by C. J. Welles
*
Callie
I PULL UP out the front of Bryson’s house and get out of my car. Krystal called a few hours ago and said she needed to see me. She sounded worried and upset on the phone.
Walking up to the front door I knock twice before it opens, and Caroline opens the door with puffy red eyes.
“What’s happened?” I ask, assuming something has happened to Bry. That would explain why Krystal was upset and Caroline has been crying.
“Nothing dear. Krystal is in the den,” she says with a small shaky smile.
I walk past her and hear the door click behind me. For some reason, the house feels eerie today. I head to Bry’s den and find Krystal lying on the couch with a throw rug wrapped around her. I quietly walk in, not knowing if she is awake or not. When I step in front of her, she looks up at me and I see a tear slip from her eye and onto the cushion.
Bending down in front of her, I wrap my arms around her. “What’s happened? Why are you crying?” I ask shakily, not knowing what’s going on and afraid to find out.
She sits up when I pull back and sit on the couch next to her.
“Can you remember when we first met?” she asks.
I think back to that night and nod. It was around six months after I left Austin and I was still living on the streets. I was at a derelict bar downtown one night, with one of my male friends, while he had a beer. When we were leaving, we came across Krystal getting knocked around in the side alley. Trent, the guy I was with, pulled the asshole off her and gave him a hiding before we took Krystal back inside.
“Remember a few months ago, when you asked me what was going on? It was when we moved house.”
I nod. “Yeah, what about it?”
“I owed money. Well I didn’t, but I had a debt I had to pay off to protect my family,” she says.
“What kind of debt? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“When my father died, he owed an underground loan shark two hundred and fifty grand,” she says, and my mouth drops open. How the hell does anyone get that far into debt with someone like them? “My father had been gambling for years and kept borrowing but was losing it all. The week after he died, these two men come and trashed our place and beat my mother so bad she was in the hospital for a month. They said they would keep coming after us until the money had been paid back.”
“Fucking hell, Krystal. Why didn’t you say? What did you do?”
“I made a deal with the man they worked for that I would give him monthly payments until it was paid back, and he would leave my mom and two sisters alone. I was able to make the repayments most of the time, but the night that you met me, he had sent one of his little followers to teach me a lesson because I was a grand short that month.”
“That’s horrible. When did it all start? I could have helped you.”
“Just before I met you. I was paying ten thousand each month to get it all paid. The other month, when I wanted to move, it was because the guy decided he wanted the rest paid in full. I still owed fifty thousand. I didn’t know what the hell to do and thought if I moved, it would give me some more time to work it out. Bryson came to my house three weeks after I moved into Jace’s house, just after the guy and two of his henchmen paid me a visit. I was a mess. They didn’t touch me, but had threatened to go after my youngest sister. The things they said they would do to her terrified me.”
“What did Bry say? Did you tell him?”
She nods “Yes, he paid the rest of it. He said he hated to give that man any money, but to keep me and my family safe he did.”
“Has he come back for more? Is that why you’re upset?”
“No,” she says with a sob.
She looks up at me and the look on her face is pure brokenness. I don’t think I want to hear has she has to say. “I just wanted to tell you my secrets and that you have been there for me so much, even when you didn’t know it. Every day you’ve been in my life you have brought happiness. Just give me a minute,” she says, and holds her hands over her face.
“Okay. Tell me when you’re ready. But Krystal you are freaking me the hell out.”
“Sorry,” she says with a sob. “I… I have…” she pulls the blanket up underneath her chin and whispers. “Cancer. I have cervical cancer.”
∞∞∞
Chapter 45
Jace
I’M LYING ON the couch with my cell in my hand deciding whether or not I should call Callie when I hear the front door bang open. I jump up and walk out into the hall and see Callie standing there.
“I didn’t know where to go,” she says brokenly.
I rush towards her and pull her into my arms.
“What’s wrong?” I ask carefully, knowing what it most likely is, but not wanting to say anything in case I’m wrong. I pull back and look at her face.
She shakes her head. “I can’t,” tears begin to slide down her face and I gently wipe them away with my thumb. “Oh, God. I don’t want her to die,” she says with a heartbreaking sob.
I wrap one arm around her back and the other behind her knees and pick her up and carry her into the living room where I sit on the couch with her.
I pull her close to me and rub her hand up and down her back as she rests her head on my chest. “I’m so sorry baby,” I say sadly.
I can feel the tears pooling in my eyes. The thought of Krystal dying, the thought of Bry losing Krystal and I hate the idea of Callie losing her best friend.
I feel her tense up for a moment. “Please don’t fight with me, Callie,” I say, hating the idea that she thinks I kept something from her again. “Bry just left here ten minutes ago. I was waitin’ for Krystal to call you then I was goin’ to come to you. But it was for Krystal to tell you not me.”
“I know,” she sighs. “I wasn’t going to say anything,” she says between sobs. Shit, now I feel bad. “I don’t want to lose her. How can this happen to someone who is a good person?”
“I don’t know, Angel.”
“She and Bryson are happy together. She’s just got her life sorted out and now it’s going to be taken away from her.” I continue to rub her back as she sobs into my chest.
I hold Callie tight until her tears dry up. “What did Krystal say?” I ask.
“She’s been diagnosed with cervical cancer and that the doctors are only giving her a few months to live. They gave her all the information on treatments, but she has decided against them.”
“Why?”
“Because they’ve only given her a five percent chance that the treatments will work, and it’ll only give her an extra month or two. She said she wants to live the rest of her life the best she can. She doesn’t want to be in and out of the hospital or laid up in bed half the time.”
Fuck, what a hard decision to make at the age of twenty-five. The things she must have going around in her head. To know you only have a few months to live. I couldn’t do it, not at such a young age.
“Did Bry say much?” Callie asks.
I shake my head. “I felt gutted for him. Today I saw him cry for the first time in years. The last time he cried was when he broke his wrist and he was only seven then.”
“You’ll have to be there for him,” she says as she gets up from the couch and walks to the side table where the tissues sit.
“Yeah, but I’m here for you first, Angel. Bry has his family to support him. I am your family and you are my priority.”
She looks at me with a small smile. “I know,” she says weakly. “Thank you,” she says with a stronger voice as she walks towards me. “And I appreciate it so much. You’ve stuck by me even when I pushed you away.”
“Angel, I will stick by you until I take my last breath,” I say, as Callie comes to stand in front of me with her breasts at my eye level. “You have me forever and always,” I say with a husky voice. Having Callie this close is driving me crazy. God, it’s been four weeks since we had sex and I crave her body every day.
“I hope so. You hold my heart in yo
ur hands,” she replies, while looking down at me.
“God, you’re beautiful. Don’t go tonight,” I blurt out.
I stand up close enough, so our bodies are touching and look down at her. I can see her chest rising and falling as she breathes heavily.
“Okay,” she replies in a whisper, as she reaches up and places her hand over my heart.
I lean down and kiss her neck just below her ear where I know she loves it. “I want you,” I mumble against her warm skin. “I want you so fuckin’ bad.”
“I’m all yours,” she moans, as I nip at her earlobe.
It’s all I need to hear. I step back and grab my shirt at the back of my neck and pull it over my head as I grab my belt with the other hand. As I undo my belt and jeans, Callie strips off her sweatshirt and boots and drops them to the floor. I pull her to me and crash my lips down on hers
When she opens her mouth, I slide my tongue inside and twine it with hers. It has been far too long since I have had Callie this close in body and heart. The taste of her minty breath nearly makes me come before I even get inside her.
Walking her backward until the backs of her knees hit the arm of the couch, I lower to my knees and undo her jeans. I slide them down to her ankles before lifting her feet one at a time and pulling each trouser leg off. Lifting her leg up and placing it over my shoulder, I slide her thong to the side before leaning forward and placing a kiss to her pussy. I thrust two fingers inside her waiting pussy, as I lick her clit with my tongue.
In minutes, she is moaning my name and rocking her hips back and forth at her own pace. Her hands come down and pull at my hair which urges me on. I bite down on her clit as I thrust my fingers in once more before she is coming.
“Jace,” she breathes. “Oh shit, Jace. Don’t stop,” she says as I pull my fingers out.
I lower her leg from my shoulder and quickly stand whilst pushing my boxers down to my ankles. Lifting both her legs around my waist, I sink deep into her hot pussy.
“Baby, you feel so good,” I grate out, as I thrust into her fast.
“Oh god, it feels so fucking good,” she moans out between pants.
“Fuck yeah,” I say.
Seeing the look of ecstasy on her face urges me on. She wraps her arms around my neck, bringing us closer and she reaches up to kiss me gently at first. I run my tongue along the seam of her lips and she opens and pushes her tongue in my mouth and groans.
“Harder Jace,” she mumbles against my mouth.
I lift her up and walk us around, so I can lay her on the couch under me. Leaning up with my arms on the back of the couch, I pump into her hard and fast until she is coming again with a scream.
She is so noisy, and I love it. Hearing her yell my name and feeling her walls clenching down on my cock, has me coming with a growl.
I lazily rock my hips until I feel the last bead of come leave my body and Callie’s orgasm has finished.
“I love you, Angel,” I say as I pull out of her.
∞∞∞
Chapter 46
Callie
“I WENT TO see Jimmy yesterday,” I say to Jace, hours after we had sex. We’re laying naked in front of the wood fire with a throw rug messily tossed on top of us, just talking and it feels good. It’s the closest we have ever been.
“How did it go?”
“Good, I think. I left feeling a bit better,” I say, as I rub my hand over his bare chest. “I didn’t really learn anything new, but talking to him as my father was good. I thought it would be awkward, but it wasn’t. I also told him what we had talked about with the company, and he said he could arrange something for me.”
“That’s great. What’d he say about the money?”
“That he’d give it away like I wanted. He asked about what I blurted out the other month, and I answered him truthfully and calmly.”
“Baby, that’s great. And we’re still goin’ to see Anna on Friday?”
“If you can,” I say.
“Yes. You’re more important to me than this ranch. I have people who work for me. They can run the place for me.”
“Okay, she is excited to meet you. I’ve said all bad things about you, but I did tell her how sexy you are,” I say with a laugh.
“As long as you don’t try to pimp me out to her, you can talk about my sexiness all you want.”
I pause before saying the next thing I need to tell Jace. “I… when I saw Jimmy, he showed me Martin’s will and inside a folder was a bunch of stuff for me. Two of the things were the letters he tried to give me,” I say quietly.
“The ones from late last year?” he asks, and I nod.
“I have it in my car, but I don’t know if I want to read it. I feel as though if I do, it won’t help in any way. I’m putting it all behind me in a healthier way this time, with the help of you, your mom and Anna. I feel that the letters are either going to be him apologizing and having some excuse for what he did, or it will be ‘I’m sorry, but I was fucked in the head. I have no excuse.’ or something like that.”
I am so torn. I don’t want to read it, but I feel that I have to.
“Will you regret, in ten years’ time, that you didn’t read it?” Jace asks, as he plays with my long hair that’s resting on his chest.
I think about it for a long moment. “No, I don’t think so. I heard him say sorry already.”
“Angel, you don’t have to do anythin’ you don’t want to,” Jace says, as he pulls me tighter into his side. “If you ever want to read the letter, I will be sittin’ right next to you holdin’ your hand. But if you don’t want to, I will be standin’ right next to you drinkin’ Jack, while watchin’ them fuckers burn,” he says so seriously, it makes me laugh.
“I love your thinking,” I say with a smile.
“And I love your laugh,” he says, kissing my forehead.
He knows how to put a smile on my face.
*
“WHAT’S THE FIRE for?” Logan asks as he walks up to us. Jace brought out the fire pot from the shed and put it in the middle of the gravel area so we could burn my letter.
After a while of thinking about it, I decided I’m happy not to know what’s in it. I don’t want it to set me back and I know I won’t regret doing this.
“Just a celebration to the future,” Jace says. He’s right, it’s a step forward with our future, but I am upset that I know Krystal won’t be there. It’s been a bittersweet day. I’ve never felt like Jace and I have been this close before, but the reason why I turned up here today is because the news of Krystal.
“To the future,” Logan says, before he takes a drink. Looking at Jace and I standing together with Jace’s arm around my waist, he smiles. “I’m guessing this means no more explosions around here that we’ll have to dodge?”
“Ha-ha-fuckin’-ha,” Jace says and Logan laughs.
“We weren’t that bad,” I say quietly, and Logan gives me an are you serious look. “Okay, so maybe at times we were but you don’t have to hide from any tornados anymore.”
“No, I just have to start blocking my ears again,” Claudia says, and I spin around to look at her with a shocked face. “Oh, yes dear, I heard you two earlier. Luckily for you, actually, make that luckily for my poor ears, I got the iPod that my nephew sent me, so it blocks you two out.”
“We’re not that loud,” I say, embarrassed.
“No, you two aren’t, but you are,” she says to me, while Logan and Jace burst out laughing next to me.
“Hey, what’re you laughing at?” I say and elbow Jace in the stomach. “You’re the one who makes me that loud.”
“Yeah, and it’s worth it,” he says.
“Not for me,” Claudia says.
“Jacks is single,” Logan points out. “I’m sure he could make you scream,” he says and Claudia blushes.
“Unless he already has,” Jace says, when Claudia goes quiet.
I elbow him again. “Sheesh, what was that for?” he asks.
“For embarrassing
her.”
“It wasn’t me, go elbow Logan.”
“Won’t work for me. She doesn’t have me by the balls like she does you,” Logan says with a laugh, and I burst out laughing with him.
“You lot are too much for me,” Claudia says, while shaking her head. “Come in and get dinner,” she calls out as she walks back inside.
“Do you think Jacks is servicing her?” Logan asks once she’s through the door.
“Oh God, Logan, I don’t know and it’s nothing to do with us,” I say, as I step around Jace and thump Logan on the shoulder with my fist. All he does is laugh at me. “Leave her alone. Her and Jacks would be good together,” I say, as I grab Jace’s hand and walk to the door.
“I wonder if she sneaks into his room or he comes to visit her,” he asks.
“Logan!” I scold. “But if it was me, I’d have him come to me,” I say and Jace nudges me.
“Leave her alone,” Jace mimics me and I laugh. “It’s good to hear you laugh,” he says as we walk inside, and he spins to grab me around the waist. “I missed hearin’ your laughter around here.”
I look up at him. “It feels good to be able to laugh,” I say with a small smile. “But I feel bad being happy, knowing that my best friend’s life is going to end any day.”
“I know darlin’, it’s shit. If I had of known my dad was going to die, I wouldn’t have been smilin’ either,” he says quietly, as he pulls me in for a hug.
“It’s shit,” I say weakly. “Why couldn’t it happen to someone bad?” I ask.
“I don’t know baby. But we will get past this. I know that sounds bad, but we will get you through this. I will be here for you every step of the way,” Jace says, and I feel a tear slip down my cheek.
After everything I put him through, he is still here for me.
*
Jace
“DO YOU WANT to have kids?” Callie asks.
“Yeah, baby, I do. Not straight away, but for sure I do.”