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“Oh, Callie,” he said. “You have to know deep in your heart that I would never hurt you. I would never dream of taking you from this world.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “All it took was a picture.” He kissed her again and breathed her in.
He neededthis just as much as she did. He didn’t want to stop. Closing his eyes, he held onto her, feeling his own heart start to slow down. She comforted him as he did her.
“I will always protect you. I will always be here for you, and nothing and no onewill take you away from me. Not ever.”
He pressed his lips together a little afraid to say the words aloud.They would be so easy to say. So easy to tell her. But he’d never said those three words to another soul. Ruin, the Bogeyman, had never loved anyone in his life, until Callie. She had entered his world, a woman he was meant to kill, but he loved her more than anything, and in some crazy way, he wanted to try and build a life with her.
Chapter Nine
It had been three months sinceCallie learned the truth about Ruin, and she stared into the mirror of her bathroom with a little more dread.
For a couple ofweeks, she could pretend vomiting in the morning and the scent of coffee had something to do with a mysterious illness, but not anymore. Not after nearly a month. Her breasts were starting to feel sensitive and her skirts and pants were a little uncomfortable. Her clothes were not fitting great.
She was pregnant, she was sure of it. Pregnant by a man who had been sent to kill her.
It was a Saturday morning, no work today. She needed to get a pregnancy test and try to come up with a plan. She placed a hand on her stomach. The evidence was right there in the swelling and the morning sickness. She couldn’t drink coffee anymore either, and certain foods made her feel sick. This was not a good thing. Even as she was terrified of the prospect of being pregnant, a tiny part of her was a little joyous. She would be a mother, have a child of her own. It sounded like a dream and a nightmare at the same time.
Running fingers through her hair, she knew she needed to get a grip. Ruin would be out there waiting for her.Splashing water onto her face, she attempted to freshen up. She grabbed her toothbrush, some toothpaste, and scrubbed at her teeth. Afterward, she swigged back some mouthwash, cleaning away the vomit. Once that was done, she started to feel a little like herself.
She looked at herjeans and shook her head. They had stopped fastening last week, so trying to put them on would be pointless. It was so embarrassing. She had no choice but to grab the only pair of sweatpants she owned, and a large shirt that had seen much better days. She ran a brush through her hair, but left it in disarray. Now was not the time to be neat.
She could be pregnant.
Grabbing her bag, she left her apartment, rushing toward the main door. If she ran, there was no doubt Ruin would get suspicious. If she made her way toward a busy part of the city, where a potential artisanal market had come to visit, she’d be able to make her escape. With a semi-plan in mind, she started walking.
The moment she stepped out onto the street, she was aware of Ruin. He looked terrible. It was the first time she had allowed herself to look in his direction. His suit was crinkled, his hair a mess, and there was several days’ worth of growth on his face. That wasn’t all. She stared into his eyes. He was torn. Callie couldn’t move. She looked at him and saw a man who was hurting. This was not a man who had complete control. He was a man in pain. Callie pressed her lips together.You need to go and get a pregnancy test.
She turned away and tried to leave. This was not her problem and yet, he looked exactly how she felt. She hadn’t lied to Ruin. She had fallen in love with him. His lies had hurt, but this hurt even more. It terrified her. Hands clenched at her sides, she crossed the street and moved toward him.
Standing in front of him,she had no idea what to do or say. There was no way she could leave him. She wasn’t a bitch.
“I … I need you to take me to the pharmacy,” she said.
“Why? What’s the matter? Are you sick? I’ll call a doctor.”
She held a handup when he tried to touch her. Callie didn’t know if she wanted him to stop because she didn’t want him to touch her, or because she didn’t know how much strength she had to refuse him. It had been a lonely three months. Even more lonely than the past nine years without her parents, without anyone.
“I think I might be pregnant,” she said.
“Callie.”
“Please don’t say anything. I just… this is what I need to do. I’ve been sick, and there are little signs that say I can’t ignore this anymore.”
“Ican take you to a doctor. I know a good one.”
She shook her head. “Just the test. That’s all I need for now.” Callie rounded his car and climbed inside. So much for attempting to keep this quiet.
She reached for the seatbelt but Ruin was already there, grabbing her belt, and sliding it across her body. The back of his hand brushed across her breasts and she ignored him, even as her nipples responded to his touch. It didn’t mean anything. She was going to try and think that constantly—that none of this meant a thing. She took a deep breath.
Neither of them spoke as he turned over the ignition. What more could they say to one another? Callie didn’t know if she was pregnant, and Ruin was a freaking hit man. This was priceless. She ran her hands down her thighs. Was it wrong how good his car smelled? It smelled like Ruin.
She turned toward the window, staring out as he drove through the city. Even though it was early, a little after8:00, it was already busy, as she expected it to be. Finally, he pulled up outside a pharmacy. She went for her belt but Ruin was already out of the car.
“Wait here, I’ll be back.”
Callie wanted to tell him no, but he was already inside the pharmacy. The man moved so fast it was hard to keep up with him. It didn’t take him long to grab a test and then come back to the car. He handed her the test.
“If you take me home, I’ll take the test and then I’ll let you know the result.”
