Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 139803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Julian leaned forward. My heart clenched painfully in my chest. Had something happened to Meghan or Alli? “What’s going on?” I asked.
Dr. Gresham sighed. “Alli attacked Meghan today,” he informed us.
“What the fuck?” Julian and I said at the same time. That wasn’t like Alli at all. Sure, she could have an attitude, but she had never attacked or fought anyone before. It just wasn’t her.
“What in the hell happened?” Julian demanded before I could.
“Meghan took a very brave step today and tried to befriend Alli,” he informed us. I shook my head. It was just like her. “Alli, however, has some rather . . . harsh feelings towards Meghan, and she attacked her.”
“Holy shit,” I breathed. Pride for Meghan swelled in my chest, but at the same time, I was concerned for not only Meghan, but also Alli. “Are they okay?”
Dr. Gresham blew out a harsh breath. “Here’s the issue,” he said. “Meghan fought back.” Julian let out a low whistle. I arched an eyebrow at him. He shook his head, but his face was grim. “Meghan snapped, and it seems like all of her pent-up feelings came out on Alli. Alli was rushed to the emergency room, and your parents are pressing charges against Meghan.”
“Fuck,” I snarled, looking back over at Julian. He jumped up from his chair, his jaw clenched. “I’m hoping you can do damage control, Axel. Meghan can’t handle jail, and your sister did attack her. But I’m afraid that your parents will use money to influence this case.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I told him. “Thanks for letting us know.”
“Sure.”
I hung up my phone. “Let’s go,” I told Julian. “You don’t have practice tomorrow, right?” He shook his head in response. “We’re going to visit my parents, and then we need to visit your dad.”
Julian nodded. I clenched my jaw. “She’s not going to fucking jail, Julian. Alli attacked her first. Meghan defended herself. She may have gone to drastic measures, but Alli did attack first. Remember that.”
“Christ,” Julian said. “You don’t understand how vicious Meghan is when she fights. It gets bloody as fuck, bro.”
I shrugged. “My sister needs to grow up and understand that her actions have consequences. If my parents don’t drop this, Julian, I need to know that you’ll fight them tooth and nail on this. Money has to go against money.”
Julian clenched his jaw, his eyes blazing with rage. “Our woman is not going to jail.”
I nodded in agreement. “You’re right. She’s not. So, let’s go,” I ordered.
* * *
✶ ✶ ✶
* * *
Meghan
* * *
I looked down at my hands, almost feeling on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I had gone too far earlier, but instinct had set in. The moment she had jumped on me and wrapped her hands around my neck, I had done what I had always done.
I fought back—hard and brutally.
“Sweet girl.”
I jerked my head up to stare at Axel and Julian. They were standing in front of the table that I was sitting at. My bottom lip trembled, tears welling in my eyes. I jumped up from my seat and rushed around the table, collapsing in their arms as sobs wracked my chest. They both held me, completely ignoring the eyes of everyone else in the room. “I’m so sorry,” I cried.
“Shh, baby girl. Everything is going to be alright,” Julian soothed. He ran his hand over my hair and pressed his lips to my temple. Axel tilted my chin up and kissed me softly.
“We’re here, sweet girl.”
“I didn’t mean to put her in the hospital.” I looked between them when I said that. I needed them to know I never wanted to hurt her.
“It’s all going to be okay.” Axel ran his hand over my hair. “Sit down. Let’s talk, okay?”
I sat back down next to Dr. Gresham. Axel and Julian sat down in the chairs on the other side of the table. “I talked to my parents,” Axel said. “They didn’t want to drop the charges, but Julian made a compromise with them, and Julian’s attorney drew up the paperwork. We made sure signatures were on the papers and that they were notarized before we came here.”
“I’m paying Alli’s hospital bills, and when she is stable enough to be released from here, Axel and I have to take over her care,” Julian spoke up. I clenched my jaw, not liking the idea of having to share Julian and Axel with anyone.
“Sweet girl,” Axel called, drawing my eyes up to his, “you will remain our utmost priority. That will never change, no matter if my sister lives with us or not,” he promised.
“Sorry,” I whispered, not realizing they could pick up on my jealousy.
“Baby girl, you’re always my number one,” Julian reminded me. “No one will come before you, and certainly not another woman.”