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It’s not my damned Army mug. No, the cup is bland, just like Callum’s decor.
Callum’s hands wrap around my waist from behind, and I suck in a breath.
″I just want you safe, lass.”
″Tell me what’s going on with the Russians, Callum.”
He inhales slowly, then rushes out an exhale, his breath against my ear. “I’m handling it. It’s nothing you need to know.”
″That’s bullshit and you know it. You want to keep me safe?” I turn to face him, trying to search for any indication of his thoughts and find nothing. Just a stone-faced Callum, lips formed in a straight line, and not a single wrinkle in his forehead.
″I do.”
″I’m fucking safe. I was left in the hospital alone. You took Scotty off me and Cillian ran late. Then a police officer broke into my house and tried to rape me. Through it all, I was the one who kept myself safe. Not you!”
I brush past him to the living room, ignoring the throbbing in my side. I stop when I notice that his brothers and father are standing and staring at me. They’re in the living room, standing around the sofa that opens toward the kitchen.
″We’ll talk about this later, okay? Go and get some rest.” Callum is beside me now, his hand on the small of my back.
″No. We’re talking about it now. I want to know what the fuck was so important. Tell me what’s going on, or I swear to God, I will walk out of here and you’ll never see me again. I have the right to know, Callum. Because I didn’t want any of this.” I stop, running a hand through my hair, and gesture to the air between us, before continuing.
″You pushed yourself into my life. I was just fine without you. Protecting myself without you. You made me lean on you, promised me I’d be safe with you. You told me the cameras were the next step. I got used to never being alone.
″And all that did for me was make me weak. It made me put my guard down and it nearly cost my life. It cost another person’s life by my hands. So tell me or don’t tell me. I can’t force you to do anything. Just as you can’t force me to stay here.” I exhale, waiting for a response. This is it. We’re doing this now, or I’m leaving.
″I’m so sorry, Haley,” Sean says.
I break my gaze from Callum and turn to him.
He continues. “I should have realized Kirkland cut the power to the cameras. It’s my fault.”
″Don’t cover for him.” I’m stern as I step forward. “Don’t you dare take the blame. He’s the one who made you do it.”
″I did it to keep you safe, Haley,” Callum says.
I glare at him. “I treated a Russian man that day. He came in with a cut on his hand that I stitched. He told me to pass along a message to you Murphy boys. He said that you had something he wanted. And if you don’t return it to him, he will take matters into his own hands. He said it was pretty easy to get to me. So let that sink in for you, Callum. You can’t fucking protect me from shit. Only I can do that. I don’t need you. I don’t need this stupid fucking family.”
Hurt and fear flashes in Cal’s eyes. Barefoot, I head for the elevator. I’m only in pajama shorts and a tank top, but I don’t care.
″If you get on that elevator and try to leave, I will lock you in your room and you’ll only be allowed out to take a shite.” Callum’s voice roars behind me.
I don’t turn around to face him or stop. I continue my path, only raising my hand behind me to flash him my middle finger. His footsteps pound behind me, catching up to me as I try to step into the elevator.
″Don’t fucking embarrass me in front of my family,” he snarls, grabbing me by the back of my neck.
I chuckle as I look up at him. “There he is. I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep the monster from me forever.”
Apparently, that was the right thing to say, because his features soften and he lets me go. “You need your shoes.”
I straighten, brushing past him quietly. I hurry to the room I’ve been staying in and grab my shoes, then change into jeans and a shirt.
Everyone in the living room is quiet, standing with various reactions of shock as I hurry through the space with my head down.
Callum is standing by the elevator. “You let Scotty take you wherever you want to go.”
I nod, avoiding eye contact. He presses the button and helps me on when the cart gets to the top floor. As the door closes, I swallow hard. I throw my head back, hitting it against the back of the wall as I slide down to the floor.
What the fuck did I just do?
