by Anna Collins
She blinked a couple of times at me before turning her head to the side, lost in thought. “Nick is a creature of habit, and he doesn’t have much of a romantic bone in his body. He only knows of one restaurant that’s fancy enough for a date,” she looked at her watch, and I looked at mine, noting that it was close to lunch time. “If I leave now, I might catch him--,”
“Good, then let’s go,” I said, and she looked up at me in surprise.
“You’re coming with me?” she asked, and I raised my eyebrows at her.
“My car’s faster,” I replied. We’d have a better chance of catching up to the lying bastard if we took my Spider.”
“Yes, but don’t you have somewhere else to be?” she asked, still in disbelief that I was going to accompany her. I looked straight into her confused eyes and answered her question.
“I’ll always make time for you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Apollo
I’ll always make time for you.
I have to admit, I was surprised by my answer. But what was more surprising was that I realized how true that statement was. I would always make time for Calista Cohen. In fact, I had been doing it unconsciously for a while now.
Daphne wasn’t messing with her when she was late to call me about my offer. It’s been my M.O. not to entertain offers and such that wasted my time. Had it been anybody else, I really would’ve rescinded my offer. But I told Daphne to wait for her to call, no matter what time it was. And if Callie hadn’t arrived early for that lunch meeting the other day, then I would’ve still waited for her then, too.
First I was dreaming about her, and the next I was breaking my own rules to accommodate her whims. I didn’t have any idea what was happening to me, what kind of power she possessed that she had me wrapped around her finger, but I knew I had to decide soon. I had to decide whether to put a stop to these feelings or let it take over me completely. I had to decide whether Calista Cohen was worth it.
I peeked at Callie from the corner of my eye. She had her head turned towards the windshield, not saying a word. She was probably lost in her own thoughts like I was earlier. She was probably thinking about that lying bastard she was in a relationship with.
The devastated look on her face popped into my head, and I felt my anger come rushing back, making me squeeze the steering wheel with my fist. Goddamn it, I hoped she broke up with the fucker.
We arrived at a small French restaurant named “La Pomme, ” and I couldn’t help but scoff. I was about to tell Callie that the place wasn’t as fancy as she thought it would be, but the look on her face stopped me. She looked so scared, and it made me want to wrap her in my arms and just hold her, while at the same time I wanted to go in there and bash that motherfucker’s head in.
But I knew it wasn’t my place to do it.
“Do you want me to come with you?” I asked, worried about her. I could offer her this, at least, and hope that she’d say “yes.”
“I don’t know, Apollo. It might make things awkward,” she said, and I shrugged.
“Well, it’s bound to be, regardless,” I pointed out, and she bowed her head in resignation. I mentally cursed at myself. “And I think this is the right time to tell him about you kissing me,” I said, hoping she would take the bait. Her eyes widened, and she slapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey, it was you who kissed me!” she exclaimed, her eyes regaining some of their light. I smirked at her.
“You kissed me back,” I said, and she bit her lip as she looked at my lips, making me lick mine in return as I thought about kissing her again.
“Okay, Apollo. You can come with me,” she said softly, and I nodded.
“I’ll stay on the sidelines if that’s what you want,” I told her, and she nodded before taking a deep breath and opening her door.
We got inside the restaurant, and I felt Callie’s hands wrap around my wrist, her eyes focused to a secluded booth in the corner, a head of red hair visible from the top of the booth. I watched Callie steel herself and let her lead me towards the booth until Nick caught sight of us and his eyes widened. He stood up immediately, and I had to keep myself from smirking at the look of fear and guilt on his face, his complexion stark white like all of his blood had flowed out of him and had turned him into a living corpse. Callie and I stopped at the edge of the table, and I caught a good look at the woman sitting across him.
It was this moment when I couldn’t help laughing. Compared to Callie, she was hideous. Her hair was black and straight, but it looked dead and flat, unlike Callie’s vibrant mane. She was wearing too much makeup, and it looked like it was cake on her face, like she was a geisha back in old Japanese time.
“Callie, what are you doing here?” Nick asked, glancing between me and her like he was watching some sort of tennis match.
“Apollo and I are taking a break, so we thought we’d have lunch together,” Callie lied easily, and I nodded in agreement. She waved her hand towards the woman and smiled inquisitively. “Is this your client?” she asked, and I caught Nick breathe a sigh of relief like he had just found his escape route. Little did the fucker know he was dead wrong, and Callie was ensnaring him in her trap.
“Uh, yes! Callie, this is Valentina,” he said, pointing towards the caked face woman, who in turn grinned at Callie, looking at her from head to toe and wiggling her fingers at her pathetic attempt at a wave.
“Charmed,” she said, her voice sounding anything but. Callie looked at the woman with hate, and I could tell she was about to lose it. I couldn’t let her do it. If she broke down now, she’d be right in the palm of this bitch’s hand.
“And Valentina, this is Callie’s boss, and by association, my boss as well, Apollo--,”
“Apollo Irons! It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she purred, flipping her hair from her shoulder to her back and leaning forward, giving me an ample view of her cleavage. This woman was unbelievable. Here she was in the middle of the relationship she was tearing apart, and she was eyeing me like a prime rib at a steakhouse. Clearly, she was not sticking around with Nick because she loved him, which made her look ten times wicked. I really didn’t see what Nick saw in her.
“That’s funny, Mr. Baxter. I called your office today, and they said you had the day off,” I said, deciding to throw that fact out there. The relieved look on the bastard’s face was snuffed out immediately, and he turned his gaze towards Callie, his fear etched in his face again.
The jig is up pal.
“Callie, I can explain-,” he said.
Clap! The sound of Callie’s hand making a direct contact with Nick’s face reverberated in the room and the patrons and servers went dead quiet as they watched the scene unfold.
“You bastard,” Callie whispered, her eyes bright with rage. She turned her eyes to Valentina, who unbelievably enough, still looked completely unconcerned. “Why don’t you try and tell me the truth because my boyfriend can’t seem to do it?” she asked, and Valentina flipped her hair back again.
“Alright, then. I’m Nick’s girlfriend, and we were just talking about how he was finally going to break up with you so he can stay with me,” she said, unapologetic.
“You’re a bitch. How dare you both go behind my back like this?” Callie asked, looking between Nick and his girlfriend. Tears were starting to pool in her eyes, and she clenched her shaking fists at her sides. She finally focused her eyes on Nick, and she bared her teeth. “I want all of your shit out of my apartment before I get home, you filthy son of a bitch,” she snarled, before looking at the woman again. “Your name suits you. You really are a fucking snake,” she said. She picked up the champagne glass and poured the contents onto Valentina’s head, making her splutter.
Callie then grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the restaurant and back into my car. She swiped at the tears in her eyes and sniffed, making me want to go back inside and pound Nick’s face off for making her cry. I reminded myself that it wasn’t my place and forced myself to just start the ca
r and drive away from the place.
We spent the ride in relative silence, with Callie just sniffling and looking through her window while I switched between staring at the road and looking at her, not knowing what to say. Did I ask her if she was alright? She was obviously not. Did I ask if she wanted to talk about it? I didn’t think I wanted to, though.
This was fucking frustrating.
“So, how did you know about that place?” I asked, thinking a change of subject was what we needed to get her mind off of that dickhead. She sighed and answered, her shoulders dropping.
“That’s where he took me for our first date, and whenever we celebrated our anniversary together,” she murmured forlornly.
I mentally kicked myself. Well, that was a genius move, Apollo. You managed to make it worse by asking about a place that meant so much to them. Idiot.
“Are you alright?” I asked instead, and she shook her head.
“No,”
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked next.
“We’re already talking about it,” she replied, and I closed my eyes in frustration. I pulled the car over at a parking stop at the side of the road and took my seatbelt off so I could face her fully.
“Callie, look at me,” I said, my voice stern. She sniffled and wiped her face with her hands before turning around to face me, trying to be strong. I took her seatbelt off and pulled her out of her seat and on top of me, crushing her into my chest. She gasped as I tightened my arms around her and kissed the side of her head.
“He’s an idiot, and he doesn’t deserve you,” I told her, and I felt her body start to shake uncontrollably, her arms gripping my shirt. “If he’s dumb enough to fall for a girl like that when he already has you, then he’s not fucking worth your tears. So stop crying, baby,” she placed her hands on my waist and lowered her face to my neck, my skin feeling the wetness of her eyes as she cried softly. I let her cry in my arms for a while, and as I held her, I finally made my decision.
I wasn’t going to shut my feelings down. I was going to let it take me wherever it wanted to go.
I was going to let it lead me to her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Callie
I let all of my emotions out then, wrapped in the comfort of Apollo’s arms and feeling his warmth. I felt so safe at that moment like I could just let my feelings go and no one would be able to judge me or call me weak, because I knew Apollo wouldn’t let that happen. So I wept. I wept and wept until I finally got tired of crying.
I pulled away from Apollo’s arms and kissed him on the cheek before looking at his face and smiling at him.
“Thank you,” I whispered, and he cradled my face with his hand.
“Don’t mention it,” he whispered back, and he pulled my head towards him so he could plant his lips on my forehead, making me close my eyes and sigh in comfort. He really was a good guy.
I crawled out of his lap and fixed myself back in the passenger seat before putting my seatbelt back on.
“Where to?” he asked, and I looked at him in confusion. “I told you I’ll always make time for you, and I meant it. You look like you need someone right now, and I’ll be happy to be that someone for you if you’ll let me,” he explained, and my heart warmed at his offer. I shook my head at him, though.
“That’s really sweet of you, Apollo. But I think I just want to get home. This is something Nick and I have to sort out for ourselves,” I said.
The concerned look on his face changed in an instant, and he turned away from me, looking straight at the road as he put his seatbelt back on and put us back on the road. His face looked dark and angry, and I didn’t understand why.
“Apollo, what’s--,” I asked, but he cut me off harshly.
“I’ll take you back to your place. I have a meeting in twenty minutes,” he said, and my eyes widened in confusion.
I thought he said he would make time for me? Why had he suddenly changed his mind?
We arrived at my place, and he didn’t make a move to get out of the car. I stared at him, wondering what his problem was, but he wouldn’t look at me.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Ms. Cohen,” he said curtly, and I opened my mouth to say something, but decided against it. Oh, we were back at honorifics now, huh? After what happened earlier? Well, two can play that game.
“Thank you for the ride, Mr. Irons. Have a good evening,” I said, equally brisk. I got out of the car and slammed the door as hard as I could, even though it was a childish attempt at throwing a tantrum. He didn’t react and merely drove off as soon as the door closed, and I just stood there until his license plates were too far for me to see.
I stomped my way to my building and got inside the elevator, slamming my finger on number 4. Men were so mercurial, it was infuriating. Apollo was so sweet and caring one moment and then totally aloof and cold at the next. I didn’t even know what I had said to trigger him. What the hell had happened?
I shook my head and decided to throw myself at work and get started on editing Apollo’s autobiography. I kept making elementary mistakes though, and instead of calming down, my mood just worsened. I was still frustrated over Apollo’s unpredictable behavior that I didn’t notice the front door opening and Nick entering our place, looking worse for wear.
For a moment, I was confused why he looked like that, and I remembered what happened at the restaurant. Oh, right. He cheated on me. Somehow, thinking about Apollo had taken my mind off of what had happened.
I stood up from my seat and folded my arms over my chest, glaring at this cheating scumbag in front of me. He scratched the back of his head, his mouth skewed into a wince, and I couldn’t remember the reason why I used to find that so adorable anymore. Now his actions just served to strengthen my fumes.
“So, we never got to properly talk earlier,” he said.
“You mean with Satan’s most basic form breathing down your neck back at the restaurant? Then yes, you’re right,” I said, rolling my eyes at him.
“Hey, that’s not fair. You had Apollo with you, too,” he defended.
“Oh, so we’re weighing down company now, huh?” I said, my anger flaring. I remembered why I was itching to talk to him earlier and I took a deep breath. This was as good a time as any to get it out now. “Remember when I needed to tell you something earlier?” I asked. “Before you lied and told me you were meeting with a client?” I couldn’t help but add. He nodded with a grimace.
“What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” he asked, and I took a deep breath once more. I might as well just rip the Band-Aid and get it over with instead of beating around the bush.
“Apollo and I kissed yesterday,” I said, and I watched Nick’s eyes widen at my words, the expression on his face going from shock, to confusion, and to anger in a matter of seconds. And then, the inevitable blow-up.
“What the hell, Callie? How could you do that to me?” He cried, glaring at me. I raised my eyebrows at him.
“Excuse me? Don’t you dare turn the tables around at me, Nick!” I yelled at him.
“Oh really? How long have you two been seeing each other behind my back? It was probably back then when I walked into you two here at our apartment!” he exclaimed.
“First of all, you hypocritical bastard, that is MY line! And yesterday was the only time something happened between us! What about you, huh? How long have you been seeing that little boa constrictor, huh?” I asked, and he shut his mouth, unwilling to answer me. “How long?!” I demanded, and he sighed in defeat.
“…About three months ago,” he answered, and I closed my eyes. Three months. He had been making a fool out of me for three months.
“Have you slept with her?” I asked, swallowing the lump I felt in my throat, bracing myself for his answer.
“Callie--,”
“Did you sleep with her?” I repeated, glaring at him. The look on his face confirmed it for me. The son of a bitch.
“Callie, I’m so--,” I slapped him in the face, n
ot bothering to listen to his words anymore. I couldn’t stand it. I was done with him. Completely.
“Start packing your shit, Nick. And take your fucking Play Station with you,” I growled, before turning my back on him.
“Callie, please. I’m sorry,” he pleaded, but I shook my head, refusing to turn back and look at him again. I was scared that if I did, I might break down and forgive him, and I was stronger than that. I was stronger than he gave me credit for.
“No, Nick. You’re not sorry. And I don’t want to see you anymore. So get out of my life.”
I pulled my tablet out of its charger and grabbed my purse and coat before walking towards the front door. I grabbed the handle and forced myself to take one last look at my soon to be ex-boyfriend.
“I really did love you, you sick bastard,” I whispered to him, a stray tear falling down my cheek. I opened my door and climbed the stairs down to the entrance. I put my hand in my coat pockets and thanked my lucky stars I had left my phone there. I couldn’t be in my apartment right now. I needed to get away, just for a moment.
I bit my lip and prayed that he was in a mood good enough to answer my call.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Apollo
I put the pedal to the metal as I raced towards Callie’s apartment after I got her call. She told me Nick came to their apartment, and she had sent him packing, but she couldn’t stand to be around him while he did, so she had asked me to take her away.
