Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Baby steps.
She pressed the button on the remote attached to the visor above her head, and the gates began to open. We drove into the compound that acted as Julius’s home, and when she parked out front and turned off the car, I jumped out and waited for her to do the same, walking with her to the front door.
The door now unlocked, she opened it, let me through and then locked it behind us.
I took a deep breath and made the decision to be kinder to Ling, starting now. “Hey,” I said, and when she turned to me, I smiled softly. “Thanks for taking me out tonight. I’ve never been out like that, not for a girls’ night, you know.”
Fuck.
In that one statement, I had already pushed too far, and from the way her brows narrowed at me, she knew something was up.
So, of course, I kept going. Swallowing hard, I tried again with, “What I meant is that I don’t know what’s happening with me and Julius, but regardless of whatever goes down, together or not, I’m glad to have a woman around the house to talk to about girl things.”
Oh shit. That was so condescending. I was making it worse.
She took a step closer to me, and my cheeks flushed pink. I didn’t know what else to say, so I just blurted it out. “I hope we can be friends.”
Ling’s face softened, and as my heart pounded in my ears, I breathed a discreet sigh of relief. She put her hand out to me, and with a smile, I moved to place mine in hers, to shake on it. I was so hopeful that I forgot to feel weary. Just as my fingers brushed hers, she pulled her hand back, away, and I didn’t see the action, but I most definitely felt the hard slap against my cheek.
With a gasp, I reached up to cup my throbbing, blazing cheek and watched her carefully.
Well, shit. That wasn’t how it was meant to go.
“What the fuck?” I whispered through a pant.
Looking somewhat remorseful, Ling let out a heavy sigh and apologized. “Look, I’m sorry. Here.” She holds out her hand once more, and I hesitate a long while before dropping my hand from my cheek and moving to place it in hers, slower this time around.
It seems my years of being directly involved with horrible people had done nothing to better my judge of character, because as soon as my fingers brushed hers, she reared back, face contorted with rage, and slapped me across the same cheek so hard that I let out a yelp, falling to the ground in a heap.
For a small woman, she packed a hell of a punch.
Her heels clicked quietly as she came to stand over me. My face flaming, I could do nothing but look up at the woman in red as she spoke. “Just a reminder that we are not friends. You are nothing like us. We will never be friends. I only have one friend”—her eyes flash severely—“and if you take him from me, what happens as a consequence of that will be your fault, not mine.”
The sound of her heels echoed throughout the hall as she left me on the cold floor in the dark.
Nothing was going my way.
I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream and stomp my feet in the unfairness of it all.
Instead, I got myself up and whispered into the night, “Crazy bitch.”
Oh yeah.
She definitely had the psychopath gene.
The time on the digital alarm clock on the nightstand reads 11:45 p.m., and no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to succumb to the slumber I crave so deeply.
After the altercation with Ling, I decide it’s probably not a good idea to ask her for some clothes to sleep in. I undress quickly, throwing Ling’s clothes in a pile at the corner of the walk-in closet and look around for something to wear. It’s cool this evening, so I decide on the soft, warm-looking sweater Julius wore the day before.
Slipping it over my head, I push my arms through the holes then hug myself tightly, dipping my chin and pressing my nose into the material, breathing in as deeply as my lungs will allow. It still smells of him, the scent of his cologne light but unquestionably there. It feels as though I’m cocooned, wrapped up tight, safe in its midst.
It’s nothing compared to being held by Julius, but still, it feels wonderful, coming in a close second.
As soon as I lay my head on the pillow, I turn to face his side of the bed and frown.
This house only seems warm when Julius is in it. I miss him and his mighty but serene presence.
It doesn’t take me long to realize that falling asleep without Julius by my side is not an option, so I slide out of bed, barefoot, and make my way to the kitchen for a glass of warm milk.