“Taking Mum and Dad’s rules a bit far don’t you think? What the hell am I supposed to give you now?” I smacked him lightly on the shoulder.
“You being here with me is more than enough Cal. That’s all you ever need to give me.” He hugged me close.
“I love you twin.” I told him. Cam and I still needed alone time to talk more about our discoveries involving our parent’s deaths, but that time would come. Finding out that Malcolm had been a part of our lives in such a sinister way for so long had opened old wounds and our grief had resurfaced, that was something we needed to come to terms with. But we both knew that just like before we would get each other through it.
“Love you back twin.” He replied, squeezing lightly once before letting go of me.
“I can’t believe you had no idea this was going on under your own roof!” Vinnie laughed and I hugged him next. “Remember our shopping trip from hell?”
“Of course!” It fell into place.
“You deserve it babe.” Nate said, pressing a kiss to my forehead as I hugged him and then Luke.
“You’re the amazing one.” Liv sniffed when I got to her.
“No you.” I argued.
“I’m jealous is what I am.” She looked around with envy at the books. She might work in a library on a daily basis, but I knew she would love something like this.
“We can share Olive.” I smiled.
Mick came up behind me and pulled me into a Mick hug, kissing the top of my head. No words passed between us, we didn’t need them. He knew. I knew.
Adam handed me a small package, “To add to your library.” he winked at me and I raised my eyebrows at him.
“Don’t keep us in suspense love.” Mick grinned, loosening his hold on me.
“Yeah, this is where he proves himself worthy in front of your family and shows us all just how well he knows you.” Liv crooned dreamily.
“It’s so romantic!” Dana joined in.
I tore off the paper, “Oh!” I breathed. “Oh, oh, oh!”
“Nerdgasm!” Nick announced loudly to laughter around the room.
“Is that...?” I gasped looking up at Adam, “Is it?”
“It is.” he smiled at me.
“It’s a book!” Jared said, “I don’t get it.”
“It’s her favourite book you idiot.” Liv nudged him, wiping a tear from her cheek.
“But surely you already have it if it’s your favourite?” Jared frowned. Bless his clueless cotton socks.
“It’s a first edition of Interview with the Vampire.” I knew what it must have taken for him to get hold of the Anne Rice book. Originally published in 1976, they weren’t easy to come by, especially one in such good condition. I opened the cover and squeaked.
“Multiple nerdgasm! You’re good Adam.” Luke grinned and Adam laughed, sticking a hand in the air to accept the high five Nick had offered him.
“I thought your own library deserved something a little bit special.” He said and then caught me, laughing again, as I threw myself at him.
“Ok, that’s enough. I’m already in tears here!” Liv blubbered.
“Drinks!” Greg announced, turning and heading to the kitchen.
“Tunes!” Dana followed him.
“Oh hey Cal, before I forget. Found the sweetest Dodge Challenger up for auction next week. Black. 1970. It’s not a Mustang but, feel like checking it out?” Nate came up beside me as we were all leaving my library. I had a freaking library.
“Damn right I do!” I grinned.
*****
I looked around happily at all my friends as I sat in Adam’s lap, in my favourite armchair, passing a beer back and forth between us. I had spent hours over the last few days re-telling the events that had taken place in that house. Answering question after question until I was drained, mentally, emotionally and physically. Adam and Cam had been present throughout and I couldn’t have remained strong enough to go through it without either of them. The good thing to come from those interviews was the knowledge that once they closed the investigation, the house would more than likely be demolished, along with the abandoned one in the woods, which they had finally managed to trace back to Malcolm’s Grandmother. I thought I might throw a party that day.
“The Teacher” as Malcolm had been dubbed by the media was gone. All of the families he had torn apart with his sickness could now begin to bring their own darkness into the light. Irene, sadly had no living relatives left to mourn what had happened to her. I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. I suppose we would never know her entire story and the reasons she accepted the life he forced upon her. Part of me thought her story deserved to be told and part of me believed it was better to bury it along with Malcolm and all his evil.
Although they weren’t the twisted lessons he had intended for me to learn, Malcolm had taught me to cherish every single moment given to me and not to waste my life in darkness. He had also taught me how to forgive. Jase’s death was still raw and I knew I had the hard part still to come in dealing with that, but he had given me the closure I hadn’t known I needed to be able to move on. If we hadn’t been in that situation I’m not sure we ever would have talked in the way we did. I had a lot of healing to do where he was concerned and there would never be a day when I wouldn’t miss him. But Adam and Cam and all the others would be there for me and we would get through it together. Jay would always be part of us.
Adam and I had spent every possible second together, unable to get enough of each other in every way. We both felt the need to be close to each other after coming so near to losing something we almost never got the chance to have. We were taking nothing for granted. Adam had taught me to stop hiding and running from life. He had taught me how to let my friends in completely and allow them to help me heal. Although he insisted we had learned that part together, perhaps he was right. He had also taught me that nicknames most definitely do mean something.
“You’re beautiful.” Adam whispered, stroking my cheek with the back of his knuckles.
“I’m bruised and battered.” I rolled my eyes at him with a smile.
“You’re always beautiful to me. I thought it the second I saw your face, all covered in snow.” He kissed me then. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him tight to me, wanting to devour him.
“Careful Angel, I’ll be throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you off to bed if you keep that up.” he pulled away grinning.
“Promise?” I asked. Adam had, true to his word, come up with many imaginative ways to make me a morning person during the last few days. That morning being no exception.
“Woman, I can’t wait to get inside you again.” He whispered roughly in my ear and a flush spread over my body like wildfire.
“Hmmm, I love your dirty mouth Adam. I knew there was a bad boy in there somewhere.” I told him with a smile. His words never failed to get me hot and bothered.
“Oh he’s there, he only wants to come out and play with you though. But I have to share a while longer yet.” he indicated the others in the room.
We had gathered to say our own personal farewell to Jase and Amy, just our group of friends. A feeling of contentment washed over me as I looked around the room. Mick bantered back and forth with Jared and Vinnie, who had become the couple of the moment, thankfully taking the spotlight off Adam and me. Mick, Jared and I had put our business plans on hold for a while, but things were still very much going ahead. We had some fantastic ideas that we were all excited to get started on, so I doubted it would stay on hold for long.
Nick and Nate were laughing loudly at something Cam had said. It was good to see my brother’s fun side coming back out, he was hilarious when he got going and I’d missed that. Sally and Luke looked cosy together and I wondered if something might be going on there, I hoped it was. Greg and Dana were dancing together in the kitchen, not a slow romantic dance, a silly, hysterical dance that looked a lot like the birdy song. And Liv and Nat were deep in conversation over
a bottle of wine.
“But I don’t want to share you. Look at them, they’re fine, they don’t need us.” I pouted, waving my hand around the room at our friends.
“You never have to share me. I’m yours Angel, always.” he said. Nope, couldn’t wait, needed him now!
“Can’t we sneak off when they’re not looking? We can be quick.” I pushed, undoing the top button of his shirt.
“There is nothing quick about what I plan on doing to you.” he growled, making my stomach a contender for gymnastic gold at the next Olympics.
“Come on love birds, join the party!” Nick called. I stuck my tongue out at him and he flashed that infectious grin of his back.
“Is this what I’m going to have to live with? You two all over each other every second of the day?” Cam grumbled, winking at me.
“Got a bottle of tequila with your name all over it love.” Mick waved the bottle temptingly at me and I nodded my approval.
“Shots witches!” yelled Vinnie.
“Adam?” I whispered, hooking my arms around his neck.
“Hmmm?” he replied, burying his face in my hair.
“You can fall in love with me now.” I said
He kissed my lips and replied, “Way ahead of you Snow Angel.”
*****
Epilogue
“This had better not be a forehead tattoo Nicholas Warren!” I narrowed my eyes at him as I sat on the black leather chair in his studio, where he had insisted Adam and I meet him that morning. The chair was more of a bed with an adjustable back rest and it was high off the floor, so I was swinging my legs back and forth while I waited for Nick to tell me what he had planned.
“Forehead tattoo?” Adam wanted to know, he looked worried and a little bit sexy, sitting in Popeye’s chair with his shirt off. Okay, a lot sexy. Those V lines I’d wondered about? Yep. He had them alright. I had decided the V stood for Very lickable one night while I was busy getting to know every inch of his body. I’m sure there was a proper name for them, but I liked mine and Adam seemed quite happy with it too.
“No foreheads I promise.” Nick crossed his heart and laughed. “Shirt off Moonbeam. And lie on your right side, left arm in the air. You can assume the same position Adam.”
“Shirt off?” I asked suspiciously.
“Callie,” Nick began patiently, rolling his stool closer to me and fiddling with his inks. “Do you remember when I told you I would only ink matching tats with someone else on you?”
“Yes.” I nodded, “You said that was my theme.”
“Right, well that’s what this is. Blindfolds on!” He announced with a grin.
“Whoa, wait a minute, you can’t expect us to do this blindfolded.” I all but screeched.
“You trust me, yeah?” Nick looked at me with those puppy dog eyes of his.
“Of course.” I caved. I trusted him with my life.
“I’m not sure I do.” Adam grumbled, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone.
“You want her marked as yours forever or not Caveman?” Nick demanded with a sly grin. He had taken to calling Adam caveman frequently over the last few weeks. Something to do with an altercation Adam and Jase had while I was missing. They both refused to go into detail. I’d get it out of them eventually.
“Wait, what?” I did screech this time. Adam laughed that arrogant laugh of his that he knew drove me insane.
“Don’t worry Moonbeam, it’ll be beautiful. Now blindfolds on and let us get to work.” Nick instructed. Reluctantly, we both gave in and allowed ourselves to be blindfolded. Well, I was reluctant, Adam was suddenly all over the thought of me being marked as his forever, as Nick had worded it, and he assumed the position without another murmur.
Just over an hour later Adam and I stood in front of the floor to ceiling mirror in Nick’s tattoo parlour, sideways on, him behind me while Nick and Popeye removed our blindfolds simultaneously. My eyes moved to my left side where I now had an intricate angel wing stretching from the top to the bottom of my ribcage, the feathers reaching around to my shoulder blade. Along the edge of the wing were the words “His Angel” in beautiful, cursive script.
I gasped in awe and looked at Adam’s reflection. In exactly the same place he had an arrow, the feathers on the end matched those of my angel wing and there was a tiny angel charm hanging from the end of the arrow. The tip pointed up and the words “Her Guardian” were in the same script along the length.
I turned to Nick and Popeye, tears forming in my eyes. I did a lot of happy crying lately. “Thank you, they’re perfect. Just stunning.”
“Agreed.” Said Adam, desire laced his voice, as he continued to look at my ink. He reached out and pulled me towards him, catching me in a searing kiss that left me in no doubt as to what was on his mind.
“Ugh! Guess the weddings off then Moonbeam.” Nick chuckled from behind us and Popeye laughed loudly.
“Home. Now.” Adam growled. Who was I to argue?
*****
The End
Thank you’s
(and a few apologies)
To my husband and children, I’m sorry for the days I forgot you existed because I had moved to Frost Ford in my head. I’m sorry for the days when you went unfed and had to fend for yourselves. I’m sorry for the days when you thought you were a single parent Felipe, but hey, after all those years in the army bubble, I figure you owed me. ;) But also thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me and silently supporting me even though it seemed I had checked out of reality. Thank you for not getting upset at my snappy attitude when you interrupted me when I was “in the zone”. You’re all beyond awesome and I am lucky to have you and I love you all more than anything.
To my friends and family whose messages went unread and unanswered and who wondered if I had dropped off the face of the Earth, I apologise. I know I’m bad at that stuff anyway, but I sucked for a while there. And you know what, if this works out I’m afraid I’m going to suck again. Sorry. I do love you all though. Okay? ;)
To Kat. Thank you. Just thank you. Without your encouragement this may well have remained a dream that I never saw through. Your friendship means the world to me and I’m so happy that we could pick up where we left off after twenty years. P.S. I’m sorry I killed you off.
To my Facebook and Instagram families, thank you for all the support in the build up to the release. You have all shown me that sometimes you don’t have to know a person in “real life” for them to be your friend.
A huge thank you to the fabulously talented ladies at Indies Ink. You know what you did.
And finally to everyone who has read this and got caught up in Frost Ford, you are awesome. Thank you.
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Bonus content
Adam and Callie’s first meeting from Adam’s view point
Who the hell was hammering on my front door at this time? Surely word hadn’t already gotten round that the new police sergeant lived here? I knew being the only senior officer on the town’s force and living so close to my work place had the potential to become more trouble than it was worth, but I’d made the move regardless. Coming to live in the tiny town of Frost Ford upon promotion had been a no brainer for me. I desperately needed a new start. I needed away from the ghosts of my past. So when my cousin, Greg, mentioned that his old sergeant was retiring, I had immediately put in a transfer request. I just hoped I wasn’t now going to be plagued with house calls when I was off duty from the town’s residents expecting me to sort out their troubles.
I sighed and made my way down the stairs when the knocking didn’t stop and pulled the door open slightly more harshly than was probably necessary.
I took a step back when the icy blast hit me and frowned at the small woman who now lay, swearing, at my feet. Jokes obviously came to mind, all the usual man stuff about her being on her knees, but I refrained, barely, holding back a smirk as she clambered to her feet. First impressions? She was tiny. And she had the sexiest, husky voice I had ever heard in my life.
I stared at her, mesmerised suddenly as she stood, not looking at me and prattled on about Greg and someone called Jase. Her entire body was covered in snow and her attempts to brush it off were pointless. She looked as though she’d been rolling around on the ground making snow angels. Snow Angel. I liked it. Her dark, wavy hair clung to her face and her plump lips pursed when she finally made eye contact with me, her big brown eyes widening. Fuck, she was beautiful.
“You’re not Greg.” Well, no shit. This time I couldn’t hide the smirk. But there was something in her eyes that made me pause. Darkness was in her. The same way it was in me. That look in her eyes mirrored the one I knew I had worn since my brother’s death. And then it was gone. Her walls were up, she knew I had seen her, really seen her and now she was hiding it. She was like me, I realised.
“No, no I’m not.” I told her, getting a hold of myself. After a brief exchange, in which I introduced myself and I thought I learned she was a friend of my cousin’s, she finally realised Greg and Dana weren’t home. When the banging on the door came again and her face morphed from a confused frown into a look of fear at whoever was on the other side of the door, I snapped into protective mode and sent her upstairs.
The man, who I assumed to be Jase, on my doorstep looked frantic. His hands were on his hips as he scanned the street around him.
“Cee...” He began when I opened the door.
“I don’t know who you are mate, but you’ve got the wrong house.” I snapped at him, my irritation evident.
“I know she’s here. Who the fuck are you?” Jase growled angrily, “Where’s Greg? Is she hiding in there with Dana?”
Educating Callie Page 33
