Page 62 of Fate Forever and Always

“Okay, I gotta go. Callie is trying on clothes, and I am going to go take a nap while she does that.”

“Sure, dude. Whatever you say.”

“Bye, Link, give Aubs a hug for us.”

“I’m going to give her way more than that for how sh—”

I hung up because I didn’t need to hear the rest of that to know what he was going to say.

I walked back into the store and immediately knew something was wrong.

I heard a gravelly voice coming from the back. “Let me help you, beautiful. I can do so much more for you than that skinny asshole.”

My vision clouded with rage. Without giving it a second thought, I told someone in the store to call the police and went running toward the dressing rooms.

Chapter twenty-six

Callie

“Stop! Please! What are you doing?”

The man had me pushed against the mirror, and he was trying to run his hand down to my backside. I was only wearing my thong and a thin tank top because I was mid-outfit change when he unlocked the door from the outside.

“Come on, baby, that loser left you here, and now we can have some fun.”

“Get off me before I make you regret your life,” I yelled.

He remained unmoved and gripped my ass cheek with one hand while the other traveled around to my front. He was holding me against the mirror, so he backed off a little to give his hand room to travel. He was definitely stronger than me, but I had the gift of long legs. Just as he was about to rub my front side, I kicked my foot up backward between his legs. I must have caught his balls just right because that man yelped like a little girl and keeled over, letting out a string of coughs.

“Ah fuck! You bitch.”

He started to stand, but I was already moving around him to run and get Nick. Before I could turn the corner, I ran right into someone's chest. I started flailing, thinking it was another man trying to push me down.

“Baby… baby, it’s me.” I looked up and saw Nick. His eyes were dark like I’d never seen. “Are you okay?”

I didn’t speak. I just wrapped my arms around him tightly. He pushed me back a little. “Callie, I need to go handle that. Are you okay?”

“Please don’t,” I whimpered. “I just… I need to go.”

“Let me grab your clothes.”

I heard the worker moan from inside the dressing room, and it made me wince.

Nick didn’t say another word. He stalked toward the door and swung it wide open. I saw him cock back his balled-up fist, and then heard the guy make several “oof” sounds.

“You will never touch another woman again, especially mine.” Another punch, and this time, I heard the mirror crack. Nick bent down and picked up my items along with my bag, then shut the door.

He rushed up to me.

“Baby, I am so fucking sorry. I can’t believe I left you here alone. This is all my fucking fault. I made you come shopping instead of going back to the room. I am so fucking sorry, Callie.”

His eyes went glassy, and I could only hug him tighter. This was not even remotely close to his fault. I couldn’t get any words out, so I just cried.

A few moments later, the jingle bells jangled against the shop’s glass door, and I jumped into Nick’s chest.

“It’s okay, it's just the police.”

When did he have time to call them?It was like he read my mind because he answered the question I had asked in my head.

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