Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
“If this were Archie or Corey, you’d do the same for me. Or to me, I guess.”
That was neither here nor there. I sniffed and reached up to grab my blueberry drink on the counter. “I’ll ignore that and go with a simple fuck you.”
That made him laugh. “Thanks, but we tried that once after half a bottle of whiskey, and neither of us had a willing asshole.”
Why did he insist on bringing up 2013?!
“Go get some sleep, Lucian. That’s what I’m gonna do—after I have another cookie that Archie and Cam made today.”
I instantly narrowed my eyes and paused with the rim of the glass touching my lip. Possessiveness roared through me, not to mention sheer jealousy, and he probably fucking knew it.
“You can be a dick sometimes, you know that?”
He chuckled. “Yup. Goodnight, buddy.”
The bastard hung up on me, and I lowered my phone to stare incredulously at the screen. Then I shook my head, took a sip of the juice, and…fuck, heard the footsteps of a brat approaching.
Noa was a skipper.
I had no time to get off the floor before he appeared in the doorway, and he immediately feared the worst. His eyes widened with worry, and as I said his name cautiously, ready to reassure him, he yelled out for KC.
“Daddy! Lucian is crying on the floor! Come quick!”
For chrissakes!
“Noa, I’m okay,” I grated out. Most of my crying fest was finally over. With a grunt, I pushed myself off the floor and returned the glass to the counter.
“Maybe a false alarm, but he looks like emotions exploded on his face!” Noa shouted toward the den. A second later, he’d rushed over to plaster himself to me, and he reached up and cupped my cheeks. “Tell me what’s wrong, Sir. Are you in pain? Do you need CPR?”
I choked out a laugh and hugged him to me. “My goofball—thank you for being another one who makes me smile through heartbreak.”
He looked up at me and frown-pouted. “Why are you heartbroken? Cameron’s coming home tomorrow.”
Yes, well.
I cleared my throat and wiped a quick hand over my eyes, hopefully for the last time tonight. “I worry that I’ve caused irreparable damage.”
He scrunched his nose. “No way.”
Oh, in that case…
I wished I had his optimism.
KC appeared in the doorway next, and he surveyed the situation and rested his cane against the end of the counter.
“I’m okay,” I said in advance. “I just spoke to Greer.”
“And he made you bawl?” he asked.
“Christ—must you two always be so crude? The situation made me emotional, yes. Let’s move on.”
KC and Noa exchanged an amused glance.
“Crude is kind of our thing,” Noa told me.
Oh, truly?
“Come on.” KC nodded toward the den. “Let’s cuddle away those red blotches on your face.”
With friends like these, I didn’t need enemies.
“I’ll bring a snack!” Noa went for the fridge and threw a glance at KC over his shoulder. “He can eat carrot sticks and cashews, right? There’s no salt or anything.”
He was standing right here, and…I supposed that didn’t matter at the moment. Noa was understandably going to double-check everything I said with KC for a while.
“That sounds great, freckles,” KC replied. “You can bring some ice cream for you and me.”
Great. Thanks. This feels wonderful. I’ll eat my fucking carrot sticks—you enjoy your ice cream.
CHAPTER 3
Cameron Jacobson
“Cameron?”
Holy crap. I shot right up in bed—had I overslept? I had to prepare Master’s breakfast! Oh my God, I couldn’t be late; he had meetings all day and— Fuck. I blinked drowsily and sucked in a breath as an annoying headache settled in. My head felt like it weighed a ton. I wasn’t in my bed—where the fuck was I? Pullout bed. I scrubbed quickly at my face and then glanced around. Couches, big-ass TV, and entertainment center with a bunch of gaming consoles.
I’m at Master Greer’s farm.
Nausea crept up my throat, and I was punched in the face by last night.
“I’m gonna call an ambulance,” Master Dean said.
He couldn’t die like this! Please! I hadn’t gotten a whole year with him! Fear shot through me in sharp currents every time Lucian flinched, looked to be struggling to breathe, and whenever he swayed in place, as if he was so dizzy he couldn’t even sit still. Okay, think, think, think. I’d read about this, about what to do, if he ever had a heart attack—
I shook the memory and dragged my bleary gaze to the stairs, where I spotted Archie on the last step. Wearing a look of sympathy. Crap.
“I didn’t want to wake you, but you should get something to eat,” he said. “You can go back to bed as soon as I’ve gotten some food in your stomach.”
Ugh. I wasn’t hungry. At the same time, my stomach ached with a void that let me know I should listen to Archie.