Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
****
By the next morning, the ladies have everything squared away for the wedding. Anthony and I are getting married in three days at Cowboy's ranch where it can be set up nicely.
I come downstairs after another passionate night. I thought with his family under his roof, it would keep him at bay, but the man isn't the only walking bundle of testosterone on a mission. There were noises coming from every bedroom. I had to laugh because Anthony still held his hand over my mouth, claiming he didn't want my orgasms shared with anyone but him.
"Good morning," I grumble, entering the kitchen to see his mom and sister already getting breakfast started.
"Morning, Jules. I hope you don't mind that we started cooking. We're not used to Anthony having anyone."
"No. It's not a big deal. I just didn't get a lot of sleep." I look at the phone Cyber gave me to double check the time. "Dang it, it's already nine."
"Do you want a cup of coffee?" Roxie asks as I take a seat on my favorite chair—Anthony’s chair.
"Sure. I could really use it." My phone starts ringing. I don't recognize the number, but it's a Dallas area code, so I answer. "Hello."
"Hello, this is Detective Hughes. We met briefly at the hospital." Weird introduction. I take a look at my phone again, wondering if it’s not a spammer.
"How can I help you?" I don't remember meeting a detective, but I could have still been out of it.
"I need you to come in to talk. Or we could meet. I need to get a formal statement."
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to check with my fiancé. I'm currently not in the position to drive myself anywhere. Hold on. Let me get him,” I insist, hopping off Anthony’s chair and going to look for him
"No. That's okay." He ends the call so fast he doesn’t actually finish the word “okay.”
"Wow. That was weird." I stare at the phone.
"Who was that?" Anthony snarls behind me.
"Do you remember a detective coming to my room? A Detective Hughes?"
"Yes, she came, but you two didn't speak because you were still out of it."
"She?" Now something is most definitely up.
"Yes." I explain what happened on the call, and immediately he's on the phone to Cyber.
"I'm really sorry about what happened to you. I know if I hadn't told my brother that stuff, he wouldn't have walked away from you that day."
"Don't be sorry. I said what I said, even if I didn't mean it. As a sister, it was the best thing for you to tell him."
"I suppose, but I feel like..."
"It's not your fault at all. It's not anyone's fault but that asshole who attacked me." My bandaged hand is a daily reminder that this isn't over, but that call has just ruined my day.
Anthony comes into the room again and wraps his arms around me. "I'm sorry, Precious. Cyber's looking into the call. Whoever it was called from the Dallas Police Department's line, but it wasn't Detective Hughes. She's at another crime scene at the moment."
"I just want this to be over."
"Oh, it will be soon. One way or another," he snarls, and I know the other is Brandon's corpse rotting somewhere no one can find it.
"How about we all eat and try to find a dress for Jules?"
"Ooh, I want to go shopping," Roxie says.
***
I drop my head onto Anthony's chest as we lay in bed, panting. The sex has been out of this world, and I can't seem to get enough of him buried balls deep inside of me. I've become insatiable, but he doesn't complain one bit.
"So tomorrow you become my wife." He says it with an air of concern.
"Yes, are you getting cold feet?"
"Yes, the air's on."
I roll my eyes, and then I slap his chest. "I'm serious."
"Ouch. I'm serious too." He pulls the covers over his legs, covering his feet. He then cups my face, and with a dead-serious expression, he adds, "'But when it comes to marrying you, my feet are on fire. I want to run down the aisle, scoop you up, and carry you to the officiant and have us married before anyone can steal you away from me. I mean it when I say I love you. I've never felt this way before, and it's fucking incredible. So let's get some sleep, and then I'll leave you be."
"What about your bachelor party?"
"Don't need one."
"You don't want one?"
"Nope. I'm not mourning the loss of my freedom. You owned me the day we met. My thoughts of anyone else flitted right into the bakery oven and burned right up."
"You're a sweetheart."
"Only for you."
I wake up alone, the bed beside me cold. Looking at the clock, it's only eight in the morning, but Anthony wanted to go make sure everything was set up nicely. Doc removed the bandage on my bad hand, and although it's got a long way to go, my finger isn’t swollen anymore. Seeing my ring finger, I think about that morning.