Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Christian couldn’t help himself; he started laughing, his shoulders shaking, the sound vibrating my cheek. “Fuck, baby, you’re adorable.” He pressed his lips to my forehead. “And yes, dickwad, pizza is fine.”
“Better warn your woman I have no fucking filter on my mouth, or she’s in for plenty of embarrassment,” Caiden warned Christian.
Christian hooked his finger under my chin and tilted my face up to look at him. “If he’s bothering you, just say the words, and he’ll be sleeping outside.”
I placed my hands on his sides, shaking my head at him. “He’s fine. It’s just—God, he’s worse than Julian,” I admitted. “And Julian has absolutely no filter.”
Christian laughed before he leaned down to softly kiss me. I couldn’t stop the moan that fell from my lips as I tightened my hands on his sides, pressing myself closer to him. “Fuck, woman,” Christian growled as he tightened his arm around me.
“Try not to fuck her in front of me,” Caiden interrupted. Christian lifted his lips from mine and shot him a glare over my head.
“Do you ever shut the fuck up?” Christian asked him. “You’re home for less than twenty minutes, and you’re already driving me up the fucking wall.”
Caiden smirked. “That’s what I’m home for, Christian.” He walked past us into the living room.
“I swear, I’m already looking forward to you leaving,” Christian retorted as my phone went off on the kitchen counter where I had left it earlier.
I picked it up, seeing Julian’s name on the screen. Christian gave me a quick kiss before he let me go, going into the living room, continuing to banter back and forth with Caiden.
“Hello?” I asked when I answered, a bit nervous for this phone call.
“Hey,” Julian greeted. “I didn’t get to see you before I left.”
I frowned. I normally made it a priority to see Julian off at the airport, but with everything that had happened, I hadn’t had the opportunity.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized, instantly feeling guilty for not keeping up with my tradition.
He laughed softly. “I didn’t call to make you feel bad. I just wanted to check in—make sure you were okay.”
I shrugged as I slipped outside, shivering at the cool air as I slid the sliding glass door back shut behind me. “I’m trying,” I told him honestly. That was the best answer I could give him.
“Good,” He praised. “Keep doing that. Don’t ever fucking give up, Ally. I know it feels easy to do that, but keep fighting.”
“I had a session with Dr. Gresham today,” I informed him.
“Oh? How did that go?”
I drew in a deep breath. “My ex has continued bothering me,” I began. Julian was quiet, but I knew he was angry that I hadn’t come to him or Axel about this. “Christian saw the last text.” I drew in a shaky breath, feeling tears burn at the backs of my eyes. “It was on the anniversary,” I choked out. I squeezed my eyes shut. “And he sent me a picture of them.”
“Easy,” Julian soothed, his voice calm. “Take a deep breath, Ally.”
I drew in a deep breath as I sank into one of the patio chairs. “Christian—I didn’t know—but he, um, he apparently had a long conversation with Randall.”
Julian laughed softly. “Good man you’ve got there, Sis.”
“He told Axel about it,” I told Julian. Julian grunted, obviously a little peeved at Axel for not telling him about it as soon as he’d found out. “But Christian blocked the number on my phone.”
“I blocked it last time you told me,” Julian told me, irritation in his tone.
“He just sends it from another number.” Tears slid down my cheeks. “Julian, why won’t he leave me alone, let me live in peace?” I asked him. “Hasn’t he hurt me enough?”
“He fucking keeps on, and he won’t have fucking fingers to text you with,” Julian snapped. “I want to know if he contacts you again, Ally. He’s fucking harassing you, and that shit’s not okay. He made his goddamn decision three fucking years ago when he let you find him sleeping with Heather. Don’t let him tear you down again. You’re stronger than that shit.”
“I wish it didn’t hurt so much.”
Julian released a soft breath. “I know,” he soothed. “But everything happens for a reason, remember? And if he hadn’t hurt you so badly, you wouldn’t have gotten the help you truly needed, and you wouldn’t be spending your time with a really good man,” he reminded me.
A small smile tilted my lips at the thought of Christian. “He really is good to me,” I told Julian.
“Spare me the details.” He laughed.
My own laugh fell from my lips. “Julian, I have never, and will never, talk about sex with you.”
A breath of relief fell from his lips. “Thank God.” I laughed again. “Save that shit for Meghan. I know how much you two women love to gossip.”