Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 139803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
And I knew he had already seen Meghan naked from the times he had walked in on her after she’d been raped.
“Wild guess,” he said with a shrug.
Once I had her wrapped up, I stood up and gently let Vincent take her from me, his arms cradling her to his chest. She stirred slightly but continued sleeping peacefully. I quickly got dressed and took her back in my arms. Vincent grabbed her things and followed me out of the room.
Other students stared at me with wide-eyed curiosity as I carried her out of the building, but I didn’t give a fuck. I was practically royalty at the school, so I was used to the stares and rumors.
However, if someone dared to start a nasty rumor about the woman currently cradled in my arms, I would let them know she wasn’t one to be fucked with. I would become a monster to protect her and take care of her.
Fuck, I already had.
I carried her to my car that was parked in front of the dance studio and gently placed her into the passenger seat once Vincent opened the door for me. She slowly stirred awake, but I gently brushed my lips over hers. “Go back to sleep,” I soothed. “I’m not leaving.”
She let her eyes fall back shut, her breathing deepening and evening out once again. I closed the passenger door and walked over to the driver’s side. Vincent put her stuff in the backseat. “You need a lift?” I asked him.
He shook his head. “Nah. Got my car back from the shop today,” he told me. “I’m taking Desiree out.” He blew out a soft breath. “It’s not easy for me to give up the reins on being Meghan’s protector,” he told me honestly. “When it comes to her, I don’t trust anyone, Julian.” He pushed his hand through his hair. “But I’m trusting you, bro. Don’t make me regret that. We all made a dumb choice a month ago that resulted in her being left alone and hurt.” That familiar pang rang in my chest at the reminder of seeing her beaten and bloody on that floor.
“She’s everything to me, Julian. She’s like my little sister. She’s fucking family. Me letting you be with her and protect her means that I’m trusting you to protect her from yourself as well. Don’t fucking hurt her, Julian.”
He turned to walk off, but I called his name, halting him in his movement. He turned back around to face me. I swallowed thickly, saying something I had never even told her, had barely even finished admitting to myself. “I love her, Vincent.” His eyes widened. “I love her with every fucking fiber of my being, Vince. All I want to do is take care of her and love her.” I smiled slightly as I thought about how fucking stubborn Meghan was, how much that stubborn streak of hers drove me up the wall, but it was her. And she was perfect for me. “She and I may fight, bro, but I’ll never leave her alone to face her demons and all of her other shit alone.”
He nodded once. “That’s all I ask, Julian.”
I let him walk away that time. With a sigh, I slid into the car and eased out of the parking spot, driving toward the frat house.
10
Meghan
* * *
I turned on my side to look at Julian. He was still sleeping next to me, his arm thrown over my waist. His lips were slightly parted, soft snores escaping his lips. His dark, thick lashes cast soft shadows over his cheekbones, and his black, curly hair was still messed up from having sex in the dance studio.
I reached up and gently traced the line of his jaw with the tips of my fingers, feeling his day-old scruff under my hand. His eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing their beautiful, blue depths. “Hi,” I whispered.
He smiled at me as he reached up and ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “Hey, baby,” he breathed, the words a little rough and coated with sleep.
My heart swelled in my chest. He slid his hand into my hair and pulled my lips to his, kissing me softly. I moaned into the kiss as I curled my body closer to his.
He pulled back from me, his blue eyes clashing with my green ones. “We need to talk first,” he said quietly. My gut twisted as I slowly pulled back from him. That had to be a first. Since when did Julian decide talking was more important than sex?
Was he done with me? Did he see the scars covering me and decided I wasn’t worth his time—decided that I really was too ruined?
“Woah, baby, don’t,” he urged as he pulled me back to him. “Fuck, I’m not pushing you away, baby girl.”