clearly happy to see Farah smile. Even scary, I knew he loved her. It was so obvious, even when he tried to hide it again once he remembered Judd was standing nearby.
“This is Cooper,” Farah added when we said nothing.
“Hi,” I mumbled, hoping he could see something good in me like Farah did.
“Hell yeah, she’s your sister. Look at those big brown eyes.”
My hand still in hers, a laughing Farah hugged him. Even smiling, I was nervous. In the past, Farah’s life sucked yet, just a little time away from me had brought her so many great things. Would I destroy it all just as quickly?
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Judd retrieve my suitcase and the bags with my new clothes. I glanced at Farah then let go of her hand to walk where he stood.
“I’ll see you around, kid,” he said without looking at me.
“When?” I asked as Farah joined me.
“You saved her,” she said, ready to hug him before Cooper stepped closer and frowned like he didn’t want his woman touching some guy. While the couple shared a frowning contest, I moved closer to Judd.
“When?” I said again.
Sighing, he stared and I thought we would have a contest now.
“When?” I whispered.
“I have a life around here.”
Frowning, I turned to Farah who likely lost her contest because she looked irritated while Cooper smirked.
“I want to talk to him alone.”
“How alone?” Cooper asked, smirk gone as he squinted at Judd.
“They were just alone for a few days,” Farah pointed out.
“Yeah, but job’s over.”
Judd rolled his eyes and walked to his car. Following him, I ignored Cooper who said something to Farah. When I glanced back at them, Farah was using her body to block Cooper from following me. At first, this irritated her scary boyfriend. Yet, he soon focused on her chest and they started muttering something I suspected wasn’t appropriate for younger ears.
“Go with your sister,” Judd said, opening his door.
“I live in Ellsberg now. I could be part of your life around here.”
Judd glanced at Cooper then at a few kids riding their bikes. Finally, he returned his gaze to me and those blue eyes were cold.
“You’re hot, but you’re a fucking kid. You cry and whine and are scared of every fucking thing. I’m a man, Tawny, and I need a woman and you’re not even close.”
As we stared at each other, I prayed he would back down. Was he was just saying the words to do the right thing or because Cooper was nearby? I wanted him to be lying, but he stared at me like I meant nothing. No, I guess he said I was hot. He would fuck me, but he wouldn’t talk to me afterwards.
I had never dreamed of anything before. My only hope was not to die violently, but I’d never really hoped for something special for myself besides being around Farah. For the last few days, I had dreamed of me and Judd though. He was mine and I would have something special of my own.
The dream of us was still fragile. It needed him to signal me in some way that I was special to him too. He needed to show me a moment of regret. A crack in his cold demeanor to give me the hope at how my dream wasn’t dead.
Judd gave me nothing though. He only stared like I was stupid and annoying and he wished he could leave and hook up with someone better than me in a million ways. I had never dreamed before and now I wished I had never dreamed ever. Better to never hope than to have the hope ruined.
Stepping back, I nodded. Tears fell as I stepped back again. Hiccupping while trying to act casual, I wanted to cry and whine and be scared of a future without Judd as mine. I wanted to be the loser he saw me as, but I only nodded and stepped back until I felt Farah behind me.
“Thanks,” I said, still a speck of hope that before Judd left he might show me he cared.
Judd didn’t react to my thanks or tears. He just nodded at Cooper then got into the SUV we shared so much time inside. Driving away, he didn’t look back. I watched him until he
“This is Cooper,” Farah added when we said nothing.
“Hi,” I mumbled, hoping he could see something good in me like Farah did.
“Hell yeah, she’s your sister. Look at those big brown eyes.”
My hand still in hers, a laughing Farah hugged him. Even smiling, I was nervous. In the past, Farah’s life sucked yet, just a little time away from me had brought her so many great things. Would I destroy it all just as quickly?
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Judd retrieve my suitcase and the bags with my new clothes. I glanced at Farah then let go of her hand to walk where he stood.
“I’ll see you around, kid,” he said without looking at me.
“When?” I asked as Farah joined me.
“You saved her,” she said, ready to hug him before Cooper stepped closer and frowned like he didn’t want his woman touching some guy. While the couple shared a frowning contest, I moved closer to Judd.
“When?” I said again.
Sighing, he stared and I thought we would have a contest now.
“When?” I whispered.
“I have a life around here.”
Frowning, I turned to Farah who likely lost her contest because she looked irritated while Cooper smirked.
“I want to talk to him alone.”
“How alone?” Cooper asked, smirk gone as he squinted at Judd.
“They were just alone for a few days,” Farah pointed out.
“Yeah, but job’s over.”
Judd rolled his eyes and walked to his car. Following him, I ignored Cooper who said something to Farah. When I glanced back at them, Farah was using her body to block Cooper from following me. At first, this irritated her scary boyfriend. Yet, he soon focused on her chest and they started muttering something I suspected wasn’t appropriate for younger ears.
“Go with your sister,” Judd said, opening his door.
“I live in Ellsberg now. I could be part of your life around here.”
Judd glanced at Cooper then at a few kids riding their bikes. Finally, he returned his gaze to me and those blue eyes were cold.
“You’re hot, but you’re a fucking kid. You cry and whine and are scared of every fucking thing. I’m a man, Tawny, and I need a woman and you’re not even close.”
As we stared at each other, I prayed he would back down. Was he was just saying the words to do the right thing or because Cooper was nearby? I wanted him to be lying, but he stared at me like I meant nothing. No, I guess he said I was hot. He would fuck me, but he wouldn’t talk to me afterwards.
I had never dreamed of anything before. My only hope was not to die violently, but I’d never really hoped for something special for myself besides being around Farah. For the last few days, I had dreamed of me and Judd though. He was mine and I would have something special of my own.
The dream of us was still fragile. It needed him to signal me in some way that I was special to him too. He needed to show me a moment of regret. A crack in his cold demeanor to give me the hope at how my dream wasn’t dead.
Judd gave me nothing though. He only stared like I was stupid and annoying and he wished he could leave and hook up with someone better than me in a million ways. I had never dreamed before and now I wished I had never dreamed ever. Better to never hope than to have the hope ruined.
Stepping back, I nodded. Tears fell as I stepped back again. Hiccupping while trying to act casual, I wanted to cry and whine and be scared of a future without Judd as mine. I wanted to be the loser he saw me as, but I only nodded and stepped back until I felt Farah behind me.
“Thanks,” I said, still a speck of hope that before Judd left he might show me he cared.
Judd didn’t react to my thanks or tears. He just nodded at Cooper then got into the SUV we shared so much time inside. Driving away, he didn’t look back. I watched him until he
Similar Books
