Page 54 of Shadow Dance

“You say that every night, but we used to fuck every day,” he says. “It’s been weeks. I miss you.”

Yeah, it’s been weeks because he’s been having his needs met elsewhere. “I don’t feel good.”

He scoffs, wrestling my underwear off and rolling on top of me. “Why, you pregnant or something?”

My heart starts to pound. “I’m just tired.”

“Then I’ll fuck you back to sleep,” he says, kissing me. “I miss you, baby.”

I turn my face, but he tugs it back, pressing his thumb between my lips so he can shove his tongue into my mouth. He’s like an octopus, his hands everywhere as he wedges himself between my thighs. I go still, my throat aching as I try not to cry. “Don’t,” I whisper. “Please don’t.”

But he does.

“You sure youdon’t wanna come?” Callum asks, folding clothes into a travel bag. “I already got you a ticket and everything.”

But I’m sore and pissed off, and he knows it. And tired. I couldn’t sleep after what happened between us last night. It’s something I’m still trying to wrap my head around. “I’m not going.”

Callum lifts his chin. “You never want to chill anymore. You don’t wanna hang out. You don’t wanna fuck. What’s the deal with you?”

“What’s my deal?” I huff softly. “I should be asking you that.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. We can’t keep doing this.”

“Keep doing what?” He tosses an impatient glance my way. “Just say it.”

“This! Us! It isn’t working anymore.” The words are out before I can stop them, but I don’t regret them.

He rolls his eyes. “Then make it work.”

“I’ve tried, but it takes two,” I shoot back. “I’m going?—”

“You’re not leaving,” he says, calmly zipping his bag. “Unless you’re leaving with me.”

“Cal—”

“Pack your shit so we can get going.”

“I can’t fly. I lost my driver’s license,” I blurt, remembering.

He shrugs. “So, we’ll use your passport.”

That’s right—my passport. I can use that if I need to get out of here quickly. But not today.

“Maeve.”

The low, steady tide of panic that’s been tugging at me since last night rises. “I’m not going to Las Vegas. Not after what you did last night.”

This seems to give him pause. He slows, dropping another shirt into his bag. But when he looks at me, all he says is “You really want me to go by myself?”

“You won’t be by yourself.” I look back at him, really look. I want him to see me when I say this. “You’re never by yourself. You think I don’t know what you do when you’re gone, Callum?”

He watches me hard, his eyes glinting, before he shrugs. Guess he doesn’t want to get into it because he knows I’m right. “Fine, stay here then.”

“I will. And unlike you, I do want to be alone,” I say. “Let Jaime go with you guys. He needs some time off.”

“Don’t worry about Jaime, all right? He knows what his job is. He’s gonna stay right the fuck here to make sure you stay here.”

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