Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
But then again, would it have mattered?
Jude and I weren’t exclusive. We hooked up, and we did it often, but there had been an unspoken agreement to keep it just the two of us. Or so I thought because with how Toya was clambering for him, I wasn’t thinking this was the first time they got together. And what were the chances too? On the very day I got with Cris, he also got with Toya? I didn’t believe in coincidences.
I shook my head, scoffing. “Thank God I made sure you kept it wrapped with me.” But a flat feeling fell in my stomach. I forced myself to start through the living room.
“Hey. Mare—” Jude jackknifed up, his dick now coming out of her, but I wasn’t watching him. I shook my head, going past them to Troy’s closed door. I knocked as I heard Jude scrambling behind me. The sounds of clothes rustling, a zipper being done up.
“Troy?” I said. “You in there?” I tried the handle. Amber said to go in, and it was unlocked so I began turning the knob.
“Maren. Hey. Can we talk about this?”
I opened the door, stepping in when I didn’t see anyone.
Amber said he’d put my purse in the closet, so I crossed the room to that door.
“Maren, seriously.” Jude had followed me inside, his jeans undone, but pulled up and hanging low on his lean hips. He had no shirt on, showing off his slightly ripped chest with his tattoos.
I glanced at him, thinking how I used to think he was so hot. The barbell through his eyebrow. How his hair was messily rumpled. But, no. That wasn’t totally true. I needed someone to take my mind off of Cris, and Jude had been attractive. He appeased me. It took two months of us hooking up before I started thinking he was hot. I’d spent the summer at his house, sleeping at his side, going to his practices with him, his gigs, generally being his girl in so many ways. Everyone thought we were exclusive.
But after feeling Cris again, after just being around Cris, after waking up in his arms again, there was no appeal for Jude anymore. He’d killed it. And this, him with Toya, it would’ve been over anyways.
“Can we talk about this?” His voice rose, getting mad. He stood in the doorway, and I felt his gaze on me, his eyes scorching me and not in a good way.
I still ignored him, opening the closet and relief swooshed through me. My purse was tucked in the corner, by the wall. Just where Amber said it would be. I snatched it and went through it, more relief making my knees shake. My phone was in the front pocket, and my keys were in the main part. I took my wallet out, checking, and everything was there.
My God.
I had to sit down.
How had I gotten so lucky?
I needed to send Troy a thank-you basket.
“Listen.” Jude had come to the closet door, hitching his jeans up as they began sliding down. “Can we talk about this? We never said we were exclusive—”
I looked up at him. “What are you talking about?”
“What are you talking about? You walk in and I’m fucking Toy—”
“Maren?” Toya screeched from the living room. “Where is she? Where is that bitch?”
That bitch?
Oh hell no.
I grabbed my purse, pushed up to my feet, and started for her, but Jude got in the way. I glared at him. “Get out of my way.”
He ran a hand down his chest, some of his panic leaving. A cocky smirk replaced it. “Let’s talk about this. She doesn’t mean anything.”
I shoved past him, all of this starting to grind inside of me.
“Babe.” His hands went to my arms. He started to halt me while Toya was still shrieking from the living room until he was ripped away from me.
Thud.
He was shoved up against the wall by Cris, his hand to Jude’s throat. “You don’t fucking put hands on her.” A savage growl came from him. A hanging picture fell from the wall as Jude tried to shove back, but Cris only slammed him once again to the wall, holding him in place.
Anger emanated off of him in waves.
Toya began yelling all over again, but Jude was trying to fight back, snarling. “Who the fuck are you—oh! OH! You’re the guy she needed—” His eyes went to me over Cris’ shoulder. “Really? You’re fucking him again? Should I expect you crawling back in my bed in the future? Begging me to ‘make me forget him. I need to just forget about him.’ Hmm, sweetheart?” A twisted laugh sounded from him as he shook his head. “This is fucking priceless. What are you thinking, Mare Bear?”
“Don’t call me that,” I warned.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cris’ tone was flat.