Page 157 of Fame and Obsession

I never allowed myself to get close to any other female after that. No one seemed trust-worthy enough and…well, no one was Faith.

We spoke on the phone a lot those first few months after the attack. As time passed, the calls became few and far between, until they stopped.

But here she is…and it’s because of him.

Her smile widens, and she nods toward Julian. “I have to admit, it took a few moments to get over the shock of getting a phone call from Julian Bale. I swore it was someone fucking with me.”

Julian tips his drink back. “She used a few four-letter words that made me blush, too.”

“How the hell did you find her?” I squeal.

He shoves his hands in his pockets. “You called her, princess. I just swiped your phone and stole the number. It wasn’t any James Bond-type shit.”

“It isn’t every day you get a phone call from a rock star,” Faith says, giving my hand a squeeze. “I’ve got to hear the story about how you landed him. Of course, I’m not surprised, you always had men falling at your feet.”

“I don’t think I want to hear this, so I’m going to make sure Zane isn’t harassing unsuspecting waitresses,” Julian says, giving me a departing kiss and winking at Faith. “I’ll be stealing her back.”

As he walks away, Faith’s eyes widen. “I get a call out of the blue that you want hacker info, and that’s it? I hear no more updates—then this? Seriously, Pheebs, he flies me out of LA, first class with a few days’ notice, then he tells me you’re having his baby?”

I hug her again. “Let’s just say it’s been a long road that thankfully has a happy ending. I want to be with Julian and finally be normal.”

“There’s nothing normal about living with Bale boys, I can tell you that.”

Heart in my throat, I spin around and come face-to-face with familiar green eyes. It’s Eliza Bale, Julian’s mom. After he forced us into an impromptu phone conversation at the restaurant, I recognize her distinctive voice.

“Wow, you’re here too? When did he do all of this?”

She gives me a light kiss on the cheek, her eyes lowering to my stomach. “He called me this morning and said, well, let me get his words correct, ‘to get my damn ass in the car with my other son, or he’d have the NYPD come pick us up.’”

“Ryker’s here too?”

She searches the room before throwing her arms in the air. “He’s here somewhere. No doubt announcing to the club that he’s Julian’s brother and the second coming for Lords of Lyre. For all of his bitching, he doesn’t mind using it as a pickup line.”

Faith giggles and Eliza focuses her attention on my belly again “Are you feeling okay, Phoebe?”

“Yes,” I say honestly. The question burns inside me too much not to ask. “Does that mean that you’re happy?”

“Happy? Phoebe, the son I know has returned. I didn’t recognize him the past year, and you came into his life and brought him back to us. I’m ecstatic.”

That’s it, the faucet turns on, and the tears roll down my face. I had no idea how long we stand like that, sharing a private moment.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but you’re being summoned.” We turn to see Ryker standing there, the same Bale smile dancing across his face. Past him, Julian motions me forward.

Never letting go of his stare, I walk toward his table, and he pulls me onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he lets out a groan. “Damn, woman, you’re like a ton of bricks now.”

Very funny.

“Watch it,” I warn with a smile.

Julian makes fingertip trails around the outside of my belly as his eyes followed multiple conversations occurring around the table.

Zane and Faith are engrossed in a master game of who was the bigger flirt, and Ryker, Gage, Parker, and Nate argue through a pathetically doomed game of pool. Jaxon proudly brings out pictures of his four-year-old son and shows them off to Eliza and Helena while they cooed over his mop of blond hair and toothy grin. Ty sits back, alone, and takes it all in while eyeing everyone cautiously. The corners of his mouth still turned down after his best friend’s betrayal.

Turning my attention back to Julian, our eyes collide with a smoldering stare so strong, my heart skips a beat. “What’s that look for, Bale?”

“What look?”

“The one that makes me think there’s more that you’re not telling me?”

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