Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“Tillie.”
“I can deal with my parents. I let them push me around for a long time, but now that I know what a real family is supposed to be like, they don’t intimidate me anymore. I also find it difficult to believe they ever loved me. Or my brother.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Knuckles said, sticking his chin out stubbornly. “You’ve got all of us now. We’ll look out for you.”
“I really am grateful to you guys. For everything.”
“That’s what family does.” Knuckles’ expression grew serious then. “When Antonio mentioned your parents, you looked like you swallowed a lemon. They gonna be a problem for you?”
“No. They just want to see if they can get more money out of me.”
“Right,” I muttered. “Ain’t happenin’.”
“I don’t want to talk about them right now.” Where before Tillie had been almost carefree, this meeting had seriously dampened her mood. I could see it in the set of her mouth. She was stressing, and I didn’t like it.
“Come on.” I took her hand and headed out of Knuckles’ office. “We’ll catch up with you later, Prez.” I threw my hand up at Knuckles as I led Tillie out of the room.
“Where we going?”
I didn’t look at her as I guided her through the building to the outside. “To put a smile back on your face.”
A couple hours and several orgasms later, I’d definitely put the smile back on my precious Tillie’s face.
Chapter Twelve
Tillie
“Not again.”
My phone rang practically nonstop for the next several days. I’d debated blocking their number, but couldn’t quite make myself do it.
“If this doesn’t stop, I’m going to deal with it.” Xavier was as easygoing as they came. Until someone fucked with me. While I had no desire for my parents to be hurt or anything, it was sexy as fuck to know this man had my back in everything.
“Honestly, it’s as much my fault as it is theirs. If I’d talk to them, they’d stop calling.”
“Want me to talk to them? Because I’d love to.”
If we both lived to be a hundred, I’d never tire of this man’s unwavering loyalty. “I appreciate the offer more than you could ever know, but I’ll handle them.” My phone started ringing again. “Just not right now.”
I powered down my phone with a grimace and tossed it onto the couch. “Maybe tomorrow.”
Xavier’s expression darkened as he watched me. “You don’t owe them a damn thing, Tillie. Not your time, not an explanation. Nothing.”
“I know.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “But they’re still my parents. As awful as they are, there’s this stupid part of me that keeps hoping they’ll change. Or that they’d at least accept me for who I am. Not what I can do for them.”
Xavier crossed the room and pulled me against his chest, his arms a fortress around me. “That ain’t stupid, baby. That’s just you being who you are. You’re someone who’s been through hell and back and still made a new life for herself.”
“I never could have done it without you, you know,” I confessed softly, smiling up at him. “Best therapy ever.” I melted into his embrace, drawing strength from his solid presence. “When did you get so wise?”
“Prison gives a man time to think.” His chuckle rumbled through his chest against my cheek. “That, and watching you every Saturday, learning who you are.”
I smiled against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent of leather, soap, and something uniquely Xavier. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.”
“To what?” His fingers traced lazy patterns along my spine.
“That you chose to stay in prison longer just to get to know me better.” I pulled back to look at his face. “It’s the most romantic, terrifying thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
“Romantic, huh?” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “That’s what the kids are calling it these days?”
I swatted his arm playfully. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah.” I love the rasp of his words in that lazy drawl he had going on sometimes. “I know. Just don’t use the R word in front of my brothers, OK? They’ll get all pissy if I outdo them.”
I let it go another week before I decided on a course of action. There was no way around talking to them, so I was going to have to bite the bullet and get it over with. But, dammit, it was so fucking hard!
“Honey, I’m home!” Christ, that man! Xavier could put a smile on my face under the worst of circumstances.
Like I knew he loved, I ran to him and jumped into his arms. “I missed you!”
“Missed you too, honey. You busy this afternoon?”
“Not really. I think I’m actually done for the day.”
“Good. I’ve got to go talk to someone and thought you might like to come with me.” He winked at me. “We’ll take the bike. Chicks dig the bike.”