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“It’s still so pretty. I’ll miss it.”
A firm hand was on my shoulder, but the smell wafting in the air was wrong, stank of liquor and not primed with the heavenly aroma of cinnamon. Shocked, I whirled around, but Seamus caught my wrist.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded.
He blinked at me through bleary, bloodshot eyes. “I’ve been here. Got invited.” Seamus then squeezed my wrist so hard that I feared it would snap. “Didn’t know that, did you? What, did Mr. Bloody Perfect not tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“That I asked for a ticket that day in the office. He was all high and mighty on me, till I saw his side piece come in. You’re the mewling little quim he’s been getting his cock wet with, aren’t you?” He grinned as he yanked the masked from my face. “Had you pegged, lass, when you walked in and you were the star here. Now, I have to ask, Ms. Kilshi
mer, do you only work for good ‘ole Callum, or do you freelance?”
I tried to yank away from him, but he grabbed my other arm and pinned me against the balcony. My back cracked against the marble railing. Tears ran down my face from the pain, but I was more worried about what was coming next.
“Please, I’m not…don’t touch me.”
“But I’m here now,” he said, pressing his body to mine. The feel of his erection against me and the noxious whiff of whiskey made my stomach roil. “Why not try a fun night with a different developer?”
“Just stop.” My voice was small and wavered as I spoke. It was so hard to hear, I wondered if he’d even noticed I’d croaked out words. “I want to leave.”
He bent low and kissed me, thrusting his slimy tongue deep inside my throat. I almost gagged at the bitter taste of scotch on my tongue, and I loathed the way his mustache scraped against my lip. Pulling back, he grinned again. “You taste so sweet, so ready, Ms. Kilshimer.”
Seamus stretched out the syllables of my name like a private joke. It made me more nauseated than anything else.
“No.”
“See, I’m betting, whore, that you won’t scream. No one can know about you and Callum or it’ll get back to your dear old dad. That would be a big no-no. Last thing you’re going to do is scream and bring everyone out here, including the photographers.” His hand trailed lower and cupped my left breast. Hot tears burned my cheek. “I think that’ll give us plenty of time.”
Closing my eyes, I bit my lip to keep from screaming. He wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t going to humiliate Callum by calling for him. I wasn’t going to embarrass him here or destroy the progress of the gala. The people who were sick deserved more than that, than any of this.
Then there was the sick thud of flesh on flesh, and Seamus groaned.
Opening my eyes, I backed away as Seamus stumbled from me. He and I both turned to see Callum standing there alone. His blue eyes blazed with a fiery rage, and he had blood on the knuckles of his right hand. Seamus already had blood pooling from his nose. He bobbed and weaved a bit, but he apparently wasn’t smart enough to admit defeat.
Raising his arm, he tried to slug Callum, but Callum dodged the blow and then slammed a left hook directly into Seamus’s jaw. This time something loud crunched, and I wanted to cheer, but I held my tongue. No one wanted the charity founders or the reporters to find us out here. Seamus held his jaw and mumbled. His words badly slurred but were still audible even with the way his purpled jaw was already swelling.
“You’ll regret this, Callum.”
“No, mate,” Callum said, surging forward and grabbing Seamus by the lapels of his tuxedo jacket. Shoving him up against the balcony until Seamus’ back dangled precariously over the street below, Callum growled his next words to his former friend. “You listen. You touch her again, hurt her again, and no one will ever find where I bury what’s left of you. Do you understand me? I will end you.”
Seamus moaned and tried to get out from under Callum’s grip, but he couldn’t. Callum had to have five inches on him and at least fifty pounds of pure muscle. I froze and touched Callum’s arm. I knew how angry he was—hell, I knew how angry I was—but I couldn’t let him do anything he’d regret in the future. I couldn’t let him hurt someone else.
“Please, just let him go and don’t go nuts.”
Callum’s face was flushed purple by now even as he pressed Seamus farther over the balcony’s edge. “He hurt you.”
“But you saved me. You can always save me,” I said, squeezing his forearm. “Besides, this jerk isn’t worth it. Don’t ruin the gala over him.”
Callum finally nodded and pulled Seamus back to his feet. “You go, and you don’t come within a thousand meters of her. I’ll have men who’ll know if you do. Don’t think you won’t be followed, mate. If you even try and hurt her, then no one will ever find you. And, oh yes, Seamus, you better believe if it’s the last thing I ever do, I’ll ruin your company.”
“I…” Seamus started, still holding his jaw and bleeding nose. He swayed on his feet, and I wasn’t even sure he knew where he was by then. Good.
Callum shoved him forward and nodded to the security staff who’d come out. “Get him from here quietly, use the alternate stairwell. The foundation’s night shouldn’t be ruined over this.”
“No,” I agreed as three large men started hustling the disoriented Seamus away. “That’s the last thing we need tonight.”
After they were all gone, it took what felt like hours to feel steady, to stop breathing heavily. Callum gathered me to his chest, and I let him. But it didn’t work. Not the same way it had earlier in the night. Before, I’d felt nothing but secure wrapped in his arms. Right now, even though he’d saved me, I couldn’t feel anything but scared and trapped. Sighing, I slipped away from his embrace.
