Page 72 of His to Keep

“I’m sorry I can’t help you,” were my last words as I opened their door and ran down their porch steps. As soon as I dived into my car, I slammed my foot on the accelerator and peeled out of their drive before he could take down my car registration.

When I was a safe distance away, I broke down crying. I cried so hard that I had to pull over. What was I thinking going there and telling them about their daughter? Of course, they would have wanted to go to the police right away to give a statement. I was so stupid. And to think they were aware of the Brotherhood had chills running down my back. They didn’t know what they were messing with. I didn’t even know, just what I’d been told by Callum. Becoming the voice of survivors would get me killed.

Exhausted, I booked myself into a B&B on the outskirts of town. The owner was a kind lady, but I could tell she was curious why an eighteen-year-old girl was traveling alone with tear-smudged cheeks. Assuring her that I was okay, I went up to the room.

After showering and changing into my pajamas, I sat on the bed for a while staring at nothing. Just as I was about to lie down and suffer another night of nightmares, a thump outside my door made me violently jump.

It’s them,I thought.They’re coming to get me.

A shadow appeared on the landing outside my door, and then a key jiggled in the lock. That sound alone had a horrendous fear punching me in the stomach. I couldn’t breathe or speak or scream as the handle turned and the door opened.

And there he was. Dressed in a black suit with his hair styled in way I’d never seen before, was Callum. My Callum.

Though, was he?

Still as handsome as ever, even more so in a jaw-dropping way, he stepped into the room and closed the door. My head shook, unable to believe he was here. This had to be a trick of my mind. “You’re not real.”

Ignoring me, his eyes drank me in. “Look at you.”

Lifting my hands, I rubbed my eyes, thinking that if I did, he’d disappear. There was no way it could be that easy. Coming to Callum’s old town and him showing up. Things didn’t happen like this. But when I opened my eyes, he was still there. Real, in my room at a tiny B&B. And like a tidal wave had washed through me, every bit of hurt, anger and despair came flooding back.

“You left me,” I said, teeth clenched as I stood. “You abandoned me.”

He nodded. “I did.”

“Why?” I demanded. “Where did you go? Why did you leave me in Little Willow by myself? I trusted you, and you walked out on me.” Sighing softly, he walked toward me, but I stepped back. “No! You don’t get to come here and expect me to forgive and forget.”

“I don’t expect that, and don’t forgive me. Leaving you was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“Because I wanted to be able to offer you a proper life. I had things I needed to do to make sure you’d be safe with me. I wasn’t willing to risk your life again. I sent your dad to you and I—”

“My dad?”

“I had to make sure someone was there to take care of you while I was away. I went to Brother Joseph to confess. To the Brotherhood.”

My eyes bugged. “You did what?”

“Why wait for John to rat us out if I could go to the source? I confessed, and I was punished. I did it for you, to protect you. And then when I was set free, I bought a house for us and got a job as an artist to provide for us. If you still want me. If you haven’t met someone else—”

What? I was so confused. Callum had a house. A job?

“If I met someone else, why would I behere?”

“Then you do want to be with me.”

“I-I don’t know. How did you even know I was here?”

“I’ve been tracking your whereabouts for months,” he explained, which shocked me. How was he able to do that? He could know where I was, but I couldn’t know where he was? “Ava.” He looked worried now, and my stomach twisted. “If you feel nothing for me. If you truly don’t want anything to do with me, I’ll go now. You won’t see me ever again, I swear. I just want you to be happy.”

“You’re the only one who made me happy. Until you left me,” I whispered. I hadn’t realized he’d been closing the gap between us all that time, until he lifted his hand and touched the side of my face. His touch was fire, and I melted right there on the spot. I grabbed his hand, my heart physically hurting. After all this time, how can he come back into my life and flare these feelings within me again? “How do I know you won’t leave me again?”

“I won’t.” He stepped even closer, and I breathed in his scent. “I love you. There’s no one else.” The electricity that sparked between us was so intense, I couldn’t help it. Gripping onto the lapels of his jacket, I kissed him, weak for him. He kissed me back, instantly picking me up and putting me down on the bed.

Pushing his jacket down his arms, he grabbed the hem of my pajama top and pulled it over my head. Eyes dropping, his lips parted. “So fucking beautiful. Stunning. You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”

My breathing hitched, because looking at him staring down at me like he was, had my body throbbing in ways it never had before. He stripped me bare, drowning my body in hot kisses that had me moaning. Between my legs was slick with arousal and his salvia, and I’d never wanted something so bad in my entire life.

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