Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
“Is Ella okay? Where is she?”
“She’s fine. Sleeping. I asked Paula to work a few hours tonight instead of today so I could stop over.”
Layla wrapped her arms around my neck. “So this is a booty call then?”
Fuck. I wanted her booty, all right. My damn body reacted the minute she touched me. How the fuck was I going to get the words out when everything in me wanted her? I looked down.
Don’t be a pussy, Gray.
Get it done. Over with.
Put your wagging tongue away. They’ll be plenty of time to lick shit at home—like your wounds.
I took a deep breath, swallowed, and looked up into her eyes. God, she was gorgeous. So beautiful and full of everything that was good.
She pressed her breasts against me. I could feel her hard nipples through our shirts. “Cat got your tongue?”
I even fucking loved her sarcasm.
I put my hands on her arms and lifted them off of me. The look on her face was as if I’d physically slapped her. She took a cautious step back and folded her arms across her chest in a self-protective stance.
“What’s going on, Gray?”
“I have a lot on my plate right now.”
“I know you do.” Her voice had a touch of anger in it. She was always two steps ahead of her clients and knew how to read a situation better than anyone I’d ever met. The rest of the conversation we were about to have was a formality. She knew what was coming.
“Between the new business, dealing with Max, connecting with Ella—it’s just too much.”
“Well, it’s not like you can do anything about any of those. This is what you were dealt. You’ll deal with it.”
I looked away. “Yeah. I will. And that’s my point. I have a lot I need to take care of. So I won’t have much extra time. I had to shuffle around my day and work things out with the babysitter just to find the time to get here tonight.”
Her arms at her chest unfolded, and her hands went to her hips. Layla was pissed. “Spit it out, Gray.”
“I don’t have time for anything else. I need to end things between us.”
“My father had time for a wife and daughter and a side piece and bastard child. When you want something bad enough, you make time for it.”
Like a coward, I looked down. “I’m sorry.”
She wasn’t going to let me off that easy. “Look at me.”
I raised my head, but left my eyes closed for a few seconds before opening them.
“You don’t even want to try? I get that we won’t have much time for now. But things will settle down eventually.”
Her voice cracked a miniscule amount, but I caught it. Not thinking, I reached out to comfort her. She stepped back.
“Answer me.”
I looked her in the eyes and broke both our hearts. “No. I don’t even want to try.”
She looked back and forth between my eyes, searching for something. Then she walked to the door and opened it. “Get out.”
I walked toward the door and stopped in front of her. “Layla…I’m—”
She cut me off and pointed toward the hall. “Just get the hell out!”
The hardest steps I’ve ever had to take were walking out of her place. She’d given me a second chance when I hadn’t deserved it. There was no way I was ever getting a third. This was it.
My legs felt like lead taking the last few steps. I turned around for one last look at her, but I didn’t get a chance. She slammed the door in my face.
***
If anyone could cheer me up, it was my old bunkmate, Rip. It was the only thing I’d looked forward to since I’d walked out of Layla’s apartment four nights ago.
Paula had Ella. Max no longer had the tube down her throat and had improved so much the doctors were talking about releasing her in a few days, and Rip was about to be a free man. What more could I ask for today?
Layla, that’s what.
The guards greeted me like I was an old friend, instead of a former prisoner.
“Look at you, Pretty Boy.” Officer Kirkland whistled. “What’s that suit cost? More than I make in a month, I bet.”
“Pipe down, Kirkland.” I smiled. “You’re just jealous because I’ve been released. How much time you got left? Twenty, twenty-five years until you can retire?”
He shook his head. “Don’t remind me.”
“How’s Rip? He excited for today?”
“Must be. Heard he stayed awake for the entire morning news.”
From behind Kirkland, a door opened and O’Halloran, another decent guard, escorted Rip down the long hall.
O’Halloran raised his chin to me. “You keeping out of trouble, Westbrook?”
“I haven’t murdered my ex-wife yet. If I can manage that shit, I can keep outta this place.”
He smiled. “Take care of yourself. And Rip here, too.”
Rip shook hands with both guards and then opened his arms wide, with the hugest smile on his face. The moment was more emotional than any I’d had with my own father. We hugged it out with a lot of backslapping.