Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
"I'll miss you, but we can always do something when you're feeling better. Besides, it'll just be family here, so it's not like you're going to miss some wild party or anything," I remind her. Mom asked if I wanted a big party for my eighteenth birthday, but I just want to spend it with the people who matter the most to me. Even Titan promised to show up for once. I hope he doesn't blow me off.
He does that all the time…tells me that he'll do something with me and then doesn't show up. If it wasn't for Cade stepping in to fill the void every single time, I'd be heartbroken. Instead, I'm just annoyed and disappointed. I love my brother like crazy, but it feels like the only person he cares about is himself.
He and Cade barely even speak anymore. When they do, the conversation is always tense and strained. I know the distance hurts Titan as much as it hurts Cade, but he's too stubborn to apologize for whatever he did to piss Cade off so badly.
Cade won't tell me what happened. He just tells me not to worry about it and that Titan will get his head out of his ass eventually. I'm not even sure if he believes that when he says it. He can't hide the worry and guilt in his eyes, like maybe he's thinking Titan is a lost cause now and feels bad for thinking it.
I just want my brother back from whatever stranger possessed his body. He hasn't been the same since right after Ma Lucia died. The last two years have been hell. But I still love him. He's still my brother. I want him to be happy and for things to be like they used to be between the three of us.
"It's a date," Mariah promises and then starts coughing.
"Go take some drugs and get some sleep. Love you!" I tell her.
"Love you too. Happy birthday, January."
I hang up the phone and swipe some gloss on my lips. Before I'm finished, the doorbell rings. Laughing to myself over the fact that Cade still rings the bell after all these years instead of just coming inside, I hurry out of the bathroom to answer the door.
"Happy birthday, little monster," he says, grinning at me when I fling it open. He's so handsome, with his dark blond hair falling over his forehead and his blue-gray eyes shining. The crooked smile on his face and those dimples tug at my heart and send heat flooding through me.
I jump up into his arms and wrap my legs around him.
He catches me with his hands on my ass and stumbles through the front door before kicking it closed behind him. Half a second later, he pins me to it and kisses me hard.
I moan into his mouth, wiggling against him. He grunts and then grinds me down on his cock. He's hard already. I think he stays that way when we're together.
I love it.
"I missed you," I whisper, kissing and biting his neck.
"Fuck," he mumbles and bucks his hips into mine, putting pressure right where I need it most.
My head falls back against the door. A loud moan breaks from my lips as a bolt of pleasure shoots through me. It feels so good.
Sex with Cade is incredible, but I always get the sense he's holding back a little bit. Like he's afraid he's going to push me too far or ask for more than I'm ready to give him. What he doesn't know, though, is that I'd give him anything and probably love every minute of it. I feel safe with him. When I'm in his arms, I don't think about what Tony Black tried to do to me. All I think about is Cade and how good he makes me feel.
"You want my cock, baby girl?" he asks against my throat, grinding me down on him.
"Yes, please," I beg, digging my nails into his shoulders.
"Wrap those sexy legs around me and hold on," he mumbles and then pushes away from the door.
I wrap my body around his as instructed and hold on tight as he flips the lock on the door and then carries me to my bedroom. He drops me down on the bed and then pulls his shirt off over his head.
"Cade," I gasp, pushing myself up to a seated position to stare at the tattoo across his side. It's two wavy lines with Roman numerals etched in bold black script right beneath.
"You like it?" he asks, grinning at me. He steps closer to the bed, allowing me to run my fingertips along the ink. The bold color stands out on his skin. It's still a little red, but the black ink is sexy as hell.
"It's my sign," I whisper when I realize the lines are the Aquarius symbol and the Roman numerals beneath mean twenty-four…the day I was born.