22. Partial
Chapter 22
Partial
CALLIE
M aybe I should’ve argued.
Created another distraction.
Fled into the night with that new identity I always daydream about.
While they’d worked on the very short task of packing my very few belongings, the men had gone over my housing options again.
A sliver of luck had finally found me. Somewhere along the conversation, Freddy and Cole had come around to Marco’s opinion that his place was the logical conclusion.
I’d been good with that. Unlike the other options, there was room for everyone to stay at Marco’s if they wanted. And I’d been relieved that I didn’t have to choose.
As the SUV I was in with Marco and Cole rolled to a stop at a blockade arm thingy, I suddenly doubted that decision. Marco rolled down his window to punch in a code, allowing us access to the gated community.
He flicked a wave at the man in the booth.
The guarded , gated community.
We drove through with Freddy following in his cool car behind us.
It wasn’t that I felt inferior after leaving my porno apartment for the massive houses on sprawling lawns. My place—or my former place, I guessed—had character. Unique charms. For all I knew, Marco lived in some cold, sterile modern art piece that a decorator filled with couches that couldn’t be sat on and statues that resembled sleep paralysis demons.
It was the reminder of Eternal Sun that left a sour taste in my mouth. All the security that was meant to make us feel safe enough to unburden ourselves but really was more of a prison, keeping us in. The similar guard booth—that was secretly being manned by the rude undercover FBI agent.
A hand hit my leg, and I jolted hard enough to make the seat belt dig in. My head spun like something out of a horror movie to look next to me.
“You good?” Marco asked as he turned the steering wheel with one hand.
His other was still wrapped around my thigh. A thigh that was covered in cutesy pajama pants.
Okay, I should’ve argued, and I should’ve changed first.
“No. Yeah. Yes, I’m good,” I stammered, thrown by my memories and his touch.
Mostly his touch.
He made it worse—or maybe better—by squeezing.
I waited for him to pull away.
He didn’t. He kept his hand in place.
His sharp gaze went to the rearview mirror. “You good, too?”
Cole muttered something that sounded more like an annoyed grunt than actual words. I thought Marco was just giving him a hard time, but he showed genuine concern as he checked the mirror again.
I pushed thoughts of security, paranoia, and everything to do with that awful place from my mind and focused on the moment as he navigated the development.
The houses had a lot of land between them, but I could still see people out for a walk or fussing with their classy decorations for the upcoming holidays—something I’d managed to ignore since those were never a big deal in my life. That, of course, meant they would be able to see me. In my pajamas.
Marco turned the SUV into a brick driveway, and I moved my focus from the people to the house we approached.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered as he pulled to a stop outside of a garage.
Not one that was attached to the side. It was underneath and ran the length of the gray brick and black house. It wasn’t the cold, sterile eyesore I’d pictured, but it was modern. Cool.
Very fitting.
One of the sleek black doors lifted, but he didn’t pull forward. There was no room. An older car—the expensive, shiny vintage kind, not a rusty boat like mine—was parked to one side of the expansive space. The rest of the area was taken up by workbenches and tools.
A lot of tools.
I wasn’t sure why that surprised me. Maybe because the intimidating badass seemed more likely to eat a bowl of nails for breakfast than to use them for a hobby.
Marco turned off the engine and got out before coming around to my side. Cole beat him there, and he didn’t just open my door.
Reaching across me, he also undid the seat belt.
“I could’ve done that,” I said.
He gave me a look . The stern kind, not the soft one. He helped me stand—that part was appreciated since I was definitely due some pain meds—but wouldn’t let me grab any of my bags. At the same time, Marco popped the trunk so he and Freddy could carry my only two pieces of furniture into the garage.
I’d been tempted to tell them to chuck the cheap nightstand and chaise lounge into a dumpster, but I would need them when I found a new apartment.
What were the chances I lucked into another permanently furnished porn-partment?
I pushed those thoughts aside, too.
That’s a problem for future-me.
Current-me has enough of her own.
If he was uncomfortable that his neighbors could see me in my pajamas, Marco didn’t show it. His mouth was curved, and I was pretty sure that constituted a grin for him. “Ready, baby girl?”
Since he seemed happy to have me at his house—and I was curious to see if the inside was as spectacular as the outside—I let the name slide. We approached the stairs that curved the gorgeous landscaping to lead to the porch when I went flying through the air.
Or into the mountains.
Holding me gently, Marco began climbing the steps.
“I can walk,” I said, though not as forcefully as I should’ve. My side was pulling, and I would’ve ended up winded by just the short distance.
That would’ve been mortifying when the men were so…
Fit.
Since Marco had his arms full, Cole swooped in to punch in a code to unlock the door and swing it open.
“It’s beautiful ,” I whispered again with more emphasis. It wasn’t a strong enough word, but it was the only one I had.
I didn’t know much about interior design or architecture. If someplace had actual walls rather than canvas flaps, and there were no bongs dotted around like vases, it was great in my book.
But Marco’s house was so much more than that. It was cool and masculine, with a lot of windows, exposed wood and brick, and an open floor plan that made it look even bigger than it was.
I barely got a glimpse as he continued up the stairs to the second floor. Freddy and Marco joined us on our little field trip. The long hallway at the top only had four black doors—two on one side, one on the other, and one at the end.
That was where he headed, nudging it open with his foot.
I nearly repeated myself yet again by saying it was beautiful, but I bit my tongue. It really was, though. The same gray and black color scheme and masculine style filled what was clearly his bedroom.
The discarded suit coat tossed over one of the leather chairs gave it away.
I wanted to tell him there was no way I was staying in his room.
I wanted to see the rest of the house.
I really wanted to check out the double doors toward the far end of the room that had light streaming in.
I didn’t do any of that.
When he set me on my feet, I couldn’t speak.
Couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
I could barely hold back the tears that burned behind my eyes.
“Fuck,” he bit out, making the other two spin to look at me. “When were you supposed to take pain meds?”
I didn’t have a clock to know for sure, so I shrugged. “A while ago.”
Cole and Freddy scrambled in my bags they carried, but I shook my head. The only thing I’d been allowed to pack were my undies and toiletries—including the meds—and I hadn’t put those in duffels.
“They’re in a tote.”
They took off while Marco helped me to his bed and ordered, “Lie down.”
I did it. Not because he told me to, but because stretching out sounded glorious.
The tight muscles in my side tugged and a jolt of pain zapped through me, making me gasp.
He pulled his phone from his pocket.
“I’m fine,” I rushed out, knowing he was about to call the others to see where they were with my medicine or the doctor.
Possibly both.
Or maybe an ambulance since he was clearly panicking.
“It’s just nerve pain. Dr. Cruz said it was normal, and I feel better already.” It was the truth, but he still didn’t seem convinced, so I distracted us both. “I know this is your room.”
“Wasn’t trying to hide it.”
“This doesn’t seem right.” At the way his expression blanked in an instant, I quickly amended, “Invading your space doesn’t seem right. You’re letting me stay here. I mean, you also got me kicked out of my apartment, so you kind of owe me. But?—”
“You’re not invading,” he cut in, which was a relief since the pain was canceling out the minimal filters I had, and I didn’t want to impulsively blurt something I couldn’t take back. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he brushed my hair from my clammy forehead, watching like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
Like I was the most interesting thing in the world.
“I want you in my space, baby girl.” I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, but he used his thumb to tug it free and kept talking before I could get my brain to work enough to form the rebuttal he seemed to know was coming. “And none of the other rooms have bedding right now.”
Oh.
Temporary usage.
That I can live with.
Before I could press, Cole and Freddy returned with my plastic hospital bag of meds and a glass of ice water.
And a small plate of sliced cheese and fruit.
Freddy handed that over. “It says to take with food.”
I pulled my paper cheat sheet and pen from the bag. “It’s not time for that one yet.”
That didn’t mean I was about to give up the snack.
I swallowed the meds I was overdue and marked them off before shifting to gather the pill bottles.
Cole took them and the paper before I could. “I’ll set a system and alarms so this doesn’t happen again.” He shook his head as he moved. “If you weren’t already hurting, Daddy would spank your ass for?—”
His words cut off abruptly.
The world cut off abruptly.
I froze with a piece of cheese partway to my mouth. Every last hint of oxygen left my lungs. My stomach warmed and swirled, full of fire. And another demanding part of me wasn’t full of anything.
It was achingly empty .
Without even glancing my way, Cole stormed from the room.
My wide eyes watched him go before shooting to the other two, but they didn’t offer any excuses or explanations. Freddy touched some buttons on a remote to lower automatic blinds over the windows and doors. Marco took the snack I wouldn’t be able to stomach and set it on the nightstand.
“I was supposed to bring Asian rice bowls to the hospital tonight before you pulled your disappearing act,” he said. “We can still do that or something else. Let me know what you want.”
The thought of eating a single thing didn’t seem possible, but I nodded anyway.
“Get some rest. I’ll wake you in a couple of hours.” He dipped and brushed his lips against my cheek, accidentally catching the corner of my mouth.
Or not accidentally?
I wasn’t sure.
I didn’t have the chance to react before Freddy did the same on the other side, including the partial kiss.
Then they both walked out, leaving me alone.
Leaving me confused.
Leaving me to replay it over and over again until I fell into a restless, needy sleep.