Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“No, I’m good.” He kept his back to me as he asked, “What about you?”
“A little better.”
“Good.”
He let out another deep, pained breath, and I knew then something wasn’t right. “Quinton, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, babe. Just a little stiff this morning.”
“Why won’t you look at me?”
“Just taking a minute to work out the kinks.”
“Quinton,” I pushed, but he still didn’t move, which made me wonder if his aversion was with me and not his so-called kinks. “Okay, fine. Don’t look at me. I wouldn’t want to look at me, either. I’m sure I look like hell.”
With that, I tossed the covers back and inched over to the end of the bed. When I stood, my head started to throb, but I ignored it and forced myself to take a step toward the bathroom. I didn’t get very far before Quinton reached for me and said, “Jules, stop.”
Intending to blast him, I turned and immediately froze.
His beautiful face was covered in bruises, his eyes were puffy and red, and there were bandages on his thighs. “Quinton! What happened to you?”
“Nothing,” he lied. “I’m fine.”
“You are far from fine.” I rushed over and took a closer look. “Who did this to you?”
“I can’t get into it.” Emotion filled his eyes as he told me, “All I can tell you is it’s the reason I wasn’t able to answer your call last night.”
“So, this had something to do with the club.”
He didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
I could tell by the expression on his face that I was spot on. I just didn’t understand why he wouldn’t talk to me about it. And then, I remembered the conversation we’d had about the club and all its rules. The brothers weren’t allowed to discuss club business with anyone, especially with the ol’ ladies. “So, this is one of those club things, huh?”
“It is, and I know the timing couldn’t be worse.” He gave me a slight tug, pulling me down on the bed next to him. “I let you down last night. Hell, I let myself down, and it kills me. I hate that motherfucker came here. I hate it even more that he had the nerve to put his fucking hands on you. I’ll kill him for that shit.”
“Oh, God. Is that why they brought him here?”
“You know about him being here?”
“I heard him in the back of the truck.” My throat tightened as I asked, “Are you guys really going to kill him?”
“That’s not a question you need to ask, babe.”
I thought about all the years I’d spent with James and how horrible he’d been to me. He didn’t deserve to die for what he’d done to me. “Quinton, I know you are upset and want to make him pay for what he did. I do, too, but you can’t kill him.”
“This isn’t something you should be worried about.”
“But I am.” I reached over and placed the palm of my hand against his cheek. “I don’t want you doing something that might get you in any kind of trouble. I love you, and I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you, especially because of me.”
“You love me, huh?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”
“That’s good because I love you, too.” He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss, then said, “There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive you for. You would’ve been there if you could, and you’re here now. That’s what matters.”
“I really do love you, Jules.”
“And I really do love you.” I leaned in and kissed him, this time with a little too much fervor, and Quinton winced. “Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“I’m fine, babe.”
“No, you’re not.” I stood up, then walked over and grabbed the painkillers Doc had given me. “I want you to take one of these while I go start you a hot shower.”
He raised his brow and gave me a sexy smirk. “You gonna join me?”
“No, sir. Not a chance. We both have some healing to do before any of that.”
“You’re no fun.”
“Says the man who can barely move,” I teased. “Now, hold tight while I get that shower started.”
Quinton didn’t realize just how sore he was until he got up from the bed and hobbled to the shower. I had to help him clean his wounds and reapply his bandages. He wanted to do the same for me and gave it a valiant effort, but he simply wasn’t able to help as much as he wanted to.
The next couple of days were hard on us both, but thankfully, it didn’t take long for things to start to get back to normal. My bruises had started to fade and could be covered with makeup, so I’d gone back to work. Quinton was still moving a little slow, but he was able to go back to work with the guys and help finish up their remodeling project.