Stay With Me

by Trejo, Erin

  “Do I want to know where this came from?”

  “Did you really think Callan wasn’t prepared to bring you here?” She laughs. I suppose she’s right. The Alder boys don’t do anything without thinking it over first.

  “Are we sure I should go?”

  “You’ve been practicing with me. We’re going to show those two what we can do with these bodies tonight, girl.” God, I love Whisper.

  15

  Callan

  The club is packed. Maybe the guys were right. Maybe I needed to get out and have a good time. My head has been a complete mess for days. Maybe this is exactly where I need to be.

  Whisper grabs Shane and drags her out into the middle just as Grimes Featuring i_o’s song Violence comes on. I move through the crowd with my brothers right behind me ready to see what they have planned. It’s nothing like I thought it would be. I knew Shane had been practicing with Whisper but damn.

  “Fuck!” Knox yells above the crowd. I nearly elbow him in the chest, but I can’t take my eyes off Shane. The two of them move slowly at first until the beat drops. Then they are all over each other. It’s like a goddamn strip tease with their clothes on. Shane rolls her hips, popping them side to side before rocking them back into Whisper. My cock thickens in my jeans at the sight of her. Her eyes close, her arms move above her head as she arches her back and pops her ass out. I groan as I take in her frame, every goddamn curve of her body. Leddy heads our way, resting her hand on Knox’s arm but he shrugs her off. I have no idea what is with those two and I don’t really care. Shane is moving, her hands running over her body and I’m transfixed on her. Whisper spins around, pressing her ass into Shane’s front and I sure as hell don’t miss the groan from Steele. Hell, even Knox is adjusting his cock. Shane grabs Whisper’s hip, rolling her own in time with her before pulling back and spinning around. She bends over, running her hands up her leg as I lick my lips. When I can’t take anymore, I storm the dance floor listening to my brothers whistling as I go. Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around Shane’s waist and pull her back into me. She gasps as her head falls back onto my chest rolling to the side. I lean down and run my lips up the side of her neck as our bodies continue to move as one. That’s when the music changes again. Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s Senorita comes on and I grab Shane’s hand, spinning her away from me before pulling her in closely. She doesn’t smile, just watches me as we both move. I press my body against hers, my hand tightly against her lower back. Up and down, in and out, we move. I keep her held tight as my body burns. Spinning her once more, I pull her back to my front.

  “Callan.” She says my name where only I can hear her. I let my lips roam her soft skin as sweat drips down my temples. In this moment, everything in life is perfect. Everything is as it should be but that can change at any time. Me and my brothers are prime examples of that. And even though I want to live in the moment and enjoy this time with Shane, something else is happening inside of me. I close my eyes just as the noise breaks through my thoughts. The floor shakes, the walls explode. Brick flies through the air, knocking us to the ground. I roll over and cover Shane with my body as screams ricochet through the club. People are running, others crying, some screaming.

  “Steele? Knox!” I call out to my brothers. Glancing around, I don’t see them. Panic takes over as I climb off Shane and drag her to her feet. With her hand wrapped up in mine, I move around the people, shoving my way past them.

  “Steele?” I call out again.

  “We’re good!” I move toward the sound of his voice to find him, Whisper and Knox. I look between them, making sure everyone is good before I pull Shane into my chest. Holding her head against me, I keep my senses on high alert.

  “What the hell was that?” Knox asks looking between us.

  “Sounded like a bomb. Let’s get the girls out of here,” Steele says, grabbing Whisper.

  “What about Leddy?” Whisper asks quickly. Darkness crosses Knox’s features as he looks between all of us.

  “I’ll find her. Get them out,” he says nodding toward Shane. Letting her out of my arms, we move toward the exit and out of the building. I can hear the sirens in the distance and just like when I found Shane, my heart beats a little faster. She must be able to feel it. She squeezes my hand tighter, and it’s as if everything else just sort of fades for the moment.

  “Unless we want to deal with the cops, we need to move,” Steele says. I nod, agreeing that I don’t want to deal with that shit tonight. Instead, we start walking toward the car when the first cop car rolls in. Instead of going toward the club, it pulls in, stopping right in front of us. Shit. That’s never a good sign. We all watch as the asshole climbs out of his car but his gaze is on mine.

  “Callan Alder,” he says, making my skin crawl.

  “Yeah.”

  “Put your hands behind your back.” Shane gasps as I pull away from her. I step up to the cop and eye him.

  “What’s this about?”

  “You’re under arrest for the assault of Matt McCormick. Turn around.” I do as I’m told with a smirk on my face.

  “Assault?” Steele asks stepping closer.

  “Yeah. I beat the shit out of him,” I laugh. Knox snorts as he walks toward us now and Steele smiles.

  “For her?” He nods over his shoulder. I nod back.

  “Watch her.”

  “She isn’t going anywhere,” Whisper tells him with a smile of her own but it’s Shane’s eyes that bother me. When my gaze clashes with hers, there’s something more in them. Her blues mesh with mine and I’m lost. The asshole jerks on the handcuffs, pulling me back but I never stop looking at her.

  “I’ll call the lawyer,” Steele says pulling his phone out and dialing. The cop helps me into the car, slamming the door in my face before climbing back in the front. Once he closes the door, I start my own line of questioning.

  “I already know this isn’t about Matt. So, what is it?” That’s not how we work. That’s not how the Alder’s work. We own the goddamn cops.

  “Can’t talk about it. You’ll see when we get to the station.” I don’t know his name, but I know who he is. That fact alone should have him opening his mouth, but he doesn’t. So instead of pushing him, I sit quietly as we ride through Rolling Springs until we pull up at the station. He pulls around back before climbing out of the car and letting me out. I watch him as he nods at the door. As soon as I’m inside, he grabs the cuffs and takes them off me. I turn with my hands clenched ready for a fight.

  “Don’t hit my officer.” Glancing over my shoulder, I smirk at Blake. Once his dad was dead, he asked about becoming the sheriff. Wasn’t that a sweet deal for him? No longer the mayor but the asshole was still on our payroll.

  “Why not?”

  “Want more charges?”

  “As if I had any to begin with.” He motions for me to follow him and I spin around and do so. He ushers me into an office where I drop into the first chair I can find.

  “There are so many things we need to discuss.”

  “Like why I was arrested to begin with. Did that asshole really press charges?” Blake looks amused as he walks around and takes his seat behind his new desk.

  “Yeah, he came in. You broke his nose,” he says as I shrug.

  “Lucky that’s all he got.”

  “We aren’t here about him, Callan.”

  “Then spit it out, Blake. Why am I the only one here?” It doesn’t make sense considering everyone knows that Steele has been handling the family and all its affairs. So why isn’t he here?

  “That’s the thing. We had to make it look like we were bringing you in on charges.”

  “Do I get the little jumpsuit too?” I ask sarcastically.

  “There’s someone in town. We don’t know what she wants,” he adds.

  “Who?” Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on my knees as I watch him for an answer.

  “Carol Alder. Has she been by?”

  “More than once. What the hel
l does she have to do with anything?”

  “Do you know why your mom left, Callan?” I shrug and lean back in the chair, my legs spread wide as I relax.

  “She said Dad made her. Threatened her.” A smile tugs across Blake’s face that pisses me off a little.

  “That’s not the story I was given.”

  “Stop playing games, Blake, and spit it out! What the hell do you want to tell me?” I’m sick of him already. I didn’t like the idea of the little bastard being the sheriff but at the same time we didn’t want him running off someplace else and opening his mouth about our town either. So, like the good gentlemen we are, we compromised with the little shit.

  “From what my father told me, she left on her own. She wanted the business and couldn’t get it. She wanted the family, but she knew she had no pull to have it all. They think she went to find someone that could help her.”

  “Help her what? No one else has any rights to the family but us.” He shakes his head.

  “I don’t know the answer here, Callan. I just know that she’s back and now we have bombs going off in a club that you and your brothers just happen to be at. Something isn’t adding up.” Now that he says it, I see it. Could he be right?

  “She kills us, no one left to fight her,” I mumble as it all starts making sense. But why? Why does she need it all? Steele was already talking about cutting her in on one of the businesses. Hell, that alone would make her a millionaire. Why go to all the trouble of killing her own sons?

  “I see you thinking, and I don’t have any answers. This was all I got,” Blake speaks.

  “And Matt?”

  “What about him?”

  “Is he taken care of?” I ask.

  “He’s been warned. He won’t be a problem but where is Shane?”

  “What do you care?” I see his eyes, the way they lit up when he said her name. What the fuck? Does he have a thing for her? I’m out of my seat and around the desk grabbing him by the neck.

  “She’s mine, Blake. You got me?” He nods, his face turning a shade of red that makes me hard. I shouldn’t like it so much but damn.

  “Yeah, got it.” I release him and storm toward the door, pissed that I had to be brought in here. Pissed that my mom is doing this. Pissed that I still hold Shane’s secret inside of me.

  16

  Shane

  “Hey, McCormick. If you pace anymore, I might actually think you care about my brother,” Steele says from his spot in the chair. I flip him off and keep walking, my arms crossed over my chest. It’s been an hour since the police picked him up. It’s only been a few minutes since the lawyer left here and headed that way.

  The door flies open and we all move to look. Callan walks in, sweat dripping from his temples as he tries to catch his breath.

  “What the hell happened?” Steele moves to ask first.

  “It was a set up. All that club shit was a set up. Guess who they think did it?” he says looking at his brother, a slow grin tugging across his face.

  “Us?”

  “Not this time, brother. Mom.”

  “Mom?” Knox chimes in.

  “Yeah. Thinks she’s after the family name and all that comes with it. Blake gave me one hell of a story. He said Dad didn’t want her and she wanted everything. She took off to figure out how to get it.”

  “And that took twenty years?” I find myself asking.

  “Apparently.” His growl wasn’t at my question. If I thought I had a fucked-up family, this one takes the cake. The Alder family is notorious around here for being a well-oiled machine, but they are by far, the most fucked-up family I’ve ever met.

  “So, we feel her out. Play her game.” Steele shrugs like it’s no big deal.

  “Play her game? How?” Knox asks lighting up a joint.

  “Get inside her head. Let her think we’re on her side. Hand her a few gifts along the way. She isn’t as smart as she thinks she is if she showed up here,” Callan states in a matter of fact tone. The guys all look at each other briefly before they nod. Steele yawns, moving to stand and grabbing Whisper as he goes.

  “I’m going to bed. This night turned to shit really quick.”

  “Yeah. Me too. I have that meeting tomorrow with Finsteins.” Steele nods at Callan before dragging Whisper down the hall. I wrap my arms around myself and turn, following behind them. I’m not sure what I was expecting. Callan to follow me? I know he still harbors some deep resentment toward me and I don’t know how to fix that. Walking into the room they had set up for me, I fall onto the bed and sigh loudly.

  “Rough night.” I close my eyes and pretend to not hear him, not wanting to fight or argue. I’m still shaken up after what happened at the club. I don’t move until I feel the bed shift. Turning my head to the side, I see Callan lying on his back, his arm thrown over his eyes.

  “Were you hurt?” I ask, wondering.

  “No. You?”

  “Not really.” He turns his head, his eyes coming to meet mine. In this moment, the air is sucked from the room. I feel like I’m suffocating and there’s no way to drag a breath into my lungs. Callan rolls onto his side, his hand coming up to my cheek as he watches me.

  “Not really?” he asks, arching his eyebrow.

  “I’m just a little shaken up is all.” He nods as his eyes burn into me. This is what I’ve missed the most about him. The heat, the way he used to look at me. So when he scoots closer, I don’t protest.

  “It was scary.” His words are soft just like his lips when they touch mine. My heart leaps into my throat as he slowly moves his mouth over mine. Each stroke of his tongue against my lips becomes more demanding until I let him in. The growl that leaves him runs straight to my core.

  Callan moves to roll on top of me and I gladly spread my legs for him. He makes himself comfortable as he grinds himself against me. Heat coils in my stomach, my hands finding their way into his hair. Each tug earns me a growl, so I don’t stop. Heat pools between my thighs and I don’t know if it was a good thing I changed when I got home or not. Callan drags his hand down my side and in between us. I whimper against his lips when his finger slips under my shorts and straight where I want them.

  “Shane?” He says my name like it’s the last thing he may ever say and I can’t say that I don’t like hearing it in that husky tone of his. When I don’t answer, he slips his finger inside of me and slowly begins to massage me. A breath leaves my lips so lightly that I feel like I’m floating. He slowly adds another finger and I find myself arching into his touch.

  “Tonight at the club, I have never found you as sexy as I did when you were dancing with me.” My eyes slowly open and lock with his. I know the guys all love to dance. It’s just in their nature but I was never that good at it until Whisper came along. I would try but I would basically look like one of those blow up guys that flip all around in front of a car wash.

  “Really?” I ask as his fingers keep moving inside of me. I gasp when he changes their position.

  “Sweat dripping off you. Your body pressed against mine. The way you looked at me. Fuck, Shane,” he curses under a husky breath. His fingers slip out of me and he jerks my shorts down my legs. I watch him as he reaches up and pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it to the side. The muscles, the tattoos, the sweat that still clings to his skin all beg for me to touch them. He finishes stripping out of his clothes before motioning for me to sit up. I do and he rips my shirt over my head and unclasps my bra. His warm fingers dance over my flesh as he slips the straps down my arms. Before I can think or react, he grabs me, flipping us both so that I’m on top of him. He runs his hands up my stomach, grabbing my breasts in each hand and massaging them. My body begins to move on its own, rubbing against him.

  “Cal,” I moan as he plucks at my nipples. He runs his hands back down, stopping at my stomach and my heart lurches into my throat.

  “I’m keeping you, Shane.” It’s a statement, one I’m not sure I’m ready for just yet. There’s so much tension and too
many secrets between us for him to say that to me. It doesn’t matter to him, not when he flips me so I’m on my back and his hard cock is pressing into me. I don’t try to stop him and I know I should. Closing my eyes, I feel the tip barely press into me before his hands are on my face.

  “Look at me, Shane.” I shake my head but when his lips touch mine once more, I do it. I open my eyes and they lock with the bluest sky colored eyes that have forever held my heart.

  “I’m not like you,” I whisper.

  “That’s why I want you, Shane. I don’t want someone like me. I want someone that completes me.” Tears burn the back of my eyes, but I don’t let them fall.

  “I can’t tell you what you want to know, not yet.” He nods and rests his forehead against mine as he thrusts the rest of the way into me. I gasp, my hands coming to cling to his shoulders.

  “I know.”

  “And you will hate me when I tell you,” I remind him.

  “I know that part too,” he whispers before licking the lone tear that slid down my cheek. Callan pushes up, grabbing my leg and throwing it around his hip as he begins to thrust. Each one is heaven. Each one is hell and he can feel it too. He might be keeping me but somewhere deep down he still hates me for what he’s learned, and in the back of my mind I know exactly what it is. I just can’t bring myself to say it to him. Not yet.

  “Fuck, Shane,” he growls before picking up his pace. I slide my hands over his shoulders, down his chest and feel all the muscles move as he moves. Each one is perfect. Perfected from his years of playing football and being who he is. Sweat coats my palms as I run them back up and around his neck, pulling his lips to mine.

  “Fuck me, Callan.” That’s all he needed to hear. His lips crash onto mine, his hips bucking and taking control. And just like we were made for each other, I ride the high that only Callan can give me.

  17