28. Callum
TWENTY-EIGHT
Callum
Through all the pain, we ’ ve come to know
Electric Lady Studios
11:14 AM
"Man, I’m telling you, it’s rigged," Jace says as we push through the studio doors, his voice rising over the faint hum of equipment. "There’s no way that claw machine actually lets people win the big prizes."
"Or," Mike shoots back, holding the door for us, "you’re just terrible at claw machines."
I snort, walking past them. "It’s a claw machine, not a casino."
Jace waves a hand, clearly not ready to drop it. "No, listen. There’s a whole algorithm?—"
Whatever he’s about to say dies on my deaf ears the second I see her. Sienna’s sitting on the couch by the far wall, her fingers going to town on her phone. She looks up, and the moment her eyes meet mine, I know something’s off.
"Hey," I say, cutting through whatever Mike’s about to add to the claw machine debate. "What did I do to deserve a beautiful woman waiting for me at the studio?"
Her voice is tight and controlled. "I just came from Trinity. I needed to see you. I'm so mad I could burst."
The shift in my chest is immediate, my whole focus narrowing in on her. "Mike, Jace—can you guys give us a minute? You can get the tracks set up and I'll be in there in a minute."
Jace glances between us, his usual humor dimming. "Yeah, sure. Hey, Sienna."
Mike claps me on the shoulder as they head toward the mixing board. As the door soft-closes behind them, their chatter falls away. I step closer to Sienna, already bracing myself for whatever’s weighing on her.
"You okay?"
"Where have you been? I thought you said y'all would be here all day finishing up. I texted you twice."
I glance at her again, then pull my phone out of my pocket. "You texted me? Shit! I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I'd missed you. We walked down to the Impeccable Pig for chicken and waffles."
She nods, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "And you didn't bring me any? Double whammy."
"You want to walk down there right now? I'll buy you as many as you want."
"No, you're busy, and I have some things I have to do before Ollie gets home. Thank you, though. I was just messing with you. Do you have like five minutes? I can't wait to tell you this."
"Of course. Talk to me."
"I don’t even know where to start," she says finally, her voice tight. "That meeting was... it was a disaster."
"What happened?" I ask, my tone calm but firm.
She hesitates, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her blazer. "I thought it was just going to be a chance to meet the headmaster, hear about the school, and ask questions. But when I got there, guess who showed up?"
I frown, leaning forward slightly. "He was there? Marcus? I thought y'all weren't talking to each other except through attorneys?"
"Yeah," she says bitterly. "Me too. And he was one hundred percent trying to take control. It seemed like he’d planned the whole thing. Callum, he already applied Ollie without telling me. When I called him out on it, right in front of the headmaster, he just gave me the 'awe, shucks' defense."
My hands curl into fists, the anger simmering just below the surface. "How did he know about the meeting? Did you tell your attorney?"
"No," she says, her voice trembling. "I have no idea. I felt ambushed, blindsided, and I just... I lost it. I stormed out and told them I’d be in touch, but I could barely hold it together."
"You had every right to be mad," I say in a low voice. I’m using every bit of control to stay calm, although everything inside wants to rage. "That’s not on you, Sienna. That’s on him. He shouldn't have done that."
She exhales sharply, shaking her head. "The headmaster seemed genuinely surprised that Marcus showed up, too, which makes me wonder... how did Marcus even know I would be there to meet with the school?"
That question hangs in the air between us, heavy and unspoken. I lean back slightly, running a hand through my hair as a familiar thought creeps into my mind.
"Sienna," I start slowly, "there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I was waiting for a chance for us to sit down."
She looks at me, her brow furrowing. "What is it?"
I take a deep breath, letting the words settle before I speak. "I’ve been doing some digging. About the number mix-up in your phone. About why none of our messages ever got through to each other."
Her eyes widen slightly, and she leans forward. "What did you find?"
"I reached out to Ian," I say, watching her reaction. "Do you remember him? From Charleston? Ian Keller. I think he was a year ahead of us at the college."
She blinks, recognition flickering in her eyes, and then I see it click. "Ian... the tech guy? He was friends with Marcus, right?"
"Yeah, him," I say. "We stayed in touch after college. He built a website for me when I was in Nashville, so I figured he’d be a good person to ask about this kind of thing."
Her gaze sharpens. "And what did he say?"
I hesitate, my chest tightening.
"He said Marcus asked him a lot of questions back then. About how to block numbers, intercept messages, and even hack someone’s email. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but when I told him about what happened with us... he said it all started to make sense. He's certain Marcus manipulated our attempts to communicate after I left through hacking apps."
Her face pales and her hands grip the edge of the couch. "Callum... are you saying Marcus?—"
"I don’t know for sure," I cut in, my voice steady. "But it’s starting to feel like more than a coincidence. The timing, the way none of our messages got through, the number mix-up. And now this, he somehow knew when you were going in to meet with the school. It seems like he could still be doing it.”
She shakes her head, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I can’t believe this. Oh, Jesus Christ. He would totally do that. I think you're right. I think that is exactly what happened."
I reach out, covering her hand with mine. "Hey," I say softly. "We don’t have proof yet. But if he did this, then it makes a lot of this make sense."
"Yes, it's classic him. He blocked you from reaching me and then he was there to pick up the pieces. Mother fucker!"
Saturday, April 5
The Mercer Hotel
9:42 AM
The knock on my hotel room door comes just as I’m scrolling through the endless list of emails Luke’s been forwarding me about our packed PR schedule over the next four weeks. I groan, tossing my phone onto the nightstand, and rub the back of my neck.
"I'm good," I yell through the closed door, wondering why housekeeping is here so early, on a Saturday, no less.
"I want to fluff your pillow," an altered but familiar voice responds from the other side. I smile to myself when I realize it’s Sienna and nearly jump out of bed to let her in.
When I jerk open the door, she’s standing there, holding two coffee cups in one hand and a white pastry bag in the other. Her hair’s loose, falling in soft waves over her shoulders, and her lips curve into a smile when she sees me.
"Want me to fluff your pillow?"
She’s wearing jeans and a simple gray sweater that dips low enough to show just a hint of collarbone, but somehow, she looks more beautiful than I think I’ve ever seen her.
"Um, among other things, yes, please. Hurry in!"
"Good morning," she says as she walks in. Her voice is warm and teasing and my favorite thing to wake up to. "Did I wake you?"
"Not even close," I say, stepping closer. "You’re better than room service."
She laughs, holding up the bag. "I brought sustenance. Croissants from that little bodega down the street. Figured you’d appreciate an actual breakfast."
Her voice is light and casual, but there’s a spark in her eyes that makes my pulse jump. I reach out, plucking the coffee cups from her hand and setting them on the small table near the door.
"Sienna," I murmur, my voice dipping lower, "you could’ve brought me stale crackers, and I’d still be happy to see you."
Her smile widens just slightly, her cheeks flushing as I step closer. I slip my arms around her waist, pulling her into the room and letting the door click shut behind us. "You look beautiful," I say softly, my lips brushing against her temple.
"Callum," she says, laughing quietly, "easy on the syrup. Not my style."
"I can't help it," I murmur, trailing soft kisses along her jawline. "You bring it out in me."
Her breath catches, and she leans into me, her hands resting on my chest. "It’s been, what, twelve hours since we saw each other?"
"Too long," I say, my voice rough as I tilt her face toward mine. Our lips meet, slow and sensual at first, but the moment her hands slide up to tangle in my hair, it shifts.
I pull Sienna closer, my hands sliding down to cup her ass as our kiss deepens. Her tongue teases mine, igniting a fire that spreads through my whole body. I press her against the door, grinding my hips into hers.
"God, I want you," I growl against her lips.
Sienna moans softly, her fingers tangling in my hair. "Then take me," she whispers.
I don't need to be told twice. I scoop her up, her legs wrapping around my waist as I carry her to the bed. I lay her down gently, drinking in the sight of her flushed cheeks and swollen lips.
"You're fucking gorgeous," I murmur, slowly peeling off her sweater. Her skin is soft and warm under my hands as I trail them down her sides.
"Less talking, more action," Sienna teases, arching into my touch.
I smirk, unclasping her bra and tossing it aside. "As you wish."
I capture one nipple between my lips, swirling my tongue around the hardened peak. Sienna gasps, her back arching off the bed. I lavish attention on her breasts, alternating between gentle nips and soothing licks until she's writhing beneath me.
"Callum, please," she whimpers.
I kiss my way down her stomach, pausing to dip my tongue into her navel. Her hips buck up as I unbutton her jeans, sliding them down her legs along with her panties.
"Spread your legs for me, baby," I murmur, settling between her thighs.
Sienna obliges, her legs falling open. I inhale deeply, savoring her intoxicating scent before running my tongue along her slit. She tastes like heaven—sweet and tangy and uniquely Sienna. I lap at her folds, circling her clit with the tip of my tongue.
"Fuck, you taste so good," I groan against her.
Sienna's hips roll against my face as I slide two fingers inside her, curling them to hit that spot that makes her see stars. Her walls clench around my fingers as I suck her clit, alternating between gentle flicks and firm pressure.
"Oh god, Callum," she moans, her hands fisting in my hair. "Don't stop, please don't stop."
I double my efforts, fucking her with my fingers as I worship her with my mouth. Her thighs begin to tremble, and I know she's close. I curl my fingers, pressing firmly against her g-spot as I flick my tongue rapidly over her clit.
Sienna cries out, her back arching off the bed as she comes undone. I work her through it, lapping up every drop of her release until she's pushing me away, oversensitive.
I kiss my way back up her body, capturing her lips in a heated kiss. She moans, tasting herself on my tongue.
"Turn over," I growl, nipping at her earlobe.
Sienna complies, rolling onto her stomach. I grab her hips, pulling her up onto her knees. My cock throbs painfully, aching to be buried inside her. I line myself up, teasing her entrance with the tip.
"You ready for me, baby?" I ask, my voice rough with desire.
"Yes," Sienna breathes. "Please, Callum. I need you inside me."
I push in slowly, savoring the feeling of her tight heat enveloping me. We both groan as I bottom out, my hips flush against her ass.
"Fuck, you feel amazing," I pant, giving her a moment to adjust.
Sienna pushes back against me, silently urging me to move. I start with slow, deep thrusts, gradually picking up the pace. The room fills with the sound of skin slapping against skin and our mingled moans.
"Harder," Sienna demands, her fingers curling into the sheets. "Fuck me harder, Callum."
I grip her hips tighter, slamming into her with abandon. The headboard bangs against the wall with each thrust, but I couldn't care less. All that matters is Sienna and the way she feels around me.
"You like that?" I growl, spanking her ass lightly. "You like it when I fuck you hard?"
"Yes!" Sienna cries out. "God, yes. Don't stop."
I reach around to rub her clit, determined to make her come again. Her walls flutter around me, and I know she's close.
"Come for me, Sienna," I command. Saying that out loud hastens my own release. "I want to feel you come on my cock."
A few more well-aimed thrusts and she's falling apart, screaming my name as she comes. The feeling of her clenching around me pushes me over the edge. I bury myself deep inside her, groaning as I empty myself into her warmth.
We collapse onto the bed, panting heavily. I pull Sienna against my chest, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder.
"That was..." I trail off, unable to find the words.
Sienna turns in my arms, a satisfied smile on her face. "Yeah," she agrees. "It was."