Put him on the spot and deal with the consequences.
You’d probably be dead, Callie girl.
I feel my eyes water, imagining his gorgeous face when I hear the door behind me open and footsteps make their way towards me. I quickly wipe a single tear away, taking in a deep breath before I glance at Imogen and give her a reassuring smile.
“You okay, babe?” She mimics my stance, leaning over the railing, avoiding eye contact because she knows I refuse to break down by showing her how I feel.
As if she doesn’t fucking know.
“I’m fine,” I lie.
We both keep our gazes on the street for a while before she moves up and rests her hips against the railing. I quietly roll my eyes and stubbornly keep my head facing forward.
“It’s okay to miss him, you know?” She folds her arms in front of her body, and I can feel the scowl that I’m sure is on her face.
“No, it’s not,” I emphasize, “he tried to kill me. I’m fifty shades of fucked up if I miss the guy who is ready to put a bullet through my head without so much as a second thought. I’m just pissed at myself for falling for it. I should have known better.”
“Whatever.” She waves her hand in the air, dismissing my words. “I know you. You had a connection with him, so there must have been something real about whatever the fuck was going on between the two of you. Is he a fucking asshole? Yes. Should you get him out of your head? Yes. But it’s okay to be sad about that.”
I move my head to look at her, and she gives me a smile that screams ‘I’m fucking right, and you know it’. Her long blonde hair has turned even lighter from being in the sun every day, making her blue eyes stand out. She is wearing a red and white polka dot dress that highlights all of her female features.
“What are you wearing?”
She looks down before her eyes meet mine, sparkling in excitement as she sways her hips, making the skirt of her dress splay out.
“You like it?”
“It looks great, but I have a feeling there is a reason for you dressing up. And I’m not going to like it, am I?”
“We are going out.”
I open my mouth to interrupt her, but she cuts me off before any sound can leave my throat.
“Shut up. We are going out, whether you like it or not. It’s a Friday night, we are in fucking Havana, and I won’t allow you to sulk about Kane fucking Carrillo for the rest of the night. Tomorrow you can do whatever you want, but I want to dance tonight. I have not been practicing those salsa moves with Gloria for the last month to not show them off to the world. I’m going to find me a hot Cuban to rub my hips against.” She drops to her knees and moves her butt up and down while she pulls her lips in a duckface.
“I’m pretty sure that’s twerking, though,” I laugh.
“Yeah, I know.” She rolls her eyes with a smile. “I was just trying to make a point.”
“Point made.”
“Come on, Callie. There is this small party going on at this bar called Julio’s, it’s close to the cigar factory. Gloria says it’s the perfect place for a night of dancing that hasn’t been discovered by tourists yet. We have been here for three months, lying low, we can afford a night out. We. Are. Going.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest, pouting.
Her slight scowl looks anything but impressive, but it’s cute, nonetheless.
“Fine,” I agree with a chuckle. “We’ll go. But don’t get wasted. We still need to be careful.”
“Yes.” She happily claps her hands together.
“We can’t stay here, anyway.”
Her face falls, and she lets out a big sigh.
“Any word from Ronnie?”
“He’s doing his best to keep them off our tail, but he’s preparing another safe house just to be sure.”
“Where?”
I shake my head.
“He didn’t say, but we will have to leave tomorrow.”
“That soon?” she exclaims, and I just nod in response.
“Okay. Tomorrow we prepare for our departure, but tonight we are going to forget everything and have fun. Come on, let’s get you dressed,” she says before she pulls me inside, looking like a kid in a toy store, telling me I will be her new doll for the rest of the night.
Fuck me.
Four
Callie
Six years ago – 18 years old
My senses are slowly coming back to me, and I embrace the warmth of the sheets that are comforting my aching muscles. My eyelids feel heavy, but I force myself to slightly open them, pressing away the nightmare that haunted my sleep.
I’m settling back into the safety of my blankets, my gaze roaming around my room, relieved it was just a bad dream.
What the fuck.
Terror showers my body when I move up and look at the gray wall that sure as fuck isn’t mine. My eyes look down, feeling the soft black fabric under my palm, not even remotely resembling my own feminine, pastel sheets. I suck in a shocked breath, then widen my eyes before my hands cover my mouth. My head starts to shake in a slow, back-and-forth sweep of denial while a pressure on my chest is making me forget how to breathe.
I’m not sure if I’m having a panic attack or if my heart literally just stopped beating.
“Hey, Angel, calm down, you’re okay. You’re safe,” a voice enters my ears, and I jump up when his hand lands on my shoulder.
“Whoa, not touching, sorry. Calm down. I’m not gonna hurt you.” When my face snaps towards his, I meet his hypnotizing eyes as he moves his hands up in the air in a surrendering gesture.
I let out a huge breath and close my eyes as tears start to well up behind my lids.
I can feel his weight press down on the mattress, his presence confirming the realness of this situation.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
When I feel my heart slowly start to calm down, I turn my head to the hero from my nightmare. He looks at me with sympathy, his sea-green eyes roaming my face as if he’s wondering whether I may faint any second now while he does his best to keep his hands to himself.
To be honest, passing out sure as fuck sounds like a good idea.
“Please tell me this is just a bad dream,” I rasp out. “That I drank too much, and you saved me from making a complete fool out of myself.” He lets out a sad sigh that goes straight through my bones. “Please, just lie to me.” I grab his hands, as if some kind of human touch will change my situation.
“I’m sorry, Angel. I’m so sorry.” Without waiting for my permission, he wraps his arms around me and tugs me into his body. I settle into his chest, letting the tears in my eyes run uncontrollably as I sob in his arms.
He presses sweet kisses on top of my head, giving me affection that is overwhelming yet needed at the same time. His big hand cradles my head while he rocks us back-and-forth, trying to calm me down like a newborn baby.
The emotions running through my body are an unwanted rollercoaster. It’s a toxic mix of terror, comfort, fear, betrayal, and defeat.
I don’t know why, but feeling the heartbeat of this boy so close to mine makes me give in to his comforting touch. He keeps holding me for fuck knows how long, patiently waiting until I’m done crying. The fresh citrus scent of his cologne seeps into my nose, somehow calming down my racing heart even more. I suck in a deep breath before I look up to see his gorgeous face.
“Hi.” He tilts his head to see me better, giving me a sweet smile like he’s Prince fucking Charming, causing something in my stomach to flutter. “You okay?”
He brushes my hair out of my face before he wipes my last tears away with his thumb.
I ignore his question, admiring the features on his face. His jade green eyes are mesmerizing, piercing their way through my now violated body. My eyes fall to his perfect pink lips that are waiting to be kissed. While I consider this, I reach up to feel the stubble on his perfect face.
When I realize what the fuck I’m doing, I quickly mov
e it back down then avert my eyes in shame.
He softly grabs my chin and moves my face back towards his.
“It’s okay. I had hoped you would end up in my bed as soon as I saw you last night, ogling me from across the club.” He winks.
I rapidly blink at his playful expression, wanting to slap him for flirting with me during this fucked up situation, but also wanting to kiss him for lightening the mood at the same time.
“Too soon?”
I finally chuckle, feeling a level of comfort with this boy that I shouldn’t since he’s a complete stranger.
“Who are you?” I smile, shaking my head.
“Reign,” he answers with the same boyish grin that caught my attention last night.
I give him a coy smile, remembering his name from last night.
“Thank you. For saving me.”
“Always, Angel.”
My mind wanders off, staring at the wall in front of me, recalling the horrific way it felt when that sick fucker breached the boundaries of my body.
Fuck, that actually happened.
Forever tainted by a man who didn’t have any right to touch me without my consent. I feel disgusted, guilty, and stupid that I allowed myself to be in that position, when I should have been home with my mother. The blood rushes from my face, and my head starts to spiral back into the darkness.
“Hey. Stop that,” he urges in a soft tone. “Whatever is going through your head, it’s not true. They’re a bunch of sick fucks, your brother being the worst. You’ll get past this. I will kill those sons of bitches for you in a heartbeat if that’s what you want, but right now I just need to make sure you’re alright. This is not your fault. Do you hear me?” He moves his face a little closer to watch my reaction. When I silently nod, he presses a firm kiss to my forehead, hugging me like he will never let me go.
“I always thought he was just a bit troubled, you know?” I stare at the wall. “They murdered his mother. Right in front of him. I always figured that’s what broke him a little.”
“Who did?”
“They say the Russian mob, but they never really found out who did it.”
He stays quiet while he runs his hand through my hair.
I look up at him, wondering why I haven’t seen him before.
“Are you from New York? Why haven’t I seen you before?”
“No, I’m from Boston.”
“Are you a friend of Ronnie’s?” He brushes my cheek with his fingers before he opens his mouth.
“Something like that. Our families go way back. I moved here at the beginning of the summer, needed a change of scenery, you know?”
A few connections are made in my head, realizing no normal family would run around with the mob, and I furrow my brows at him.
“Your family? Who’s your family?” I ask with a hint of judgment in my voice.
He gives me a wide grin, a hint of pride in his eyes.
“Perceptive girl, ain’t you?”
I fold my arms, waiting for his answer, but all he says is, “It’s complicated.”
“Yeah, I know all about complicated families,” I deadpan.
“Look, I never lie, and I never break my promise, but because of that, I can’t tell you everything, okay? You can trust me, though. Do you trust me?”
No.
That should be my answer due to the fact that I’ve known this boy less than a day. It’s ridiculous that it’s even a question I have to think about, but I do. His eyes are peering at me with hope, like a puppy at a shelter, desperate for me to pick him. I’m looking for the warning in my gut telling me I should thank him then get home as soon as possible, but nothing happens. Instead, a warm, protected feeling washes over my body, and before I know it, I’m nodding in agreement.
He kisses my hair again and tugs me into his arms. In response, my arms snake around his waist, enjoying his body close to mine, before he slowly lays us down on the bed. After the night I had, there shouldn’t be a bone in my body longing for any kind of intimacy, but for some unknown reason, that is exactly what I crave while he’s crowding my personal space.
“You’re gonna be okay, Angel. I promise,” he whispers against my temple. “You’re at my house. But I guess you already figured that out, didn’t you?”
I hum in agreement while one of his hands starts to stroke my arm in a soothing way.
“Yeah, obviously. Imogen is here, too. Ronnie called her after you passed out.”
“Oh, my God. My mother.” I jerk up at the awareness that my mother was expecting me home. I look around the room for a clock before he tugs me back against his body, the sound of his voice consoling me as though I’ve known him for years.
“Ssssh, don’t worry. Imogen texted your mother. Told her you stayed at her house for the night. You can spin this any way you want to, or no way at all. It’s up to you. Just relax for now.”
He holds me in a firm grip, and I relax into his touch, feeling the stress leave my body a little more with every breath I exhale.
I don’t know this boy at all. For all I know, he could be just as bad as Vernon Walt, who will now haunt me forever. This could be part of his plan, earning my trust before he crushes it under his shoe, but I don’t believe that.
There’s a tingling feeling inside of me, making me believe that this stunning boy didn’t walk in to my life for no reason. He was there, at the right place, at the right time, as some kind of twist of fate. Something tells me he and I were destined to meet, one way or another.
“Did you really make me a millionaire?” I blurt out, recalling what he did last night.
“Naah, I wanted to keep your name out of the whole thing, so I gave it to charity.”
A relieved sigh escapes my mouth. I sure as fuck don’t want that scumbag’s money.
“What charity?” My body melts into his touch as if I have been doing this my entire life. A shower of safety washing over my body.
“The Safe Haven Institution for Women.”
The corner of my mouth curls into a pleased smile.
“Good choice.”
“Hmm, I know.” His lips rest on my head while his hand strokes my back.
I feel myself slowly drifting off when the door slams open. The memory of last night comes rushing through my head, making me startle in his arms.
“Smooth, Imogen. Smooth,” he mumbles, annoyed, as we watch Imogen stalk into the room. He starts brushing my arm again. “It’s okay, you’re safe.”
I let out a relieved sigh, sitting up to greet my cousin. She eagerly waits at the side of the bed, glancing at Reign with annoyance.
“Right, I’ll be in the living room. Try to get some sleep, okay? I’ll be right out there.” His eyes stay focused on mine while he gets up and presses a lingering kiss on my forehead like he has been doing it for ages.
I close my eyes, enjoying the burning feeling of his lips on my skin, shooting him a grateful smile when I open them again.
Rolling his eyes at Gen, he walks out the door, and I can’t help but admire his strong physique.
Imogen plops onto the bed and wraps me into a tight hug.
“What the fuck, Callie. I’m so sorry.” Sympathy is etched through her voice, and my eyes well up all over again. She finally lets go and holds my gaze with a serious expression on her face.
“I don’t know what to say,” she confesses.
“Neither do I,” I reply with a heavy heart.
Five
Kane
Present Day
Liam is glaring at me from across my desk.
“Can you please stop with all the sad faces? It’s giving me a fucking headache.”
“Shut up.” I scowl at Liam’s words, feeling the need to shove the smirk off his face. I can’t deny she was on my mind, and he knows it.
That little brat refuses to get out of my head.
He shoves the bottle of bourbon across the table, encouraging me to refill my glass.
I grab the bottle and open it, p
ouring myself three fingers.
“Kane,” he says, his voice full of judgment, “she fucked you over and left. She is a bitch, just like Cristina. Get over it. Let’s just find her and send her back to her brother in a box. Preferably in pieces.”
My tongue darts out to lick my lips after I downed my glass all at once, purposely ignoring his comments.
The anger on his face bothers me, even though I know he has every right to feel that way. According to him, we have now officially been fucked over by the Reyes family not once but twice. And he’s right. Apparently, Reyes women like to fuck us over.
And I’m still furious about it. The first few weeks after she left, I was determined to find her and deal with her the way I have been dealing with all traitors during the last ten years.
Ruthless.
Unyielding.
Merciless.
I was ready to make her suffer. Show her that what I did to Fernando was a walk in the park compared to what I was planning for her.
But when Jeremy walked through the door of my New York office a week ago, telling me that he found her, that was not my first reaction.
I expected to feel excited and relieved that I would finally get my way with her.
To punish her like she deserves.
But she isn’t the only thing that has been betraying me lately. My heart wouldn’t let me out of my damn fucking chair in order to get to business.
Instead, my heart jumped for joy like the pussy-whipped motherfucker I unfortunately still am.
I tried not to let my true feelings show as worry entered my body. I kept my face as stoic as possible, but Jeremy still noticed, and I was thankful when he put me out of my misery.
‘She is safe,’ he had mumbled right before my brother walked through the door, asking me for any updates.
‘Nope. No updates,’ I’d lied, keeping my gaze on Jeremy to make sure he would follow my lead.
‘Jesus fuck. How is that possible? It’s like every time we need to find a Reyes, they just vanish into thin air.’ He’d dropped himself into the leather armchair in front of my desk as I’d cursed myself for lying straight to his face. ‘Come on, Jer. You are the best in your field, why can’t you find her?’
Catching Fire (The Fire Duet Book 2) Page 4
