Page 60 of Cautious

“Which is when I found you crying and talked you into staying,” Blake summarizes.

“And yet people got hurt because of me anyway,” I manage to speak, the words sounding a little garbled as I stare at Kellen before turning to face Tate.

“I’m sorry about your man,” I tell him. I was told that one of his teammates had been killed in the explosion.

He walks forward and crouches next to me, taking one of my hands in his. “None of this was your fault. I don’t blame you, and neither would O’Neil. He died doing the job he loved,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze before letting go and walking back to his original spot.

Everyone is quiet for a few moments before Arlo speaks up. “I still don’t understand how your mother even knew Christian.”

I switch back to typing, the guys waiting patiently for me to finish before I hold the phone up for Blake to read.

My mother divorced my father while he was in prison. As soon as the ink was dry on the papers, she married a man named Thomas Reed. I don’t know the ins and outs of their relationship as I left home the day I turned eighteen. What I do know is that Thomas had a heart attack and died after finding his wife in bed with his best friend. A best friend who I just found out was Christian Baylor.

Blake pauses for a second, letting everyone absorb the information before continuing.

Thomas died right there, and then on the bedroom floor next to the marital bed, he caught his wife and best friend fucking in, and my mother acted as if it were nothing more than a mild inconvenience. This reaction impressed Christian, the sick fuck that he is. He made a joke about how they would be the perfect couple if he generally didn’t like his women young and impressionable.

Of course, this is when my mother showed him my picture and offered me up like a sacrificial virgin, all for the right price, of course. Nothing’s more important to Mother than her ability to shop.

“She sold you to a man so she could keep herself in shoes and bags?” Marcus shouts angrily on my behalf.

I shrug and nod. I’m not even hurt by it anymore, just numb. I was never anything more to my mother than a bargaining chip.

“That’s it, we’re adopting you,” he snaps, making my eyes widen as I fight to hold back a smile.

I type out my response.

I love you guys, but adopting me would put a serious kink in my plans to marry Blake. I’ve called him many things over the duration of our relationship, but Daddy won’t be one of them.

And just like that, the tension in the room disappears as the guys burst out laughing.

Blake

It has been nearly three months since Callie’s kidnapping. Her cuts and bruises had faded weeks before she finally had the wiring removed from her jaw, and slowly, our lives have fallen back into a routine.

Callie’s mother and Christian were arrested and detained once they were well enough to leave the hospital, but both were released on bail and ordered by a judge to stay away from Callie.

I was on edge constantly, feeling it in my bones that something was going to happen. Christian had already proven he was insane the first time he took Callie. I had no reason to think he had learned his lesson now.

The woman in the hospital turned out to be a working girl who looked a little like Brenda. Christian roughed her up, threatening to slit her throat if she didn’t play along, then gave her Brenda’s ID so that when she was taken to the hospital, Callie would get the call. He was willing to go to anylengths to have Callie. The fact he had been quiet since he was released left me acting paranoid and overprotective as we waited for him to make a move.

I know he isn’t staying away because the police have told him to. He doesn’t give a shit about them. No, he’s staying away so hecan plan, and the only thing I can do is make sure we’re ready for whenever he decides to strike.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Callie asks, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning her head against my back.

“I was a million miles away, that’s all. How you feeling?” I ask, turning in her arms.

“I’m okay, better than yesterday. I think my body is just so used to the pureed shit that it’s struggling to handle solids, especially Mexican fajitas,” she grumbles, making me laugh.

She hated every second of eating blended foods, quickly getting sick of soups and shakes. She had counted down the days until she had the wiring removed from her jaw so she could eat a cheeseburger, but the reality turned into her throwing up most of what she ate on a daily basis. She has already lost weight and most of her curves, much to her disgust. I’d love her no matter what size she was, but even I can see she can’t afford to lose anymore. Her clothes are virtually hanging off her at this point.

“I think it’s time for you to see the doctor. He might have some ideas about what kind of foods to try and what to avoid.”

“I’ve already called him. I have an appointment at two. Would you mind taking me?”

“You know I don’t. Besides, you’re stuck with at least one of the guys as your shadow for the foreseeable future, and I’m more than happy to shadow this delectable body of yours.”

“Thank you. Now, how about you come join me in the shower, and I’ll show you just how well my jaw has healed.”

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