Read Wanting Reed (Break Me) BOOK 2 for Free Online Page B

lip playfully.
    “Get up! You’re making a scene,” my sister whispers, grabbing him by the forearm and trying to pull up all six feet of him as she glances around. People have stopped to look, and Tommy seems to enjoy the attention he’s getting way too much.
    “I’m just practicing for the big day.” He chuckles as he rises, brushing off the knee of his worn blue jeans as my sister adjusts the collar on his white button-down shirt. She shakes her head as she gets on her tiptoes to kiss him.
    “You’re such a....”
    “But you love me no matter what,” he cuts her off.
    “I do,” she says as she wraps her arms around his neck.
    I’m happy that Tommy and Juju have found each other. I watch them for a couple more seconds before I have to turn away. For a very short time, I had that feeling that you only get once in a lifetime. I thought that emotion would never appear for me because I wasn’t looking for it. I never expected it because I thought I didn’t fucking deserve it. Maybe I don’t deserve it after all, but it was good while it lasted.
    Even though I’m leaving my family behind, I know Tommy will do everything to keep them safe. I can’t stand to look into Momma’s eyes. Seeing the tears blossoming in them, I lean over to give her a hug, enveloping her small body in my arms and trying to avoid the stabbing ache in my heart as she pulls away from me.
    “Baby, I’ll be fine. We’ll be fine,” she whispers, rubbing my cheek with the outside of her tiny hand that I take in mine.
    “You know I’ll be coming back.” I inhale deeply. “Just promise me that you’ll call me if anything goes wrong. Please? ” I plead. My voice cracks as I watch a compassionate smile spread across her pretty face. “Promise me there will be no surprises.” She wraps her arms around my waist as I breathe in the scent of her perfume and hair.
    “Don’t stop living your life because of me. I don’t want that for you. I want you to focus on you, baby. All I want is for you to be happy.”
    “I wish I had half your strength, Momma,” I say, hunching my shoulders. I’m suddenly worried about where I’m headed in my life, if I’ll end up in a good place or if I’ll end up alone like my dad.
    “You do. Don’t ever underestimate yourself.” She angles her chin up to me, and I brush her fine brown hair away from her eyes. “Don’t forget growing up and what you did. You lost part of your childhood, but I did my best to make sure I could fill that empty space for you. We did it together and that’s all that matters. You’re much stronger than you think.”
    “I could be in a better place,” I say, thinking about my troubles with Jerry and if I can clean up the mess I made back in Boston with Elle. “I could have made better decisions.”
    “We all can. Fight for it; fight for her. If she’s worth it to you, then you will do whatever it takes.”
    “Live without regrets,” I whisper, pulling her close.
    “That’s right.” She sighs as she hugs me back.
    “Hey, man, stop getting all sappy over here.” Tommy throws his arm over my shoulder as Momma pulls away and takes a seat on one of the stiff plastic chair. “They’ve got me, bro. No worries. All right? I love them as much as you do, and I won’t let anything happen to them. I’ll feed and walk the dog and do all the stuff you should be doing,” he teases. “Just remember you owe me big time. Season tickets to every football game when you go pro. That’s all I ask.”
    “Easy enough.” I smile as Juju comes up to clutch my good arm.
    “I’m gonna miss you,” Juju breathes.
    “No one said you can’t come out to Boston to visit.” I wink, pushing down the emotion building in my throat and trying so damn hard to keep my shit together.
    “Woo!” Juju chirps as she pulls away to look up at me. “I heard that Boston has some great shopping, like Newbury Street and the Pru, and don’t forget Cape Cod and the beaches.”
    “What do you