Page 48 of Wicked Duty
Grinning, I bury my clean face into a luxuriously fluffy towel and half scream, half laugh for another thirty seconds straight.
Still doesn’t feel real.
After sharing the news with Maya and Nika and posting a reaction video on TikTok and a thank-you message on Insta, I still can’t believe it. This is really happening.
Only a few challenges remain before the judges choose the model who’ll headline Runway Revolution. I’ve gotten further in this competition than I ever thought possible. A few months ago, I thought I’d be…
Darkness from my time in captivity washes over me, shooting my nervous system into panic mode.
After a long self-inspection in the mirror and some breathing exercises, the pain slowly slips away.
The truth remains though. A few months ago, my life was worse than over. It had been stolen from me, controlled by an evil man. At the time, I didn’t know if or how I’d survive.
Now, I’m on my way to becoming a modeling sensation.
I hover on the precipice of kick-starting a career that would not only lead to everything I’ve ever dreamed of but would also put the horrors of my life so far in the rearview mirror, I’d hardly be able to recall those despicable experiences again.
The giddiness returns with a vengeance. I put the towel away and head into the main suite. Callum is there, frowning over our room service order. I’m pretty sure he’s checking for poison.
When he’s finished with his meticulous guard dog routine, I sit at the kitchen table and dig in. Lobster, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus.
Sweet heaven, this is amazing. A celebration dinner for the ages.
I spear a bit of everything on my fork.
The bite is halfway to my mouth when Callum’s words stop me. “I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier.”
I’ve been so excited about the win that my issues with Callum haven’t crossed my mind since they called my name. Holding a grudge against him is simply out of the question, and even if it weren’t, I’m sure my resolve would’ve faltered as soon as the wordsorrytumbled from his infuriating but mesmerizing mouth.
I set my fork down and give him my full attention. “Go on.”
His grip on the back of the dining chair beside me tightens. “Dealing with all those crowds…following the attack at that after-party… I guess you could say it put me on edge.”
Is Callum trying to tell me he was nervous? Giving me some window into how he felt?
What parallel universe is this? I win round five of Runway Revolution, and Mr. Ice Box over here starts to melt the same day?
“I was nervous too.” I glance down at my plate. “It’s okay.”
Callum doesn’t say anything, doesn’t even move, so I give him the warmest smile I can manage. “Sit. Eat. It’s been a longday. You must be starving. I’m so hungry, I could eatyou—” I babble like an idiot, catching myself seven words too late.
That eyebrow pops up as Callum smirks at me. “What was that, Marlow? Hungry for something besides lobster?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. But I’m in too good a mood to let him win this time.
“That depends. They do say it’s an aphrodisiac.” I spear the meat from my lobster tail. “What do you have on offer?”
He snorts. “Something bigger than that claw.”
My gaze slides from the shellfish on my plate to Callum, then back again. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“You couldn’t handle it.”
“No, Callum, you couldn’t handle me. But that’s okay. I don’t date grandpas, so you have nothing to worry about.” I give him a sweet smile. “Do you even remember how old you are?”
He laughs.
The man with the emotional repertoire of cement cracks a laugh. The rich, throaty timbre washes over me, and tingles swarm beneath my skin. I’m caught off guard by how much I love the sound.
