Page 132 of Scandalous Contract

“Do you believe me when I say I’m not letting you go?” he whispered. “I won’t. I can’t.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I wasn’t ready yet. And thankfully, he didn’t press further. I closed my eyes, letting his words replay in my mind. Some people fell in and out of love easily.

They moved from one love to the next and never stopped to look back. I’d only loved one man in my life. After that love was betrayed, I never found the strength to give love another chance.

I hated that I let Archie break me in a way I still hadn’t been able to heal from. I hated that I couldn’t love freely like others could. I hated that I’d never been strong enough to take a chance on love like Julian was.

Though it had been seventeen years since I was hurt, I was finally ready to start healing. But healing for me meant opening up old wounds to cleanse them of the infection that had festered for years.

It meant removing people from mine and India’s lives and setting new boundaries for others. It would be a process. It wouldn’t be easy. And it would take some time. I just hoped Julian would still be there once the healing was over.

I guess you could say that in my heart, I was no longer fighting my truth. I loved Julian Cattaneo. But I wasn’t free to tell him that yet. I had to heal first. I had to work on my past first. I had to gather up the courage to explain this relationship to India.

Only after all of that was done could I tell him that my heart and body belonged to him and only him. Until then, my body was all I could give him. That night, I fell asleep wrapped in Julian’s embrace, where I belonged.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

STEFANIE

––––––––

SUNLIGHT STREAMED THROUGHthe curtains, its rays warming my face as I stirred. I stretched, limbs sluggish, body deliciously sore, the kind of sore that reminded me just how thoroughly Julian had worshipped me the night before.

Or maybe he’d punished me, because my pussy sure felt like it had been spanked and drilled. Worshipped or punished? I didn’t know. But I wanted more. I turned onto my side, expecting to see Julian lying next to me.

I was surprised to find him gone. But he hadn’t left me completely alone. In true JC fashion, lying beside me on the pillow was the large teddy bear he’d given me. Pinned to the little red heart it held was a note, scrawled in his handwriting.

I’ve put your robe, bra, and panties on the bed for you. Hop in the shower and then join me in the kitchen. Bring your phone.

A slow smile crept across my face. I sat up, the sheet slipping down my chest, and turned to the side, letting my legs dangle off the bed for a second. Then I stood and stretched, a yawn escaping me as I stared around my bedroom.

My gaze narrowed when I noticed three large designer suitcases near my dresser. Julian! I waited for a wave of anger to come over me at the audacity of this man. It didn’t come. I was okay with it.Red flag.This time for me.

I stared at the items on the bed. A pink robe with cherry blossoms on it, along with a pink and black panty and bra set. The tags were still attached. I lifted the tag and stared at the size.My size.

Another red flag. Or perhaps it wasn’t red. Perhaps I was truly color blind, and all the flags Julian had been waving had been green all along. Some bright green and some dark green, but still green all the same.