“That’s not the worst part,” Landen replied.
Callum quickly read through the article, and it told how Callum had recently discovered that he had a four-year-old love child that he never knew existed, and how he was literally left holding the baby. Then it went on to say that he had broken up Georgie’s relationship with her fiancé, to have her come and play happy family with him and his daughter. It also said that he had beaten up her fiancé when the young man came to confront him at the Charity Ball, the night before.
“Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?” Callum exclaimed as he threw the newspaper across the room in a temper, before he jumped up from the sofa.
“Did you know that there was a boyfriend?” Landen asked as he watched Callum pace up and down.
“I knew there was a boyfriend,” Callum confirmed with a sigh. “But I didn’t know he was her fucking fiancé. She said she caught him fucking some girl, so she left. That was when we met, she needed a place to stay, and I needed help with Mace.”
“But you didn’t beat him up last night, right?” Landen asked, but the worried look on his face told Callum he wasn’t sure he was going to like the answer.
“He turned up last night at the event,” Callum explained. “He was drunk, demanding to talk to Georgie. Liam and I handled it.”
“So, you didn’t hit him or hurt him in any way?” Landen asked. Callum stopped and gave him a look that confirmed he had. “Jesus, Cal. How many times have I told you; you can’t go around hitting people, not unless you’re willing to lose everything.”
“Oh, he was asking for it…” Callum began to say, but Landen cut him off.
“Like Liam was?” Landen replied, stopping Callum mid-sentence.
“That was different,” Callum sighed, but he knew in his heart it wasn’t. He had once again let his emotions dictate his actions. He stopped pacing, turning to his brother. “This is the last thing I wanted. I just wanted to keep her safe. Just like I want to keep Macy safe.”
“Then now is probably not the right time to tell you,” Landen sighed, as Callum's heart fell further down into the pit of his stomach. “Amelia said that this Shane guy confronted Georgie outside the beauty parlour yesterday. She said he was angry and had threatened her. Amelia said Georgie was going to tell you; she just wanted to wait until after the ball. Amelia said that Georgie didn’t want to ruin last night for you. She said that Georgie seemed afraid of him, or nervous, she wasn’t sure.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Callum growled as he pushed his hands through his hair, releasing a long, frustrated breath. “What the hell was she thinking not telling me about this?”
The buzzer for the front desk sounded suddenly, making Callum jump with a start.
“Where’s Annie?” Landen asked, giving Callum a questioning look.
“She is staying with her daughter for a few days,” Callum explained. “Her baby is due any day now.”
“Then I’ll get it,” Landen said as he hurried toward the hallway. “The last thing we need is you saying the wrong thing and making it worse.”
Callum flopped down on the sofa, blowing out a sharp breath as he tried to process what was going on. He had no idea what Georgie was thinking, not telling him about Shane.
Her fiancé! He thought miserably. How did I not know this? What does that make me?
“That was the front desk,” Landen groaned as he walked back into the living room. “They said there are a bunch of reporters downstairs. They want a statement from you. The doorman has called the police.”
“FUCK!” Callum sighed as he dropped his head back on the sofa. That’s when it hit him. Georgie had gone to get Macy. She would be back soon, and they would be walking right into the lion’s den when they got back. “Shit!”
“What is it?” Landen asked as he watched his brother grab the phone from the coffee table, and punch in a number.
“Georgie will be back soon with Macy,” Callum said as he hit dial, then brought the phone to his ear. “I need to warn her. Get her to take Macy back to Mom’s until I figure this out.”
He waited for her to answer her phone, but it just kept ringing.
“I can hear a phone ringing upstairs,” Landen said, as he looked from the staircase to his brother.
“Surely she wouldn’t have left without her phone,” Callum replied as he hurried for the stairs. When he reached Georgie’s room, he found her phone, ringing on the bed. “How could she be so stupid?”
But even as Callum said the words, he knew that it was his fault. She was getting ready, and he distracted her. Still, none of that changed the fact, that Georgie and Macy were about to arrive home to a sea of reporters and paparazzi that would stop at nothing to get the perfect picture.
Chapter 25
Georgie
“I want to go to the park,” Macy huffed from the back seat of the car. When Georgie picked her up from Nell’s a short while before, Nell warned her that Macy hadn’t slept well and that she seemed a little out of sorts that morning. So, Georgie took her for her ice-cream before she headed back to Callum’s hoping it would cheer Macy up a little, but so far it was not helping.
“I told you,” Georgie replied, keeping her voice calm and even. “Daddy is going to come with us to the park, so we have to go home and get him.”
“I want to go now!” She pouted, once more having another little temper tantrum in the back of the car. Macy had made a scene in the ice-cream parlour, and once again as Georgie had tried to get her back in the car after their ice-creams. Macy had refused to walk, instead sitting down on the ground. It seemed to take a life time just to get her back to the car. Then there was another battle to get her into her car seat. This was so unlike Macy. She was normally so happy and sweet.
“We will go when we get your daddy,” Georgie replied once more, still remaining as calm as she possibly could.
Macy crossed her arms and sulked in the back of the car, as Georgie wondered if maybe taking her home and letting her have a nap was the right thing to do. She wasn’t sure that the park was the best idea in her current mood.
As she turned onto the street where they lived, she checked the clock on the dashboard, and saw it was almost three o’clock. Between Macy’s tantrums, and the unusually heavy traffic getting home seemed to be taking a life time to do.
As Georgie slowed to pull into the underground garage of the apartment, she noticed a crowd of people on the sidewalk outside the building. There was also a couple of police cars there, but she had no idea what was going on. As she signalled to turn in, and checked her mirrors. A loud bang hit the side of the car, almost killing Georgie with fright as she slammed on the breaks.
Before she had time to think, the car was surrounded by the crowd from in front of the building. Georgie realised who they were the moment the bright flashes from their cameras began to flood the car, almost blinding her.
“GEORGIE! GEORGIE!” The photographers were screaming at the car, along with a bunch of questions that Georgie couldn’t make out. There was just so much shouting, and the camera flashes were blinding
Instantly Macy started to sob, as the sound of the cameras hitting the windows were almost deafening.
“GEORGIE!” Macy screamed from the back seat. “GEORGIE, MAKE THE BAD MEN STOP!”
“Put your face into Puddles, and don’t look up sweetie,” Georgie instructed her as she slammed her hand down on the car horn. She needed to get them both out of there.
“I WANT MY DADDY!” Macy sobbed from the back seat.
“We’re going to Daddy now, Angel,” Georgie assured her, trying to sound a lot calmer than she was actually feeling. The truth was, she had never been more terrified in her life. “Just keep your face in Puddles. Don’t look up and they won’t hurt you.”
Finally, the police officers instructed the reporters and photographers to move aside, to allow her access to the building. Once they were clear, Georgie pulled into the underground garage. Suddenly the flashing
lights from the cameras were gone, and they were in the darkness of the garage.
Georgie blinked her eyes, trying to adjust her vision, but she still saw bright spots in her eyes from all the bright flashes. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her breathing and racing heart. She wanted to cry, but right at that moment, she couldn’t fall apart. She had to take care of Macy, who was sobbing uncontrollably in the back of the car.
“It’s okay, Sweetie,” Georgie said, glancing in the rearview mirror at Macy. “We’re safe now. Your Daddy is waiting right upstairs for you.”
“I WANT MY MOMMY!” Macy sobbed harder, as Georgie pulled the car to a stop in their parking space.
“I know, Sweetie,” Georgie said, as her heart broke for the little girl who she loved so much. She quickly switched off the engine; jumping out of the car the moment she had her seatbelt off. Pulling open the back door, she quickly undid Macy’s seat belt, before lifting the little girl from the car seat.
Macy curled into Georgie, as she hurried towards the elevator as quickly as she could.
“Georgie,” A voice called out from across the parking garage, but Georgie didn’t even turn to see who it was. Instead, she quickly stepped into the elevator, pressing the button again and again for the penthouse praying the doors would hurry up and close.
It was almost closed, when a hand slipped through the doors, making them bounce back open. Georgie held Macy closer to her, and she turned to face whoever was following her.
“Liam!” she exclaimed with relief when she saw him standing there in front of her, as suddenly hot tears stung her eyes before they trickled down her face, followed by a sob that came from deep inside her. Liam stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed once more. Liam instinctively wrapped his arms around them both.
“What the hell was that about?” Georgie asked, lifting her head as the elevator jump to life, looking up at Liam.
“We’ll explain upstairs,” Liam said, giving her a reassuring smile before he turned his attention to Macy. “Hey, Macy Cakes, you’re okay. Uncle Liam is here, and I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Macy didn’t reply. Instead, she buried her face into Georgie’s neck and continued to sob.
“I want my mommy,” she whispered into Georgie’s ear.
“I know you do, Sweetie,” Georgie breathed out, wishing she could make everything okay for the little girl.
The elevator came to a stop. Before the doors were even fully open, Callum appeared in front of them, looking as mad as hell, and for some reason, Georgie’s heart instantly sank.
“Macy, Sweetheart,” Callum said, almost pulling Macy from Georgie’s arms. “Your daddy has you, Baby.”
He barely even looked at Georgie before he turned, hurrying back into the apartment.
Georgie glanced at Liam, as he smiled at her once more, before she stepped off the elevator too, a sickening feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Something was very wrong, she could feel it in her gut.
“Georgie,” Liam said, stopping her before she walked through the door. “Callum is just upset.”
“I know,” she replied, unsure of what else she should say. But the truth was, she didn’t know, she had no idea what was happening, or what it was she had done wrong, but she could see it in Callum’s face; he was mad as hell at her.
“He’ll get over it,” Liam assured her. “Just don’t let him get to you.”
She nodded but didn’t speak, she knew if she did, she would have cried again, and right now crying was the last thing she needed.
Turning back to the door, she took a deep breath before she headed inside. Making her way down the hallway, she was surprised to find Landen there too. She didn’t know what had happened, but it was something bad. She could feel it in the atmosphere in the apartment.
“Callum,” she said, nervously, knowing she needed to find out what was going on. “What’s happened?”
“Where the hell were you?” Callum hissed in return as he finally turned to look at her, completely ignoring her question. He pinned her with a look that Georgie had never seen before; she almost didn’t recognise him. “You were supposed to be coming straight back here. You left the apartment without your phone. I had no fucking clue where you were with my daughter.”
His words were like a kick in the guts for Georgie.
“I forgot my phone wasn’t in my bag….” She replied, her voice cracking with unshed tears. “What did I do wrong?”
“You were supposed to come straight back here when you picked Macy up,” Callum said, his voice so cold and uncaring. “I was out of my mind with worry. I thought something had happened to you both.”
“We just stopped for ice-cream,” Georgie explained, but she knew there was nothing she could say right at that moment, he was mad, and he wasn’t interested in her reasons. She glanced at Landen, who gave her an odd look, and suddenly she felt there was something she wasn’t seeing.
“You left my mother’s over two hours ago,” Callum shot back. “I’ve been calling everyone we know to see if they’d heard from you. I thought something had happened to Macy. You said you would be straight back.”
“I would never let something happen to Macy,” Georgie replied, feeling both hurt and angry by the way Callum was talking to her. “You know that.”
“Well, it seems I don’t know as much as I thought,” Callum hissed, and despite his anger, Georgie could hear the hurt in his voice too.
“Callum, this isn’t Georgie’s fault,” Liam said suddenly, sounding almost angry with his brother. “I know you were worried, but they are home now, and Macy is fine. Taking this out on Georgie is unfair. You know it, and I know it.”
“Does this look fine to you, Liam?” Callum snapped back at his brother as Macy continued to cry in his arms, clinging to him like she never had before. “Because it sure as hell doesn’t look fine to me.”
“What isn’t my fault?” Georgie asked, needing to know what had happened. “What’s happened?”
“Your fiancé happened,” Callum growled at her, turning back to her, staring at her with complete contempt.
“My fi… what…what did Shane do now?” Georgie said, completely stunned that Callum knew the truth about her and Shane. She had no idea why she had kept it from him, but she had. Now she wished more than anything she had been honest with him from the start.
“You might want to read that,” Callum said, glancing down at the paper on the coffee table. “Your fiancé paints a very colourful picture.”
Georgie walked to the table, her heart hammering in her chest.
Picking up the newspaper, her heart almost stopped when she read the headlines. She glanced up at Callum for a moment before she started to read the article.
“I don’t know why he would do this?” Georgie finally said, setting the paper back down. “Shane is a lot of things, but spiteful is not one of them.”
“So then, he didn’t confront you on the street yesterday, and threaten you?” Callum said, but Georgie knew he already knew the answer. “You didn’t think that was something I should know?”
“I was going to tell you,” she said as the tears that were burning her eyes, finally broke free. “I swear.”
“When was that going the happen, Georgie?” Callum asked with a sarcastic laugh. “Around the same time, you were going to tell me you were engaged? Jesus, Georgie, didn’t you think that was something I should have known? You were going to marry that guy.”
“I didn’t tell you I was engaged because he didn’t matter to me,” Georgie sobbed as she glared at Callum. “You know that.”
“BUT I DON’T’ KNOW, GEORGIE,” Callum yelled. Instantly Macy began to cry louder. “That’s the point. And now that asshole has told the world about Macy. There are hundreds of photographers downstairs waiting for a chance to get her picture. She may as well have a target sign painted on her head. You could have stopped this if you just said something.”
“Callum, that’s enough,” L
anden said, giving his brother a warning look, but Georgie could see that Callum wasn’t done.
“No, it’s not, Landen,” Callum shot back. “It’s the truth. It’s how I feel. I trusted her, but she hasn’t told me the truth, about anything. How can I ever trust her now?”
“I WANT MY MOMMY.” Macy cried as she lifted her head, and looked at Callum.
“I know, Sweetheart,” Callum said, giving Macy a sad smile that almost broke Georgie’s heart. She knew she had hurt him by not telling him the truth, and she had no clue what to say to make it right now.
“Let me take her up to her room to settle her,” Georgie said without thinking, holding out her arms to take Macy, but Callum stepped back, and Georgie’s heart dropped.
“I’ll take care of her myself,” Callum said, holding Macy closer to him. “That way I’ll know that she’s safe.”
“Callum, that’s not fair,” Georgie said, hurt by his remark. “I have taken care of Macy like she was my own child since the day I met her.”
“Only she’s not your child, Georgie, she’s mine,” Callum retorted, his words breaking her heart. “You’re not her mother; you’re just her nanny.”
“Callum,” Liam said, having heard enough. “You’ve gone too far.”
“It’s okay, Liam,” Georgie said, her eyes not leaving Callum’s. She took a step closer to him, feeling like she wanted to be sick, but she swallowed hard, refusing to let him see just how hurt she was. “If that’s how you feel, then I can make this very easy for you.”
She reached into her pocket, pulling out the key to the apartment, and setting it down on the table.
“I quit,” She told him, forcing the lump of grief back down inside her.
Without waiting for his reply, Georgie turned and walked towards the stairs.
“Georgie, wait!” Liam said, stopping her in her tracks. She turned back to look at him. He stared at her for a moment, before he turned to Callum. “This is stupid. You two love each other. You’re really going to let that asshole win?”
Callum (The Murphy Boys Book 3) Page 24
