Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 131455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
“What do you mean? Are you asking why I let him knock me on my ass?” His speech is a little slurred thanks to his split lip, although that does nothing to affect the sarcasm in his voice.
I nod, “Yes! You didn't even try to defend yourself, and don't you dare tell me you did it to protect me.”
“Maybe...” He forces a deep breath into his lungs and winces like it hurts, but continues, “Maybe I knew I deserved it.”
“No! Don't do this.”
Shrugging, he says, “He's right. About the camera, about the way I'm ruining your life. I know you deserve better than all of this. You, Tatum, everyone in my life. No matter what I do, I end up hurting the people I love the most. So yeah, I think I deserved an ass kicking.”
My heart aches in my chest. I refuse to allow him to believe the things he's saying. “Listen to me. For one, I'm with you because I want to be. After all, life without you is utter misery. For better or worse, we belong together, and fighting against the inevitable is a waste of time.”
“He made several valid points out there. You know he did, even I can admit that.”
“If you are so bad for me, why am I here?”
His jaw tightens, the muscles jumping as his lips draw into a thin line. “Because it's like you said: it's a waste of time trying to pretend you don't belong with me. No matter how hard I try to keep you away for your own sake, that only seems to make things worse.”
“And because you want me to be here, right?”
“What do you think?” His hand finds mine, wrapping around my fingers and squeezing tight. “I love you. Nothing is going to change that. Not even your crazy father.”
“I love you, too. That's why I'm here. At the end of the day, this is where I belong.”
Rather than grill him about the camera, I kick off my shoes and crawl over him, settling in on his good side. Despite everything, there is a sort of peace when I lie down beside him that I've never felt anywhere, with anyone else. It's like something in my soul clicks into place when I rest my head on his shoulder, and he drapes an arm around me, pulling me closer.
Whatever happens in this world, we can always come back to this—the two of us, together, which is all that truly matters. I want to believe that, yet somehow I can't. Because downstairs is my best friend, who seems more lost than ever, and out there somewhere are the men who almost ended our lives. On top of all of that, my dad might never speak to me again.
I can't pretend our being together hasn't upended my life, but I do know that it's worth it. With Callum's love wrapped around me anything seems possible.
CALLUM
“Are you sure they're open?” I ask, knowing the answer already.
It's adorable how she bites her lip, frowning as she gazes out the window toward the restaurant. “They look closed. Do we have a reservation?”
She means it, too. That's what makes it so easy to love her. How she never expects anything, her lack of worldliness. There's no greed or demands. She never expects anything from me, and being with someone like that is refreshing. Especially when all my life, every single day, there has been someone expecting something from me.
“We have a reservation. Don't worry, little bird.” Taking out my phone, I place a call to the owner to let him know we've arrived. It's not another minute before he appears on the other side of the glass door to unlock it for us.
“You know how important it is that we stay safe, which means flying under the radar.” I lift her hand, brushing my lips over her knuckles. Her skin is smooth and so fucking soft. “I hope you don't mind, but you won't be able to show off how absolutely stunning you look tonight—at least not to anybody except a few staff members.”
There's no denying how stunning she is in the sleek, black dress that molds to the perfect curves of her hourglass figure. My mouth waters, and I want to rip it off her and feast at what's beneath. I don't know what gets my dick stirring more: the way she looks or knowing how soon she'll start to swell with evidence of the life I put inside her. If she weren't already pregnant, I'd be doing everything I could to knock her up.
“How did you manage this?” Bianca gives me a superstitious look.
I shrug, “Connections. I know the owner, and he was happy to close down the restaurant tonight for us. Well, have the entire place to ourselves. It'll be an intimate, quiet dinner.”