Page 57 of Safe and Sound

When I entered the gym, Quinn was running on the treadmill. He threw up a hand before continuing running. Callum was at the weight bench loading plates onto the barbell. He glanced up at me and grinned. “You’re just in time to spot me.”

Instead of helping him, I desperately needed to burn off my frustration on a treadmill or the stair climber. “As long as you have my back next.”

“Of course.”

“Good. I need it.”

Callum eyed me curiously. “Did you have one of your nightmares last night?”

Rolling my eyes to the ceiling, I groaned. “No. As a matter of fact, I had quite a pleasant evening.” He didn’t need to know about the one I’d had atBandia.

“I just know that it’s that time of year when–”

“Enough.” Jerking my chin at the bench, I said, “Get to it.”

After lying back, Callum hefted up the barbell. As I spotted him, he asked, “Where did you end up disappearing to last night?”

“You mean how far did I run away when you and Caterina started practically fucking in front of me?”

“I hadn’t even gotten to second base,” Callum protested.

“Your head was pillowed in second base when I left.”

With a chuckle, Callum said, “Just tell me where you got off to.”

“For your information, I spent the rest of my evening with a lovely lady.”

Callum puffed out a breath of air as he lifted the bar. “A lady?”

“That’s what I said.”

After another huff, Callum grunted, “Since when do you fuck ladies?”

“Since Ava is thirty and established with her own home and career, I consider her a lady in my eyes.”

“One might argue that by fucking you on the first date, she isn’t a lady.”

Pressing down on the barbell, I growled, “Keep talking about her like that, and I’ll let you choke on this.”

Callum eyes bulged as the muscles in his biceps trembled. “Fuck, boyo. I’m sorry.”

Easing away from the bar, I replied, “Thank you.”

Quinn finished his sprint on the treadmill and came over to us. “Did you and Kellan make up yet?”

“No.”

Wheezing, Callum said, “You and Kellan had words?”

I opened my mouth to answer him, but Quinn beat me to it. “They were literally throwing hands last night.”

Callum pushed the bar up to ease it back on the stand. As he sat up on the bench, he cocked his brows at me. “Why did you start shit with him?”

“Why do you automatically assume it was me?”

“Because unlike the rest of us, Kellan is the heart and soul of this family. Starting shit with him is basically like kicking a puppy. Especially since he and Mabry are having issues.”

I grimaced. “They are?”

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