Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” I agree, my voice low.
Her voice gets louder as she retells what happened, and I can feel her passion, her love for me coming off her in waves that are slamming against my body. Her confidence is mind-blowing, beautiful, and I know, I fucking know deep in my heart, I’ll never love anyone like her. No amount of pussy could ever make me forget her. Make me not love her. Nothing. I am hers, and I love her. Fuck, I love her.
“Any work I did for your assessment was done on my own time. I never charged them a lick because I didn’t trust Troy. I had to protect my career. But now, forget that. I’m going to start my own company.”
My hands shake against the wheel as I turn onto our road, and then I notice she has gone quiet. I can’t look at her. I fight the urge as I pull up into my yard in case she wants to leave. She should want to leave; she has to, or I’ll crumble and allow her to be put in a situation she didn’t sign up for. She signed up for me. And while I know she said she wants my sister with us, the more I think about it, the more my mom’s words play in my head, the more the fear builds that I wouldn’t be giving Tennessee everything she needs.
“Dart.”
I press my lips together, swallowing hard past this boulder-sized lump in my throat.
“D’Artagnan. Look at me.”
“Tennessee—”
“I said, look at me,” she demands, and my lips quiver as I do as she says. She reaches out, taking my sunglasses off my face, and her lips turn down as her eyes widen. Tears fill her eyes almost immediately as she climbs across the seat and into my lap. “D’Artagnan, what is wrong? What happened?” She straddles my hips, her hands coming to my face to hold me in place, so I can’t look away. “Is it Sabine? What’s wrong? Is she okay?”
God, she feels so good in my lap. I wrap my arms around her waist, not willing to say a word, the fear of the future threatening to consume me whole. I try to swallow again, but the sob that wants to escape is choking me. She moves her fingers along my jaw, her sweet eyes searching mine as I take a deep breath.
“I talked to my mom, and she is going to sign over custody of Sabine.”
Elation fills her face as she squeezes my cheek, kissing me hard on the lips. I lean into the kiss, unsure if it will be my last, before she says excitedly, “Thank sweet Jesus! And God bless Jaylin. She is such a queen!”
I couldn’t agree more, but the weight of everything else is crushing my chest.
“Baby, this is great news, but I’m super confused by your demeanor. I thought this was what we wanted?”
We. Us. Her and I. A unit. A team.
Tennessee and D’Artagnan.
That’s what I offered her, that’s what I want, yet…
I stare into her eyes, my heart racing in my chest. I feel as unsteady as my voice is as I whisper, “Tennessee.” It’s all I can get out as her eyes bore into mine for the answers I’m unable to provide.
“What the hell is going on?” she demands, her voice breaking.
“Tenn—”
“Stop saying my name. You don’t say my name like that. I’m your baby doll,” she snaps, and tears roll down her face.
My eyes fall shut as I press my lips together, trying to keep all the emotion in.
“Dart, tell me what’s going on. You’re scaring me.”
“As much as I don’t want to say this, maybe you should call CapitalCare and see if you can get your job and apartment back.”
Her brows slam together as her eyes narrow to slits. “I think the fuck I won’t,” she says with so much vengeance, I only love her more. “What the hell is going on? Does your mom think I won’t be good for Sabine? Because at this point, an iPad would be a better parent than her.”
I almost laugh at the truth of that statement. “I can’t lock you down like this, have you care for my sister when she’s not your blood or your child.” Her eyes challenge mine as I whisper, “I love you too much to trap you.”
“So, you think you’re gonna break up with me, and I’m gonna go back to a job that I just chose you over?”
“It would be for the best,” I tell her, urging her with my eyes. “You shouldn’t be burdened with my family drama.”
Silence stretches between us as she searches my gaze.
“You dumbass,” she accuses, surprising the hell out of me. “Your drama is my drama because I love you. Your bullshit is my bullshit. Your love is my love. D’Artagnan, come on, dude. You’re not stupid.”