Page 62 of The Final Rose

I rub her arms, wishing I could banish the bad thoughts out of her head. “I know it’s not ideal…”

“Not ideal doesn’t begin to cover, Sebastian!”

“I’m working on a way.”

“There’s no way. Not without me losing my job.”

My hands go to her face, and I angle it up. “I won’t let this hurt you. You won’t lose your job.”

“I lose something either way.” She says in the most heartbreaking way, her eyes going moist before she shakes from my hold and hides her emotions.

“Callie, can you please believe me? I’m telling you I’ll find a way. You won’t lose your job. And you won’t lose me.”

It’s important that she understands it. I can’t fix things around us when I think she’s a fly risk.

“I want to believe it,” she confesses. “I want nothing but to believe everything is going to work out. But Sebastian, this is bad. As bad and career damaging as it could be.”

“I will find a way. We aren’t doing anything wrong!”

She scoffs and steps away. I feel the cold in my bones. I’m losing her.

“Callie…”

“It’s on me,” she says firmly. “I’m the one who needs to decide what I can live without.”

This is my chance to be altruistic. To tell her I’ll leave her alone and she can go and live her life and never hear from me again.

But I don’t want to leave her alone. I take her hands again, tugging her into my arms and she can’t help but to come.

“Just give me time. And faith. That’s all I’m asking.”

Her lips part and I’m holding my breath for an answer. Something out there makes a noise. Probably something fell with all the drunk people around. Callie jumps away from me, but I hold her still. My hand on her chin, I can’t let her go without an answer.

“Time and faith, Callie. That’s all I’m asking.”

And she finally nods. First, it’s like she only wants me to let her go, but her eyes chase mine. They are filled with emotion, and I know she’s putting all her faith in me.

I release a calming breath, my arms around her go soft and she steps away.

I trace her features with my eyes. The high cheekbones, the small curve of her chin. Deep brown eyes and the cutest little nose. She gives me only a second more, watching under her eyelashes, and then she’s gone.

Disappeared. Up the stairs and out of sight.

I rake my hand over my head and give her a minute head start. Eventually, I go to my bedroom, climbing the stairs like it’s a sacrifice.

My mind is in turmoil when I close the bedroom door behind me. I asked for time and faith, but it can’t be that much time. We can’t be like this much longer.

I’m still fully dressed when I hear the knock on my door.

A fire lights up and I pray to all the gods it’s Callie. She’s giving me a night. A couple of hours in bed.

I open the door to the dark hallway, but isn’t Callie looking back at me in an emerald green housecoat. It’s not the soft brown eyes I’m used to and not the messy hair.

It’s Vera.

“I know you’re having an affair with Callie Sosa.”

16.

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