Page 1 of Protecting Little Phoebe

PROLOGUE

Smash!

The bottle landed against the wall with a satisfying crash, glass falling on the floor.

Hmm. He should clean that up.

Why? There’s only you here in this huge house.

A house that Barren had spent the last twenty years living in with his wife. Only, she wasn’t his wife anymore. He glanced down at the divorce papers on the coffee table. It was official. They were divorced. He was single.

And that fucking scared him.

Was he going to spend the rest of his life alone? He’d been married to Krystal for twenty years. Did he know how to be on his own anymore?

You’ve been on your own these last ten months since she left you.

Yeah, but a part of him had hoped she would change her mind. That she’d decide that her new, younger man wasn’t right for her and come back to him. He let out a sour laugh. That wasn’t happening. Krystal was gone and his life was falling apart.

Barren glared over toward the front door as someone knocked on it. Who could that be?

Maybe it’s Krystal.

Fuck. What if it was?

He was sitting here on his own, a complete and utter mess. He’d drunk half a bottle of vodka and now moved onto beer. The world definitely tilted as he got to his feet.

Don’t open the door. You can’t let her see you like this. You haven’t showered in days.

Go to her. Beg her to come back to you. You can’t survive on your own.

Fuck.

Opening the door, he stared blurrily at the person standing there. “You’re not Krystal.”

“Nope, I’m not,” replied Eliot grimly. “And you’re a mess. Why didn’t you call me?”

“Was I supposed to?” He didn’t remember that.

Eliot sighed. “Yes, you idiot. When you need me, you’re supposed to call and tell me.”

“I don’t need you.” What was he talking about?

“You don’t?” Eliot asked. “So you’re fine?”

“You got it.” Barren tried to smile, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded. “So, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at home with your Littles?” Eliot had two Littles, Isla and Marcus. The lucky bastard. Not that he was jealous or anything.

Sure you aren’t. You’re not jealous over the fact that he has two Littles and you have none.

And now you sound bitter.

Eliot deserved to be happy after losing his wife, Anna. They’d been so in love and Barren hadn’t expected his friend to ever find someone else. Let alone two people to love.

“Because I came here to check on you. Melly called and said that the divorce papers came through. And you’ve stopped answering your phone.”

“Melly should mind her own business. I’m her boss, not her friend.”

“Melly cares about you,” Eliot said firmly. “And I dare you to say that to her face.”

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