Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
She blew out a breath.
“She can watch him.”
“As for what Allegra did, I can’t change that now. I’ve already spoken with my lawyer on the matter. He says that in all actuality, the clinic didn’t need to give you any explanation to why they fired you at all. I know that it was Allegra. You know that it was Allegra. And honestly, I know that the family you told that you’d work for is nice, but that’s not your passion. You could’ve just as easily applied at the hospital the next town over. You could also work for me, but I didn’t want to offer that and you think that I’m offering my fiancée a handout when it’s just the opposite. I need someone there that I can trust. Someone that can take care of all the shit that I don’t have time for. Stuff that Dante used to take care of before he left.”
That’s when tears hit her eyes.
“Fiancée?” She laughed even as tears started to stream down her cheeks. “That’s rich after what I heard today.”
I frowned. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned that now. What exactly do you think you heard?”
“I’m not doing it again. I’m glad that I didn’t do it because then she’d probably expect it,” she said with so much derision that it nearly gutted me.
I frowned as I thought back to what I’d said earlier.
“If you didn’t want to marry me, you should’ve just told me. I would’ve understood. It would’ve hurt, but not anywhere near as much as hearing you say that to your brother when you thought I was gone.”
That’s when I finally understood. She’d overheard my conversation earlier about Valentine’s Day and had then thought that I was talking about not marrying her. That I wouldn’t do it again.
I got up and crossed the room in half a second, and was leaning over her chair, my fists on either side of her, as I bent over and gave her my eyes. My angry eyes.
“I’m going to tell you this once, and once only.” I leaned further forward until our faces were only inches apart. “I am marrying you. I don’t care what Allegra says. I don’t care what you say. I don’t care what the fuckin’ Pope says. You. Are. Mine.”
Chapter 23
Who cares if girls look different without makeup? Your dick looks different soft.
-Text from Hannah to Travis
Hannah
“You. Are. Mine.”
Those words were like a balm to my broken soul.
My heart was thundering in my chest, and I was staring at the man that made my belly flutter with nerves, as I tried to find something to say to that three-word statement.
Three words that changed my entire demeanor.
If Joshua had said that when we were together, I would’ve told him that I wasn’t anybody’s—not even his. If somebody asked me that same question right now, I would have no problem saying that I was Travis’.
I really was his.
I was his, and nobody else’s.
Even as pissed as I’d been at him, I’d never once considered leaving him.
Now, when he was pissed and in my face, with his beard tickling my chin, I realized two things.
One, I’d never leave him. He could be scary Travis all he wanted, and I’d never leave. Which was scary in and of itself.
Number two? The man really got my motor revving.
I’d felt like shit all day. I was fairly sure my period would begin any second, and I’d gone most of the day thinking that my man didn’t want to marry me after all.
I’d changed into the shittiest pajamas that I could find thinking Travis wouldn’t get anywhere near me in them.
I was wrong.
He got near me.
He was in my face. His mouth was inches from mine. And he was angry.
So angry, in fact, that I knew that I might’ve pushed him just a little too far.
“I’ve never, not once in my life, had something as good as you.”
Those words. God. They really hit home.
I’d never been someone’s best. I’d always been second. Third. Last.
“I’ve said I love you to you,” he said. “But I’ve never told you why.”
“Why?” I squeaked.
“Yeah, why,” he confirmed.
I licked my lips, and if he’d just been a little bit closer, I might’ve gotten his, too.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“You ready?”
I nodded.
“First Abby died.”
My heart stuttered in my chest.
His first sister, Abby. She’d passed almost four years ago now.
“My second sister, Amy.”
I closed my eyes as his pain washed over me.
“Dante’s family.”
Tears choked my throat.
“Allegra pulling her bullshit.”
I opened my eyes.
“If you hadn’t been there with me through all of that, to listen to me bitch. God,” he shook his head and took a deep breath, “I can’t tell you what it did to me to hear my little girl tell me she hated me. Over. And over. And over again.”
I lifted my hand up and touched his face.