End Game_Bellevue Bullies Series Read online

  My eyes burn with tears that I won’t allow to fall before I take her mouth with mine once more. Everything just hurts but feels fucking great at the same time.

  It’s a tortured feeling only Sofia can give me.

  What the hell am I going to do?

  Sofia falls asleep in my arms.

  I don’t want to let her go, but I have to pee and I need some water. I slowly move out of my bed, careful not to wake her before covering her up with my blanket. As I stand there, I watch her, sleeping so soundly, and I thank God for her. Just like Shea said to. Leaning down, I kiss her temple before heading to the bathroom. After doing my business and washing my hands, I put on a pair of sleep pants and head out of my room for the kitchen. When I reach the second set of stairs, I hear voices coming from the kitchen. I’m surprised to find my mom and Elli sitting at the table, laughing about something. When they see me, they flash me a grin.

  I eye them suspiciously. “What are you two doing?”

  “We decided to drink a bottle of wine,” my mom says, her words a little slurred.

  Elli laughs as she looks at me. “She means three.”

  Mom holds up three fingers. “Yes, three.”

  I chuckle as I go to the fridge for a bottle of water. “You two are nuts. Did Shea head home?”

  “Yeah, took the kids,” Elli says, leaning back as she holds her glass close to her lips. “There were some weird noises coming from upstairs, so we needed to clear the house.”

  They both snicker as I pause at the fridge. “Yeah, we were watching Animal Planet.”

  Mom snorts. “Was there an animal named ‘Oh, Ryan’?”

  Their laughter runs up my back, and I’m so glad Sofia is dead asleep upstairs. She’d die from embarrassment. Me, I don’t care. Turning, I look at both of them, holding my water to my lips. “Yup, the chimpanzees.”

  That sends them into a frenzy of laughter as I take a long pull of my water. Clearing my throat, I nod to them. “You two just down here, shooting the shit?”

  Mom grins up at me. “We’re talking about life, love, and loud sex,” she says, holding her glass to a snickering Elli. “It’s been fun.”

  “I can tell,” I say dryly, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “I don’t know if I want to be included.”

  Elli taps my hand. “We’re well past what you two were doing, so you may be safe.”

  I smirk at her. “Oh thank God.”

  They both laugh at that as Elli takes a long sip from her glass. “But I was telling your mom we need a vacation.”

  “I agree.”

  “Right! So, tell your mom to take a week off and go to Vegas with me.”

  “Elli, I can’t just go to Vegas. I have work.”

  “You run the business. And who has a party the last week of January? Yes, the first week. But the last? No.”

  I pause. “Wait? You’re going to Vegas the last week of January?”

  “Yes, that’s what I just said, didn’t I?” she asks my mom, and Mom nods.

  “You did, and you want me to go.”

  “Yes! It would be so much fun. We can act like we’re in our twenties.”

  Mom snorts at that, but I’m out of my seat and looking at the GymBulls schedule that is on my mom’s fridge.

  Like I thought, they have a meet that week. I look to Elli, just as she glances up at me. “What?”

  “Will you be home in time for Amelia’s meet?”

  She nods. “Oh yes, we’ll be there. I promised Grace. We won’t miss it.”

  Mom rolls her eyes. “I don’t know.”

  I sit back down, scooting my chair to Elli and putting my face in her view. “Elli, I need a favor.”

  She squints at me, and then she smiles. Taking my face in her hands, she kisses me loudly on the cheek. “You’re so cute. He looks just like Shea.”

  Mom laughs. “I know. Which means he looks like me, which makes me happy.”

  “Right? I love when my kids look like me. Shelli, it changes with her mood. She drives me crazy, and have I told you I hate her hair?”

  “Oh my God, me too! It’s awful!”

  “Right?”

  I shake my head. “Elli, focus.”

  She looks back to me and grins. “Yes?”

  “I need a favor.”

  She nods, her wine sloshing out of her glass. “Anything. Anything for you. You’re my favorite.”

  This probably isn’t the best time to ask, but I’m going to anyway. “I want to surprise Sofia. Will you help me?”

  “Of course!” she says happily, and my heart soars.

  Because I want to continue making Sofia happy for as long as I can.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Sofia

  I stroke my fingers along Ryan’s jaw, but he’s dead to the world. He came back to bed around one last night, and when he realized I was awake, he made love to me.

  I’m forever yours.

  Those words play over and over again in my head. His rough voice, his burning gaze, it all makes me feel so raw. How am I supposed to let go of someone who looks at me like he does and says words like that? It hurts. Everywhere. I don’t want to think of it, but it’s all I think of when my mind is left alone. I want to give him everything. I want to be with him for the rest of my existence, and it kills me that I’ve allowed myself to get here when I knew from the beginning he was leaving. I also knew he would never let me give up everything for him. Which I know I don’t want, but still.

  I should have just resisted.

  I swallow my laughter as I nuzzle my nose into his neck. Resist? Please. I had no chance once he decided he would make me his. I trail my fingers down his chest, circling his hard pecs and his even harder stomach. I hate this thought, but I wish he were like Drew. Or I was like Drew. Ha. That would never happen. It’s not in our blood. We want the other to succeed and do big things. We want the other to be so fucking happy. Even if it doesn’t include us both.

  That’s why I love him so.

  I close my eyes as I inhale his unforgettable scent. It’s so woodsy, so spicy like the tobacco barn that burned beside the trail I ran along when I first got here. He smells divine, and it brings tears to my eyes knowing I won’t have this to keep forever. I watch as he takes in deep breaths, letting them out slowly, a low rumble from his large chest. I love his soft snoring that he claims he doesn’t do. It soothes me.

  If I stay here, I’m gonna cry.

  I push the blankets off my naked body and get up. Reaching for my PJ shorts and one of Ryan’s long tees, I head to the bathroom. After going through my morning routine, I head out of the room quietly and then walk downstairs. Maybe someone is up, and they can distract me from my pitiful thoughts. Thankfully, I hear movement in the kitchen as I reach the bottom of the stairs. I head toward the noise and find Mrs. Justice at the sink filling the coffeepot.

  She looks over her shoulder at me, and a bright grin covers her beautiful face. “Ah, Sofia. Good morning. You’re up early.”

  I shrug as I walk in, heading to the counter beside her. “I’ve been getting up at four the past nine days. I usually run and then afterward head to the gym. Pretty sure if I tried that this morning, Ryan would kill me. He’s out cold up there.”

  She chuckles softly. “He’s always been a sleeper, and I know he is worn out. He was beyond busy when he was gone. Every time I called, he would rush me off the phone.”

  I grimace. I wonder if it’s because he was talking to me? Shit. “Yeah, he was.”

  “To talk to you,” she says with a sneaky grin, and I smile sheepishly, my face flushing.

  “Maybe?”

  “Don’t be embarrassed or even try to feel guilty. I’m so happy he is with you.”

  My heart warms. “Really?”

  “Oh yes. He wasn’t much of a dater in his teens. He had one girlfriend, I think, but I don’t think she was ever really his, not like you. I don’t know. It was weird. One day, they were good, the next, they were screaming at each other. Very