by Tara Lee
“I know.” Her voice is soft as she speaks. She jumps slightly when my fingers brush her thigh.
“You’re scared of me?”
Her hand flies to her mouth, covering a sob.
Her eyes fill with tears, and she sits beside me, crying slightly into her hand.
“Callie?” Pulling her hand away, I caress every inch of her face. How long will it be before she wants to run again?
Can I really make her love all of me?
My gaze roams over her face as I watch her. I wait with bated breath for her to tell me she’s mine and I'm hers. Anything.
Knowing how it makes me feel now, knowing the thrill it gives me, the way I've become addicted, going back isn’t an option. There’s a darkness inside me that will never go away. I know the reason it’s there, the reason the monster lurks.
I’ve never dealt with it, I locked it away as a boy and burned it deep into my soul.
I’m a masochistic motherfucker. Callie knows that, she knows I’m not normal.
“I need you more than you know.” Callie looks taken aback as I open up to her.
“The thought of losing you haunts me every day, but the thought of not having you in my life kills me every second. I think you’ll walk out and I’ll never see you again.”
Callie swallows her bottom lip as I wrap my hand around hers.
“My mother was killed when I was eleven. Murdered because of my father.”
Callie gasps.
“My father isn’t a nice fucking man, Callie, I never planned to become like him, but losing you, not knowing where you were for that month...
Fuck, it was pure fucking torture. He is—” Licking my lips, I try to find the right word.
“Evil,” Callie says it out loud for me.
I nod slowly.
“If you leave, I’ll be worse. I know I will. You keep me somewhat grounded. That sounds messed up. I'm a grown-ass man. I should be able to control myself. But all logic goes out that door the moment I became The Boss.”
“Then why are you?” She shrugs like I have a choice.
“My sorella-sister needs me, getting her out.” I sigh, knowing each time I tried, my father stormed in, refusing to let her go. My men had stormed his house trying to break her out. I'd lost some good men that day.
“I was never going to be, but I knew no matter what, my father would never give up, and if I didn’t take it, he’d force Savannah to take his place.”
Swallowing, Callie lifts my chin so I see the way her eyes sparkle under the light.
“Is that your sister?”
I smile as I think of my little sister.
I haven’t officially met her yet. I tried, fuck have I tried. My father has control over her. But I will get her away from my father’s clutches—soon.
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
We sit in silence for a while, my mind racing with every scenario that has Callie leaving me.
“I’ll marry you.”
My head almost snaps off as I look up at her.
“You will?”
She nods.
“I’m lost, I thought you were ready to walk away.”
She climbs into my lap as if she is ready to fight for me.
“It may have shocked me to see a man be murdered right in front of my eyes, but knowing what you did for me with Eric, knowing how far you’ll go to protect me...”
She sighs as she plays with the stubble on my chin.
“I know you're not a bad man, Bishop, you’ve just made bad choices. Sometimes in life we make mistakes. I'm just hoping my decision to stay isn’t one.”
The way she looks at me, like she will follow me anywhere...
“Marry me.” Callie smiles softly as she looks down at her hand. The ring I placed is still there.
Her lips crash to mine in a heated kiss, as if she is sealing our fate.
“I’ll marry you on one condition?”
“What’s that, brat?”
“You help me take down my father.”
Smirking, I kiss the curve of her neck.
“Already in motion, darling. There is no way your father is getting away. Not this time.”
Callie curls under my chin, resting her cheek on my chest. I almost lost her. Why she changed her mind I’m not going to argue.
But with Callie by my side, things may change for the better.
Starting with her father.
I may regret the way our lives are intertwined, but I will never regret following through with claiming Callie.
After all, what was a dark prince without his queen?
I sit in the darkness, waiting on Ethan.
Luna had damn near wanted to castrate me the moment she saw me at her door.
I know she isn't my biggest fan right now, but Ethan is my best friend. He is the only person besides Callie who means everything to me. Losing him isn't an option, just as much as Callie.
The door to the shop opens as Ethan stumbles in ready to start the day. He flicks the lights and clutches his chest as he spots me in the corner.
“Jesus fuck, Bishop. You trying to give me a heart attack?”
“Sorry.” I stand, holding my hands up in apology.
“What do you want?” he demands, walking past me to the back room.
“To talk.” The way Ethan looks at me like he doesn’t know me, just about kills me.
“You’re impossible to deal with, you know that?”
I give him a crooked grin.
“Would you have me any other way?”
I sigh, running my fingers through my hair.
“I miss you, man.”
Ethan sighs, hanging his head.
“It kills me, man. You're my best friend, and I don’t even know you.”
“You do.”
“Not really, Bish, I don’t know this side of you, the side that runs a damn empire, has people fear him simply because of his name. That man I've never met.”
“I can’t lose you, Ethan, you mean too much to me.”
“Tell me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Callie?” Her name on his lips sounds like a loaded gun.
“She was hand-picked for me when she was a little girl. I was to marry her by the time she turned twenty-one.”
Ethan doesn’t say a word, just continues to stare at me, so I continue, not leaving any detail out.
“I knew who she was when we met the girls in the club. Her being Luna’s friend was a coincidence, I swear.”
His jaw ticks and I know he thinks I’ve led Callie on. Worse played him for a fool.
“She knows everything, even about my mom.”
Ethan’s eyes widen.
“I swore I would tell her everything. I sat her down and I didn't leave anything out. I will do the same for you if that's what you want?”
Moving around his desk, Ethan starts to unpack his bag.
Fear claws down my spine as he doesn’t say another word. Is it already too late?
“I would love for you to be by my side when Callie and I marry. Please think about it. It won’t be the same if you're not there.”
I’m being honest, it hurts my ego to admit when I’ve fucked up, and seeing how I’ve done that a lot lately, my ego is taking a beating.
Turning to leave, I'm nearly to the door when Ethan calls.
“If you promise to never lie to me again, I’ll be there, and maybe we take some time to talk about it all.”
I sigh, feeling a complete fucking weight off my shoulders.
I speed-walk back to Ethan, pulling him in my arms.
“You are my best friend, Ethan. Losing you wasn't an option.”
Ethan wraps his arms around me as I hold him to my chest.
I know it’s going to take some time for him to trust me again, but I’ll take whatever he’s willing to give me.
***
I have restless energy flowing through my veins, betrayal like none other running rampant.
&n
bsp; Niall Eaton had taken the easy way out; he was found dead in his office this morning with a letter to Callie the only thing left behind. Apart from his brains all over the wall behind him.
I want to destroy him, and he knew there was no way out, so the coward shot himself instead of facing his punishment.
When the police handed Callie the letter, she stared at it for hours. Not even a tear was shed when I told her her old man was dead. I knew whatever was in there would only infuriate me more.
Callie has been quiet, keeping to herself. I’m giving her time to adjust, but soon she will have to face the fact he’s gone, and the fucker deserved so much more.
Niall Eaton was a sorry excuse coward who kept young women locked up like caged animals and used them for his own twisted, sick tortures.
His wife had fled the moment she knew her husband was gone. Callie doesn’t even care her mother has taken off without as much as a goodbye.
Our wedding is days away, and the last thing I want is for Callie to marry me out of necessity. The likelihood that Callie wants to marry me after she finds out there is one secret I haven’t told her, the secret I hold closest to my heart...
Knowing the truth and keeping it from her may just destroy us. Her knowing the truth about the real monster that I am.
Callie can never know the real me. The real reason I ran.
The darkness lies inside me. I thought she helped tame it, but I feel it, feel it creeping every day.
I was cold and cruel, and even the beauty of Callie will never take away the darkness.
The moment she truly becomes mine, everything will change.
I hid for so long, trying to be someone I’m not. I thought I could end the pain. Take away the evil. Turns out, the darkness will never leave.
Is there even any good in me left?
Callie is playing with fire. I just pray being with me won’t get her burnt.
Callie has been avoiding me, keeping herself locked away in the room. I’m losing patience; the need to spank the bratness out of her has me on edge.
I need to take back the control. I know she is drowning; she doesn’t know how to accept everything. She is strong, but fuck, even she has limits.
I’m due to speak to my father, and the outcome is going to end in a blood bath. My father likes to think he is still in control. Little does he know I’m finally done letting him rule my life.
He is going to pay, he deserves to burn in Hell for what he made me do. I can still hear her cries, her screams, the way her blood covered my clothes.
My eyes flutter closed as the memory forces its way in.
Ascending the stairs two at a time, I know it is now or never. I needed Callie to know the truth. She deserves to know, right?
I knock, knowing Callie would have locked the door.
“Brat open up.”
“Go away.”
I twist my neck at her clear defiance.
“You better open this door.”
“Go away, Bishop. You have me, what else do you want?”
I’m not sure what had happened in the few short days since she promised to be mine and her father’s untimely death. She is hurting, I understood that, but hiding away isn't helping my anger right now.
“Break down the door,”
I yell at James and Carson, Callie’s personal bodyguards.
“Yes, boss.” they say in unison.
James is a big guy. It takes all of one big push, and the door breaks to pieces.
“What the hell?” I hear Callie screams.
“Next time you’ll open, baby.”
Callie is sitting on the bed in pajama shorts and a tank top. James and Carson make themselves scarce as I move toward her.
She scoots up as I crawl over her, caging her between me and the mattress. I lock her hands above her head, keeping them in place.
Her breathing escalates, and I press my hips into hers.
The tiny shorts she has on do nothing to hide how fucking wet she is for me.
I drag my mouth down the slope of her neck. Callie lets out a breathy moan as my teeth nip at the pulse on her neck.
“Give me one good reason not to punish you right now.”
My cock rocks into her wet heat, and she arches her back off the bed.
“Please.” Callie’s moans and sinful body do nothing to calm the monster inside me. All I want right now is to fuck her raw until her pussy aches, turning that ass red while my cum leaks out of her.
Callie refusing to come out and hiding away, knowing full well I hate not having the control, makes me almost break.
I growl pushing back against my heels. My cock protests, wanting to sink deep inside our woman.
Callie whimpers. I crawl off her body, leaving her wanton and soaking wet.
“Maybe showing you who's in control will be all the punishment you need, brat.”
“Bishop that’s not fair.”
“You're a bossy brat when you're horny, baby.”
“Well, maybe I’ll go find someone to feed my hunger.”
My eyes roam over her as I watch her slide her fingers down toward her aching pussy.
I snatch her hand away. She gasps at the hold I have on her.
“No one but me will take away that hunger, brat, you’ll do well to remember you’re mine.”
She nods slowly, her lip pulled between her teeth. Making my cock jump to attention.
Fuck, yes, she is.
My lips crash to hers in an all-consuming heat-wave that has Callie’s legs buckling from under her.
I grind into her, and I know she is so fucking horny she nearly comes on the spot.
I watch as she falls apart simply from my touch.
Her cheeks are flushed, and a light sweat beads over her skin.
“Why are you hiding?”
Callie looks away, guilt in her eyes. She starts to move from under me. As much as I hate it, I let her slide up the bed until she rests against the headboard.
“Piccolina, I need to know why you are avoiding me.”
She sighs, and all I can see is pain. The pain behind her eyes is evident as she leans over to the drawer and pulls out something, handing it to me.
It's then I see the letter her father wrote her. I turn it over, seeing it's still sealed.
“You haven't opened it?”
Shaking her head, she gnaws on her lips.
“So you're avoiding me because of this?”
“I don’t want to know what's in that letter, but what I do know is my father hated you, and marrying you was the last thing he wanted me to do. If I open it and it reveals something about you, something you haven’t told me, I’m not sure I can currently handle any more secrets.”
Tears fill her eyes, and she looks down at her lap, avoiding my eyes.
“ Callie, I—”
“Stop, Bishop. I can’t, okay, it’s too much.
I agreed to marry you, I know I promised that, but right now, my heart can’t take anymore. I know you are hiding something, Bishop.”
It's my turn to look away.
“You can’t even look at me, and that tells me everything I need to know.”
“It’s not what you think.”
It's much worse.
“I can’t promise you I will always tell you everything, Callie, but sometimes there's things you're better off not knowing.” I sigh, standing from the bed.
Callie nods, but silent tears fall down her cheeks. She wipes them away with the back of her hand.
“I love you, that's all that matters, darling.” Kissing her temple, I turn to walk away,
hating to leave Callie when she’s like this, but knowing I have my father to deal with, nothing in this world can prepare me for taking down Pasquale Demetrius, my blood.
The man who took everything from me the same night I became the monster.
I watch as Bishop walks away, leaving me a mess on the bed.
Avoiding him isn't smart, I knew eventually he would break his wa
y in. Turns out, he didn't need to, not when he had his men do it for him.
I’ve lied to Bishop, I had read my father’s letter. I’d resealed it to hide the fact I had.