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)
I stayed quiet, letting those words simmer.
“When I think about it, though,” he went on, “Eloise and I were probably not meant to be. We married young and fast and grew apart long before her situation with Rafael. I just refused to admit there were bigger issues, because ignorance is bliss and all. It is just a shame that my ignorance cost us so much.” He released a ragged breath and held on to me tighter. “But at least with you, I can feel happy again.”
My heart thumped a beat faster. “Are you just saying that because you’re in a vulnerable state right now?”
“No, Octavia.” He leaned back so he could stare into my eyes. “I mean it. I am happy with you. I am so lucky that I get to come home every day and see your face. I am grateful that you are here and that I can talk to you. When I look back over the last few years, I wonder how I was getting by without you.”
My throat felt suddenly raw. “Aww, Javier.”
“Maybe you do not realize it, but you have changed mine and Aleesa’s life, Octavia. If anything were to ever happen to you, it would break us to pieces. So yes.” He tightened his arms around me. “With you, I am happy. And I hope nothing ever takes you away from me.”
I held back my tears. “No one has ever said something that sweet to me. Did you take a crash course in romantic things to say to women?”
He rumbled a laugh. “I did not, and that course sounds like it would be absolute torture.”
I giggled behind a soft, slow kiss.
Groaning, he slid a hand past my waist to cup my ass.
Before our kiss could deepen, we heard our favorite disruptor.
“Tava!”
I laughed on his mouth as Aleesa came skidding on her butt down the stairs.
Forty-One
Octavia
The following week, I had a few errands to run and didn’t want to take Aleesa out of the house too much. The paparazzi were being ridiculous, and it didn’t feel safe bringing her out.
I mean, who stooped so low as to show up at Aleesa’s ballet studio just to see if Javier was around? And the only reason I knew this was because the instructor and owner of the studio called to inform Javier. She said she’d kicked the stranger out and called the police on them for trespassing.
Javier figured he would pause Aleesa’s classes until things settled. That drop from Bobble had created a massive mess.
My first stop was at a bakery, where I bought a box of cupcakes with vanilla frosting. The family needed a pick-me-up, and I damn sure could use something sweet to tide me over. Afterward, I stopped by a grocery store for more of those crackers Aleesa loved, then I made my way to the bank.
When I left the bank, I noticed a commotion across the street. My bank was in downtown Atlanta, almost in the heart of the city. Across from it was an ivory tower with police cruisers lined up in front of it. I walked to my car and got behind the wheel, but my eyes swung back to the busy building. That’s when I noticed someone coming out of the front doors.
No, there were two people. One of them was awfully familiar and being detained by a police officer.
“Oh shit,” I breathed. Because this wasn’t just any person. It was Luther.
I climbed out of the car, watching as the police hauled him toward the back door of one of the cruisers.
“They’re fucking lying!” I heard Luther yell as I jogged across the street. “I didn’t take shit! They’re lying!”
A crowd had formed, and I stayed in the back, peeking through the gaps between several heads. The officer shoved Luther into the car and slammed the door on him.
“He was a new hire, right?” I heard an Asian woman ask to my right. I noticed she was wearing a sky blue shirt with the word CordTech stitched to the heart of it.
“Yeah,” a guy said over his shoulder. He wore trousers and a button-down short-sleeved shirt. “Frank was the one who hired him. Lucas—no, Luther. I heard that guy was really smart, but also really stupid apparently.”
“What did he do?” the woman asked.
“Embezzled money from one of the accounts. He should have known those things are always monitored. Doesn’t matter how good you are with coding.”
Wow. Luther had gotten arrested for embezzlement.
Honestly . . . that didn’t surprise me. Luther was greedy—always wanting more money, flashy cars, big chains. The man in the trousers was right. Luther was very book smart, but very fucking dumb in all other aspects of life.
“Excuse me.” I stepped closer to the man as the woman walked away. “I couldn’t help overhearing. How long do you think someone goes away for something like that?”