Page 104 of Search My Soul (Taylor Family Saga #3)

“Naw, I’m good.” I decided to get up to make some popcorn and grab a few healthy snacks for myself.

I’ve been on a diet, trying to get my body in shape, so I’ve only been drinking water for the last few months.

It actually felt good going to the gym and working out.

I had no desire to be skinny, but I definitely wanted to tone up and get my stomach down.

Zion left me with some loose skin and extra stretch marks.

I didn’t necessarily mind those because they were a reminder of him being there, but I wanted my flat stomach back.

I plopped down on the couch, setting my snacks and water on the table.

Soul gave me the side eye but didn’t say anything.

After the movie started, I grabbed a pillow and laid it on Soul’s lap before resting my head on it.

His body tensed up for a moment before he finally relaxed.

Using the blanket on the couch, I covered myself up and settled in.

I loved watching my comfort movies, but they usually put me to sleep after a while.

An hour into the movie, I removed my hair from the bun.

Puma had given me a silk press, and I was so excited about how long my hair had grown.

My little man gave his momma some extra inches.

My body jerked when I felt a hand rake through my hair.

Soul used to massage my scalp whenever I laid in his lap.

It was something about the feeling of his massive hand stroking my scalp that sent me into an instant state of euphoria.

My eyes grew heavy as he continued to run his hands through my hair.

I relished in the comfort his touch brought me.

At some point, I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was alone.

Wasting no time, I headed to Soul’s room.

When I stepped into his room, he was sprawled out on the bed.

It wouldn’t have been grounds for concern to most, but Soul wasn’t the type to take naps.

He was the type to be on the go from the time he woke up in the morning until he went to bed at night.

Seeing him laying there snoring sent all types of red flags while confirming the information I had received before I came.

Puma overheard a conversation between Murk and Duke concerning Soul’s pill usage.

I was privy to the fact that he used to have a drug problem, but he assured me he hadn’t touched pills in over a decade.

The thought of him relapsing hurt me because he was so proud of his sobriety.

Soul was a prideful man, so I knew he wouldn’t tell anyone that he relapsed, but he underestimated the people in his life.

They were worried and trying to figure out how to address it.

They were planning to have an intervention, but when I spoke to his family, I explained why I didn’t think that was the best course of action.

Soul hated to feel like people were backing him into a corner.

If anything, he would have walked out without hearing anything they had to say.

Instead, I pitched an idea to them that I’d seen on a TV show.

At first, Pure shot it down because he was worried about Soul’s temper.

However, I assured him I would be okay. Regardless of our past, Soul would never intentionally hurt me.

He would be angry, but he would never put his hands on me.

My eyes focused on the bag of pills on his nightstand.

I moved closer to them while checking to make sure he was completely knocked out.

I had a feeling this wasn’t the only bag, so I opened the drawer to double-check.

Altogether, there were three bags of pills in total.

My hands shook as I held them in my hands.

I glanced in his direction to make sure that he was still asleep before I made my way to the bathroom.

Something told me to lock the door, so that’s exactly what I did.

I had no idea what the hell I was doing as I dumped the pills into the toilet. I flushed the first round and then dumped the second bag. I heard Soul yelling my name, so I turned on the sink to drown out his voice.

“Juicy, what the fuck did you do!” I jumped when I heard him banging on the door. Tears clouded my vision, but I didn’t allow it to slow me down. Once I got rid of all the pills, I tore the bag apart then tossed them in the trash.

“Open this fucking door!” Soul never raised his voice at me, so I won’t pretend that I wasn’t frightened for a brief moment. However, I was determined to see this through. The man I loved was in there, and I refused to allow him to give up on himself.

Soul only knocked on the door for a short time before it got quiet on the other side. A part of me was nervous about how he would react when he saw what I had done, but I didn’t care. I needed to save him even if it was from himself.

I washed my hands before unlocking the door.

I expected him to be waiting on the other side, but when I stepped into his bedroom, he was nowhere to be found.

My concern spiked so I hurriedly raced out of the room to find him.

When I stepped into the living room, Rosco and Apollo were missing as well, and I began to panic.

I headed toward the front door to verify his car was still outside, and once I got the confirmation I needed, I relaxed a little.

Maybe he took them for a walk or something.

My nerves were unsettled so I decided to get started on dinner.

While I cooked, I sent a message to Patience and Pure to update them on what was going on.

Patience sent an encouraging reply, thanking me for helping her brother.

Pure asked if I was okay and then went silent after I confirmed that I was.

All I could do was pray that I was doing the right thing.

Steak, asparagus, and mashed potatoes were on the menu for tonight.

I tried to keep it simple since I wasn’t sure how things were gonna go.

The sound of the front door opening caught my attention.

Apollo and Rosco rushed over to me the moment they stepped through the threshold.

I almost lost my balance from the way they leaped on me.

Soul yelled something in German, and they instantly dropped down and headed to their water bowls. I was almost too afraid to look at him because I assumed he would have a scowl on his face, but instead his expression was void of any emotions.

“I’m almost finished with dinner. You need to go get washed up.

” His eyes focused on me, but no words were spoken as he left the room.

I loved my steaks well done, but Soul preferred his medium rare, so I made sure to cook them separately.

I don’t know how he could even stand to eat that bloody abomination, but he claimed I was the weird one.

I waited about thirty minutes before I walked into his room to check on him.

Being a creature of habit, I forgot to knock first. My eyes zeroed in on his thick muscle hanging between his thighs, and I almost forgot the reason I came in there.

When my eyes connected with his, he raised his eyebrow as he waited for me to say something.

Water droplets rolled down his six pack, and all I could think about was him bending me over in the shower. Focus, Neeya!

“Umm, dinner is ready.”

“I’m not hungry,” he replied softly.

“Well, I’ll wrap it up, but you need to eat before the night is over,” I declared, damn near drooling as he dried himself off.

“Get the fuck out of my room.” His tone was low and soft, but his words sent a tinge of pain to my chest. I hated that he was upset with me, but I regretted nothing.

Rather than argue with him, I tucked my tail and headed off to the kitchen.

He would come around eventually, or at least I hoped he would.