Almost a week had gone by and we hadn’t had much time to talk. She was busy getting ready to move to another country for the month and I was swamped between work and Sophia. Even so, I still missed her. It was one thing to say, “Let’s have a long distance relationship,” and another to actually be in one. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and now New Year’s…the holidays were hard enough to get through by yourself, let alone apart from the person you wanted to spend them with.
“Urgh, Eli what is wrong with you?” I groaned, lying back on my couch. Hannah had Sophia for New Year’s Eve and most of the next morning before we would trade off. It wasn’t the life I wanted for my daughter, to be bounced between parents, but I honestly didn’t know what else to do.
The last few months have been insane.
Grabbing my phone again, I refreshed my inbox.
Nothing.
When had I become this person? The type of guy who waited by the phone? It was annoying me and even still I was tempted to hit the refresh button again.
“Five.”
“Four.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
“One.”
I counted down, hearing the cheers roar outside the window.
Happy New Year.
For the third time I hit refresh and the moment I saw the notification, I sat back up against the couch.
From: Guinevere Poe <[email protected]> Subject: Happy New Year Date: January 1st at 12:01 AM
To: Eli Davenport <[email protected]>
Being away from each other like this is hard…too hard, Eli.
“That’s it? She has to be fucking kidding me.” I muttered, tossing the phone onto the other side of the couch and getting up. Taigi glanced up at me, barked once, and then turned his head away as if he couldn’t even be bothered. “Don’t start with me.”
Pulling off my shirt, I threw it on the couch before heading to the bathroom. Whatever freak out Guinevere was having, I’d deal with it in the morning. I was far too tired to even— BARK
BARK
“Taigi!” I hollered as I pulled off my pants. He whimpered, then went silent.
BARK
BARK
BARK
BARK
What in the hell?
“Taigi what is—” I started to say as I headed into the living room. Then I saw her. My Guinevere, dressed in a dark, knee-length red dress and gold sparking heels that were not on her feet but beside them. Next to that was a winter jacket. Her brown hair was a mess, some parts of it blown out from what I could only guess had been the wind, other parts curled tightly. She was even sweating a little bit, her chest still rising and falling.
“I… Gu…” I couldn’t put what was on my mind into words because I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or not.
“I’m late,” she said, taking a deep breath, a frown on on her beautiful lips. “I wanted to make it here before the count down. But this city is like a maze—”
With each word I walked closer and closer to her, until I was right in front of her. My hands cupped the sides of her half-frozen face.
“You’re here,” I whispered, amazed.
“I’m late, but I’m he—”
I kissed her. I couldn’t not kiss her. Her body pressed up against mine and her arms wrapped around my neck. God I missed this. All of it, the taste of her, the sounds she made as I grabbed her ass, my hands traveling down until I reached her hips and lifted her up, her legs wrapping around me tightly.
“You’re here,” I repeated softly.
She grinned. “I’m here. I’m also homeless because I sold my apartment hoping that my Dr. Asshole, Boyfriend, Sexy Pussy Fucker, Eli would take pity on me and let me stay with him.”
“I don’t understand.” I still wasn’t a hundred percent sure this was real. She was in my apartment, in my arms, and she wanted to stay.
“Didn’t you get my email? I don’t want to be apart any more. I want to be here with you. So do you mind, Dr. Asshole, Boyfriend, Sexy Pussy Fucker, Eli?” She smiled so wide I couldn’t help but smile back.
“I’ll have to think about it… Your snoring is kind of a deal breaker…”
She made a face at me before trying to pull away, but I only held her tighter. I didn’t want to let go or look away.
“Guinevere.”
“Yea?”
“Don’t panic when I say this but…I’m going to marry you.”
She didn’t say anything and I knew she understood what I meant. There was no doubt in my mind that she was the one I was meant to be with all along.
I loved her more than I loved myself.
Sneak Peek at A BLOODY KINGDOM
This is Chicago
The land of crooks Liars
Thieves
And murders.
The home of those who hope In spite of no hope Where children become gangsters And gangsters are coated in blue.
The Capital of fuck you.
A place of beauty A place of despair The land of the unholy
Yes, THIS. IS. CHICAGO!
A kingdom most bloody…
~J.J. McAvoy
PROLOGUE
“I feel like myself, strong and weak at once.”
~ Veronica Roth
MELODY
The moment my feet touched the marble flooring at the entrance of our house, I felt my whole body relax. The coolness of the floor eased my aching feet as our butler reached for my coat.
“Welcome home, Ma’am. Would you like anything?” He nodded and folded my coat over his arm.
“Are the children in bed?” I questioned as I leaned over to pick up my black Dolce and Gabbana heels from the ground.