Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
One of our phones vibrates and I frown—it’s Eve’s. The clock on the end table reads close to midnight. I know who and what it is. With a sigh, I close my eyes. The phone stops and moments later, a ding alerts that a message has been left. Eve is so peaceful in sleep; her sweet breath lightly kisses my neck as she moves her nose into me. I reach up and hold her head to me. I give up and let go. What has happened is going to change her and I hope it doesn’t damage her.
Again, I close my eyes as my mind retraces the last four months. After the shooting, all hell broke loose. I completely put all drug selling to a halt. It weeded out the brothers who truly are family and want to be here from the guys who want to look tough and have free drugs and pussy. I’m done dealing drugs and I’m getting too old to risk prison. Eve groans as she rolls to her back and I instantly turn to my side, my hand on her large stomach caressing our baby. I do this a lot. I had wanted to find out the sex, but Eve insisted that it would be more fun to be surprised. But I know the truth: it was yet another carrot for her to dangle in front of her father. Look, Daddy, if you want to know the sex, you better not die on me.
Every day I drop her off and she spends hours with him. Talking to him. Christ, half the time she watches him sleep. Sometimes I go with her, help him go outside, but I always feel James’s animosity. He may have accepted me, but he certainly makes it clear I’m not good enough for his baby girl. He’s right—Eve deserves better, but fuck it, some people win the shit lottery. The truth is it’s been a miracle that James Smith has made it this far.
“Fuck.” I sit up and reach for a cigarette and grab Eve’s phone, slipping out the French doors to my deck. It’s fucking freezing out, but there is no way I’ll smoke in front of Eve.
As I glance down at her phone, there it is like a rock has been thrown at my chest because I know what’s coming. “Christ.” I enter her code to unlock then push on the button to the nursing home.
“Dove’s Grey Nursing Home.”
I exhale and my smoke dances in front of my face as it swirls upward.
“This is Jason Mc—”
“Oh hey, Blade, it’s me Sarah.” Her tone gives it away before I even have to ask. “He just passed away.” I look up at the stars. The cool air seems to wake up every cell in my body. “June said he was peaceful.”
June is the nighttime nurse. “Thank you. Did the mortuary come get him?”
She clears her voice. “They are on their way. I’m sorry. He was kind of like our miracle patient. And Blade?”
“Yeah?” I smother my cigarette and lean against the wooden railing.
“Tell Eve that we all are sorry.”
“I will. Thank you, Sarah.” I hang up. My life is about to change. The last months have been something I had no idea existed. I certainly haven’t seen it. My parents didn’t have it. My brothers don’t have it. So to feel this happy, this content… well, it’s changed me. I have a mate, a partner, and she loves and accepts me. I want it all with her, everything. But first we need to get through this. Fuck, taking a bullet for her was easier than what I’m about to do. I open up the door and the warmth of my room cocoons me and I breathe in the scent. It’s coconut, vanilla, and Eve and I could bathe in it and still want more. I stare down at my Angel. Her hair is spread onto my pillow like spun gold as it shines in the moonlight, her stunning face so peaceful, so god damn happy. Tears sting my eyes.
This is going to be bad. I almost slide into bed and put it off. Instead I turn on the light and pull on some jeans. Then I sit next to her on the bed. Her long, dark lashes flutter open and she smiles and closes them again as her hand reaches for mine. She’s come so far these last months. Made it through the trial like a champ and all I had to pay was a hefty fine. The FBI has been quiet since they are charging Sandy with the murder of Doc. Her trial is set later this year. She swears it was Benny, Eve’s brother, who killed him. But without Benny, Sandy is left with all her prints and crazy confessions. The bitch tried to shoot Eve. I don’t give a shit that she was out of her mind on drugs. I do not forgive. She can fucking rot in jail for all I care.