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)
32
Julian shot me a smile from his position on the floor where he was scrubbing the bottom of my feet. I had wanted my feet done, but I was still too nervous to go out in public by myself, and I didn’t want to put Axel and Julian through sitting with me at a foot spa, though I knew they would have if I asked them.
They already did way too much for me as it was.
So, I had been sitting in the recliner in the living room with my feet soaking in my foot spa when Julian had come out of the bedroom from showering. When he asked me why I hadn’t just told him I wanted my feet done, and I explained to him why, he had taken it upon himself to sit his shirtless, tattooed body at my feet and give me a spa treatment.
He gently set my foot back in the water and lifted my other one. “I fucking love your toes,” he randomly blurted. My cheeks reddened.
“Yeah, I do, too,” Axel informed us as he stepped into the living room, shirtless as well, though he wasn’t covered in tattoos like the man at my feet. He grinned at me. “Need your feet done, sweet girl?”
I nodded. “I’m still too nervous to go out in public by myself, and I didn’t want to bug one of you to go with me.”
Axel shrugged as he came over to the recliner. He nodded once at Julian. Without a word, Julian set my foot back in the water and held the foot spa as Axel lifted me up and sat down, settling me on his lap. My cheeks reddened even further. Julian only winked at me before he grabbed my foot again and set back to work.
“I actually like getting my feet done,” Axel informed me. “I always went with my sister when she was having a bad day.”
“You have a sister?” I asked as I looked up at him. I’d never heard him mention her before.
Axel nodded with a small smile. “Her name is Alli.” My eyebrows pulled together in confusion. He laughed softly. “My parents are a bit strange.” He admitted. “Axel and Alexandra, hence Alli. They weren’t very original. But Alli and I are extremely close.”
“How come she doesn’t come around?” I asked him.
His lips fell into a small frown before he released a small sigh. “My sister suffers from bipolar depression. She was misdiagnosed for years, and it did more damage than I’d like to admit. My parents finally got her a good doctor, but Alli isn’t responding well to her. She’s been in a low for a few weeks now.”
Julian set my foot back down in the water and grabbed my other foot to begin scrubbing again. “Maybe a new doctor?” I asked him.
Axel sighed. “I’m worried that if they keep switching doctors on Alli, she’s going to spiral. She can’t stand any kind of change.”
“Thought about bringing her around here?” Julian spoke up, his eyes not leaving my feet as he focused on my heel. “She and Meghan could be good friends, and Alli might be able to see some hope when she sees how well Meghan is coping.”
Axel pursed his lips. “It’s a good thought,” he finally agreed. “I’ll have to think about it.”
“I don’t think I’m ready to meet anyone—" I said, all of the unknown possibilities of meeting someone new making my anxiety go haywire.
“Shh.” Axel wrapped his arm around me and placed his other hand on my thigh. “Julian is right, though. It may do my sister some good, and honestly, sweet girl, it might do you some good, too. You need someone that you can talk to outside of me and Julian.”
“Baby girl,” Julian started, drawing my green eyes to his. Our eyes clashed, but the warmth in his blue eyes calmed my nerves a bit, “Axel and I will never put you through anything that we know you can’t handle. You know this. This is just another step in your healing process, baby. Alli is sweet, and I know you two will be amazing friends once she begins to get better and comes out of her shell.”
“I’m not ready,” I reiterated.
Julian set my foot back down in the water and grabbed my other foot again. “Stop letting your fears keep you down, Meghan,” he ordered. I tensed. I hated it when Julian took that tone with me because it meant I was being stubborn. Axel brushed his lips to my neck. “You’re stronger than this, baby girl. You’re my goddess. Be her. Be the woman that rises above all the fear.”
I hated that my eyes welled with tears, but I wasn’t as strong as he and Axel always made me out to be. “I don’t always feel as strong as you think I am, Julian,” I told him honestly.