Page 24 of Shattered Union

“You’re mine,” I grunt as I fuck her.

“Yours,” she breathes, her beautiful eyes filled with love.

“You leave, I’m chasing you.”

Her pussy contracts around my dick. Yeah, she likes that.

“No matter what. I fuck up, you leave. I’m coming for you, baby. You’re mine.”

She cries out as she detonates once again. “God, I love you,” she screams.

That’s all it takes for me to follow her, growling her name as I come. “I love you too,mo ghrá,” I whisper against her neck.

That sinking gut feeling hits me. I try to push it away, but it’s almost as though it’s burning in my stomach. I hold Callie tight to me, needing to breathe in her scent. Fuck. I can’t lose her.

7

Callie

Three months later

“Hey, honey, how are you?” I smile as I walk toward the bar. Happy to see Chloe seated there, doing her homework, an empty plate to her left and a pint glass of water to her right.

The past three months, Chloe has been a constant feature in my life. Her home life isn’t great. From what she’s told me, her mam doesn’t care about her or her siblings and is awful toward her. She’s abused her verbally and physically.

God, if I ever got my hands on the woman, I’d kill her.

Since I found out about the treatment she’s been receiving, I’ve encouraged her to come to the pub to have her dinner and stay until she has to be home. Usually around eightish. Mam has told me she’s here every evening either after school or after dance practice.

Chloe raises her head from her books and looks over at me. “Hey, Callie,” she says with a bright smile. “I’m good, your ma’s been helping me with my geography.”

“Really?” I drawl, knowing damn well Mam knows fuck all about geography and thinks Cyprus is part of Greece.

Mam throws a cloth at me. “Oh, hush you,” she admonishes me softly.

I just beam at her. “How has it been today?”

Mam glances around the almost packed pub. “Busy. I haven’t stopped all day. I swear to you, Callie, it just gets busier each day.”

Chloe nods. “Your poor ma’s been rushed off her feet since I walked in. It’s just started to die down in the last few minutes.”

“I’ll look into hiring more staff,” I tell Mam and relief washes through her eyes.

I feel bad; she loves working here and I don’t want it to stop. She should have told me it was getting too much. I’d have hired someone before now. All my pubs need new staff, they’re all getting busier and while I love it’s bringing in more money, it means I’m going to have people on my staff who I don’t know or trust and that’s not something I like.

“Good, baby.” She glances back at Chloe, who’s glued to her phone. “Have you finished your homework, young lady?”

I shudder at the tone Mam uses. God, it’s bringing back memories of when I was at school.

Chloe giggles. “Yes, Nichola.” Her phone buzzes and her face loses all colour. “I have to go,” she whispers.

I pull her into my arms, her body trembling beneath my arms. “Hey, what’s happened?”

She releases a ragged sob. “My granda died and my sister’s been kidnapped.”

I blink. What the fuck? “Chloe, take a breath and talk to me.”

I’m praying it’s not right. That no one would be that callous as to text someone to tell them their grandad died and their sister has been taken.

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