AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Um, hi. Is this Daniil?”
The female voice was familiar, but he couldn’t place it. “Yes, that’s me. Who is this?”
“This is Jess, Juli’s friend. She didn’t come home last night. You know anything about that?”
He huffed out a breath, wondering how to respond. Played correctly, Jess could help him get back into Julietta’s good graces. He decided some truth wouldn’t hurt. Julietta’s injuries meant she’d have to tell people something when they saw the bruising. No way would she be able to surf for who knew how long. He needed to call the company she taught for after he finished speaking with Jess to make sure she didn’t lose her job for not turning up.
“She was attacked up the coast while she was taking photos. I arrived in time to stop them from taking her, and she’s here at my home, recovering.”
The string of curses that blasted back at him through the phone was not ladylike in the least, and he grinned. Girl had some fire in her.
“I thought you had a bodyguard on her all the time! Where the fuck was he when this happened?”
“I don’t know what happened exactly, but when I arrived, my man had been shot and was unconscious. He’s still in the hospital.”
That left her groaning. “Can I come see her? Or is your place some super-secret location I’m not allowed to know?”
Apparently, she was a brave little thing as well as having some fire. That was good. He was grateful his Julietta had someone like Jess standing beside her.
“I’m sure she’d love you to visit. Maybe you could bring her a few changes of clothes? I would like her to stay here until she is fully healed.”
He gave her his address and hung up before turning to find Yury still there.
“Weren’t you going to the hospital?”
Yury shrugged, a little too casually. “I’ll wait until Jess gets here. Make sure no one else sneaks in the gates when she comes through. Then I’ll go.”
He frowned at his friend, but when the man stayed silent, he didn’t push things. Time would tell if Yury’s reason for hanging around was to protect his boss and friend, or to check out Julietta’s friend.
Things could get interesting.
Julietta’s body stiffened, and she held her breath when fingers stroked over her cheek and tucked hair behind her ear. Had Daniil returned? What would he want now? Rodger’s words played through her mind. Was Daniil really only wanting to put her to work on her back?
“Oh, babe, what the fuck happened this time?”
Her breath whooshed out at the sound of Jess’s voice. She blinked open her eyes to find her friend lying beside her on the mattress, head on the pillow in front of hers. Tears pricked Juli’s eyes, and when the first one leaked out, Jess shuffled closer and wrapped her arm around to hug her in close. Juli rested her forehead against her friend’s as she shuddered with sobs.
“Shhh, you’re okay. It’s all over, and you’re safe now.”
She shook her head, and after a few minutes, managed to contain her crying enough to pull back a little and speak.
“No, it’s not. Nothing is okay. Not even a little bit.”
Jess pulled a tissue from somewhere and wiped Juli’s face clean.
“Tell me all that happened, and let’s see if we can work out a way to make it right. Sound good?”
Huffing, she looked into her best friend’s eyes. Where to start? It was like this latest crap was just the icing on the cake of her shitty life.
“You know, I’ve often wondered if there was something wrong with me. Like, maybe if I was better, more lovable, Mum wouldn’t have killed herself like she did.”
Shock rippled over Jess’s face. “Oh, sweetheart, I had no idea you were still struggling with your mum’s death. It wasn’t your fault at all. That was all on her. She’s the one who couldn’t love. You’re totally lovable. Not only are you beautiful and have great tits, but you’re funny as hell and always smiling. Everyone you meet loves you.”
She scoffed at that. “Yeah, I’m so lovable Rodger only wanted me for my great tits and my money. Hell, strangers regularly think I’m nothing more than a nice rack and tight arse.”
More tears leaked out, and a sob cut off anything else she was going to say.
Jess pulled her in again for another hug, rubbing her palm up and down her back to soothe her as she cried some more.
