Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 94205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Where you going?”
“Back to the lovely Lara.” He headed toward the front door. Crap. Maybe he should grab some of her clothes first. She likely wouldn’t want to wear that ridiculous dress.
“Wait, Butch,” Raid called out as he walked into his bedroom.
“What?”
“It’s just . . . about Lara . . .”
“Yeah?” He grabbed her duffel bag to take with him.
He hoped she was still asleep. He wouldn’t mind waking her up with his mouth on her pussy.
Jesus. He was getting turned on just thinking about it.
“She’s not . . . I mean . . .”
“Spit it out,” he said, turning to face Raid.
“She doesn’t seem that strong.”
He scowled. What the fuck?
“I just mean, if you’re only in this for a good time, let her down easy.” Raid shrugged. “She just seems a bit sad and lost.”
“You think I’m taking advantage of her?”
“I’m not saying that. But just be careful with her.”
“I’d never harm Lara. Ever.” The only reason he wasn’t exploding was because Raid seemed to be thinking of Lara. “Truth is, I care about her. Besides, she’s the one who is leaving.”
“Yeah? Have you asked her to stay?”
No. Because if he did, and she left . . . he swallowed heavily. Fuck. It was Nicole all over again. Was he scared of being hurt again? That he’d put his feelings out there, and she’d leave town anyway?
“You think she won’t stay?” Raid asked.
Perceptive bastard.
“It’s happened before.”
“Fuck, man, Nicole left you when you were both practically kids. I get that it fucked you up for a while, but Lara isn’t Nicole. You need to tell her how you feel.”
“Jesus, who are you?” Butch asked, trying to deflect away from him. “What is this? Some sort of shrink session?”
“Take more than one session to deal with your problems, asshole,” Raid replied.
“She has a career to pursue. I couldn’t ask her to stay . . . but I could go with her.”
“Yeah? You’d leave here?” Raid gaped at him. “Is that what she wants?”
“I don’t know.”
Only he was starting to think there was little he wouldn’t do for her.
“But don’t worry about Lara. I’ll look after her.” He pushed past his brother. He felt his burning need to get back to her. To make sure she was okay. And maybe he’d ask her what her plans for the future were.
He got in his truck, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. It didn’t sound like things were great for her in Nashville. But she had dreams of making it as a singer. He couldn’t ask her to give those up, could he?
But he wasn’t willing to give her up either.
Fuck it. That’s what he was going to tell her. Let her decide where they lived.
Before he could reach the hotel, his phone rang. He frowned as he saw it was Alec.
“Yeah?”
“Butch, it’s Flick. She’s gone into early labor. Meet us at the hospital.”
Fuck.
24
Lara walked into Chandler’s house. It had never felt like home to her. Even though this was where she grew up.
Everything about it was always too pristine.
Too perfect.
And that was something she’d never be. Her life was a mess. Nothing ever went smoothly. She was constantly jumping from one crisis to another. Doing everything for everyone else, while no one ever did anything for her.
Well, until she met Butch.
It was exhausting. And she just wanted a break.
She wanted someone she could share the load with. Some give and take. With Axel, she’d always been giving. And it had been the same with Geoffrey. Even with her mom, most of the time, she did the giving.
Her mom didn’t give her much in return.
A gasp of horror had her turning toward Chandler’s greeting room. Urgh, why did he have to call it that? It was basically just an office. Her mother stood there, dressed perfectly without a hair out of place.
“Lara, you couldn’t have gotten changed? Why are you still in that dress?”
Don’t do it.
Do not do it.
She pushed her shoulders back. She might be in the same hideous outfit from last night with no makeup on. But she wasn’t going to feel ashamed. And she wouldn’t make herself smaller.
“Because I spent last night in a hotel room with Butch. It was amazing. Best night of my life. And then Chandler called me early and asked me so nicely to come visit that I didn’t have time to find something else to wear. So here I am!”
“Lara! I do not need to hear about . . . about you and . . . and . . . oh dear.”
Okay, now she was feeling guilty. Despite their differences, and the way she always chose her husband over everyone else, she loved her mom.
She ran her hand down her face. “Where is Chandler? I just want to get this over with and leave.”
Something that looked like guilt filled her mother’s face.