“Whew.” Birdie swipes a hand across her forehead. “I thought you two were breaking up or something.”

“Why’d you jump to that conclusion?” I scowl. That’s never happening. Why would she even guess such a thing?

“No reason at all.” Birdie blinks in confusion.

Calder tucks his fiancée closer to his body. “Don’t use that tone around Birdie. You’re going to upset her.”

“She’s upsetting me.”

“You wanna fight?” Calder straightens. “Because that’s what’s going to happen if you keep talking about Birdie that way.”

“Yeah, I kind of do want to fight.” Hitting something would be good right about now.

“Oh my God. No one is fighting. You”—she punches me in the chest—“go to your cabin and you”—she hits Calder—“stop egging your cousin on. Lord, it’s like you two are ten years old again. Come on.” She drags Calder down the hall. “I’m hungry, and you promised to feed me.”

My cousin leaves reluctantly but not before shooting me a warning glare. I glare right back, happy to direct my anger at something other than my relationship with Cam. Behind me, the door opens and Cam’s head pokes out. “You’re starting fights with your cousins now?” she tsks. “Come in and lie down with me. I think you’re just testy from the flight.”

“We fucking or not?” We’re always on the same page when I’ve got my mouth on her.

“Not. It’s cuddling or nothing.”

I push the door open. “I’ll take it.”

Truthfully, if all I ever got from Cam was cuddling, I’d take that, too. It’s the leaving that would break me.

CHAPTER 19

CAM

Watching Birdie and Calder together melts my heart. I’m pretty sure Maria is experiencing the same thing when she sees them together. I’m noticing that Tucker and Calder are a lot alike when it comes to doting on their women. It gives me a glimpse into what a life with Tucker would be like. I have to admit, I want it more than anything, but it’s scaring the hell out of me. I know if I let him in fully and he leaves that my heart will never recover.

It’s been a few days since we've been back from Italy. I’ve been staying at the main house so that Maria doesn’t feel alone. Tucker bitches about it to no end. Always saying he’s going back to our house as he calls it, but every night he’s in bed with me.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m still staying in the main house for Maria if I’m being honest. She is actually settling in nicely. I thought this might be a big change for her, but she’s loving it here. She, like me, adores how close the Justice family is.

Both of us grew up in small families. From the way she talks, nothing is more important than family. She holds them in such high regard that I believe it’s why she is having such a hard time dealing with what happened. What her stepsister accused her of goes against her core beliefs when it comes to family.

I get it in a weird way. She’d grown close to Glorianna, thinking of her as a real sister. She latched on to the idea of having a bigger family to call her own. I understand that too. I’ve been doing the same in the weeks I’ve been out here with all the Justices. I’d love nothing more than to call them all my family. To raise my children here.

Seeing Maria lose part of what she thought of as her family made me realize my own fears. Each day I spend here at the ranch, the more I fall in love with everyone here. Birdie even asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding.

If things didn’t work out for one reason or another, I don’t only risk losing Tucker, but everyone else here. God knows the Justice men tend to run when it comes to love.

I grab my phone out of my pocket when it starts to go off with a reminder. “Oh gosh.” I check the time to see if it’s even possible to make it to the city in time.

“What?” Birdie asks.

“Can I use the chopper?” It would take me too long to call for one of my own. “I’m supposed to meet my mom in the city today. She’ll give me hell if I miss again.” I already cancelled on her once, which she gave me a small guilt trip about. She went on about how I never miss my Sunday brunch with my dad. I always make sure to see them separately because things tend to get a bit hairy when they’re in the same room.

I hadn’t even bothered to point out to her that I’d actually canceled on him too last Sunday. I knew it would be pointless. I’ve actually been dipping out of a lot of things lately. I don’t think Tucker even realizes that. I’ve only asked him to come with me to one event. I think I said I would go on my own, but he insisted on going with me.

Tags: Ella Goode Erotic
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