Page 16 of Outlawed Treat
“They’re good.Bryce is playin’ next to Rory.She’s sleepin’ in her car seat.Don’t know where the fuck Tiffany is.Need you to look through the house.Things have been moved and Darren’s beer is sittin’ empty in the top of the garbage can.I don’t know what the fuck is goin’ on, but this can’t be a coincidence with the pictures she’s had left here and then the note and rose petals on her SUV at the hospital.Someone is doin’ everythin’ Darren did when he was alive.That’s why she’s so bad today.Cali hasn’t had a panic attack this horrible in a very long time,” I tell my best friend as his eyes widen and his face turns red.The vein in his neck starts pulsing and I know he’s about to lose his shit.
It takes a lot to get Kreed to lose control of his temper.This situation is more than enough for him to lose it though.Nothing will be safe when he truly gets going.If my family thinks I’m reckless when someone I love gets hurt or anything bad happens to them, it honestly has nothing on how Kreed is in the same situation.While I go into situations without thinking things through and truly formulating any kind of plan, Kreed blacks out and goes into a rage taking out everything in his path.Tank and my dad have tried to help him control this, but nothing has worked.
“Tiffany had to leave.She wanted to stay until I got here, but Cali told her to go.Tiff’s little brother is sick and the school called her to come pick him up.I finally got a hold of her on the way here.She feels horrible now.Tiffany also let me know Cali hit her hand on the door when she got out of the SUV.We should probably have Doc check her out and make sure no further damage was done,” Kreed informs me as I watch Cali’s eyes start to flutter and nod at him to take off.
Cali doesn’t like an audience when she’s so out of things like this.Even Kreed.They’re best friends and she already feels weak from not being able to stop herself from getting so lost in the panic attack.I continue taking deep breaths while resting my hand over her heart so I can make sure it’s still slowing down.
“Caleb?”Cali whispers, her voice breaking as more tears slide down her face and land on my hand where it rests on her chest.
“I’m here, Reina.I’ve got you.Focus on your breathin’.Kreed’s with the kids.Don’t think about anythin’ else but the sound of my voice and controllin’ your breath.Can you do that for me?”I ask her, needing her to continue coming out of the haze these suck her down into.
“I can do that,” she answers me, not pulling away from my touch but resting her head on my chest directly over my heart and wrapping her arm around my body the best she can while keeping her injured one protected between us.“Thank you for coming to me.”
“I’ll always have your back when you need me, Reina.No matter what’s goin’ on between the two of us, I’ve always got you and the kids.Don’t ever doubt that, Cali,” I tell her, my voice still soft as I keep my eyes locked on hers.
Reaching out with one hand, I wipe the tears from her face as she looks up at me.Cali’s so drained from the panic attack, she can’t even smile at me like normal when I wipe her tears away.It’s been a long time since I’ve done this, but every time it’s always the same.Cali gives me that shy smile I’m lucky enough to see on a regular basis while she starts blushing like crazy.While I’m not getting the smile, her face and neck are turning red.
“You’re always so good to me.Even when I don’t deserve it, Caleb,” she says, closing her eyes and sinking deeper into my hold.I don’t bother moving because this is what I’ve been craving for so damn long.The feel of her soft body pressed against mine as we hold one another.Words aren’t needed in this moment as we simply savor the attention I’ve been denying both of us.
“You deserve the world, Cali.Nothin’ less than the fuckin’ world on a silver platter.Mom will tell you the same thing.They’re on the way here, by the way.Kreed called them on me and then they heard about the attack on you.They would have been here already but Dad had to wrap a few things up before they could head out.I’m not sure if Laura’s comin’ out this time,” I tell her, just to give her something to think about other than the house and what else is wrong in the home she’s made for her family.
“I really don’t, Caleb.I’ve messed up so much in my life and there’s so much I have to be sorry for.My kids needed me and I wasn’t there for them.I allowed myself to black out with this panic attack.All because I saw some things I don’t know how to handle.What kind of mom does that make me?What kind of person?”Cali questions me, burying her face deeper in my chest as the tears she’s crying soak my shirt.I could care less about the mess Cali’s making of me.I’m here for whatever she needs.
“It’s makes you one of the strongest people I’ve ever known in my entire life, Cali.You had a single moment of weakness and no one was here to help you.Kreed and I should have been here but I’ve been lettin’ stupid shit get in the way of me bein’ here for you like I should be.Kreed had to stop in at work for a little while.We never knew Tiffany had to leave you alone.I don’t blame her now that I know what’s goin’ on with her.I was pissed as fuck about her ditchin’ you before we could get here,” I tell Cali honestly as she keeps her head buried and turns her body to wrap fully around mine.
One arm remains wrapped around me and now her legs are also around my body.It’s the most contact I’ve had with her in years.I never allow myself to give in to the temptation she creates whenever she’s near me.Cali could walk out wearing nothing more than her oldest clothes with her hair thrown up in a messy bun and the glasses she hates to wear on her face without a trace of make-up on her skin and I’d still find her the sexiest woman alive.I let my body relax against the cabinets behind me knowing the worst of the panic attack is now over with.Cali’s able to hold a full conversation with me so she’s breaking free of the hold it has over her on her own now.I continue the deep breathing and don’t let my arms loosen from her body.If this is what Cali needs in this moment, I’m more than happy to give it to her.
Closing my eyes, I savor the moment and lock out the rest of the world.No one else exists except for Cali and me.Kreed has the kids so I don’t have to worry about them and I can allow myself this time to hold Cali the way I’ve dreamed of doing for as long as I can remember.If she were my girl, I’d always hold her this close and never let a single second pass me by.Her time is invaluable and I’m lucky I get to have a small amount of it.
“Cali, I know you don’t want to live on the compound, but the situation has changed.You need to be protected.The kids need to be protected.Someone got into your home and didn’t alert any of us.There are no notifications on my phone about the security system bein’ disarmed and reset while you were at the doctor’s office.That’s a problem.A big one.Will you please come back with us so we can protect you properly?”I question Cali while paying close attention to her body so I know how much she hates this idea and what kind of fight I’m about to have with her.
Instead of tensing up at the mention of her coming back with us, Cali’s body relaxes completely.Shock fills me because I know this isn’t her.Normally, she’d fight me until we weren’t talking to one another for a few hours.Then we’d talk the situation out and come to some kind of compromise.This time, it’s as if the fight has drained completely out of her body with the remnants of the panic attack.
“I’ll go with you.I just have to get our things ready.I know Kreed and you both have things at your houses for the kids, but it doesn’t mean I’ll have everything they need.I’ll go pack now,” Cali finally says, her voice muffled because she doesn’t move her face from being buried in my chest.
“Um, that’s not gonna happen, Cali.You can get things for Bryce and Rory, but your room is off limits right now.Caleb, you need to go take a look and don’t let her inside for any reason.Don’t touch anythin’,” Kreed says, interrupting us as I look up at my best friend.
If I thought he was pissed before, it’s nothing on what I’m seeing right now.Kreed’s entire face and neck are red, the vein is sticking out even further in his neck, and his entire body is shaking.He’s ready to handle this situation on his own while saving Cali and me from getting our hands dirty.He’d rather do the dirty work all on his own instead of letting me go with him to find out what the hell is going on.And why everything is pointing to Darren.
“I’ll be back, Reina.Give me a minute and we’ll stop at the store on the way to the compound.Leave everythin’ here and don’t go anywhere but the livin’ room with the kids.Can you do that for me?”I ask her as I stand up with her in my arms before walking in the living room.“Kreed stay with her and the kids.I’ll go check out her room.You call anyone in?”
“Got Master, Manic, and Force headin’ over here.I’m sure more of the guys will show up once they find out what’s goin’ on.You know how everyone is when it comes to Cali.They all love her and will do anythin’ for the kids and her,” Kreed answers me as I set Cali down on the couch and move the pillow around so her arm is propped up and she can be comfortable.
Walking back to Cali’s room, I steel myself for what I’m about to find.If Kreed’s this pissed, there’s a reason for it.Opening her door, I don’t step in the room as I take a look around.The bed she sleeps in is destroyed with the blankets all over the place and stuffing from the pillows tossed all over.A knife is stuck in the wall at the top of the headboard with a pair of Cali’s panties pinned beneath it.More of her panties are thrown over the room and landed on every available surface.I can tell looking at some of them there are a few used pairs among the pile.Not used by her but by whoever broke into her home and created this mess.
Rage fills me and I refuse to step in Cali’s bedroom to see anything else.What I’m looking at is bad enough and if I see any more disrespect to the woman I’ve loved most of my life, I’ll lose my shit.Grabbing the door handle, I close it harder than necessary before slamming my fist in the wall next to me.I make a dent but don’t break the drywall.The pictures rattle on the wall above me and I hope none of them fall and break.Right now I need to calm down before I go back out with the kids and Cali.None of them need to see me this way.I won’t allow them to see me so filled with the rage flowing through my veins and clouding my vision.Cali just came out of a panic attack and I’m worried about throwing her right back into another one.I won’t let it happen.
After several minutes of deep breathing, I finally manage to calm myself down enough to go back to everyone.Kreed and Cali are talking while Bryce finishes packing his toys in the backpack I got him my last year in the military.I move toward Cali and lift her back in my arms while Kreed moves over to help Bryce finish packing his toys up to bring with us.With Cali’s body wrapped around mine, I hold her tight with one arm while grabbing Rory in her car seat with the other.Kreed lets me know his SUV is unlocked and ready for them.With a nod of my head, I move to leave the house and get the kids and Cali away from this malicious attack on them in the one place that should be their sanctuary.It’s been ripped from them and I want nothing more than to give it back to Cali.It’s just going to take time.
