Page 87 of Love Me Not

“Okay,” she mumbled, and then I heard her whispering, counting down from fifty.Something else Juliette had taught her to do.

“That's good, Bella,” Juliette cooed, her hand coming up to rub Bella's back as we walked.“You're doing so good.You've gotten so good at calming yourself down.”

But Bella said nothing.When I set her down, she actually pulled away and buckled herself in the car.We followed suit, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.None of us spoke.I knew both Juliette and I were thinking the same thing.

If my mother decides to open her mouth, we will be in a lot of fucking trouble.Trouble Bella doesn’t need.

As usual, just when I thought my life was perfect, it was all threatening to crash down.

* * *

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh.“Great, Laura.Again, sorry to bother you so late…”

“Don’t worry about it, Lux.I’ll finish this tonight and follow up tomorrow.”

We hung up, and I was left with an impossible heaviness on my shoulders.

This is it.We’re actually doing this.

Some part of me always knew it would come to this, I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.I wanted to believe that even if my mother was a manipulative bitch to me,maybeshe could redeem herself for Bella.

But that was wishful thinking.

I stood up from my chair, stretching out the ache in my muscles.Walking out of my office and down the hallway, I paused when I reached Bella’s room.The small, muffled sound of Juliette reading to her reached my ears.

The exhaustion was starting to overtake me then.I leaned my head against the door so I could hear her more clearly.Her smooth, rhythmic voice filtered through, and I found myself relaxing because of it.

When she finished, I found it hard to pull myself away.I wanted to slip in and crawl into bed with them, fall asleep to the sweet sound of Juliette reading.

“Again?”Juliette asked in a voice barely discernible through the door.

“Maybe… more… if that’s okay,” Bella said in an even smaller voice.I couldn’t make out everything, but I was grateful she was asking her to read again.It allowed me a selfish moment with them.

Even if we were separated by a wall, both emotionally and physically, this was the closest I’d felt to them.I enjoyed watching them together.Loved seeing the comfort they found in each other.

It was okay if I was still on the other side of this wall, watching over them like a guardian angel.But I couldn’t help but think Juliette was the real angel here.

I didn’t have Juliette’s ability to get Bella to open up.To get her to forget about everything.Yet she came in and did it effortlessly.

I’ll fix this.For them.

I promised to keep Bella safe.Make her happy.Even if that meant spilling blood.My mother was unpredictable, and after the years of abuse at her hands, I knew she’d be capable of anything.

Whatever came our way, I would protect both of them.Our new little family.It was us against the world.

Chapter23

Juliette

“The restraining order will be in place tomorrow,” Lux told me as I got settled against her, my head on her chest.

Bella needed me to readGoodnight Moonfive timesbefore falling asleep tonight, and even then her little hands were gripping me so tightly I couldn’t slip out until she was sound asleep.

I hated seeing her like this and knowing there was nothing I could do about it.But Lux was already ahead of me.And for that, I was grateful.

I knew it was coming.She was nothing if not efficient, and I knew her lawyer would work quickly—still, this was a hell of a lot faster than I expected.

“That's for the best,” I murmured, then went quiet.Finally, after a day of trying to make sure Bella was okay, I had time to let my mind wander.

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