Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 57067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“Will those women and girls be safe now?” I finally ask.
“A full FBI investigation has been opened. As Don, I’ll be working with the Feds … in secret. I’ll have their backing from the shadows. Already, the victims are being reunited with their families.”
“Thank God,” I say.
“You have yourself to thank. It was reckless, Snowflake, rushing in there like that. But it forced us to act.”
“I had to do something. I thought if I could help, then we could be together. That’s all I cared about.”
He wraps both arms around me, hugging me to his chest.
Julian wakes, yawning, still smiling as he looks across the room at us. He glances at the snowy window and then back at us. “Shall we watch a Christmas movie?” he says.
“The three of us?” I ask.
He nods, eyes glimmering, and I know this is it, a moment of real approval. “I’m not going to stand in your way,” he says. “I can’t. I refuse to. When I look at you both, I see something real. And yeah, it was a shock. But there’s nothing like a life-or-death fight to make a man see what’s important.”
He sits up, still smiling, as surreal happiness flows through me.
“I don’t want you to say something you don’t mean,” I whisper.
He shakes his head. “I mean it. From the bottom of my heart. I guess Christmas miracles do exist.”
“Okay, now you’ve got me worried,” I say, sobbing and laughing at the same time. “I’m supposed to be the one who says sickly Christmas stuff like that, not you. Are you sure you’re not concussed?”
“For the first time in years, I’m seeing things clearly. I thought I was trapped in the mob, forced to work with them, to be one of them. But I see things differently now. You showed me that, Damian. We can be better. We should be better.”
“I agree,” he says passionately.
“So…” Julian leans forward. “What movie are we watching?”
“Wait a second.” I disentangle myself from Damian and stand up. “I don’t want to ruin this, but I need to know, Julian, does this mean—” I cut myself off, unable to force the words out.
“Does this mean I’m going to give you two a chance?” Julian finishes for me. “I thought I made that clear.”
“But no resentment, no secretly hating us, no changing your mind?”
Julian stands, takes my hands. When he looks down at me, I see the older brother I knew when I was just a little girl, always so neat, always so in control. His eyes are still glimmering, but a tear hasn’t fallen yet.
“Whatever path you two decide to go down, I’m going to be here for you… for both of you.”
I throw myself into his arms. He catches me as a sob escapes from me, making soft circular motions on my back with his hands.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“We’ve got a problem,” Damian says.
I turn, panic pounding through me. But then I see the twitch at the edge of his mouth. “I don’t have WiFi here, and I haven’t got any Christmas movies.”
“Wait a second,” Julian says, chuckling. “Remember that job three years back? This is the same safe house we used, right?”
Damian’s eyes widen. “Yeah, it is.”
“And you were too grumpy to play it with me.”
“What are you two talking about?”
Julian winks. “You’re going to love this. Wait here.”
He lets me go and rushes down the hallway. Damian sweeps me into his arms, stealing a kiss. Our lips crash together, hot and searing need making my body throb all over.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” I murmur.
“Does that mean you want to take things further?” he asks huskily.
“Do you even have to ask me that?” I reply.
His hand presses against the small of my back, pushing us closer together, letting me feel him… all of him. “I feel like a damn kid saying this, but Celine, I’ve got a very important question to ask you. Before you answer, just know this will be the best Christmas gift I could possibly receive.”
For a moment, I think he’s hinting at a proposal.
That would be way too fast.
I want him, need him even, but we’re grownups and this is the real world. We have to be realistic.
He brushes his lips across my cheek, warm breath shivering over my ear. “Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”
I laugh as delight bubbles up inside me. “That would be a hell to the yes!”
He laughs, spinning me around into another kiss.
Julian returns, an ear-to-ear smile on his face despite the bandage on his arm. I rub my eyes to make sure I’m seeing correctly.
He’s holding the Christmas edition of Monopoly in his hands. His eyes are as bright as baubles. “Ready to lose, suckers?”
“Oh, it’s on,” I say, turning to the coffee table to clear it.
“Ho ho ho,” Damian says, chuckling.