Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“I know, baby,” he says as he removes his hands and brings them to lift my face to his. “There’s nothing you could have done to change what happened,” he tells me, holding me close enough to feel his breath against my lips.
“I could have come home more, been by her side,” I whisper.
“She wouldn’t have wanted that, and you know it,” he says. I drop my forehead against his. “You should have called me, Cass. I would have been there.”
“I hurt you. In the worst way. I didn’t think I could.”
“You were hurting. I would have come. No matter what,” he murmurs.
Everything shatters within me, and the room falls to silence around us, each of us contemplating the depth of what’s been said. Neither one of us move, desperately seeking out the comfort and familiarity the other offers, all while knowing just how wrong this is.
It could be minutes or hours that pass when he lifts his head and brushes his fingers down the side of my face. “Come on,” he murmurs. “We still have a lot to talk about, but it’s getting late. I’ll drop you home.”
At that, I finally look up and notice the room has fallen into darkness. I’m shocked to find how long we’ve been sitting here. “It’s okay,” I say, getting to my feet but feeling empty at the loss of his touch. I move back, giving him space. “I have my car.”
“Okay,” he murmurs as we walk out of the little room, only to find the rest of the library completely abandoned. Lights are off, the familiar whir of the computers gone, the librarian’s desk empty, and of course, the front doors locked.
“Shit,” I whisper. Jax double-checks the door while I peer through the window, my stomach sinking with dread. “Crap.”
“What?” he asks, also peering through the window. “Still petrified of storms?”
“More now than ever,” I cringe, turning away and heading for the windows in the computer lab, knowing that one tends to get jammed and is a bitch to close.
I climb up on the table and get to work trying to wiggle the window open. I hear Jax groan from behind me before grabbing my hips and moving me out of the way. “Watch out,” he grumbles. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
He steps up on the table, and with a bit of manpower, the window creaks open, bringing with it the noise of the raging storm outside. He shoves his head out the window and looks down. “It’s a bit of a drop,” he yells over the sound of the storm as the wind blows his hair around his face. “I’ll go first and catch you at the bottom.”
I step up beside him and peer out the window, my eyes growing as wide as saucers. There’s no way I’m jumping out this window, especially in a fucking storm. “But—” I start before getting cut off by a crack of thunder.
“No buts. It’s either jump out the window or stay the night here,” he tells me, knowing I’m far too pussy to do either. Seeing the resignation in my eyes, he continues. “Be careful. The rain has made the windowsill slippery,” he says as he climbs up, then before I know it, he launches himself out, and I gasp as he disappears into the dark night below.
“Shit. Jax? Are you okay?” I call as I search for him below.
“Yeah,” he replies. “Hurry up, I’m getting wet.”
“Ahh, shit,” I groan as I pull myself up onto the ledge. I make the mistake of looking down into the nothingness just as a shot of thunder echoes through the sky, killing every ounce of confidence I had. “Fuck, Jax. I can’t do it,” I call down to him.
“Yes, you can. Now get your ass down here,” he orders. “I’ll catch you. I won’t let you fall,” he adds as lightning brightens up the sky. “Fuck,” I hear him mutter under his breath, knowing the storm is only making this worse.
I peek over once again, the movement making my hair swirl around my face.
“Now, Cass,” he demands.
Damn it.
“Fine,” I snap before I close my eyes, scoot my ass to the edge, and launch myself over. A squeal rips from my throat as I fall through the sky, but moments later, two strong, warm arms are holding me up, saving me from imminent death.
“About fucking time,” he grunts, making sure I find my feet on the ground. “I thought I was going to have to climb back up and push you out.”
“Shut up,” I say, reluctantly stepping back and dropping my hands from his strong, bulging arms. “You’re drenched,” I tell him, trying to cover up my unease, which I’m sure after all these years he can see right through.
“Yeah, I’m aware, but you will be too if we don’t get going,” he says, letting me off the hook.