“Yeah.” She jumps up and grabs her bag, but stops when faced with a frowning Phoenix.
“Um. She going?” he asks, his hands on his hips.
“Yeah. She’s going to stay out of the way unless Callie won’t give me the time of day, in which case she’ll go and explain everything to her. But hopefully it won’t come to that.”
Phoenix shakes his head. “Thalia told me it was because of her that sent her running. Did that not happen?”
I sigh. “That kinda happened, but it’s not what she thinks… Fuck.” I look at Dal, who offers me a small smile with a nod to her head. “Dal’s my sister,” I say meeting my best friend’s look of disbelief. “Look it’s no secret about what my dad was like. Ugh. Nobody else knows, okay. No one in my family – no one and we need to keep it like that until I can get home to tell my mom, which should be fun.”
“Fuck! I can’t believe you’ve kept that quiet for all these years… Shit! I’ll keep it to myself, but you need to get home once you’ve told Callie before it gets back to one of your sisters. Christ, you know what they’re like.” He starts laughing. “This is so funny.”
I shove him. “There is nothing funny about this.”
“Yeah, there is, but I’m going to go before you punch this work of perfection.” Phoenix makes a rapid exit, which is for the best.
“That went well. I don’t think he believes us,” Dal states, chewing her bottom lip.
“He believes us,” I walk toward the front door, “he’s just being an idiot. C’mon, let’s get outta here.”
Chapter 23
Callie
I’m a nervous wreck! The hot guy I was expecting to belong to the sleek, black car that was parked
in my parents’ drive belongs to Creepy Drew. Apparently, he’s been back for the past twelve months and works for his father’s company, so he’s been doing business with my Dad. If I’m honest he is kinda hot. Certainly a change from the past. He looks to have muscle under his clothes and with his dark blonde hair, blue eyes and sexy grin. I can definitely say that he isn’t as creepy as he used to be. He just doesn’t seem to have that creepy vibe about him anymore, and when he looks at me his eyes are different, clearer.
My mom keeps asking me why I won’t take him up on his offer to take me around town. She’s driving me crazy, so much so that I’ve been trying to avoid her the best I can. I’ve never admitted to her that he’s always freaked me out and that he was the reason why I got locked in the attic as a child.
We are both grown now and young adults, so maybe he’s changed. I mean his physical appearance has changed and he certainly seemed different when mom invited him to stay for dinner and then proceeded to sit him beside me!
But yeah, I’m still nervous around him and now I know he’s around the property with my dad. My nerves have been dancing and I’m hiding in my room, not wanting to be caught alone with him because my mom is out with her ‘lady friends,’ I use the term loosely, because of what they discuss or even what one or two of them have gotten up to in the past. Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t spied on my mom’s friends when their get together took place at our house. But fuck, the stuff they came out with. My sweet mom talking about sex and stuff. God, it made me shudder in disgust. I mean it’s okay for me to have hot sex and stuff, but my mom and dad. That’s just, eww.
Thump, thump.
Oh, shit. I freeze. Someone’s banging on the front door. Dad said he was taking Drew somewhere on the property, but I wasn’t paying too much attention. Surely though they couldn’t have finished. Could they?
Thump, thump.
I jump from my bed and hiding behind my curtains peak down…huh. I can’t see anyone although there is a red car parked up in the driveway. Well at least I know it isn’t Drew, but I’ve no idea who it is.
Thump, thump.
Turning from the window, I dash out of my room and downstairs, knowing, at the very least I’m not going to be caught alone with him.
Not bothering to look through the glass beside the door, I pull it open and come face to face with my current heartache.
We just stare at the other. Neither of us moving. My eyes travel over him a few times to make sure he’s really standing in front of me – and he is. What’s he doing here? I meet his gaze, which nearly floors me. My whole body is frozen in place.
“Callie,” he whispers, moving forward he takes hold of my face in a caress and rests his forehead against mine before closing his eyes and inhaling. He opens his eyes and says, “I’ve missed you.” His voice quivers. “God, Callie.” He kisses my forehead before letting me go, although, with how slowly he removes his hands I’d say he removes them reluctantly.
I clear my throat and step back. “What are you doing here?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my stomach while I try not to let him see how happy I am to see him. My happiness pisses me off after everything he’s done.
“I need to talk to you… To explain.” He rubs his neck, which I’ve noticed he does when he’s nervous or frustrated.
“Haven’t you said enough already?” I counter.
“Dal’s my sister,” he blurts out.