Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 25
Julia
“We should get out there,” Stuart says, as the man behind the counter hands me the bag I had on me when it all happened. “Before someone ends up in trouble.”
I don’t have a chance to ask him what he’s talking about before he turns around, walking out of the room we just left. My head is still spinning from walking into the courtroom. I didn’t look up with the fear I might see my mother and Jillian. Not sure I could have held it together if I saw them, so I kept my head down, getting up when I felt Stuart getting up. I don’t even know what was said. I rub my wrists that are free again from the heavy metal handcuffs.
He pulls open the door and steps out. I take a step forward, my head down. Only when I feel the eyes on me do I look up. I’m expecting to see my mother and Jillian here waiting for me. Instead, all I can see is Max there with Matthew. I walk to him. “Max.” I look up at him, and the tears well in my eyes. I hold my hands together to stop them from shaking. The lump in my throat is so big I don’t even think I’ll be able to breathe let alone speak. “I’m so sorry for letting you down.” My voice cracks at the end and he takes me in his arms.
“Never,” he says softly into my hair. “Are you okay?”
I nod my head yes, because the last thing he needs is me complaining. “We have to get you home,” he states.
“I have to get you to your sister,” Michael says and I look up, seeing him walking toward us with Chase behind him. “Or she’s going to chew my ass.” My eyes see that his eyes are red and he looks as bad as I feel.
I walk from the courthouse by the front door instead of the back door, with Max and Matthew on one side. Chase and Michael on the other side.
We stop on the sidewalk as I take another look at Max as he nods to Matthew, who gives me a side hug. “It’s going to be okay,” he assures me, turning and walking toward the car that is there. Max follows him and I’m about to take a step forward when Michael looks at Chase.
“Hurry up,” Michael urges. “Or else you’ll be the one dealing with Jillian.”
He nods at him and walks away. “Are you driving me?” I ask him and he just nods his head. It takes him two steps to stop in front of me. His hand comes up and he moves the hair away from my face. “Chase.” I say his name, but he just shakes his head at me and pulls me to him. I’ve hugged him a thousand times since we’ve met. But this one feels different.
“Julia,” he says, and all I can do is smell him. Everything in me settles. He lets go of me and I look up at him. “How are you doing?” His eyes never leave mine. I try to be brave, I try to pretend I’m fine.
“Like I’m dying inside,” I say the truth, something about his eyes feeds my soul. “I don’t know if I’m going to survive this.” I wipe the tear rolling down my cheek. I’ve cried more tears in the last week than I thought was possible. “I could be a felon.” The words taste like acid in my mouth. “I can’t do my job as a felon.” I put my hand to my stomach as it sinks with the thought that everything could be gone.
His hand goes to my cheek, where he catches another tear rolling down my face, before he moves his hand down and slips it into mine. It’s like an electric shock going through me, as his fingers link with mine. “We are going to get through this.”
He turns to walk to his car with my hand in his. “We?” I question when he stops to open my door.
“Yeah, we,” he repeats, stepping up to me now. “There isn’t time right now.” His voice comes out in almost a whisper. “But later we need to talk.” He steps with his chest against mine, pulling up our joined hands and he kisses my fingers. “If I don’t get you to your sister…”
“I don’t know if I can do it,” I admit softly, the tears coming again. “I don’t know if I can face anyone.”
“You did nothing wrong. Nothing, there is not one thing that you did wrong and we are going to prove it.”
I swallow now, not sure I can say another word, not sure I have it in me. Instead, I look up at him. “Thank you.”
Both his hands come up to touch my cheeks right before he holds my face. “There is nothing you have to thank me for,” he says, almost in a whisper, and his hands still on my face make my whole body heat. He’s about to say something else when his phone rings from his back pocket. He laughs now. “That’s twice now we’ve been interrupted before I can kiss you.” His thumbs move over my cheeks. “There isn’t going to be a third.” I don’t think I have any words left for a comment like that. To be honest, I want him to promise me that kiss. Maybe even dare him. The phone stops for a second and then starts up and I have to laugh. “Do you want to get into the car?” His hands fall from my face as I get into his car. He pulls out his phone and hands it to me.