Chapter 42
CHAPTER
FORTY-TWO
LOOT
I’ve got Juliette’s bag in one hand, and my other hand holds hers as I guide her into my house. I have no idea what she’s going to think of the place. It’s not anything fancy—just a three-bed, two-bath.
One of the bedrooms is just a storage room.
Cade has his own room, and the hall bathroom is his.
I’ve got the master suite with the attached bath.
The living room furniture is only a leather sofa, a recliner, and a television that I hung on the wall the day I moved in.
The dining room consists of a card table and four metal fold-up chairs.
That’s about all the furniture I have other than beds. I’m a simple guy, and now I’m wondering if this is too simple. It’s definitely a bachelor pad and not a home where a woman would be comfortable.
“I know it’s pretty bare. I don’t really spend much time here, or at least I didn’t.”
Juliette doesn’t say anything immediately. She takes a step forward and then another before she’s in the middle of the living room and slowly turns to face me. Placing her bag down next to my feet, I watch her, my gaze searching hers as I wait for her to say something… anything.
“It’s perfect,” she says. “You’re a man, and Cade is a boy. It’s exactly what it should be. I think I would be concerned if it were perfect and styled.”
I chuckle, taking one step forward, then another to close the distance between us. Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her body against mine, then tilt my head to the side and touch my mouth to hers. I need to taste her, even if it’s just a tiny taste.
Once I’ve taken what I need, I take a step backward. “Are you ready?” I ask.
She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip, inhaling through her nose and then exhaling through her mouth. I watch her nostrils flare. It’s one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen in my life. Not for any other reason than I know she’s nervous, and I think that’s cute as shit.
“No,” Juliette whispers.
Her no doesn’t matter, because I hear Cade open his door and his feet move down the hall. My hands fall from her body and I turn my head to the side. I watch as Cade steps into the room.
I can tell he’s hesitant. Juliette doesn’t hesitate for even a second, though. She turns toward him, closing the distance between them. I would say something, but I don’t think I’m even needed. The moment they lock eyes, it’s like I don’t even exist.
Juliette extends her palm, and Cade slips his fingers into her hand. They shake, and I listen to each of them introducing themselves. I don’t know why, but this is the cutest shit I’ve ever seen.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Juliette murmurs. “I hope you’re okay with me staying here for a few days?”
Cade’s gaze flicks from her to me. I dip my chin in a single nod. Cade clears his throat, then looks back at Juliette. “I think I’d like that,” he states.
Their hands separate, and a silence washes over us. “So what does everyone want for dinner?” I call out as an attempt to break the silence—or maybe the tension, I’m not quite sure.
“Pizza,” Cade cries.
I laugh, not shocked in any way that he would suggest pizza. I don’t know if it’s really his favorite or if it’s something Destinee ordered a lot of because she was a lazy, cracked-out fucking cunt.
“You want pizza, Jules?” I ask.
Her brows snap together, then she looks over her shoulder at me. I arch a brow, tilting my head to the side. I wait for her to answer, but she doesn’t say anything immediately. It makes me think that maybe there is a problem with the pizza.
“Jules?” I ask.
“I would love pizza,” she whispers.
She shifts her attention back to Cade. I don’t hear what they say as they whisper to one another, and then Cade laughs. I can’t remember the last time I heard him laugh. He’s smiled, and we’ve cracked some jokes, but he hasn’t truly laughed since I got him from Henderson.
Juliette stands, and Cade walks past her and over to me. I hold my breath for a moment as I wait for him to say whatever is on his mind. Clearly, he’s got something swirling around inside his head.
Lowering down on my haunches, I look directly into my son’s eyes. He lifts his hands, his fingers curling around my shoulders as he leans in slightly. “She’s really pretty, Dad.” His words come out in a whisper.
My lips twitch into a smirk. “Yeah, she really is. She’s nice, too.”
And it’s fucking true. Juliette is nice as fuck, especially in bed. I don’t tell Cade that, though. Instead, I take my phone out of my pocket. “What kind of pizza do you want?”
Cade, of course, wants ham, pepperoni, and Italian sausage.
It’s his go-to pizza order, but I have no idea what Juliette would want, and I’m glad I get to find out.
I think this will be good. She’s my old lady now, declared to Dare at the club.
I should know what the fuck she likes to eat, how she takes her coffee, and everything else about her.
I can’t only fall in love with her for her cunt.
I’ve got to know more about her than that.
And this is how I’m going to figure it out.
Living with her, having Cade here, being together.
I just fucking hope it works out between us.
I want it to, and I think she does, too, but hell, who the fuck knows what the future holds?
“Slade,” Juliette calls out.
My spine straightens, my body jerking slightly as I am pulled out of my own head and brought back to this conversation. “Pizza,” she murmurs.
“Pizza,” I confirm.
“Canadian Bacon, olives, and bell peppers on thin crust, if they have it.”
My lips twitch into a smirk. So we’re going to be doing three different pizzas, because I won’t be eating any of that shit, and while I like Cade’s pick, it’s not enough meat for me. So, I make a call and order three pizzas, my gaze flicking between the two of them.
And I know. This moment is when everything changes.
For the better.
For the fucking best.
I can feel it.