The Mercenary and the Mortician (The Silent Hollow #1)

27. Ryan Fairview

I woke up to my phone relentlessly buzzing on my nightstand. Groaning, I rolled over to check it. I never got texts like this before my alarm went off. The only people who ever texted me were my sister, my mother, and sometimes Joanna. However, Joanna only texted me a couple times a month, which was more than fine with me.

My heart sank when I saw who it was…

Cal Sex God Walker:

Rise and shine, ginger snap!

Cal Sex God Walker:

*gif of a pink starfish saying ‘Today’s the day!’*

Cal Sex God Walker:

How did you sleep?

Cal Sex God Walker:

Did you dream about me? Were they…. SEXY dreams? *seven smirking emojis*

My cheeks flushed at Cal’s texts. I hadn’t just dreamed about him… I had beaten off in the shower the night before to the thought of what he had done to me in the prep room.

Humiliation and embarrassment flooded my chest as I remembered how I had experimented with putting my fingers where he had.

I had never done anything like that before.

If I was being honest, I barely even masturbated that much, let alone touch myself… back there.

But I couldn’t help remembering how Cal had teased me and stroked me while he had his hand wrapped around my cock, and for some reason, it got me off.

What the fuck was happening to me?

My phone buzzed again.

Cal Sex God Walker:

You coming down?

Cal Sex God Walker:

Your mom and I are making waffles!

My mouth dropped open, and the embarrassment I had just been feeling turned to anger. What was he doing in my house… again!? A small twinge of panic nipped at me when I realized I might never get rid of him. I had agreed to be his friend the night before, but friends didn’t stalk each other and break into their houses!

Ryan:

What do you mean you’re making waffles?! And how did your number get saved in my phone? I didn’t add you to my contacts.

Cal Sex God Walker:

I saved it there obvi. Bet you didn’t know my middle name was ‘sex god.’ Bahahahahaha!

Ryan:

But HOW did you save it there? Did you not leave after I told you to go?

Cal Sex God Walker:

Wake up Caleb on your way down! His mom will be here soon.

Of course, he evaded the question, though it did make me happy to know that the kid’s mom would be here soon.

Learning from my mistakes, I made sure to change out of the cotton pants I normally slept in and pulled on a pair of jeans and a Fairview Funerals T-shirt. I would need to get into a suit later for the service, but for now, I would rather be comfortable… but not so comfortable that Cal would be able to see it every time my dick twitched.

Stopping by Caleb’s room on my way downstairs, I told him that breakfast would be ready soon, and he nearly leapt out of bed when I informed him we were having waffles.

Feeling a little bitter that Cal’s forced waffle date had made him so happy, I did my best to pretend I was excited as well.

We headed downstairs to the sounds of bustling and the scent of maple syrup. Sure enough, when I entered the kitchen, there Cal was, standing in all his 6’4” punk-ass glory in front of a messy waffle iron.

Theo was sitting at the kitchen table in her usual athleisure with a cup of coffee. She had a gash on her cheek that was covered in black and green bruises. It looked like she had tried to tape it together with medical tape, but she really needed glue. It looked like it was going to scar.

I knew better than to ask what happened. It would only piss her off.

My mother was leisurely mixing batter next to Cal, looking like her usual whimsical self in a silk rose gold robe.

Cal spun away from what he was doing to face me with a giant smile on his face, and I had to stop myself from bursting out laughing when I realized he was wearing an apron.

Not just any apron. It was a frilly pink apron that said, ‘I put the bitch in obituary.’ My aunt had gotten it for Iris as a gag gift one year, and it had never been worn.

“What kind of toppings do you guys want?” Cal asked enthusiastically, gesturing to several bowls he had laid out on the counter next to the waffle iron.

Caleb ran up to the counter excitedly, standing on his tippy toes to peer at what was available.

“We’ve got chocolate chips, sprinkles, blueberries, strawberries, caramel sauce, whipped cream…” Cal was rattling off the options to Caleb, who was getting more and more excited by the minute.

“This kid is going to have no teeth left by the time he leaves here,” Theo grumbled, taking a sip of her coffee.

“No kidding,” I agreed, making my way to the coffee maker to pour my own cup. I tried to scowl at the intruder in my house, but I was having a harder time than usual.

Learning about Cal’s past and how he had been treated made him feel like less of a stranger. I didn’t pity him; if anything, I found it commendable that he was still so happy and positive even after surviving such a traumatic experience like that.

I was a grumpy asshole, and sure, my childhood hadn’t been all sunshine and daisies, but at least I had two parents who undoubtedly loved me.

I watched Cal and my mother get Caleb set up with a massive, unhealthy plate full of sugar and carbs just as the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Iris chimed in before billowing out of the kitchen to answer the door.

Cal perked up. “Ah. That must be my sister, Cassandra. I just call her Cass, though.” He beamed, and Theo scoffed.

“It would seem your sister has more manners than you do,” my sister muttered, obviously referring to the fact that she had chosen to ring the doorbell instead of barging right in.

Cal laughed. “I’m interested to hear if you still feel that way after you meet her.”

I leaned against the counter, sipping my coffee, when Cal bounded over to me.

“Morning, baby. Do you want a waffle?” he asked, and I frowned at him, glancing nervously at Theo, who raised an eyebrow, clearly wondering why this strange man was calling me ‘ baby,’

My cheeks flushed red, and I pushed Cal away.

“Don’t call me that. And no. I don’t want a waffle.”

He pouted and reclaimed the step I had forced him to take back. He looked like he was going to say something else when the swinging door to the kitchen flew open, and the most intimidating woman I had ever seen in my life strode in.

I could immediately tell she was related to Cal. They had matching brown eyes and the same thick dark hair. Both of them had flawless skin, and the shape of their mouths was identical. However, that was where the similarities ended.

Cassandra Walker’s full lips were painted the same knife-wound red as her Christian Louboutins. The heels of her designer shoes cracked like gunshots across our linoleum floors, and she was wearing a pristine blazer over a knee-length pencil skirt. Her Chanel bag alone probably cost more than my entire wardrobe.

Everything about Cassandra Walker screamed: Don’t fuck with me.

“I would pick your jaw up off the ground, muscles, unless you want her to cut out your tongue.” Cal snickered to my sister, and I glanced at Theo.

She was staring at Cassandra with the strangest look on her face, and her mouth was indeed hanging open. Cassandra’s eyes slammed into hers, and her scowl deepened.

“And who are you ?” she asked sharply, looking her up and down critically.

Theo’s mouth snapped shut, and she immediately fell back into her usual asshole-ish persona.

“Just someone who fucking lives here,” she grumbled, but Cassandra was already moving on. Her sharp, intelligent gaze snapped around the room, briefly settling on Caleb and then landing on me.

“Are you Ryan Fairview?” she said curtly, and I nodded, reaching out a hand.

“Hi, yes. Ryan. Ryan Fairview.”

She didn’t take my hand. Instead, she looked me up and down critically and sighed.

“You’re an idiot, you know that? What would possess you to keep a child in your house like this? You know that’s grounds for kidnapping, right?”

I swallowed, suddenly feeling like I was an inch tall. Theo leapt up from her seat, and Cal put himself between his sister and me.

“Hey!” Theo snarled, but Cal brushed her out of the way.

“Back off, Cass. Ryan was just trying to help.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well. The truth fucking hurts.”

“Don’t talk to my brother like that,” Theo growled, but Cass barely flinched.

“Settle down, muscle shirt,” she snapped, and I thought for a second that Theo was going to punch her in the face. Theo didn’t hit women unless she was in the ring. However, this one seemed to have found a way directly under her skin.

“Still think she has more manners than me?” Cal asked, his tone somewhat amused, though he was glaring at his sister and had positioned himself directly between myself and her.

Theo didn’t answer. She simply glowered, clenching her fists at her sides.

“Caleb?” We all stopped talking as a meek blond woman entered the kitchen.

“Mommy?” Caleb gasped. He shot out of his seat, his waffles all but forgotten. We collectively turned to watch Caleb throw himself into his mother’s arms. Tears streamed down both of their cheeks as she bent down to pick up her child. She crushed him against her, and he sobbed while she held him.

“I’m sorry I ran away, Mommy,” he whispered, and she shook her head, her own face streaked with tears.

“That’s okay, baby. We’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”

“We don’t need to go back?”

“No, baby. We don’t need to go back…”

Turning away from the touching reunion in an attempt to give them some privacy, I wracked up the courage to address Cal’s sister again.

“Uhm. Where are they going to go? Considering…” I stopped speaking mid-sentence, suddenly unsure if Cass knew Cal had killed Caleb’s dad.

Theo shot me a dark look. “Considering what?”

Cass rolled her eyes. “That’s privileged information, Ms…” she trailed off, and Theo snorted.

“Theo… her name is Theo.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“What are you, a lawyer?” Theo asked incredulously.

She grinned. “What gave me away?”

“Besides the fact that you’re clearly a massive bi-”

Cassandra stepped into Theo’s personal space, her brown eyes burning with a terrifying sort of coldness. I had seen that look in Cal’s eyes before, and I didn’t like it.

“Finish that sentence. I dare you,” she challenged, her voice low and dark.

It felt like the temperature in the kitchen dropped several degrees as Cass and my sister stared each other down.

“You think I’m afraid of you? You may have a big fancy law degree, but you wouldn’t last a second in my world, princess,” Theo growled, stepping even closer into her personal space.

The corner of Cass’ mouth tilted up, and her gaze fell to the cut on Theo’s cheek.

“What, because you live some shitty life that fucks up your face, you think you’re tougher than me?”

To my absolute shock and horror, Cassandra reached out with the hand that wasn’t holding her Chanel bag and literally stuck her nail in the cut on Theo’s face.

She jerked back and away from her, a potent mix of fury and astonishment flashing across her face.

Holy shit, this woman was insane. I glanced between Cass and Cal, realizing that they had more in common than just physical appearance. They were both fucking psychopaths.

Cass smirked at my sister as she sputtered in fury before her, clearly unable to form a coherent sentence.

“I’ve survived much worse than whoever gave you that cut, Theo. ” Cass sneered. “The difference, though, is the person who hurt me isn’t fucking alive to talk about it. Can you say the same?”

The kitchen was now silent, and Cass’ eyes flashed in triumph.

“Didn’t think so.” She turned away from Theo, dismissing her with a flick of her long dark hair, settling her hard brown eyes on Caleb and his mother.

“Alright, you two. In the car. I’ll drop you off at a shelter on my way to court,” she barked before stalking out of my kitchen.

We all stared for a moment as the hurricane, who was Cassandra, exited the building, taking Caleb and his mother with her.

“Uhh…” I glanced at Cal, completely flabbergasted. “What just happened?” I asked him, and he chuckled.

“My sister, ladies and gentlemen.”

Theo let out a strange sputtering noise and turned on her heel, her face red with fury.

“I’m going to go disinfect this after that psycho put her fucking fingers all over it.”

Cal just snickered harder. “Come on, muscles. You liked it. Don’t tell me that didn’t get you a little wet!”

Theo didn’t look back; she just flipped Cal off and slammed the back door on her way out.

My mother began cleaning up Caleb’s forgotten waffles with a serene smile on her face.

“Looks like Ryan isn’t the only one with a dark angel.” She hummed, and Cal gave me a quizzical look. I just rolled my eyes and gestured to the mess in the kitchen.

“Help my mom clean this up. I have to get ready for Ms. Thompson’s service,” I snapped at him. If he was going to invite himself into my home and make a mess, the least he could do was help with the washing after.

Cal grabbed my arm as I turned to leave, spinning me back to face him. He was uncomfortably close, and suddenly, my heart was in my throat.

He massaged my bicep gently, and his hot hand reminded me of when he had been massaging a much more intimate part of me the day before. I swallowed thickly, and his grin widened as if he could see exactly where my mind had gone.

“Anything I can do to help, ginger snap?” he asked softly, leaning in even closer.

“Yeah, I just told you what you could do to help.”

“I meant with the service.”

My eyebrows shot into my hairline, and my mouth parted in surprise. I had not been expecting that at all. Getting anyone to help me with funerals around here was like pulling teeth. I usually hired people as needed. Today, I had a man coming in to help with the wake in an hour or two.

More gently than I meant to, I shrugged out of Cal’s grip, doing my best to cling to the sane part of me that knew better than to let a fucking murderer get this close to me.

“Don’t you have better things to do with your time than help some random person set up a funeral service for someone you don’t even know?” I asked.

Cal cocked his head to the side, his dark eyebrows furrowing.

“Of course I do, Ryan. But I can always make time for you.”

A strange, warm feeling swirled in my gut at his words. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Not even my own mother. Don’t get me wrong, I knew my mother loved me, but she always seemed to have one foot in another dimension. I never felt like I had her undivided attention.

With my dad, I had always come second to the business. He wouldn’t have said that was the case if I asked him, but actions spoke louder than words.

Then Theo… Well, Theo had her own demons.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and took another step away from Cal, trying to ignore the rush of disappointment that flooded through me when he let me go.

“Help my mom clean up. I have to go figure out how I’m going to cover up this black eye before guests start arriving. I expect you to be gone by the time I come back downstairs.”

Cal’s gaze burned into mine, and he pursed his lips at my dismissal. Again, I waited for him to fight me on it. To crowd me. To announce that he was going to help me cover up the bruise he had given me, whether I liked it or not.

Instead, he nodded, and I couldn’t help but notice that he looked a little hurt by my words.

Ignoring the pang of guilt in my chest, I left Cal with my mother and made my way upstairs.

Caleb was gone, and so was any reason for us to continue to see each other. I had done the right thing by telling him to go…

Then why did it feel so wrong?