Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“Trusted you. Trusted both of you. Guess that’s on me. I’m fucking outta here.” My words didn’t sink in. He’s too wrapped up in what he’s feeling and can’t see the bigger picture.
“Jace, please,” Jade begs, moving toward him. I reluctantly let her go.
“Save it.” He turns away and storms down the hallway, voice booming, footsteps echoing off the tile.
“I’m going to go after him,” Jade tells me.
“Sugar, let him go. That’ll only make him madder.” I attempt to climb out of bed, got one leg thrown over the side, wincing at the pain it causes to my shoulder. The nurse took my sling off in preparation for physical therapy, and it’s backfiring right about now.
“Locke, oh my gosh. Get back in bed!” I successfully redirected her energy, even though it’s putting myself in a position I’d rather not be in.
“I’m not getting up. Fuck,” I groan. When she starts shooing me with her hands, I lift my leg, and her soft hands are right there to help me. My cock perks up at the same time we both hear it.
The small community hospital of Whispering Oaks means just about every room has a view, some of the swamp with a walking trail where gators will lazily sun on the grass, others where I’m at today with a view of the parking lot, which means the revving of Jace’s engine roaring to life meets our ears. Jade rushes to the window, opening the blinds so fast she nearly breaks them.
The squealing of tires comes next. She stands there, breathless, watching until the taillights disappears, the weight of what just went down sitting heavily on her shoulders. God fucking damn it, I’d kick his ass if I could. Since I can’t, I choose the next best option.
“Jade, sugar. Come ‘ere.” I’m greeted with her beauty. Even being upset, she still knocks the wind out of my fucking sails.
“Oh, Locke.” I hold my good arm open, needing her in the comfort of my body.
“Love you, Jade. We’ll get through this. Give him time. It’s a lot for a man like him, and I’m not taking dick to heart. Pisses me off he spoke to you like that, but he’ll see we’re the real deal before too long, yeah?”
“I love you, Locke.” There’s no denying the sadness in her voice or the way she stays quiet about leaving Jace be. She’ll be hounding him soon enough, a lot like he hounds her when there’s discontentment between them. My eyes get heavy, her breathing evens out, and I allow myself to rest with the woman I love in my arms.
16
Jade
“Get over here, sugar. Need your lips,” Locke demands gently once I’m back. I went back to his place, begrudgingly, after everything went down. I needed a shower, real food, and a nap. The last two didn’t happen. His dad dropped me off, and my mom picked me up.
She looked at me and the small bag I packed, laughed, and asked if I was staying. I didn’t even get the words out before she said, “Yeah, you’re staying. Let’s grab some real food. The hospital stuff is atrocious this late in the day.”
A quick stop for subs, chips, cookies, and soda later, she dropped me off at the hospital entrance, where I ran into Shae and Luke. He was coming off shift, and she met him to go out to dinner. I gave them a quick run-down, and then I had an oh-fuck moment.
I didn’t go find Jace while I was gone. I probably should have. The guilt about not talking to him sooner still weighs heavily on my shoulders, and I know by the soft expression on Locke’s face that he can tell. I sit down on the bed next to him and brush my lips along his, then pull back and sigh. “He still hasn’t reached out to me.”
“Give him time. He’ll come around. Can’t imagine what it’d be like to be in his shoes. You gotta remember, there were years he saw everything I did, and a lot of it I wouldn’t want my baby sister around.” I scrunch up my nose and blow out an exasperated breath.
“I don’t want to talk about that time in your life. Ignorance is bliss.”
“Not gonna hear me complain. Don’t want to know fuck all about who or what you did before me. All that matters is that I’m your last. And, sugar, I got no doubt that you’re it for me. I’m gone for you. Love you too damn much to let you go.” His hand tangles in the long strands of my hair, pulling me closer, and his mouth collides with mine. He swipes his tongue against the seam of my lips, his teeth nip at the sensitive flesh, and then I’m moaning into his mouth. The world melts away, as does the stress from yesterday that blended into today.