Read Online Cherish Me (The Protected Love Series) by Jennifer Culbreth - Free Book Online

her face as the tears came down harder. Looking into Jace’s eyes and seeing the remorse and regret, she knew that he meant every word, they were coming from his heart. “Do you know how much I love you? I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you. I felt that pain once; thinking you were gone and never coming back. It made me realize I can’t go through this life without you.”
    “I know Jace. I feel the same way. When I saw Tina leaning in to kiss you this afternoon a piece of my heart broke completely off.” She stuttered through her sobs. “I felt like my whole world was gone. You’ve been distant the past few weeks, and my first thought was that it was because of her.”
    Jace reached up and pulled Judy down into his lap cradling her with his arms as she lightly sobbed against his chest. Her black hair spilled down around them as he gently rocked her back and forth.
    “Judy, I love you more than anything in this lifetime or the next. I fucking cherish you and I will continue to do that every day for the rest of our lives. No one will ever come between that.” He whispered as his hand gently soothed her back. “I promise you I will never push you away. I promise.”
    After a moment her sobs slowed as she clenched the note in her hand. “She’s gone.” Judy said sucking in a ragged breath.
    “Who ’s gone, Baby?”
    “Ashley.” Judy leaned back watching Ja ce finally notice the emptiness of the room they were sitting in. “She left a note but I haven’t read it. I am too scared.”
    “Let me see it I will read it, Baby.” Jace gently took the note from her hand as she scooted from his lap onto the floor and leaned her back against the edge of the bed.

chapter seven
    Dear Judy,
    You have become more than a friend to me over the past few years. You have become my family, the one person I know I can always lean on. The one person who I know will always be there for me. I want you to always know that I love you more than you will ever know and because of that I have to leave. I am fighting a demon that you were able to overcome. I know you want to help but this is something that I must do on my own.
    I am so sorry to disappoint you. All I ever wanted was for us to take on the world together, but now I need to take it on by myself. Knowing you have Jace and Abbi made me realize that you are ok. You’re going to be ok and they will keep you safe. You have people around you now that love and cherish you. I can’t promise you when you will hear from me again, but just imagine that I am on a beach somewhere in Mexico sipping on margaritas. That’s where we always said we would end up. Be safe and listen to Jace. He loves you more than I have ever seen any other man love a woman.
    Love always,
    Ashley
    Judy tried to smooth the wrinkles from the letter that she had read countless times over the past three weeks. Never had she thought that Ashley could have been so selfish. All Judy and Abbi had tried to do was to help her. She thought back to the nights they had sat in Ashley’s room chatting until the morning light came peeking in through the windows. In the back of her mind Judy had feared that Ashley had still been coping with her drug addiction, but every time they had brought it up Ashley had brushed it off.
    From the edge of the bed Judy stood and made her way back out of the empty guest room. Walking into the kitchen she saw Jace leaning over into the fridge.
    “So what’s for dinner tonight?” Judy asked taking a seat at the bar.
    “Oh, I figured I would whi p up some mashed potatoes, fried chicken, and some green beans.” Jace leaned up smiling.
    “Seems very… southern.” Judy smirked as she hopped off of the stool. “I will grab the plates and get the table set.
    “Oh, no no. I will take care of that. Why don’t you go have a seat on the couch? I will bring you a glass of wine.” Jace nuzzled the hair at the back of her neck while walking her towards the great room.
    “What on