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)
I sighed. “I feel like I’m neglecting her, Axel.”
Axel shook his head. “I assure you, bro, she doesn’t feel neglected. You have a career, and she understands that. You’ll know if she’s feeling some type of way,” he reminded me. “You read her just as well as I do, if not better. And she knows you love her—love her enough to force her to face her feelings for me rather than forcing her to ignore them.”
“She’s fucking everything to me.” And that was the goddamn honest truth. Nothing in this world mattered to me as much as she did.
Axel nodded. “And she knows that, bro. Trust me.”
I looked over her shoulder at him. “Has she . . .?” I wanted to ask if she’d told him she loved him yet, but I just let my voice trail off instead.
Axel shook his head. “No, but I’m okay with that. I’m not rushing her, Julian. Everything that happens between us is on her terms and at her pace. I’m content with whatever she can give me.”
“You’re a better man that I ever was.”
Axel snorted. “Julian, you’ve always went after what you wanted; to hell with the consequences. And with Meghan? You needed her like an addict craving his next fix—fuck, I know you still do. The love you two have for each other is rare.”
I lifted my hand from her hip and reached up to rub the pad of my thumb over her bottom lip. “She’s it for me. I knew it the moment I watched her dance during halftime. There will never be another woman for me.”
Axel nodded. “Trust me, Julian, I understand because I feel the exact same way, even if my moment wasn’t that fast. Mine happened when I visited her for the first time in that center and saw how torn apart and afraid she looked. That’s when I fell for her. Shit knocked the wind right out of me.”
“And yet you never acted on it,” I noted.
Axel shook his head. “She was yours, Julian, and she needed you.”
“Well,” I drew in a breath, “now, she’s ours. She’ll always be ours, Axel, so I hope you’re ready to put up with me for the rest of your life,” I said with a smirk, done with the heavy talk.
Axel snorted. “Not as happy as I am, Julian,” he sarcastically responded.
I chuckled. “Forever and always, Axel.”
He laughed. “Shut the fuck up, Julian.”
35
Meghan
* * *
I looked out of the kitchen window when I heard a couple of kids squeal next door. A little blonde-haired boy was chasing a dark-haired girl with a water gun and continuously spraying her with it. I smiled softly. It was always refreshing to see kids playing and just being kids, especially when I didn’t have that option growing up.
I rested my hand on my belly. My baby would never know the shit I knew growing up. My little one would be loved—absolutely adored—and it would have a true childhood with loving parents.
I still wasn’t sure how I felt about my pregnancy, seeing as I was still so torn over losing my first baby with Julian, but I knew I would never let my child know how I felt. I would nurture it and do everything I could to take care of it.
Before, I had been selfish, and I was hurting—hurting too much to ever begin to think about anyone but myself.
But I had healed—somewhat. Granted, some days were still a struggle for me, but I had healed enough to put my baby first.
Axel stepped into the kitchen, and I turned to face him. His hair was a mess on the top of his head, and he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of low-slung sweats. He scratched his abs with a yawn before he reached out and drew me to him, taking my lips in a slow, sweet kiss.
“Good morning, sweet girl,” he greeted.
I smiled up at him. “Good morning, Axel.”
He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear. “What are you doing up so early?” he asked. “Normally, you’re still dead to the world.”
I laughed softly. “I got hungry.” I looked towards the counter where I had a plate of toast that I’d been nibbling on.
He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Should have woken me up, sweet girl. I could have made you breakfast.”
I shrugged. “I was capable, but thank you.” I moved back over to my plate. “Besides, I wanted toast heavily slathered with butter. I was capable of making that easily.”
Axel walked over to the coffee pot and began making a pot of coffee. “I have some things to do for school today, so I’ll be in my bedroom.” He poured water into the back of the coffee pot. I watched his muscles flex, barely paying any attention to his words, my toast now completely forgotten.