Page 138 of Love Me

I release his hand, pushing down the desire to wipe mine on my trousers, disgusted at the one who fathered me.

“How are Abigail and the rest?” he asks.

I tell him, avoiding anything Celine-related.

“What about Celine?”

Blood thirsty asshole.

“I wouldn’t know, and I don’t care.”

I even wave my hand to emphasize how much I don’t give a fuck, when all I care about is Celine.

“Don’t worry, she won’t be here for long.”

“Whatever.”

My pulse kicks up, and in my ear, Celine says, “Breathe, baby.”

He calls his assistant, dismissing me. “Make me proud. And come to dinner this week.”

She shows me to my office, which is next to his, spanning the entire top floor. “If you want something, please ring me.”

“Thank you.”

Her brows jump to her forehead, and she excuses herself quickly while I sit at my desk, opening the laptop.

By the end of the day, my head is a jumbled mess of numbers.

In the car, Bailey says through the earpiece, “This should open the door to the facility, but we need the same from Caleb.”

When I reach the house, I find just Bailey.

“Where are the others?”

“They went to scout the location.”

I turn to the window at the sound of cars approaching the house. One after the other, they park. Everybody hops out and comes inside.

Celine jumps straight into my arms. She slams her lips on mine and says, “I’m so proud of you.”

Blake is the next to enter, saying nothing and avoiding eye contact.

I follow him to his room, where he hits at his punching bag.

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“Not yet.”

He sneaks out night after night. How he can keep up with partying, fighting, his classes, and responsibilities, I have no fucking clue.

“It will be over soon.”

“Yes,” he says with a broken smile.

“We went through hell, and we will enjoy our freedom.”

With that, I leave him, nearly bumping into Hunter in the hallway.