Page 47 of Bound By Secrets

“If you don’t want to talk, then that’s fine, but I think you need to. Let’s go. You can clear your head a little.” She glances over her shoulder, scanning the empty car park and the few students that are conjugated by the entrance doors.

“Okay,” she agrees, her voice quiet and soft. I release a relieved breath and then open the passenger side door for her, helping her into her seat before I round the car and buckle myself in.

After stopping at a McDonald's drive-thru to order food, I drove us down to Parkshire Lake. It’s the one place that I cherish. I come here at least once a week and sit on the grass, staring across the rippling clear water. I usually come here when my head is a mess. It helps clear my thoughts when I’m breathing in the fresh air and surrounded by the sounds of crickets in the distant long grass.

We walk hand in hand towards the lake's edge. Thankfully, it isn’t busy at the moment. I can see Frank, an old man that I’ve gotten to know here, fishing over on the oblong dock; there’s also a mother and her child over the other side feeding the ducks.

I pull Callie to a stop about a metre from the edge of the lake and I gesture for her to sit down on the dewy grass.

“We can just sit in silence if you want to,” I offer, sitting beside her and opening the wrapper of my cheeseburger. She nods her head, indicating that that’s what she wants, so I hand her the bag of food and start to devour my burger, keeping my gaze on the lady throwing bread with her child.

A comfortable silence settles over us as we eat our food. Even though I brought Callie here to try and help clear her mind, I also brought her here because I selfishly wanted some time alone with her. I’m not bothered if we sit here in silence for an hour or two, the fact that I’m with her after hardly even getting a glimpse of her for days, that’s what matters to me.

I never knew I could become so attached to someone this quickly, but Callie has bulldozed her way into my life and my mind. It won’t take much longer for her to take over my heart as well. She’s already creeping her way in.

Mum had said earlier that there is no rule on how long you have to know someone before you develop feelings for them. Sometimes, you subconsciously know that a person is the right one for you.

“I think Ryker’s disappeared again.”

I turn to study Callie as I let her quiet words settle into my mind. Her mouth is downturned, brows furrowed as she fiddles with her fingers. I scoot over till I’m pressed against her side, wrapping my arm around her.

“What makes you think that?”

“I’ve been trying to call and text him since Sunday evening, but he hasn’t replied.” She pauses, turning to face me with tears glistening in her eyes. “I’m just worried that something might have happened to him,” she sobs, burrowing her face into my shoulder. My heart cracks.

“Baby, I’m sure he’s fine,” I tell her, trying to be reassuring. Honestly, I kind of regret leaving Nate at school. He’d be much better at dealing with this. I’m clueless about what I’m meant to do in this situation. “Maybe he’s just really busy.”

She pulls away from my chest and stares up at me.

“I’m sorry, I’m really not good at this.”

She huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, I can tell.” She wipes her cheeks with the sleeves of her t-shirt, and my eyes catch on the yellowing bruise along her hairline.

“How’d you get this?” I reach out and brush my thumb along the slight bump.

“Well, my brother Cameron decided to jump us when we arrived home on Saturday.” I frown and wait for her to continue. “Dad apparently wasn’t happy that we’d been out all day, so he let Cameron choose a punishment for us. It was nothing, no need to worry.”

“Callie, you need to stop acting so blasé about this. It’s not normal.” I pull her into my chest again and rest my head on top of hers. “We need to find a way to stop this,” I mumble.

“I have a plan for that, so don’t you worry.”

How can she expect me not to worry? She shouldn’t have to endure all of this.

“Callie, you know your mother is safe. Colin has told you that. You don’t have to endure all of this torture anymore. They won’t be able to get to her.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” she whispers. “It’s best if I put up with it all for a little longer until the twins and I can gather some evidence and information.”

“Is this the reason you’ve been avoiding us?” She nods, her head rubbing against me with the motion, the scent of her strawberry shampoo wafting up and filtering into my nose.

“We figured that someone had probably been watching us on Saturday, seen us with you. Connor thought it was best if we keptour distance for a little while.” She pulls out of my embrace and tentatively cups my jaw in the palm of her hands. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if either you, Kat, or Nate ended up hurt.”

I smile at her as I feel my heart internally jump with happiness.

She cares about us, she cares about us enough to distance herself from us in case it causes any issues.

God, I’m falling head over heels for this woman.

My eyes flicker down to her lips for a brief moment before connecting with hers again. I don’t want to hold myself back anymore. I need to know what her mouth feels like against mine. I want to taste her.

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