Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
She was peaceful to watch, but that alone didn’t stop the way I was feeling inside. Knowing she was clearly in danger kept me up all night.
It was a good thing I was used to not sleeping, it came with the letters M.D. after my name.
“Aiden, come to bed,” Bailey sleepily whispered in my ear, wrapping her arms around my neck from behind. “You know I can’t sleep without you.”
“I’m almost done with this chapter,” I revealed, leaning into her embrace.
“You’re so tense. Let me help you with that.”
“Bay—”
“No need to worry, Dr. Pierce. I know how to give the best shoulder massages.”
I groaned when I felt her fingers dig deep into my muscles.
“You have studied those MCAT books for the last year, Aiden. You know it by heart. Why do you stress—”
“Less talking, more rubbing.”
“I could rub other things.”
“Not tonight, Beauty.”
She sighed. “Fine, what if—”
“Tony, stop! Don’t! Please don’t!”
“You fucking bitch!”
Bailey jolted out of her skin as soon as she heard the neighbors going at it again.
“Ugh, they’re fighting!”
Even though we’d been living there since we got married four years ago, she still hadn’t gotten used to the bullshit that came with lower income housing. The neighborhood was getting worse and worse as the months went by.
I gripped onto her hands, pulling her onto my lap to look into her eyes.
Stating, “Which is why I have to keep studying, Bay. To get you out of here.”
“Hmm… Sean, don’t,” Camila stirred, causing my thoughts to shift back to her. “Please… stop… just don’t…”
Hearing her say those exact words bothered me in ways I couldn’t begin to describe. I knew right then and there what I had to do.
For my kids.
For Camila.
And maybe… just maybe…
For me too.
<>Camila<>
“Oh my God,” I groaned, immediately grabbing my pounding head before I even opened my eyes. “Why did you drink that much, Camila? Why?”
“I’ve been asking myself that same question for most of the night.”
My eyes shot open and I sat straight up. Instantly feeling dizzy and nauseous from the abrupt movement.
“Whoa,” I rasped out loud, blinking a few times. Thinking my mind and eyes were playing tricks on me and Dr. Pierce wasn’t sitting on my couch looking as exhausted as I felt. “What the fuc—”
He nodded next to me, cutting me off.
Peering down at my body, I noticed there was a little arm draped across my waist.
“Your bodyguard spent the night to make sure I didn’t do things to you.”
“Do things to me? What kind of things?”
He cocked an eyebrow.
“I don’t know why I just said that. Clearly, I’m still drunk.” I closed my eyes, holding my hammering head in my hands. Hiding the embarrassment that must have been evident on my face. “Jesus, I can’t even see straight.”
“That’s what happens when you drink your weight in hard liquor.”
“Well…” Unable to hold back, I spoke the truth. “If you wouldn’t have treated me like shit, kicking me out on my ass, and firing me, I wouldn’t have.”
“Well, if you hadn’t been prying into my personal business, I wouldn’t have lost my temper.”
“Well… you should learn to control your anger.”
“Well, you should learn to be a good girl and mind your own business.”
My heart fluttered as soon as he said those two words.
Good girl.
Stupid heart, stop it.
“Yeah—” we locked eyes “—well you should learn not to be an asshole.”
I swear I saw him hide back a grin, but at this point, it also seemed like he had three heads, so who knows what I just saw.
“Is that the way you talk to your boss?”
“Considering you fired me, no. That’s the way I talk to an asshole.”
He definitely hid back a smile that time, or at least I thought he did.
Curtis muttering, “Stop fightin’, I’m tryin’ to sleep,” rolling over and placing a pillow over his head made us both chuckle. Lightening up the mood.
“Oh man.” I grabbed my stomach. “I think I’m dying.”
He flinched, it was quick, but it was there.
Why did he do that?
We both sat staring at each other for I don’t know how long. Both of us lost in whatever the hell was happening between us. It was as if I woke up in an alternate universe where Dr. Pierce was suddenly in my life.
Why is he even here?
Because of me?
No.
Right?
And God chose that moment to make me recall everything that happened the night before.
Me dancing.
Sean.
Me dancing with Sean.
Aiden.
“Oh, fuck me, Aiden…”
“Excuse me?”
“Did I just say that out loud?”
“Yeah, you did.”
My eyes went wide. “I gotta eat or throw up. Maybe eat and then throw up. Something along those lines.”
“I have to be at the hospital by noon.” He stared down at his watch. “You think you could hurry it up with the dramatics and pack your bags, so we can go.”
I lowered my eyebrows, contemplating if I heard what he had just said correctly. My gaze shifted every which way before I looked behind me, thinking there must have been someone else in the room.