Page 96 of Love Me Not

“Yes,“ I said, my lips pursed.

She closed the space between us, looking up at me with fire in her eyes.This was a new side of Juliette that I'd never seen before, but I definitely wanted to bring it out again when we were alone and in the bedroom.

I knew my mind shouldn't be in the gutter, but I couldn't help it.

“Then why did you pay for her hospital bill?”

Of course he told her.Up until then, I tried to tell myself that maybe she was mad about something else.That maybe something her brother said pissed her off, but reality was sinking in.AndI really wished Lucas would've stayed silent, but it seemed that was not his strong suit.

“Because she's your family, and I knew it was stressing Lucas out since he is the one who lives with her.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but I held my hand up.

“And I know that as soon as Lucas is unhappy, you're unhappy.You didn't need to spend your heart and money on her.She doesn't deserve it.But I have more than enough money to go around, and if it makes your life easier and someone you care about happy?I am willing to spend it.”

She frowned, her eyebrows pulling together.

“She really doesn't deserve your money.”

“No, she doesn’t.I know.”My hand went up to cup her cheek.“Butyoudo.Remember what I said?I'll keep saying it until you get it.Every cent I spend on you, whether directly to you, your family, or whatever else, is a cent I’m glad to spend.That especially includes the new lingerie I know you bought.Yes, I saw the bag.”I was hoping for a smile at that, and I got one.“The point is, I want to help, Juliette, wherever I can.I don't want you to worry about anything.Not anymore.”

She let out a sigh and then quickly buried her head in my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist.I hugged her back.

“Thank you,” she whispered.“You know me better than I thought.”

“No need to thank me, Angel.Your heart is too kind.Your mind may tell you to cut ties with your aunt, but I know you’d feel guilty as soon as you saw how it would affect your brother.”

She looked up at me.“Even so, it’s too much money.I'm really not used to spending this much on myself.Or for a partner to spend it on me.”

“Does it make you uncomfortable?”I asked, and she gave me a nod.I leaned down to kiss her lips.Just a quick peck before I was pulling away.“Well, you better get used to it, Angel, because I haveyearsto make up for.All those years you were struggling, alone, and hurting.All those years you had no one to take care of you.All those years you worried about where your next meal was going to come from or if you could keep your place.All those years you wished you had someone—anyone—to turn to, but your side was empty.”I kissed her lips again and held her face in my hands.“I’m going to make up for all of it.I'm going to show you, and not just with money, how important you are.You deserve to becherished.You deserve to be taken care of.You are important to me, and as each and every day goes by, it gets harder to imagine a world without you in it.”

“Lux…”

Her eyes watered.Her lower lip trembled.She looked so vulnerable in that moment.

“You don't have to say anything,” I said as I ran my thumb across her cheek.“Just know that I will remind you every day until, finally, you get it in your head just how important you are to me… and Bella.”

She was silent for a moment.“So she took it well?”I didn't mention how shaky or thick with emotion her voice was.

“She already thought we were together,” I answered with a laugh.“I think she realized before we did.Apparently, we make googly eyes at each other.”

She let out a laugh of her own.I left out the part where she’d seen us kiss.It would probably mortify her.

“Are we that obvious?”

“Yes.”A voice came from behind us that caused us both to look.Both Gina and Marci were standing there.Marci’s hands were on her hips, giving us a wicked grin.Gina was holding a fresh batch of groceries, her expression flustered.

Marci leaned toward Gina.“You owe me twenty.”

Gina sighed and handed her a crumpled twenty-dollar bill from her pocket.

“What was the bet?”I asked.

“I voted you'd get together in less than three months.”

Gina shrugged.“I knew Juliette had really high professional standards, so I thought it would take longer to break her down.”

Juliette’s face turned a beautiful pink at the jab.

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