Chapter 16
Juliette
Caffeine was my only friend today. He’d woken me up with more dick at some godforsaken hour.
But it was such good dick.
With every movement, I felt him. With every dull ache, I remembered how wild we were.
It didn’t dampen my need. Oh, no. It made me check the time again and again, counting down the hours until I finished work.
He was picking me up at my apartment so I could inspect his house.
The cheek of him—stealing my spicy books and reading them.
I almost sniggered, but remembered I had children around me.
After a long sip of coffee, I walked around the classroom to see how they were getting on with their phonics exercise.
“Miss Juliette, did you hurt your leg?”
“No, Cassie. Why?”
“You’re walking funny.”
“Yeah, why don’t you tell us, Miss Juliette?”
Cathryn stood in the doorway, arms crossed, smirking.
I ignored her and turned to Cassie.
“Just some stiff muscles from exercising,” I said with a smile.
“Don’t mind me,” Cathryn added. “I’m just here to borrow some chalk.”
She knew about Kade, but not the baby.
Yet somehow, it didn’t seem so bad now.
This child was wanted. Loved.
I almost placed a hand on my stomach.
It was just as well I hadn’t—Cathryn was still watching me as she walked out with a pack of chalk.
The sheriff and the teacher.
We were already the talk of the town, and that gossip didn’t need any more fuel.
?? ?? ??
After a well-deserved nap, I packed for my sleepover at Kade’s. I was excited to see what his home looked like—and secretly hoped to see his handcuffs again. He was coming straight from work, in uniform.
I grabbed my phone charger and stuffed it into the side pocket of my case.
My phone rang.
Mom.
It persisted.
I answered, already bracing myself for impact.
“You run out of the house, surprising us, and you don’t even follow up with one single phone call, Juliette. Is this how I raised you? After everything we’ve done for you. You’re the most selfish—”
All the old feelings of inadequacy, shame, and guilt hit me at once. I hung up before the rest of her vitriol could spill through the line.
I tried to breathe. Slow. Deep. But my chest heaved anyway as the tears came—hot, fast, and endless. They’d made me wish I’d never been born more times than I could count.
I wiped at my face, trying to quiet the sobs. It was grief, anger, and a million other emotions that I couldn’t name. I could never treat my students like this—let alone my own child.
The phone rang again.
I silenced it, tossed it onto the bed, and went to the kitchen for paper towels to clean my face.
I was still blowing my nose when the buzzer went off.
My eyes closed.
I didn’t want Kade to see me like this—weak.
Then he pressed his finger to the buzzer and held it down continuously.
I squared my shoulders and stomped to let him in.
The man was impossible.
I flung the door open without a word and turned back to grab my small suitcase.
Before I could reach it, his arms wrapped around me from behind, hands settling low over my stomach.
“God, I missed being inside you,” he groaned, grinding against me, the weight of his duty belt pressing into my back.
Then he spun me around.
His smile vanished the moment he saw my face.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” he demanded, scanning me. “Are you hurt?”
My lips trembled at the rising panic in his voice.
I shook my head, vision blurring all over again. He sat on the bed, pulled me between his legs, and sat me down. Strong arms wrapped around me, holding tight as he gently rocked us.
“What happened, little mama?” he whispered. “Who do I need to shoot?”
I let my head fall to his shoulder and wiped my face with the back of my sleeve.
“My mom,” I whispered back. “Maybe not shoot. But maim… a little.”
He froze for a moment—but then kept swaying his thigh beneath me. The gentle motion soothed something frayed inside me. I didn’t care if it made me feel like a child. It was comforting—and, surprisingly, healing.
His family were close-knit. I’d watched Lucy, Kenneth, and Grammy at his birthday. There was warmth. Effortless affection. Everyone treated Caleb and Kade the same—like they belonged.
And I’d spent most of my life trying to earn that.
Approval.
Permission to just… exist.
“I was running away—from my family,” I murmured, sniffling. “I was speeding because I was late meeting the removal truck.”
He always smelled so damn good.
“You don’t need to explain, baby. I forgave you for speeding. That was the deal.”
My head snapped up and I glared at him.
He just chuckled and pressed my head back onto his shoulder.
I sighed and toyed with the pocket of his shirt.
“You don’t need to run anymore, little mama,” he said softly, rubbing his palm up and down my back. “I’ve got your back—always. Us against the world.”
Damn it. He started my tears up again.
I clung to him and nodded, the words sinking deeper than I wanted to admit.
He held me close, in silence, giving me the time I needed.
No words. No rushing. Just time to breathe.
It told me everything I needed to know about Kade Mercer.
He was a crazy bastard—
but a protective, loving one.
And instinct told me he would protect our child with his life.