Calli leans forward into the screen, her voice softer. "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know, Cal." My voice breaks. "I don't know what to believe anymore."
Well, the real problem isn't that I don't know what to do, it's that I do, and I hate myself for it.
Because even now, even after everything, I can still feel him. The way his hands grip my waist. The way he said my name in the dark. The way he looked at me like I was the only thing keeping him tethered to this world.
And I want to hate him.
I should hate him, but I don't.
Calli's voice cuts through my thoughts. "Is it because you love him?"
My head snaps up. "What? Who says I love him?"
She laughs softly, sad. "Come on, Keira. It's totally obvious. For one, you've been a ghost lately. And whenever we do talk, you spend half the time either ranting about Octavian or pretending not to care. And after you slept with him?" She raises her eyebrows. "Girl, I knew you were smitten."
"Yeah, well, looks like I screwed and fell for a traitor."
Calli shakes her head. "You don't know that. Not yet. I'm with Callum on this one. Get the facts, then make the decision. There's too much emotion going on right now. Don't let anger decide for you."
I shrug and glance away. "I used to think I was good at reading people."
"You are," she says softly. "Which is why you need to talk to him. Not Callum. Not Declan. You. Something's got to give."
My chest tightens. "But what if I'm wrong about him, Calli? What if I let myself believe he cared, and it was all just part of the plan?"
She pauses, then says, "Then you'll know. And you'll deal with it. But if you don't talk to him, you'll spend the rest of your life wondering. And that's worse."
We sit in silence as her words settle over me.
Calli shifts, her tone lighter now. "It's been a hell of a year for us, huh?"
A small, genuine smile tugs at my lips. "That it has. But I'd never do it without my ride-or-die chick."
She grins. "Same. I think?—"
A knock at the door cuts her off.
I sit up. "I gotta go, Calli."
She nods. "Okay, call me later. I mean it."
I nod. "Okay, love you," I say and end the call just as Callum steps inside.
He closes the door behind him. He looks like he hasn't slept either. His shoulders are tight, his face unreadable.
He doesn't sit, just stands there, watching me.
"What's up?" I ask, defensive.
"I talked to Enzo Bonventi and a few other contacts."
I slide to the end of the bed and sit, my heart racing. "Did he do it? Did Octavian set me up?"
Callum holds up a hand and almost shrugs. "Let me tell you the story first."
I bite my bottom lip but stay quiet.
