by H. Q. Frost
“She’s dead. Nothing is standing in our way anymore. Come home.”
“You can’t just show up and kill Kip, Callum.” I sniffle as emotions fill me; not for Kip but because all I ever wanted is finally presenting itself and I somehow feel guilty for it.
“I did,” he says matter of fact and I can’t help but chuckle, tears rolling down my cheeks and I drop my head to his shoulder, wanting him to hold me. I feel like I’m crumbling. “I’ll kill anyone that stands in our way again. A man that defiles another man’s woman deserves to die,” he repeats words he once told me to justify his father killing Kip’s dad, who was his mother’s lover.
“Where is he? His body?” I whisper and don’t miss when he sighs.
I don’t love Kip, but a part of me feels some obligation to him. He’s never been ideal but he’s always been here.
“Never to be found again. Kip died years ago when you did, Magdelena.” When he steps back, I can no longer lean on him and I regret pushing him away so I grip his arm. “I made a deal with the devil but he never had any idea the lengths I’d go to for you. He probably assumed I died when I returned to England. As I should have. But without Cole, I was the last pure-blooded Carbon and my grandmother couldn’t bear the thought of killing that bloodline. She expected me to mate again and bring a child into the world, but that wasn’t a priority.” The look in his eyes and tone of his voice indicates he’s disappointed in me for having a child that is not his.
“What was your priority?”
“Stay alive long enough so that I could come back for you.” Reaching out, his hand gently cradles my cheek and his thumb softly traces my bottom lip.
Both my hands grab his wrist to hold his in place. “I didn’t love Kip.” I close my eyes. “I accepted what you told me to accept.”
He nods once and his eyes drift away until I kiss the pad of his thumb.
“Now what?” I ask and my ears perk up when I hear Cole and Poppy laughing.
Now what? I need to do what’s right for my children, and since Callum has already taken it upon himself to start re-molding their lives by eliminating Kip, there isn’t anything stopping me from having what I’ve always wanted. Especially if he truly loves me.
“I’ve asked you to come home. Allow me to prove I am a man you can love again.”
“And if I say no? Ask you to leave?” My hands slowly release his wrist. “Will you leave us alone?”
Anger flashes across his face before it turns to remorse. “I…” His gaze drifts away like he never expected me to react this way. “I suppose I’ll have no choice. My happiness depends on yours.” He says the words as if he’s trying to convince himself of that. There is no doubt Callum could live a fruitful life through my misery. But the fact he is allowing me a choice in this matter makes my decision clear.
I don’t stand a chance when it comes to Callum. He’s infected me with a poison I will die from one day. But I choose to be at his side through this life and death.
Hearing the children laugh, I close my eyes. What will I tell them? Will Cole remember him? Will Poppy accept him? Cole’s told her all about his father; what little he could remember, and Poppy’s always romanced the great Callum Carbon being her dad too, but both children have accepted they got Kip instead. My children deserve a life they dream about, and the only way to find out if Callum fits in that life is to try. If he doesn’t, then I won’t hesitate to remove him.
“Yes,” I finally say and his gaze is back on me.
“Yes?” he questions.
“Take us home.”
I’m met with his lips on mine and everything scrambled inside my head files itself away. Completely making sense of my thoughts for once.
Callum is back and I don’t doubt I will suffer for it, but not more than I’m suffering now.
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Every immediate member of the Carbon family is appointed a new bodyguard, and Poppy wants her security to guard her body in more ways than one.
It’s the fact I fell in love and falling so fast hurts when you hit the ground. The cliff he has me on is so steep chances of recovery are slim. I want him all to myself. I want him to claim me, mark me, maim my heart. He unfortunately could never be another blip on my radar.