Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Bastien withdrew his anger and relaxed in his seat, leaning back in the booth with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Hard to talk about something you don’t understand.” Aliénor had hopped into my Range Rover late one night, and then my life was forever changed. Every day had been more different from the previous, more chaotic. I said things I didn’t think I’d ever say. Felt human when I’d only been inhumane.
Bastien gave a slight nod like he understood, but he probably didn’t understand at all. “I think you understand more than you’re ready to admit.”
I didn’t disagree.
“There had been a lot of women before Fleur. At the bar, the brothel, those pretentious parties with champagne and shrimp toast…one after the other. And then I met her on a random night, and …it was done. If she had been anyone else, I would have snuck out the next morning, and that’d be it. But she wasn’t anyone else. She was it. I think I knew it even then.”
“Let’s not jump the gun—”
“It’s different, and you know it’s different. How many women had there been before Aliénor who never mattered? You stuck out your neck for this girl with the Oath. Gave her money. A place to live. You’re taking her to Holybelly, for fuck’s sake. How many girls have you taken there?”
I wanted to refute all of it, but I had no ammunition to fight it.
“And you know what?” He tilted his head slightly. “That’s okay, Luca.”
My eyes flicked away.
“Don’t ruin it because you’re scared—”
“I’m not going to ruin it. And I’m not scared.”
“Then why have you been acting like this?” He leaned forward again, the conversation becoming heated.
“I guess…” I wasn’t sure. “I wasn’t looking for this.”
“I get it,” he said with a nod. “I wasn’t looking for it either. I didn’t want to give up the job. Didn’t want to give up my life. My fidelity. My freedom. Marriage and babies and bullshit. You know who I was before her. But she was worth it. She was worth it the moment I set eyes on her. And then it became easy because she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Don’t fuck it up because you’re scared or stubborn or promiscuous. A good woman who changes your life comes once in a lifetime.”
“I’m not going to fuck it up.” The relationship had already deepened. The commitment was ironclad. “I was the one who asked to be monogamous. I was the one who asked her to dinner. I was the one who invited her to stay for the weekend. I don’t even know who the fuck I am, man.”
Bastien smirked slightly. “Embrace it.”
“I won’t fuck it up.”
“Damn right, you won’t.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing, and that’s been hard.”
“It sounds like you’re doing all the right things, Luca,” he said. “Keeping a woman happy is easy if you do these three things.” He extended one finger. “Don’t stick your dick in other people.” He lifted another finger. “Always text her back. With lightning speed.” He lifted the third. “And make her feel secure.” He dropped his hand. “That’s it. Done.”
I smirked. “How do you make Fleur feel secure?”
“I’m all over her all the time. Have eyes only for her. Don’t do that hot-and-cold shit. I never want her to question where I stand at any given time. I was all in with her from the start, and I told her that.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
“She’s a beautiful woman.”
My eyebrow rose.
“Just because I say she’s beautiful doesn’t mean I’m attracted to her. Fleur is the one who said she’s a hot piece of ass.”
The smile that stretched across my mouth was involuntary.
“Will you tell me about her now?”
I grabbed the glass and finished it. “Guess so.”
“What do you like about her?”
Words didn’t come to me, but flashes of memories and sensations of emotions. The way she pushed back every time I gave attitude. The way she begged for help and hated herself for doing it. “I don’t care about people often, but I’ve cared about her since the moment she jumped into my car.” Cared about her tears when they fell. Cared about the years she spent surviving on her own. Cared about her before I even knew her. “When she left and moved in to her apartment, I thought about her constantly. Thought it would pass in a couple days, but it just got worse. Was free to stick my dick anywhere I wanted, but there was only one place it wanted to go.” I’d received invitations by text. While I was out on the town. I turned down all the offers.
“That’s why you came to the party alone.”
“I guess…” I’d never gone to one of those things solo, but I didn’t have it in me to bring someone. Almost didn’t go to the damn dinner at all.