Page 68 of Shattered Union

I move toward the stairs. My only thought is calling Callie and making sure she's okay. I need to hear her voice.

Fuck. This situation is completely fucked up.

20

Callie

"Are you okay?" Chloe asks as she takes her usual seat at the bar. I glance at the young girl and see the worry in those brown eyes of hers. "Dad, told me what happened."

Damn it, Denis."I'm okay, really. But he shouldn't have told you."

She shrugs. "Ma did this to you. I deserved to know. I'm so sorry, Callie."

I reach for her hand, giving it a squeeze. She grabs a hold of it and holds on tightly. "Please don't apologize, Chlo. It wasn't your fault, and it's over with now."

I never wanted her to know just how evil her mam truly was. No matter what Zoe has done to me, I would never talk shit about her to her children, that's just not me.

"Are you going to talk to Da?" she asks, and I finally realize why she showed up today. She's here because of Denis.

I pull my hand away as though she's burned me. "Did he put you up to this?" I can't help the annoyance that fills my words.

Her eyes widen and her mouth parts slightly. "No," she says vehemently. "He knows I'm here and that I've been calling you. But we're friends, and I was worried about you."

God, I'm so distrusting.

"I'm sorry. The last couple of weeks have been..." I let the words trail off. Trying to figure out what I should or shouldn't say. I decide to go with the truth. "Hellish," I say honestly. "The last week was the worst."

"Ma wanted to kill you and the baby," she whispers.

I look at her in shock. I hadn't realized Denis had told his family yet.

She looks at me sheepishly. "I overheard Da talking to Danny and Holly last night. Eavesdropping is the only way I get information in that house."

I smile at her. Damn, she reminds me so much of me. "Sometimes, listening to other’s conversations isn't always that great."

She nods. "Yeah, I know."

The sadness in her voice makes me want to hunt Zoe down and kill her. God, that bitch really has put her kids through hell.

"Are you hungry?"

She shakes her head. "No, I'm okay, thank you. Da's promised to buy pizza this evening."

"Lucky you," I reply with a wink. "Ava always eats my pizza."

"Why don't you have dinner with us?" she asks, looking extremely excited about the prospect.

My stomach drops at the thought of breaking her heart. "Right now, darling. Things are a little too raw for me to be having dinner with your family."

She blinks, her mouth opening and forming an O. "You don't know?"

I study her. "Don't know what?"

She glances around the room. "Ma's dead."

"What?" I hiss. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

She gives me a small, sad smile. "I'm fine, honestly. I'm just glad she can't hurt anyone anymore. She died four days ago. An accident. She was drunk driving. Wrapped her car around a pole. Died instantly. The funeral was yesterday, it's why I wasn't here."

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