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"Yeah, princess?"
"I do like it when you use me," she admits.
Her confession confuses me. I grab the loofah I bought for her and dip it in the water, running it along her skin to soothe her until she falls asleep in my arms. I let her lay there for a few minutes, enjoying the vulnerability she’s gifted me before pulling her out to dry her off and slipping one of my shirts over her head.
I carry her to bed and slide in next to her, making sure she’s pressed right up against me. Having her warmth here like this has me feeling things I told myself I wouldn't let happen. I lean down and gently kiss her forehead before drifting off to sleep.
Chapter 22
Sebastian
Enough is enough. I’ve given her space over the last seven weeks while I waited to see if she would willingly tell Barrett or Kyler anything at all about Maxton, but she hasn't. When we sat down to discuss the next move after her panic attack, we all decided to give it time, considering there’s clearly some sort of deep-rooted trauma around whatever she knows. The problem is I’m tired of waiting.
My brothers and I decided to cut all contact with Gabriel. Callie knows something, and I'm tired of that son of a bitch dragging us along with false pretenses. I hope he's terrified about what we plan to do to retaliate against him for going back on his agreement.
It's time for her to fess up about what she knows. I've stood on the sidelines quietly, watching Kyler and Barrett get more involved with her. It’s gotten to the point now where any time she’s brought up, the two of them team up against me in her favor. We’re done with all that. Today, she will sit down and tell me exactly what I want to know.
I've been avoiding her whenever she’s around because I know she thinks I look familiar. I saw the way the thought crossed hermind that night over dinner. Before long, she’ll realize I’m the guy from the bar, but it doesn't matter anymore. The guys have gotten close enough to her that there should be plenty of motivation for her to talk. She splits her time pretty evenly between Barrett and Kyler now, but today’s a pool day, so I make my way through the backyard with one goal in mind.
I catch sight of her laughing and splashing around in the pool, and fuck, she’s gorgeous. Her brown hair is slicked back, sticking to her skin just below her shoulder blades from diving underwater. Hazel eyes look up at me with confusion when I get closer to the pool instead of keeping a distance. I see Kyler lounging on one of the chairs along the side of the pool, so I step over to him to let him know I'm taking Callie for a quick chat. He laughs and waves me away, wishing me luck.
I clear my throat, finding myself a little nervous. "Callie, would you mind joining me for a drink in the pool house? There is something I need to talk to you about."
Her eyes flash with fear, and I feel compelled to reassure her. "I'm not putting you back in the cell, and it's nothing bad. I just want to talk to you for a few minutes. Once we finish, you're free to continue swimming with your golden retriever." Kyler rolls his eyes at my dig and flips me off, but he doesn't deny it.
She pulls herself out of the pool and my heart skips a beat when I catch sight of the swimsuit she is wearing. It flaunts every curve of her body. Her perky tits, perfect hourglass waist, and thighs that I would love to have wrapped around me. I get slightly annoyed when she grabs the towel to cover herself.
"Would you like a drink?" I gesture a hand towards the bar.
"Gin and tonic, please," she replies with a smile.
Grabbing what I need, I quickly mix up drinks for the two of us and take the seat across from her.
"I was hoping we could finally sit down and have a conversation about my brother." Her body tenses, and she takes in a sharp breath.
"I know you've been reluctant to talk about what you know about Maxton, but it's been weeks. We've given you ample time to process this request, and I’ve been patient. That time is up, and I need you to give me answers."
Her gaze narrows. "Why should I tell you? What's stopping you from tossing me to the side as soon as you have the information you want from me? What's stopping you from killing me once I'm no longer useful or sending me back to my father?"
"If I was going to kill you, I would have already. It's fairly obvious at this point that at least one of my brothers, if not both, have grown some sort of emotional attachment to you. While I personally do not give a fuck about what happens to you, I don't intend on hurting them." She thinks about what I said for a few minutes as I study her face.
"You're not going to kill me?" she questions.
"No, I'm not going to kill you. I just said that." Fuck, why do I have to keep repeating myself?
"Will you let me go home?" she asks, and the emotion in that one question pulls at something deep within me.
"That's not up for discussion right now," I state firmly.
"So let me getthis straight. You expect me to tell you everything I know with no incentive. You say you aren't going to kill me, but you also won't let me leave either."
"I never said that."
She scoffs. "You said that it wasn't up for discussion, meaning it's not happening right now, regardless of what I tell you. So please tell me what sort of motivation there is for me to actually tell you anything at all because from where I’m sitting, there’s none."
She takes the opportunity to down the rest of her drink. Damn, this girl is smart. The way she's able to read me isn't something I'm used to, especially from a woman. I don't think women are weak, but generally, in our line of work, the women we come across are more fragile. Callie is nowhere near fragile, and she has the brains to go along with it. I can almost understand why my brothers have grown to like her so much.
My curiosity gets the best of me. "Okay, I'll entertain an incentive for you. What would you like besides going home at this point in time?"
