DARK ANGEL’S OBSESSION (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 14)

by I. T. Lucas

  Not even her father.

  “What’s going on, Callie?”

  “I left him.”

  There was a moment of silence. “How did he take it?” By her father’s tone, the news didn’t come as a big surprise. He sounded worried. Which meant that he wasn’t as clueless as she’d thought he was.

  “He doesn’t know yet. That’s why I’m calling. I don’t want you to freak out when he calls looking for me.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “A friend is helping me out. I need to go underground, so to speak, until my divorce is finalized. I’m afraid of what Shawn might do to me when he finds out I left him.”

  “Tell me the truth, Callie, did he raise his hand to you?” Her father’s voice quivered with anger.

  “No. But he raged a lot and destroyed things. I felt it was only a matter of time before he turned that anger on me. I didn’t want to wait around for it to happen. The last straw was when he refused to pay a dime for my studies, as if I wasn’t working and had no say in it. He also refused to hear about taking out a student loan. I don’t qualify for a scholarship, not with our combined earnings. But as a single woman, I might. And if not, I’ll take out a loan.”

  “Do you need help? Iris and I can chip in for the tuition, and you can come stay with us until the storm passes.”

  His offer brought tears to her eyes. Just knowing that help was there if she needed it meant so much to her. “I’m good. I took out half of our savings and it should tide me over. But you and Iris need to be careful. I’m afraid that Shawn might go after you guys and after Dawn. He’ll try to intimidate you into telling him where I am. Or worse, threaten to harm you if I don’t come back to him.”

  “Don’t you worry about us, Callie. I’ll buy myself a shotgun and put a hole in that asshole if he comes anywhere near us. You can come here and I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  Callie barely stifled a snort. Her father was incapable of harming a mouse, let alone a human being, and he’d never held a weapon in his life. Still, it felt good to hear him getting so protective.

  “Thanks, Daddy. I really appreciate the offer, but it’s better this way. As a precaution, I’m not going to call anytime soon, but I don’t want you to worry about me. It’s better that you don’t know where I am. I’ll send postcards. You get anything with a picture of a sunset, you’ll know it’s from me and that I’m fine.”

  Her father chuckled. “You are really going deep into cloak and dagger territory, aren’t you?”

  “Better safe than sorry, right?”

  “Always.”

  Chapter 19: Brundar

  When Brundar arrived at the restaurant, Calypso was already waiting for him on the patio, a cocktail clasped in her hands. He glanced at his watch even though he knew he wasn’t late. In fact, he was early.

  “Have you been waiting long?” he asked.

  “I was impatient.”

  “Understandable. Are you ready to go or do you want to finish your drink.”

  “No, I want to get going. The sooner it is done the better.”

  “Agreed.” He offered her a hand up.

  She took it, swaying a little on her feet.

  Steadying her, he lifted a brow. “Drink or nerves?”

  “A little bit of both.”

  “Are you okay to drive?”

  “I’m good.”

  “Perhaps you should get some coffee to go.”

  “I have water in the car.”

  He nodded. “Follow me to the parking lot of the Galleria.”

  “Okay.” Calypso seemed a little dazed.

  Had she remembered the fine details of the plan? There weren’t many, but in the state she was in she could’ve forgotten something important.

  “Did you leave your phone behind?”

  “Yes. It’s in my locker.”

  “Good.” He took her elbow. “Which car is yours?” He knew, but there was no reason to alert her to the fact that he’d been stalking her for months.

  She pointed. “The Honda.”

  He helped her in. “Do you have everything you need?”

  She patted the large satchel she’d deposited on the passenger seat. “All my money is in here.”

  Any thug could snatch it from there while she was stopped at an intersection, taking all her worldly possessions.

  “Put your bag on the floor and push it under the seat.”

  “Yes, sir.” She followed his instructions.

  Her slurred speech worried him.

  “Touch your finger to your nose.”

  She did just fine. But he was still worried.

  “On second thoughts, I’ll follow you. Do you know the way?”

  “Sure. Everyone knows where the Galleria is.” She rolled her eyes at him as if he’d asked her the dumbest question.

  “Drive carefully.”

  “Yes, sir.” She saluted.

  As he drove behind her, Brundar was relieved to see Calypso driving steadily and obeying all traffic laws despite her mild inebriation. Still, he was uncommonly agitated until they arrived at their destination and he eased his car next to hers in the sprawling underground parking structure of the mall.

  When Calypso popped the trunk, he glanced at her single suitcase. “Is that all?” he asked as she got out and joined him.

  “Yeah. I travel light. Most of the stuff in my house isn’t worth much. When I start earning money again, I’m going to get rid of the clothes I took and buy everything new. I want to erase that period of time from my life. No reminders.”

  “A clean slate.”

  “You got it.”

  He lifted the suitcase and carried it over to his Escalade. When he opened the passenger door for her, she got in without a second glance at her car and put her large satchel on her lap.

  Evidently, his Calypso wasn’t a material girl.

  Where in damnation did that come from? Brundar shook his head. She wasn’t his. Not now, not ever.

  She was a human, and even if she weren’t, the only thing he could offer her was keeping her safe for a short period of time. No woman wanted an emotionally handicapped male at her side.

  Undeniably, he felt something for her, and it was more than he’d ever felt for anyone else, different from the familial bonds he had with Anandur and their mother. But even though it was a lot for him, it was not enough to satisfy a woman’s need for love.

  The best explanation for what was happening to him was that his protective instincts were kicking in full force. The strong physical attraction might have had something to do with it as well.

  But the thing was, he liked her as a person, which was significant since Brundar couldn’t stand most people.

  “Do you have any special abilities?” he blurted out.

  Amanda had recently added affinity as a possible Dormant indicator.

  Was that what he was feeling for Calypso?

  She cast him a perplexed glance. “Like what?”

  “Can you tell if someone’s lying? Or sense someone else’s emotions?”

  She shrugged. “Not unless they are very obvious about it. Why?”

  “Just curious. I read an article about extrasensory perception. It said that some people have it but are not aware of it. I know a guy who can always tell the truth from a lie.”

  Calypso chuckled. “I wish I had that ability. If I had, maybe I wouldn’t have married Shawn.”

  Brundar intended to ask her about it, and she’d just provided him with the perfect opening. “Why did you?”

  Looking down at the satchel in her lap she shrugged again. “The oldest reason in the world. He’d knocked me up.”

  That didn’t add up. She didn’t have a child. Maybe he was misinterpreting the phrase? It happened to him sometimes. “I’m not sure I understand.”

  Calypso sighed. “I was young and stupid and trusted him to take care of us both. We’ve never done it without protection. But the condom must’ve been defective and it tore.” The bitterness
of her tone made it clear she didn’t believe it had been an accident.

  “Did he do it to entrap you?”

  “I have no proof, but I suspect that he did. He was so enamored with the idea of being my first, and he wanted to be my last.”

  Brundar didn’t want to drag up old hurts, but he needed to know. “What happened with the baby?”

  “I miscarried six weeks into the pregnancy. It was terrible. I cried my eyes out for months. But I guess it was not meant to be. I never conceived again, though not for lack of trying on Shawn’s part. He was obsessed with getting me pregnant. I, on the other hand, thanked God every time my period came on time.”

  “Did you use contraceptives?”

  Calypso shook her head. “When I realized that there was no hope for us, I wanted to but didn’t dare. If Shawn found out, I was sure he would lose it and do something horrible to me. So all I did was pray to God not to let it happen. My prayers must’ve been heard.”

  It was a surprising revelation. Brundar was under the impression that Calypso’s dissatisfaction with her marriage was a recent development. When he’d kicked her and her husband out of the club, she’d seemed embarrassed by Shawn’s behavior but hadn’t harbored animosity toward him. Brundar would’ve sensed it if she had.

  As far as he knew, the situation had started its downward spiral only a few months back. Shawn began to show more and more of his true colors, and Callie started looking out the window with a sad expression on her face.

  “When I first saw you at the club, you didn’t look like you wanted to be free of your husband.”

  She sighed. “I was still hoping to salvage our marriage. Things were good between us for a little while, but then slowly deteriorated over time. At some point I realized that I didn’t want to bring a child into the world before I knew for sure that it would be born into a healthy, loving family.”

  “When did you give up on that dream?”

  “It didn’t happen overnight. I’m stubborn, and admitting failure is not easy for me. It happened gradually over time. I think the last straw was when he tried to stop me from attending UCLA. I wasn’t willing to give up on my dream of becoming a teacher.”

  Before he knew what he was doing, Brundar reached for her hand and clasped it. “You did the right thing. He is dangerous. Eventually, he would’ve harmed you.” Or worse. But Brundar couldn’t tell Calypso how he knew her husband was unstable and capable of murder.

  She would’ve said he was overreacting.

  Her lips twisted in a sad smile. “Do you have special abilities yourself, Brundar? Can you see the future?”

  “No, I can’t. But I’m a good judge of human nature, especially the rotten side of it. And Shawn is rotten,” he bit out.

  Calypso tilted her head and gazed at him appraisingly. “Part of the job, I assume? As a bodyguard you probably encounter a lot of bad people.”

  “I do.”

  Unfortunately, not only on the job. He’d been exposed to evil way before he’d become the warrior he was now. In fact, that experience had shaped him into who he was today. On that day, he’d vowed never to be a helpless victim again.

  Brundar had spent his life honing his skills and ensuring he could cut down anyone who threatened him or his.

  “I forgot to ask, where are you taking me?”

  Brundar stifled a wince. He didn’t like lying to her. Hell, he didn’t like lying period. But it was necessary. “My friend is teaching a semester abroad. I told him that you are a trustworthy house sitter.”

  The furnished one-bedroom apartment he’d rented for her was a great find. It wasn’t fancy, but it was walking distance from the club, and the building had a good security system in place. The front door was always locked, and visitors had to call and show their faces to the camera to be let in, reducing the chances of undesirables making it inside the building without invitation.

  “Did your friend leave a car behind by any chance?”

  “No. But his place is ten minutes walking distance from the club, and there is a grocery shop nearby that makes deliveries. You don't need a car. I would advise against visiting friends until your divorce is final.”

  Calypso grimaced. “Other than Dawn, I have no close friends. Shawn made sure none wanted to keep in touch.”

  His anger rising, Brundar’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. It was a classic bully strategy. By isolating her, Shawn ensured she had no one to turn to.

  “Brundar?”

  He cast her a sidelong glance.

  “Promise me you’re not going to arrange an accident for Shawn.”

  He chuckled, because it was exactly what had crossed his mind. “Are you sure you have no paranormal talents?”

  “I’m sure. But I’m starting to read the tiny nuances in your expressions. You looked like you had murder on your mind.”

  “It would solve all of your problems.”

  She shivered. “I don’t hate him so much that I would like to see him dead. I just want to be free. He never actually harmed me, not physically. Suspecting that he was about to doesn’t justify harming him.”

  Brundar couldn’t argue with that statement.

  His own code of honor demanded the same.

  Chapter 20: Callie

  Hefting her suitcase in one hand like it weighed no more than a grocery bag, Brundar pulled out a key from his pocket and opened the glass door to the building’s lobby. It looked old and a bit rundown, but it was clean.

  “You see the camera up there?” He pointed before entering.

  She lifted her head. “Yes.”

  “The feed from it goes to each apartment. You can see on the screen who is buzzing you from downstairs.” He held the door open for her. “It’s an old building. Only one elevator.”

  “What does your friend teach?” she asked as they entered the lift.

  “I don’t know.” Brundar pressed the button for the third floor.

  Callie frowned. How come he didn’t know something so basic about a friend who was close enough to entrust him with finding a sitter for his apartment?

  Her suspicions only intensified when they entered the apartment. The furniture wasn’t new, but then most hotel rooms’ furniture wasn’t either. And like in a hotel, there were no personal touches to indicate someone lived there, other than a few books that looked brand new, several DVDs and one potted plant. No throw blanket on the couch, and no framed family photos on the mantel. A quick look at the kitchen cabinets confirmed it. A matching service for six, all pieces included and none chipped, was neatly organized on the shelves.

  Then again, Brundar’s friend might have been a neat freak. Or had OCD about matching place settings. No chipped or mismatched mugs like in her own kitchen.

  Not mine anymore.

  “Come see the bedroom.” Brundar opened one of the three doors clustered in the barely there hallway.

  Callie opened the one across from the bedroom. It was a coat closet. The other one led to a bathroom. She peeked inside, then walked in and crossed to the door on the opposite side that opened into the bedroom.

  As Brundar pulled the closet doors open and put her suitcase inside, Callie dropped her satchel on the queen-sized bed that took up most of the space. A six-drawer dresser with a flat screen on top leaned against the opposite wall. The remote was on the nightstand.

  Just like in a hotel.

  Three decorative pillows against the slatted iron headboard and a folded blanket on a chair seemed like a feeble attempt at making this room look more lived in.

  The best part, however, were the sliding glass doors that opened to a nice-sized balcony, which the bedroom shared with the living room. It was furnished with a lounge chair and a side table.

  “It’s a very nice apartment. Thank you.”

  “It’s safe.”

  It didn’t escape her notice that he didn’t answer with a 'you’re welcome', or that she should thank his friend and not him.

  Pushing her hands into her pockets,
she glanced at her rescuer. “What now?”

  “Grocery shopping. Then the club.”

  “When do I start working?”

  “Tonight.”

  That was a pleasant surprise. “Really? So soon?”

  He misinterpreted her question. “Tomorrow then.”

  “No. Today is fine. I don’t want to sit around this empty apartment all by myself. I’d rather be working.”

  Brundar acknowledged her with a nod and headed for the front door.

  The grocery store was packed with customers, most everyone casting curious glances at Brundar and basically ignoring her. Callie wasn’t a great beauty, but she was used to at least a few appreciative look-overs from guys. This felt like hanging with a supermodel. A male supermodel.

  Brundar seemed oblivious to the attention he was garnering, his stoic expression unchanging even when the cashier blushed all shades of pink while ringing up their stuff.

  Not theirs, hers, Callie corrected herself.

  “Please, let me pay for my own groceries.”

  Brundar shook his head. “Next time. This one is on me.”

  Not wanting to make a scene, Callie decided to repay him by cooking him dinner.

  But wait, what if he had someone waiting for him at home?

  A guy as handsome as him probably had a girlfriend. Or even a wife. Which would explain why he wasn’t interested in her. That little speech about being attracted to her had probably meant nothing.

  Empty words to make her feel good.

  Except, it wasn’t Brundar’s way. He wasn’t polite. He didn’t say things just to put someone else at ease. He didn’t say much at all.

  Callie spent the short drive back to her new apartment planning dinner. When they got there, Brundar insisted on carrying all the bags up to her apartment, not letting her pick up even one.

  “You’re a chauvinist,” she accused.

  He lifted a brow, waiting for her to open the door, then carried the bags to the kitchen and deposited them on the counter.

  “Can I invite you to dinner? Or do you need to be at the club?” Or home with your significant other?