Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 79438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
I see the smile on his face as he shuts the door, and I realize Callan loves when I fuss over him.
He slides behind the steering wheel, then asks, “What’s their address.”
I give it to him, and as he drives us there, my stomach begins to spin with nerves.
Hopefully, tonight will be the last time I see them because I'm done with that family after everything they’ve put me through.
As Callan parks the car in front of their house, he rolls his shoulders, anger burning in his eyes.
“Are you –”
With determination, he interrupts me. “Yes. I’m dead fucking sure.”
Callan climbs out of the SUV, and I wait for him to open my door. When I step onto the sidewalk, I look at the house, wondering how I lasted so long with the scraps of attention my family gave me.
It’s because I knew one day I would find someone like Callan.
“Let me do all the talking,” he orders as we take the steps up to the front door.
Callan knocks, and I grip hold of his jacket, my fingers twisting in the fabric.
When the door opens, shock washes the color from my mother’s face. “Mr. Wright.” Her eyes dart between Callan and me.
Callan places his hand against the door, and pushing it all the way open, he steps into the house. “Get your husband.”
I stick like glue to Callan’s side and ignore the questioning look my mother shoots my way before she calls out with panic in her voice, “Oliver, we have company. Mr. Wright is here.”
It only takes seconds before my father stalks into the foyer, a dark frown on his face. “You’re not welcome in my house. Get out.”
Callan moves forward, ripping his jacket from my hand, and the next moment, he grabs my father by the front of his shirt.
“You’re a corrupted piece of shit,” he growls in my father’s face. “I have something you don’t – a weekly golf date with the Chief Justice.”
For the first time in my life, I see my father’s face turn ashen with fear creeping into his eyes.
Callan shoves my father back. “So you will do everything I say or find yourself waist-deep in shit when I tell Chief Justice Cutler just how fucking corrupted you are.”
“You have no proof,” my father dares him.
“That may be the case, but you’ll still be investigated.” Callan lets out a predatory chuckle. “It’s not easy removing that kind of stain from your name.”
The fear thickens on my father’s face. “What do you want?”
A winning smile lifts the corners of Callan’s mouth. “The keycard to the apartment.”
Dad gestures for Mom to get it, and she scurries off.
“Where is Lily’s phone?”
“Lily,” my father scoffs as if the nickname Callan calls me is absurd. His eyes flick to me, and with disdain, he mutters, “You’re dead to me.”
Callan reacts, and before I know what’s happening, his fist slams into my father’s face.
No. Not my father. From now on, he’s Oliver to me.
“That’s for Lily,” Callan growls.
As Oliver stumbles backward, Callan grabs him by the front of his shirt and punches him again.
“And that’s for Dylan.”
He lets go with a shove, and it has Oliver sprawling over the floor.
Holy shit. I think I just fell in love with Callan all over again.
Mom, no…Sophia comes rushing back into the foyer and lets out a shriek when she sees Oliver’s bloody nose. “What have you done?”
Callan grabs the keycard from her before leveling them with a scalding glare. “People like you don’t deserve to be parents. How the fuck you spawned an extraordinary person like Lily is beyond me.”
He sucks in a breath of air, then shouts, “Lily’s fucking phone. Now!”
Again, Sophia scurries to retrieve the device, and I realize she must’ve replied to Callan’s messages. When she comes back, Callan rips the phone from her hand and passes it to me.
Sophia helps Oliver to his feet, and feeling braver than I ever have, I say, “After today, I want nothing to do with you ever again.”
Callan points a finger at them, his tone filled with danger as he threatens, “If you ever contact Lily again, I’ll fucking ruin you. I’ll use every dollar to my name to destroy everything you hold dear.”
He takes hold of my hand and pulls me to the front door.
“Don’t ever come back here,” Oliver shouts. “Leave the keycard with the doorman.”
“Christ, how you fucking survived with them for parents, I’ll never understand,” Callan mutters as we leave.
“It’s thanks to my pure determination to prove them wrong,” I whisper.
He ushers me into the passenger side and jogs around the front of the SUV.
When he slides into the driver’s seat and takes hold of the steering wheel, I see the blood on his knuckles.
I almost jump into his lap to get to his right hand. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” He wipes the blood off on his pants, then grins at me. “But don’t let that stop you from fussing over me.”