THIN ICE |BOOK I |BWWM|

•ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 14•

•PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY•

Andres POV

My father died today.

I sat on one of the chairs near the bed with my head buried in my hands as his clammy body lay feet away from me across his bed.

Bianca found him this afternoon collapsed halfway to the door. She and our live-in doctor put him back in bed and called my brother and me.

Adrian stood on the balcony of my father's spacious room with his arms crossed and a cigarette between his lips.

The moment he heard the news, he dragged Gaia to the courthouse to make their marriage official. He told me he had the papers ready weeks ago, just waiting for the right time to do everything.

Yeah, right.

Watching my brother put a bad taste in my mouth. I knew this was what he'd been itching for—free range. With Pops gone, he could run this family the way he saw fit—straight into the ground. It was only a matter of time before he replaced most of our men. I even felt like my days were numbered.

My muscles ached, my mind dulled, and anxiety settled in my veins. The pain of Mom's death added to Pop's was more than I could take, and the only person that could get me through was in a completely different state.

I flipped my phone in my shaking hands as my mind rewound to the nights I spent with Julia's head nestled against the crook of my neck—our heartbeats in tandem.

I heavily tapped against my screen, writing a text message.

"I need you."

~•flashback•~

Our hands laid intertwined stretched over the tousled sheets as our bare bodies roughly rubbed against each other. I buried my face into Julia's chest, trying my best to soak up every ounce of pleasure from her body.

She was my drug, and I was hooked.

I spent the last bit of time we had melting myself into her before I pulled away and breathlessly gazed up at the light-filled sky through my floor-to-ceiling windows. I took in a deep breath of Julia's sensual air and felt a stare on me.

Her eyes, like stars- jewels that held desperation and a need for love.

My gaze trailed down to her lips. I could take them against mine every day. Just like the inside of a rose.

Maybe if her emotions weren't clouded by the hurt she could've used her lips to heal some of my pain. She did it once before, but since then, I've been nothing but numb. 

~•flashback end•~

I checked my empty messages for what felt like the millionth time as I watched the doctor pull a white sheet over my father's withered body.

A mutilating prickle clutched my chest as I mouthed my final words.

"See ya' later Pops."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Julia's POV

At the time I didn't know it, but Julia Maniscalco was born the day my father died.

◾️Sixteen Years Ago◾️

•DOWNTOWN NEW JERSEY, NEW JERSEY•