Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
I frowned at the medication on the counter. I took so many.
I really was a fucked-up mess.
My bottom lip trembled. My head was so fucked up that I took seven different fucking medications every day. How could Christian even stand to look at me like he did?
I was fucking insane, and all of these medications proved that.
Tears slid down my cheeks. I sobbed as I slid down the wall, letting my ass hit the floor with a thump as I dropped my face into my hands. I hated feeling like this. If I had to take all of these damn medications, shouldn’t I at least stop having all of these damn lows all the time?
“Hey, I’m making some breakfast—heard you get up—woah!” Caiden exclaimed as he stepped into the bathroom, his eyes on me, not even looking at the medications. I turned my face away from him. “Hey, take it easy,” he soothed as he sat on the floor next to me.
“Go away,” I cried.
“No,” he said softly as he drew me into his arms. “You don’t need to be alone—not like this.”
I sobbed, my shoulders shaking as I cried. He tightened his arms around me, brushing his lips to the top of my head as I soaked his bare chest with my tears.
One big, fucked-up mess.
10
LOVE
Christian
“What?” I growled into my phone as I picked up Caiden’s call. I swear, if he was bothering me again about no milk being in my house, I was going to lose my fucking mind.
“Christian, you need to get home,” he told me. There wasn’t any teasing in his voice. For once, my brother was completely serious. “Ally needs you, bro.”
“Fuck,” I swore. I had an appointment in twenty minutes with a patient, but goddammit, I couldn’t let Ally suffer by herself. And Caiden—yeah, he was good with me when I was buried deep in my own shit, but he wouldn’t know how to handle her.
“What happened?” I demanded as I went in search of Axel. He was free until the afternoon. I needed him to take my next two appointments, and I would get the receptionist to reschedule the rest.
“I don’t fucking know, Christian.” I heard Ally crying in the background. My fucking heart broke for her, my soul urging me to hurry the fuck up to get to her.
“Axel,” I called when I saw him getting ready to disappear into his office. He stopped and turned to face me. “I need to go,” I told him. “It’s Ally.”
He nodded, concern for his little sister washing through his eyes. “I’ll handle everything. Go,” he ordered. “And fucking let me know what’s going on.”
I nodded and quickly rushed out of the back door of the office. “Caiden, let me talk to her,” I urged him. “I can keep her stabilized. Just let me talk to her.”
A moment later, her shaky voice came over the phone. “Christian?” she croaked.
“Hey, beautiful,” I soothed as I beeped my car unlocked and slid into the driver’s seat. “Talk to me, baby. What’s going on?”
She sobbed. “I’m a mess,” she cried.
“No, beautiful. You’re not.” Fuck, she could never be a mess in my eyes. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but goddammit, she was perfect for me. Every bit of her called to me. The moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew there would never be another woman in my life.
Ally was it for me.
“I am.” She hiccuped. “What sane person has to take this many medications?”
“Someone who is trying to be her best self,” I gently reminded her as I quickly sped down the street. I thankfully didn’t live far—it was normally only a five-minute drive—but since I was speeding, I would be there in a couple of minutes at most. “I need you to fight for me, baby. I’m almost home.”
“I’m so tired of fighting all of the time,” she whimpered, striking fear in my chest. I would not let her give up. Not now.
I quickly turned into the driveway, parking half-assed on the concrete. I quickly jumped out of the car and rushed up to the porch. “Don’t say shit like that, Ally. I’m never fucking letting you give up,” I swore.
I quickly hung up the phone and rushed into the bathroom where I could hear her crying. Caiden quickly moved out of my way. I leaned down and slid my arms beneath her, lifting her up against my chest. “I’m here, baby,” I soothed. I looked at Caiden as I began to carry her to my bed. “Grab her medicine,” I told him. “And a bottle of water.” He nodded and disappeared to do as I’d asked.
She slept later than usual today. She had a routine of getting up and going straight to the bathroom to take her medications. Since it was already almost eleven and her medications were still set out on the counter, I knew she hadn’t taken them yet.