Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Sorry we’re a little late.” Octavia met up with us as I placed Aleesa on her feet. “Leesa refused to leave until she found a purple bow to match her jumpsuit.”
I chuckled. “That sounds like her.”
Octavia turned her eyes to her future brother-in-law. “Hey, Deke. No Vina today?”
“No, but thanks for reminding me of how much I miss her.” He laughed as they hugged.
“Deke, is candy here?” Aleesa asked, peering up at him.
Deke gave me a mischievous side-eye before lowering to a squat. “I heard there’s cotton candy and candy apples. But shh . . . I didn’t tell you that.”
I narrowed my eyes at him as he stood again. Aleesa’s eyes were big as a smile spread across her face.
“Maybe some popcorn,” I said, eyeing Octavia.
She nodded as she took Aleesa’s hand. “Popcorn it is.”
Before she could walk away, I said, “And just a little bit of cotton candy. You know how she is with sweets.”
Octavia grinned at that, her pearly teeth catching the light. I almost faltered, seeing that smile in combination with her soft brown eyes. God, why did she have to be so beautiful? Why was I so into her now? Was it because we’d had sex? Had these feelings always been here? I had not felt my heart pump like this in many years.
As she walked away, I couldn’t help watching her go. Her ass swayed perfectly in that dress. I caught a few men staring and tried my best not to glare them down.
Deke cleared his throat beside me, and I snapped out of my trance, slipping my hands into my front pockets.
“So Davina was telling the truth,” he said.
I reluctantly swung my attention to him. “About what?”
“About you ruining Octavia’s date because you might be into her.” He put on a big grin as he bumped me with his shoulder. It looked like he wanted to point and shout I told you so!
I refused to give him the satisfaction. Though he was right. He was so fucking right. I was very much into this woman.
With a smirk, I said, “I do not know what you are talking about,” before walking away to find the Gatorade stand.
Twenty-One
Javier
The event was a success, and I was thankful for that. Large crowds were not my thing, but they came with my career, and I often had to make sacrifices to keep it running smoothly.
It was one thing to play in a stadium, but it was another to attend events such as the one at Element, with so many people around. It didn’t feel like I had a shred of privacy with all those admiring eyes around, so when it was time to go, I was relieved.
Aleesa and Octavia had left long before I had. I could not stop looking for either of them. Of course, I would always be on the lookout for my daughter. But I kept searching for Octavia too. I did not know what it was about her that had me so drawn. Perhaps what we had done had changed things.
Perhaps it had changed me.
What I knew for a fact was that I had not gotten enough of her. I wanted more, and that felt wrong to want. But it was true. Wanting more with her was all I could think about, even during my drive home. And this wasn’t just about the sex. This was beyond lust. With her I felt a true connection. I felt a vulnerability that I had not felt in a very long time.
Along the way, my phone rang. Octavia’s name appeared on my car’s dashboard.
“Hi,” I answered. “I am just on my way. It took a little longer to—”
“Javier, I need you to get home as quickly as you can, please.” Octavia’s voice was filled with panic.
I straightened in my seat. “What do you mean? What is wrong?”
“There’s . . . well, there’s someone here who shouldn’t be here. I’m driving away, but . . . please hurry. I called the police, but I don’t know when they’ll show up. Oh, God.” Her breathing became erratic, blowing through my car’s speakers.
“Okay, I am coming. Hey, relax. Okay? I am on my way.” I wanted to ask her who this person was that had gotten her so worked up, but asking questions probably would have caused her more anxiety, so I kept them to myself.
“Okay,” she breathed, calming herself just a bit.
“Is Aleesa okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine.”
“Okay. Find a safe space to wait for me. I will text you when I have arrived.”
“Okay.”
I added pressure to the gas pedal. It would take me at least another twenty minutes before making it to my house. I drove fast, glad that I did not get pulled over for it.
When I made it to my street, I noticed a silver Mercedes parked at the curb near my property’s gate. A man sat on the hood of the car, dressed in ripped jeans, a button-down tan shirt, and a pair of loafers. His inked arms were folded, and when his head turned and he locked onto my vehicle, I could tell he was nothing but trouble.