Page 7 of War

She pauses her movements, looking at me through the mirror.“I’m sorry about how I reacted to everything before.”

“I get it,” I say, waving her off.I have no animosity toward Kitty.I just want us to be okay.“Tell me about Georgina.Why is she around if Callan doesn’t want her?”

She runs warm water in the sink, wetting a washcloth.

“She and Callan went to school together.They were together when they were young.”My body stiffens, I catch her eyes in the mirror.It’s irrational to be jealous of a past I have nothing to do with or any control over, but the stab scrapes against my heart all the same.

Exhaling heavily, she shakes her head, anger flicking in her gaze.“Callan found her with his best friend,” she bites out.

“What?”I gulp, then flinch when she dabs the cloth against my flesh.

“Richie.She ended up marrying him.They were together a long time.He and Callan remained best friends, then he was killed.Hit by a truck on a club run.Stupid accident.”She shrugs and sighs deeply.Sadness eclipses her eyes.

“You were close?”I murmur.

“He was my first crush.”I sense her smile without having to see it.“It fucked Callan up for a long time.”

“I’m sorry.”And I mean it.Losing people is a horrible punishment for being human.Georgina’s just adrift.Being around Callan no doubt makes her feel closer to her dead husband and vice versa for Callan.

“It was a long time ago, and Georgina always played them against each other.She believed she was the reason Callan never claimed a woman.”

“Because he was in love with her?”I peek at her over my shoulder.

“Narcissist.”Kitty snorts, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear.“I think you’ll need stitches.”She pats her fingertips across some grazes on my shoulder blade.

“Did he love her?”I clutch my hands together, trying to ward off the chaos consuming me.

Exhaling, she rummages through the cabinet for a new cloth, the water now tinged red.“That’s something you’d have to ask him.I can, however, tell you this.”She turns me to face her, clutching my hands in hers.“I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.Tonight, when you left, he was so pissed at her.He made it clear there was nothing between them and called her desperate for grabbing his zipper.I don’t like the girl, but even I cringed.”

I wish I’d stuck around for that now.

“You want to tell me what’s going on with you two?Earlier, you mentioned a fiancé…”

Every part of me hurts, yet I’d still take this over marrying him.“Tyler.I ended things, but he’s not the type to let a woman go when he thinks he has a claim on her.”

Pulling the plug, she refills the sink.“I know the type.Why did you end things?”

Harley.

“My sister was found dead the night before our wedding.It kinda put things into perspective.”A stabbing ache has me rubbing my chest.

“Shit.”Her hand stills.“I’m sorry about your sister.”

Tears prick my eyes, but I hold them back.“Thanks.She saved me from that wedding.”I laugh and moan simultaneously.“You know, his mother wanted me to still go through with it?She said we’d never recoup our money from the vendors.”I want to scream thinking about that.

“She sounds like a cunt.”

I chuckle again, groaning when my ribs smart.“Want to know what’s worse?Tyler’s club slut took over, cancelled everything, and informed guests.She was amazing.”I can’t stop the hysteria overwhelming me, smothering all the pain as laughter consumes me.My fiancé’s whore took care of everything.It was as if speaking the words aloud makes them actually register with me and realize how bizarre that is.

“Because she wanted to be the one walking down that aisle.”Kitty snorts.

When I get myself under control, I swipe under my eyes and nod.“Yeah, probably.God knows why she wants to be with him.He treats her like shit.He’s an asshole.”

“Callan will kill him, Rogue.”

“What?”I gasp, turning back to face her.The drip of the tap sounding like thunder in my ears.

Concern etches her features.“If this guy doesn’t let you go, Callan will take him to ground.I just want you to be prepared for that.”Fear soaks me.That can’t happen.I don’t want that—my pulse hammers in rhythm with my spinning thoughts.

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