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Two a.m. hits, and he still isn’t home.

Lying in his bed, I text him.

No response.

I yawn as three a.m. passes and text him again.

He leaves me on Read.

Asshole.

I send him one final text.

Me: I don’t sleep in men’s beds who leave me on Read.

If you can’t text back, then I forget how to open my legs.

It’s the rule of law.

One problem with myI don’t sleep in men’s bedswarning: I’m too comfortable to get up and stomp to the guest room.

I’m cozy and warm, and while the guest bed is comfy, Julian’s is heavenly.

Soft, smells of him, and I don’t know where he got these sheets, but I want them in every color.

“Just one more second,” I whisper to myself. “Then, I’ll get up.”

That second turns into two.

Then three.

When it hits four, I’m snoring.

The clickof the bedroom door wakes me.

A hint of sunlight peeks through the blinds. I blink, watching Julian shut the door behind him.

Since the jerk couldn’t text back, I shut my eyes, pretending to sleep.

Swear to God, I hear him chuckle on his walk to the bathroom. He at least has the decency to shut the door before switching on the light. I huff, roll onto my side, and face away from the bathroom.

As I yawn, I hear the shower start. Reaching for my phone, I check the time.

Five a.m.

A bright light suddenly cuts across the room, and the shower gets louder. I scream when I’m dragged out of bed, across the room, and shoved into the shower.

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“What the hell?”I scream as freezing water pours down my skin.

The bastard could’ve at least waited for the water to warm up first.

Julian stands outside the shower, wearing only black boxer briefs. The glass door is open, and his large frame blocks me from leaving. A large bruise is on his left pec, and I notice a smear of blood along his neck.

I glare at him, my teeth chattering. “Let me out.”

He slowly shakes his head, his gaze silently roaming down my body. My black nightie is soaked to my body like a second skin. He halts, his stare intense when it reaches the base of my thighs, where my short nightie ends.