Always You Read Online Free Page B

I know I can’t make this better, but we will get through this.”
    “They’re really gone?” She looked into my eyes so lost that I wanted to lie, but there was no going back.
    “I’m sorry, they are.” Fuck, this wasn’t supposed to happen.
    “No, I don’t want this.” She cried to herself, pressing her head into my chest.
    “I know. I know.” I caressed her back, then the officers came back in with a bottle of water. Handing it to me, I opened it and made her take a drink. She barely took a sip, unable to stop sobbing long enough for more than that.
    “We can send someone to talk to you in the morning, if that’ll work better,” the male officer offered. I nodded. They told us how sorry they were and let themselves out.
    I rocked her in my arms until she couldn’t cry anymore. I carried her up to her bedroom and laid us both under the covers. The night was long as our hearts broke. My beautiful wife-to-be was in my arms.
    “Rest, my love.”

Chapter 4
    I woke before the sun came up. It took me a moment to realize it wasn’t just a nightmare. Everything that happened last night was real. Alex was holding onto me like he was afraid I’d disappear. I knew it was only grief that held him to me. He had someone else, but he knew I needed him and he loved and lost my brother, too. I unapologetically pressed my body into his. I felt the ridge of his cock against my ass. There was nothing to read into that, though. Men woke up with them stiff as board. It did feel nice and thick. I didn’t care that he had a fiancée; it felt incredible to have him keep me safe, to keep me from falling apart.
    Alex groaned and pulled me close. “Come here, baby. I don’t want to let you go.”
    I melted into his embrace and felt the gentle kiss on my neck. Closing my eyes, I tried to decide what to do. Could I be strong and get away from the only man I’d ever loved, or would I succumb to his dreams of his woman? No matter how much it hurt, I had to go away. I pushed out of his arms and ran into the bathroom. Locking the door, I leaned against it; forgetting about the damn robe hook, I hit my head against it. That was what I get. I almost let my feelings overtake my morals. What the hell was wrong with me? Oh yeah, I knew that answer. I lost my entire family and the man I loved in the same night.
    My heart started to crumble knowing that I’d never see my family again. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. The tears streamed down my face as I slid down to the floor, balling up and crying like a baby. Rob was never going to tease me again. My mother couldn’t be here to make it better for me. My dad couldn’t threaten any boy with his shotgun anymore. God, it didn’t feel real. I pinched myself, but there was no waking from this. This was my new, fractured reality.
    “Cali, do you need me?” Alex asked through the door.
    “No, Alex. You can go do whatever you need to do.” As much as I wanted him to stay and hold me, I couldn’t handle the pain of a love lost on top of the loss of my family.
    “Open the door, Cali,” he demanded. I didn’t want to but the sooner I got him to leave, the easier it would be to forget him.
    I took my time to collect myself, stood up, and opened the door. Damn it, the look he gave me could melt the polar caps.
    “Come here, Calista. Fuck, shit. I don’t like to see you cry, but I know there’s nothing I can do to fix that right now.” He took me into his arms, pulling me to my bed. We sat together there, but as much as I’d always wanted him. It wasn’t right.
    “Alex, can you please leave?” I asked no matter how hard it was to do.
    “What?”
    “I need you to leave. I can talk to Mark to help me take care of the arrangements for my family.”
    “Who the fuck is Mark?” he roared angrily.
    “Oh, you probably don’t remember him, but he’s my friend’s brother.”
    “Wait, the one that picked you up that night we went to the game?” he asked. I couldn’t