long."
Her voice trailed off, and she grew quiet. After several moments, she muttered, "He came to the diner. He was calm and nice, but it didn't feel right. I just wanted him to go, but he wouldn't leave. He kept telling me that he loved me and tried to convince me that he was a changed man, but I didn't believe him."
"Is that where it happened?"
"No." Her body grew tense as she told me, "He came to my apartment. He said he was there to see MJ, but I knew he was there for me. He started in on me again, going on and on about how he didn't want the divorce. He said I was his, and he wasn't going to let me go. When I tried telling him that it was over, he forced me upstairs."
"I should've been there. I should've protected you."
She didn't respond.
She inhaled several quick breaths, and her shoulders started to shiver as she cried, "I should've fought back. I should've screamed or called out for the police... I should've done something."
"You did do something, Jules. You survived. You didn’t let him win, and after what you’ve been through, that’s no small feat.”
“Maybe.” Her voice grew weak as she muttered, “I’m just so tired. So, so tired.”
“Sleep, baby.” I leaned down and kissed her on the temple. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
I inched a little closer and laid my head down on the pillow next to her, then listened as her body stilled and her breath became shallow. She was finally asleep, but I was wide awake. I was exhausted and the pain killers Doc had given me were starting to kick in, but I couldn’t get settled.
Every time I closed my eyes, I found myself thinking about Jules’s ex and how I wanted to kill him with my bare fucking hands. He was just a few yards away, waiting for me in one of Stitch’s holding rooms, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my fingers around the guy’s neck and choke the life of him.
But he would have to wait.
Jules needed me, and I would be damned if I let her down.
I’d already failed her once, and I was going to do everything in my power to make sure it never happened again.
JULES
I’d been awake for hours, but I hadn’t moved. I could feel Quinton lying there next to me, and I wasn’t ready to face him. I was still struggling with the fact that he wasn’t there when I needed him most.
I knew I wasn’t being fair. Until last night, he had no idea that James was in town or that he’d come to see me. He had no clue that he’d found my apartment and had bullied his way inside. He also didn’t know that he’d struck me multiple times and had threatened my life. I might not have made it out of there alive if Smokey and Hayes hadn’t shown up.
I had no idea how they knew I was in trouble, and I didn’t care. I was just relieved that they’d come. I was on the floor, my head was spinning, and I was fading in and out of consciousness when I heard Smokey roar, “Get the fuck away from her!”
“Who the hell are you?” James spat.
“I’m not saying it again,” Smokey growled. “Back away from her, now!”
“You the guy who’s been fucking her?” James let out a disgruntled breath. “Should’ve known she’d be seeing some derelict piece of shit like you.”
I was still trying to recover from the last blow when I felt his boot slam into the side of my head again, and this time, it sent me spiraling. I saw stars, and then everything went black.