I wrap my arm around her and pull her around to the front of me where she snuggles into my chest – comforting me.
After Donovan finishes cussing down the phone, I ask, “Are you sure you look at Mara as a sister?”
He’s silent before answering, “She’s like a sister to me. You know that. Why wouldn’t I be worried about her?”
God, I’m being an asshole and seeing things because I’m in love with my girl. “Okay, sorry. Look, if she turns up there will you call me.”
“You know it.”
“And don’t let her leave. Lock her in your room if you have to. Shit, no. Lock her in my room.” Callie starts giggling against me. “Shit, just keep her there.”
I hang up and sigh now that’s over with, but looking down, I watch Callie wiping tears from her eyes.
“You are so funny. Telling Donovan to lock your sister in his room.” She collapses back onto the bed laughing and crying.
“It wasn’t funny.” I try to look indifferent, but it isn’t working as my grin spreads the more Callie rolls around laughing.
She sits up and gulps in some air, trying to calm herself down. “Sorry, but you being the big brother and then getting stuff mixed up just tickled me, you know?”
“Hmm. Yeah, well. Donovan better keep his hands to himself,” I grouch.
Callie takes my hand and tugs me toward the door. “I like Donovan. He’s kinda hot, so no wonder he turns Mara’s head.”
What the fuck!
Explain? I pull her to a stop. What does she mean Donovan’s kinda hot?
“Are you for real?” She asks, accurately reading my expression. “Of course I find him hot. Do I need to remind you of the summer?”
I’m being an ass. “No. I remember.” I follow her downstairs and out to the truck. “Do you still like him?”
She rolls her eyes. “Donovan is hot. He’s good to talk to and regardless of the fact that I’ve seen him naked and aroused; I like to think of him as a friend. But I love you so you have no reason to be jealous.”
Does she really have to remind me of the fact that Donovan’s had her? Because yeah, regardless of what she tells me I’m jealous of my best friend.
“Hey.” She punches me in the arm. “Stop it. You know it’s always been you so behave and let’s go and have a good time.”
~ * ~
Anytime I’m with this girl she has me hard as fucking rock, and constantly thinking about my dick and where it wants to be. Right now it wants to be free to fuck Callie who is gyrating against me with her sweet little ass in the middle of the dance floor at this club she’s brought me to. The music isn’t bad – not as good as Deception’s – but it’ll do. The beat’s just right as I grab hold of Callie’s hips and bring her in flush against me, moving to the music. My hands travel up her torso, passing her tits and back down to her hips.
I dance her toward the darker area and start caressing her torso again, but this time I lightly caress over the hard buds of her nipples, which I can feel already alert and wanting. Dancing to the beat, she continues to grind against me while I let my hands wander up inside her shirt, rubbing around her nipples. She rests her head back against my shoulder and wraps her arms around my neck giving me free rein of her chest. And yeah, I’m a guy and take advantage by massaging her breasts through her bra as my lips come down on the curve of her shoulder where it meets her neck. I start to lick and nibble up along her neck to her earlobe, which I suck into my mouth and feel her shudder against me. My dick jumps for joy…then I start to get pinpricks down my spine, and not in a good way. I look around us and no one is paying too much attention, but him…Drew. He looks pissed as fuck watching us dance with my hands all over my girl, or more accurately on her tits. My whole body stills and a few seconds later, so does Callie.
Letting go of my neck, I feel her turn against me and drag my gaze to her. Meeting her eyes, she frowns up at me. “What?” she shouts looking off in the direction that Drew was watching. I say was because he’s disappeared, which makes me so damn uneasy. What’s he doing here? And what the fuck is he planning? He can think again if he thinks he can get to Callie because I’ll be in the way no matter what the fuck he’s planning. I need to tell Callie that I’ve seen him though otherwise she won’t know to keep an eye out for him.
Taking her hand, I head off the dance floor with Callie giving me puzzled looks. “Babe, what’s wrong?” I cup her face in my hands so she can’t avoid my gaze.
“I’m okay or I will be... While we were dancing out there my claustrophobia stayed away because I had you distracting me. But now, I feel like there’s something wrong.”
I kiss her on the forehead. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Closing my eyes, I hold her tight not wanting to let her go. “I need to ask you something?”
“What?” she mumbles, kissing my chin.
“On the dance floor…I saw Drew.” I tighten my hold on her when she tries to break free. “Has he always been possessive toward you?” I shout close to her ear, and even though we’re having a serious conversation, I can’t help myself and nibble on her lobe again…and yeah, she likes that.
She pinches my ass. “Stop trying to distract me…and, I guess he’s always freaked me out.” She sighs. “He’s the reason I started to suffer from claustrophobia. Long story short because of him frightening me, I ended up getting locked in the attic in the dark as a small child. Since then I can’t seem to shrug the panic attacks unless I’m distracted, hence me being okay on the dance floor with you.”
I’m angry listening to her telling me why she has panic attacks. Because of him she’s had years of suffering. The need to find the bastard and make him suffer won’t let go. He needs to be taught a lesson, but not while Callie is with me because my kind of lesson isn’t going to be verbal.
“Hey, big guy,” she smirks, “I’m going to hit the restroom then you can take me somewhere and put that, um, equipment to use.”
I grin. “Equipment, huh!” I smack her ass as she moves out of my arms, but I grab her hand before she disappears. “Keep your eyes open, babe.”
She nods and disappears down the side of the bar to where the restrooms are located while I look around trying to spot the bastard. He’s still here. I can feel it.
Walking closer to the bar, I order another longneck when a partly drunken woman stumbles into me.
“You alone?”
“No.” I turn my back to the bar, and leaning back, rest my elbows on the bar, ignoring the dark haired woman whose standing beside me, looking me over.
“Not talkative I see,” she comments.
“Not interested, more like.” And that’s the truth. Yeah, I noticed that she’s hot, but no one comes close to my Callie. Thinking about her, I check my watch and realize she’s been gone a bit too long. The restroom in these places can get pretty busy, but with Drew around somewhere I feel restless.
Chapter 27
Callie
Splashing cold water on my face feels amazing and is helping to cool me down. After the hot dance out there with my deliciously sexy guy, this is a godsend. With the music and Reece all over me, I’d forgotten where we were. I was that lost that he could have yanked my jeans down and fucked me out there in the open without me batting an eye. That’s how turned-on I am. Yes, I am. Even dousing myself with water, although cooling my temperature, isn’t cooling the fire going on in my jeans. I can’t get enough of him, and can’t wait to head back with him tomorrow and to see everyone again, especially my best friend, Thalia. I’ve missed her and really should have spoken to her more often. I feel a bit guilty about that.
Drying my face and hands on some paper towels, I quickly glance at myself through the mirror and realize my black mascara has run underneath my eyes making me look like an owl. Grabbing another towel, I clean up some then give up. We’re leaving anyway.
Tossing the towel into the trash, I open the door and stepping out, I’m grabbed from behind in a vice-like grip. I can’t screa
m. I can’t move my arms as I’m dragged backwards all the while praying someone appears, but no one does.
I kick and hear a grunt when I connect with his shin. My heart pounds and I feel my lungs start to close in panic. Struggling against him doesn’t do anything. Tears fall from my eyes as I feel a cold draft hit me, then the door he’s dragging me through slams shut behind us.
Oh, God! We’re outside.
I’m still struggling in his arms, but my strength is waning and I’m having difficulty breathing. Part of me is saying ‘calm down and wait’ and the other part is saying ‘don’t stop fighting.’
His hand over my mouth starts to loosen so I clamp down with my teeth into his palm. He cusses and tightens his hold around my body, which is painful and sucks the breath out of me.
“Stop fucking around before someone comes. Get her in the car.”
Who the fuck is that? I’m not going anywhere with them, especially in a car – no way in hell. I start to struggle again, not really sure where my strength is coming from. But before I can think further I’m released from his tight hold and slammed against a wall with a thud. His hand goes around my neck and he starts to squeeze. I start to cry, knowing this is probably it and wanting Reece. His arms wrapped around me telling me everything is going to be all right. As I start to see stars, I find strength from somewhere and knee him in the balls. He releases me and crumples at my feet. About to run, I’m yanked back by my hair. I scream or rather I try to scream, but it sends me into a coughing fit.
“Not so fast, bitch.”
He spins me around and again I find myself being held against the wall while I watch Drew rise to his feet looking spitting mad. His face is bright red and the veins in his neck are standing out with his fist clenching at the side of him.
“Hold her,” he says to his accomplice.
I find myself facing Drew with the stranger holding me against his chest, his erection pushing against my backside.
Drew walks closer and grabbing my wrists, ties them together with some ribbon he removes from his pocket. Drew then lifts my arms and the bastard behind me takes hold, holding them above my head.
Drew licks his lips. “Why, Callie? We’re meant to be together. Ever since we were kids, it’s always been you… Nevertheless, you’re going to pay for what you just did.” He rubs his crotch, then he’s on me and my shirt is ripped from neck to belly, exposing my breasts.
I open my mouth to scream for Reece, but nothing other than a whisper escapes. My tears, which have slowly been trickling down my face become a flood as he uses a knife to cut my bra between my breasts. My heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest with the frantic pace it’s beating.
“Beautiful,” Drew says as he bares my breasts. “By the time I’ve finished, you’re not going to remember what it felt like having him touching you, because all you’ll remember is me.” He puts his hands on my breasts and I still, not sure what he’s going to do next.
My neck hurts and so does my throat. My breathing is still irregular, but I try to calm myself down hoping that if I’m calm and don’t struggle he’ll forget where we are and hopefully Reece will come looking for me, and I pray to God, find me.
Drew leans in and puts his mouth over one of my breasts and starts to suck – hard. I cry out as tears continue to pour from my eyes, my throat feeling like needles of fire are stabbing inside. He doesn’t stop with the hard sucking when he starts abusing my other breast. It hurts so bad. He starts to bite my breast. Small bites all around causing shards of pain to stab my chest every time.
“What the fuck?” Reece roars seconds before Drew releases me and then flies back as Reece’s fists connects with his jaw.
I’m released and pushed toward someone else, who catches me and sits me down against the wall. “Stay there.”
Phoenix? I shake my head slightly, hearing things. Phoenix isn’t here. Is he? I fold in on myself, bringing my knees up to my chest. I wrap my arms around them, resting my chin on top. Focusing on Reece, I watch him beat the shit outta Drew before being pulled off him by some other guys. “Go to your girl,” I hear one of them say to him. Reece turns and looks for me, our eyes meet and my world freezes in time. All I see is my guy. I cry harder…then he’s here in front of me, crouching down to my level.
“God babe. I should never have left you. I should have gone to the restroom…”
I cover his mouth with my shaking hands. “This isn’t your fault,” I whisper.
He cusses and taking hold of my hands, quickly removes the ribbon that’s binding them together, while I continue to reassure him, by saying, “Neither of us gave a thought to him doing something here at the club when there’s so many people here.” I end up coughing, trying to catch my breath.
“Fuck, Callie. What did he do to you?” He takes his shirt off over his head and puts it over mine, but then doesn’t know how to continue.
“Help me up,” I croak.
“What’s wrong with your voice?” he asks taking my hands and pulling me up from the floor.
Not wanting to answer while Drew is only a few feet away I stay quiet as Reece looks down at my chest and cusses, “Motherfucker.” He clenches his jaw together almost painfully.
“Reece,” he meets my eyes, “please help cover me. The cops are here.”
He pulls the shirt down over my chest as I struggle to get out of my torn clothes. Reaching up inside the shirt he very gently slides the torn clothes down my arms before I slip them through the sleeves. “The cops will probably want these as evidence.” He caresses my shoulders and moves closer to my neck. I flinch. He pauses and tips my chin up to take a closer look. It’s subtle, but I feel the moment he realizes what happened to me. “Callie,” he gulps, “there’s bruising… Oh God! The fucker strangled you,” he says with tears in his eyes. “I’ll kill him.”
“No.” I wrap my arms around his waist and cringe when my chest comes into contact with his abs.
His hands start to caress up and down my back while slowly bringing me closer to him. “I’m not sure where to touch you without causing you more pain.”
I half cry and laugh into his chest knowing he’s going to lose it when he sees the marks that I know are covering my chest.
“I thought I heard Phoenix,” I mumble.
“You did,” he replies. “I’m not sure where he went.”
I’m really confused. “Why? How?” I don’t even know what I’m saying and the more I’m talking the more my throat hurts. I really need to shut up for once.
“He ended up telling Thalia that I’d come here for you and because she hasn’t heard anything from you in over a week, she apparently used some seduction technique of hers to get him to agree to bring her here.” He laughs. “Must have been something wicked because she turned as red as a lobster when he was retelling.” Reece pulls me even closer and squeezes me.
I yelp and jump back, thunking my head against the wall.
“Fuck, Callie. What the hell?” He rubs the back of my head. “Tell me what the fucker did?” He takes a deep breath. “Please.”
I’m sheltered by Reece looming over me, so pushing him back slightly, I lift the shirt over my chest, and wait for him to notice what must be my black and blue breast.
He sucks in a breath and starts to reach for me, but stopping, he starts backing away with his jaw locked and murder in his eyes.
“Fuck,” Phoenix says, standing beside Reece, catching a glimpse of me before I drop the shirt. He looks from me to Reece and cussing under his breath grabs hold of Reece’s arm. “I know you want to murder the bastard, and if the cops weren’t here I’d let you. But, Callie needs you with her right now, not locked up.”
Reece slowly starts to calm down and takes me back into his arms, but not as tight as before. He leans down and kisses me on the top of my head, keeping his lips against me.
I turn my head when I hear Thalia shouting Phoenix. “Let me go get my girl.” He walks off toward where a cop is stopping her f
rom coming through to us.
“Does anyone need medical attention over here?” an EMT guy asks.
“No,” I say.
“Yes,” Reece says at the same time.
“I’ve not got all night. Which is it?”
I nod my head.
“The fucker strangled her and…and…fuck.” Reece rubs the back of his neck with one hand while keeping me close with the other.
“My chest is bruised. He bit me,” I say with a catch to my throat still sounding like a frog.
The EMT looks at my neck before turning toward the cops, and shouting, “Pete, you need to get over here.”
~ * ~
“I don’t know why I have to spend the night in hospital,” I grumble feeling sleepy.
After the EMT started looking after me, the cops interviewed both Reece and I before they loaded me into the ambulance and brought me here to the hospital.
“It’s only for twenty-four hours to make sure you’re okay because of the bruising to your throat,” Reece replies sitting beside me in the chair he’s pulled up to the side of the bed.
He’s not left my side since he appeared in the alley, even when my mom and dad arrived he stayed with me, although, that might have something to do with me clutching his hand tightly.
I love this guy.
The door opens and my mom comes in quietly. “Oh! You’re still here,” she states the obvious.
“Yeah, I am.”
My mom didn’t seem to mind Reece when they met at the house, but since she arrived at the hospital she’s kinda been hostile, which is pissing me off.
“Well, you can leave now. I’ve just made arrangements with the hospital to stay the night. They’re going to bring a bed in for me. I’ll give you another five minutes then I’ll be back and expect you both to have said your goodbyes.” With that she goes back out the door leaving me stunned behind her and Reece looking pissed.
He rests his forehead against our joined hands. “I can’t leave you.”
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