Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
“Protection fails,” I say. As a doctor, he knew that, so his blatant denial was intentional.
I’m on my feet, clenching my fists with my chest puffed out. “I can’t with this nonsense. You’re only saying these things because you’re pissed at Julian, and you don’t want us to be together.”
“I’m saying it because it’s what I heard,” my brother snaps, standing up and pacing. I’ve never seen my brother so angry.
Julian comes out from his bedroom, dressed and ready to head to work. “What did you hear?” he questioned my brother, glaring at him. I hate that their friendship has been damaged by me. I want to jump between them, but I know better than getting between two big men.
With a smugness I’d only seen directed at people he hadn’t cared for, Drake says, “I heard you’re going to be a father.”
Julian’s eyes go directly to me and down to my belly. A smile spreads over his face. “You’re pregnant, baby?”
He reaches out to cradle my waist, but then I inform him of the truth. “He’s talking about Linda.”
He spins around and gets in Drake’s face. “I get that you’re pissed that I’m with your sister, but you are going too far. You starting some shit, Drake, but it’s not going to work. I have never touched Linda.” He turns to me and takes my hand, bringing it to his lips.
“I can’t stand her. Just so both of you know.” He gives my brother a dirty look before continuing. “I told her to back off. My mother already offered to write her up for sexual harassment, but I didn’t want to create a scene. Maybe I should have taken her on that offer.”
“She’s telling everyone she’s pregnant with a former resident’s baby,” I state.
He tips his chin toward my brother with a scoff. “Then it’s probably this asshole’s kid, but it can’t be mine because you’re my one and only.” The revelation comes as a shock because he’d been so sure and so intense when he made love to me.
“Are you saying…” My mind processes his words, and my heart is thumping out of my chest.
“That you’re the only woman that I’ve had sex with.” My grin is a mile wide because it’s something we both shared together.
“That’s why you were so uptight about women walking around naked in the apartment,” Drake mutters, running his fingers through his hair.
And there went my motherfucking grin.
My teeth slammed together in anger and jealousy. I can’t imagine the women touching everything with their naked bodies. “There were women walking around naked?”
“Only once and then I demanded that it didn’t happen again.” I glare at my brother.
“Well, I need to head into work, so if you’re going to be a prick you can leave. You, on the other hand, I will see you later.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me hard.
“Lord, Drake. What is wrong with you?”
“What? I just…”
“You could have spoken to us instead of just believing a random woman you slept with. One of the many women you banged. A man who has been your friend for nearly a decade and you treat him like shit because he has the audacity to care for me. A man who has never lied to you. Let you stay with him and…”
“You’re my sister and he was supposed to protect you.”
“I’m a woman, Drake. An adult who can make my own choices and despite what you may think those women you slept with were someone else’s sisters and daughters too.” I stand up and pace, seeing Julian’s lunch on the counter. “Shit. I hate to cut this short, but I’ve got to go. Are you sticking around?”
“Yeah. I’ll be around. I have a conference to attend, so that’s really the reason I was in town.” Oh. That explains why he came. It had nothing to do with us.
“I’m trying to understand this thing between you two. I really am, Everly.”
“That’s good because I love him.”
“He better treat you right or I’ll have to hire someone to kick his ass.” I laughed as he hugged me because we both knew that punch the other day did nothing to Julian. He might have stumbled, but he didn’t leave a lasting mark.
We part ways and I head down to the hospital to drop off Julian’s lunch just in time to see something more than enough to rile me up. My brother might not be right, but that bitch had a serious problem and if she didn’t act right, she was going to learn quickly that I’m not as adorable as my new pink highlights make me look.
Chapter Eleven
Julian
I rode my motorcycle into the hospital for my shift, stopping to get gas on the way. The entire ride my thoughts were on the fallout between Drake and me. It’s bullshit, and he’s going to understand that Everly and I are together.