Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“Alright then. I’ll leave you to it.” Rooster’s eyes skirted over Jules once more, then he turned and started back down the hall. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I kept my attention focused on Jules. Her cheeks were bright red with exasperation as she stood there with her hand perched on her hip. “There a reason why you’re lurking around in here?”
“I wasn’t lurking,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “I was looking for the bathroom.”
“Oh, so the one in the bar not good enough for you.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. I just didn’t see it.”
“Um-hmm.”
“What are you doing here anyway?” she sassed. “Shouldn’t you be outside flirting it up with Caroline?”
“What?” I don’t know what threw me more. The fact that she used the words flirting it up or that she thought I was doing it with some chick I’d never even heard of before. “Who the hell is Caroline?”
“Seriously?” She rolled her eyes again. “You’ve got so many chicks on your roster that you don’t even know the girl’s name.”
“My roster?” I chuckled sarcastically. “Seriously? Where do you come up with this shit?”
“Play it off all you want, but you should know, you’re the main reason why Caroline wanted to come tonight.”
“Caroline?” As soon as I said her name, it hit me like a ton of fucking bricks. “You mean Smokey’s girl? The little blonde number?”
“Yeah, that’s her. Funny how you suddenly remembered her.”
She whipped around and started charging down the hall. Just before she was out of earshot, I grumbled, “I just don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
“You.” She turned to face me with narrowed eyes. I studied her for a moment, searching for some reason for her detest for me, but found nothing. “What have I done to make you hate me so much?”
“I don’t hate you.” Her eyes remained trained on mine. “I don’t care enough to hate you.”
It was impossible not to feel pissed when she turned and started back down the hall. I was trying to think of some vile comeback to shout at her when she suddenly stopped. She continued to face forward, and her voice trembled as she said, “I’m sorry. It’s not you. There’s nothing you’ve said or done. I made myself stop caring a long time ago.”
“Why would you do that?”
“It was the only way I could survive.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, she stepped through the doorway and disappeared into the bar. There was something about her tone that had me rushing down the hall after her. When I got to the bar, I searched the crowd but saw no sign of her. I spotted Rooster standing by the back door, so I went over and asked, “Have you seen Jules?”
“The chick from earlier?”
“Yeah. I think she might’ve come through here.”
“Sorry, brother.” Rooster motioned his head towards Tenzleigh as he said, “I was a little preoccupied. I’m sure she’s outside or something.”
“Maybe.”
I eased past him and through the door, then out to the bonfire. Again, I searched the crowd but saw no sign of her. I did see Caroline. She was talking to Saber, one of my brothers, and it seemed the two were getting quite cozy. I decided to leave them to it and continued looking for Jules on my own. Since I didn’t see her by the fire, I decided to check the parking lot.
I’d just stepped around the corner when I spotted her sprinting toward her car. I started after her as I called, “Jules! Wait!”
The second she heard my voice, she picked up her pace and shouted, “Just leave it, Q. For your sake and mine.”
“Not gonna happen.”
She let out a deep breath, then turned for her car. She was just about to get in when I came up behind her and took hold of her arm, turning her to face me. When her eyes met mine, and I saw the indescribable fear in them, I immediately released her arm and held up my hands in surrender. “Oh, damn. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to scare ya. You gotta know I’d never hurt you.”
“I don’t know any such thing.” Clearly rattled, she took an apprehensive step back as she stammered, “But it... but it doesn’t matter. I’m.. I’m fine.”
“No, I don’t think you are.” Seeing her so rattled gutted me, and I found myself wanting to do whatever it took to make it go away. “I don’t think you are fine at all, and I wanna know why.”
“Why do you care so much?”
“I have no idea, but I do.” Her fearful expression softened as I said, “You can trust me, Jules.”
“I wish I could believe that.”
“You can. You just have to be willing to give me a chance to prove it.” I could see the wheels turning around in her head. I was close. I could see it in her eyes, so I suggested, “Just have a beer with me.”