Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Confusion gives way to anger as it dawns on me what she’s saying.
“You think I’m disgusted by you because of the marks on your back?” I ask, even though, I know for a fact that’s what she is saying. I just need her to verify for me, so I can make my intent clear to her.
Jude lifts her chin and looks me straight in the eyes. The vulnerability in the depths of those blues is earth-shattering and rattles me to the core. I’ve never felt so drawn to someone before, felt the deep need to protect them with my life. Being around her is drawing out my protective instincts, making me want to wrap her in my arms and never let her go.
“I don’t think. I know.”
“You don’t know anything,” I growl. “When I saw those marks on your back, something broke inside of me. I promised to protect you before, told you if you needed anything, I would be there for you. Now I’m no longer telling you. I’m doing. I’m going to protect you, from everyone and everything that scares you. No one will ever hurt you again.” The words flow out my mouth so fluidly, like a well-prepared speech.
“I…” Jude’s cheeks turn pink, and she looks down at the eggs again like they have the answers to all her problems.
I won’t push her, won’t make her agree, or accept my protection, but I’m not letting her slip away, even if it is a little bit of a selfish need that I have.
“I… I need to get to classes,” Jude finishes her sentence, a second later.
“Shit, yeah, okay.” I shove from the table. “Let me change my clothes, and I’ll drive you to campus.”
“Okay,” she murmurs, and I long to see her smile, to see her happy and content like she was the night we met.
Once in my bedroom, I change out of my clothes and into a fresh pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I look to the bed and find that it’s been made. The shirt and boxers she wore last night sit at the edge of the bed, folded in a neat pile.
The fact that she went the extra mile to make the bed shocks me for some reason.
Reappearing in the foyer, I grab a ball cap hanging from a hook and walk into the living room to grab my keys and wallet. Jude meets me by the door, and we walk out to my truck in silence. The drive to campus seems to go at a snail’s pace, and though I want to talk more to Jude, and get her to open up to me, I don’t want to push her either.
“You can drop me off over here,” she says to me as I bring the car to a rolling stop at the curb. Placing the car in park, my lips part as I prepare to tell her I’ll be here to pick her up at the end of the day, but she’s already slipping out of the truck and closing the door before I can.
I slam my hand against the steering wheel, watching her walk away.
Everything inside of me says to get out of the car and follow her, but I know better. Not only would that be uncalled for, but it would definitely push her away. Throwing the truck back into drive, I end up going to the administration building.
Walking in, I bypass the lady at the front desk and head straight to my brother’s office. I don’t bother knocking, and instead, turn the knob and walk inside.
Sebastian looks up from some papers on his desk, a grin tipping at the side of his lips.
“Hey, brother,” I greet, slamming down onto the sofa.
“If you knew the shit that went down on that thing, I doubt you’d be sitting there,” he says, gesturing toward the couch. I just shrug.
“I’m fine without knowing what you and Lily have done here… or anywhere for that matter.”
Sebastian grins and sets his pen down on the desk. “What’s going on, Lex?” The way he says my name and questions me, makes me feel like he’s more like a father than my younger brother. He’s always been like this, even though I’m a year older, he always acted like I was his little brother. You could say he’s always been the mature one, and honestly, I’m fine with that. It occurs to me then that if anyone was to know something about Jude, it would be my brother.
“Question,” I blurt, “can you give me some information on a student?”
Seb’s gaze narrows. “The official Dean answer is, of course, no. The unofficial brotherly answer is, that depends on who the student is and why you want the information?”
“Her name is Jude. I don’t know her last name, she’s told me she is twenty-one, but she is probably nineteen. Light blonde hair, blue eyes.”