Chapter Twenty-Six #2
“The problem is Cali is a married woman. You both know everythin’ goin’ on and I’ve turned Cali into a fuckin’ cheater.
She’s not a widow if Darren is still alive.
Cali can’t stand cheaters because of her father.
Now, she is one. Regardless of what’s goin’ on with Darren and her, they are still married.
I will never say I regret last night because I don’t.
I could never regret somethin’ so fuckin’ perfect and right.
Especially when it was with her. My problem is the guilt is hittin’ me hard.
Not only because of what I just turned Cali into, but because I betrayed one of my best friends.
It’s why I told Cali we could never be together in the first place.
Cali deserves so much more than what last night just did to her,” I tell my dad and uncle while accepting the bottle of water Tank hands over to me.
“I took what should have been the most perfect moment in our lives and turned it to shit. I’ve dreamed of it for so damn long and it exceeded every dream I’ve ever had of bein’ with her. Now, it’s all tainted.”
“Did Cali ever once look as if she didn’t want to be with you, Caleb?” Tank asks me as he starts his post workout stretching session.
“No. I got her consent more than once and didn’t take my eyes off of her when we were together. She was right in the moment with me and never once hesitated,” I answer them honestly as my dad also starts stretching.
“Caleb, if Cali didn’t want to be with you, she wouldn’t have stayed in that moment with you.
Cali is one of the best girls I’ve ever met in my life.
She was essentially raised by the ol’ ladies in the club and knows right from wrong.
While she might have gotten shit on in the parent department, Cali has always had strong women in her life to help guide her when she needs it most. Just like you’ve had all of us to help guide you and teach you right from wrong.
Cali will talk this out with your mom, aunt, and grandma to help gain a different perspective on what happened last night.
“Now, I completely understand where you’re comin’ from.
The last thing you want to do is hurt Cali.
None of us want to see her hurt for any reason.
While you may feel as if you betrayed Darren because he was married to her, there’s no reason for it.
Caleb, we’ve seen their relationship over the years.
Darren was never in love with Cali and Cali wasn’t in love with him.
She couldn’t ever love Darren as anythin’ more than a best friend because her heart is consumed by the kids and you.
There has never been room in her heart for anyone else.
The three of you are her entire world while Kreed and Darren always came in second.
It’s a simple fact of the situation regardless of how anyone sees it.
The two of you are soulmates who never got the chance to be together. Yet.
“Cali and Darren haven’t been together in almost a year.
Darren chose to leave her for whatever reason.
She might still be legally married, but in everyone’s eyes, she’s separated from her husband.
You didn’t make her cheat on anyone if she’s separated.
The only thing that needs to be done is the divorce papers need to be signed and filed.
Master already has them printed out and he’s just waitin’ to find Darren so you guys can make him sign them.
Neither one of you betrayed Darren either.
He’s the one who betrayed you the day he took that first kiss from Cali in the school bathroom.
You’ve been a loyal friend to him and Cali and have never once crossed the line in any way.
You’re stupid for pushin’ her away because of your loyalty.
I’ve told you that before. There is no reason for you to feel an ounce of guilt for bein’ with your woman,” my dad says as Tank nods along in agreement while remaining silent for now.
“You don’t understand, Dad. I get that Darren chose to leave Cali when he faked his death on our last mission.
He made a choice and didn’t give a fuck what it did to the rest of us.
That doesn’t change the fact that Cali will feel like she cheated on him by bein’ with me.
She’ll see herself as a married woman whose husband is just away right now.
She spent so much time without him, it will be easy for her to think of him as simply being deployed on a mission again instead of a man who left her and their children behind.
She’ll view them as still bein’ married.
I might know Cali better than you two, but even you can’t deny that’s the truth of our situation.
And what if she gets pregnant? I didn’t use a condom with her last night.
The thought of grabbin’ one didn’t even cross my mind,” I ask them, knowing it’s a real possibility and something we’ll have to think about until she finds out one way or another.
The thought of having kids with Cali fills me with peace and a joy I’ve never experienced in any other situation before.
Unlike Darren, I’d be there for every second of her pregnancy.
I’d go to all of her doctor appointments, run out in the middle of the night to get something she’s craving, and be there for the delivery of our son or daughter.
I was in the room when Cali had Rory and it was a sight I’ll never forget.
Cali fought desperately to bring her daughter into the world.
She showed how strong she truly is and never once complained about the pain labor was causing her.
My girl can’t stand to be in pain, but it didn’t bother her for a single second that day.
When I say I want it all with Cali, it’s the damn truth.
I want every piece of her heart and soul to belong to me.
She already has my heart and soul and I’ll never take it back from her.
Cali owns me and I couldn’t change that if I wanted to.
“If she’s pregnant, you’ll be there for her the way you were just thinkin’ about,” Tank says with a smirk on his face as I snap my head in his direction because he shouldn’t know where my head is right now.
“You’re easy to read, Caleb. At least for those of us who have known you your entire life and seen you in every possible situation.
Caleb, you really need to stop thinkin’ and feelin’ as if you’re betrayin’ Darren.
I don’t know everythin’, but I have a strong feelin’ he’s not the man any of us believe him to be.
If he were any kind of man, he never would have abandoned his wife and children.
He’s plannin’ somethin’ and it involves Cali and you.
Most likely, it involves more than you two, but you’re the main two he’s comin’ for.
I don’t know why yet, but he’s always had some plan in mind.
Cali and you are simply pawns for him to get what he’s after. ”
“I’ve been thinkin’ the same way. Master and Kreed also feel like that’s the truth of the situation.
Master is lookin’ into Darren’s past before you met him at football camp.
He’s diggin’ into his family and everythin’ he can think of in order to discover what his motives for everythin’ are.
This is goin’ to be somethin’ major and I’m thinkin’ none of us will ever see what’s really goin’ on until we get our hands on Darren and he talks,” my dad agrees with my uncle and I have to admit that I can see where they’re coming from.
“I’ll try to think of things that way, but for now, I think Cali and I need some space so we can figure out where we go from here.
Things have definitely changed between the two of us and I left her in bed all alone this mornin’.
Couldn’t bring myself to wake her up when she hasn’t been sleepin’,” I tell my dad and uncle as I finally start to warm-up for my workout.
“We’re gettin’ in the ring,” my dad states while looking at me as I give him my attention. “I still owe you an ass whoopin’ for bein’ a little fucker when we first got here. Tank’s the only one who got his hands on you. Now, it’s my turn.”
“I’ll beat your ass, Dad. It’s been a while since we’ve been in the ring together,” I tell him, knowing that’s not the truth at all.
My dad will kick my ass and I’ll let him.
Not because I want my dad to beat my ass.
I’d let him because he owes me for the way I was treating Cali and every member of the Feral Dragons MC.
After warming up, I get a quick workout in before letting Tank wrap my hands so I can spar with my dad.
We climb in the ring and circle one another as if we don’t know every single move the other one will make.
I’ve been in the ring so many times with my dad, there isn’t any way we don’t know what the other one is thinking and how this session will start off.
Tank is the only man I’ve ever been in the ring with more than once who never starts a sparring session the same way twice.
You literally never know what you’ll get when Tank steps in the ring with you.
I’m just glad he already got his hands on me and I don’t have to get my ass beat by him again.
At least not yet. If I fuck up again, he won’t hesitate to put me in my place.
Though, Tank might let my papa kick my ass first since he still has to get his hands on me.