Protection
Scarlett
My stomach churns as my hands drop by my sides. My gaze moves to the floor. He looks to the corner where my mom is. I can’t look back at her.
“Get me out of here.” My eyes search for the door while I run, faster than the pounding of the music.
“Scarlett.” Callum runs after me, pushing through the swarm of people.
“Scarlett!”
I don’t turn around.
A faint sliver of light guides my way as the heavy door opens and closes, letting more people pile in. I push the door open. I’m outside. Finally, I catch my breath. My head spins.
A sweaty hand grips my arm, forcing me to turn around.
“Scarlett, let me explain,” Callum says.
My jaw drops as the blood drains from my face.
“I didn’t know she would be here. I tried to make sure she wouldn’t be. I wouldn’t have brought you if I knew, Scarlett.” His words spill out of his mouth like vomit. “I tried. Please—”
“You knew?!” I cut him off.
No. This can’t be happening.
He reaches for me, and my hands shove him away.
“Do. Not. Touch. Me.”
He steps back. The space between us grows larger than the knife in my heart.
“Scarlett, I’m not a good person. What I’m a part of—” Pain echoes in his voice. “I’ve hurt people. These hands, they have so much blood on them. But you—” His voice cracks. “I can’t be responsible for your pain. That goes beyond my hands. It rips out my God damn heart.”
“No. You don’t get to guilt me.” My eyes remain locked on his.
“Scarlett, don’t you see? Everything I do. Every time I breathe, it’s all for you. I would set the world on fire just to keep you warm.”
The heaviness in my shoulders forces a sob out of my chest.
“Tell me how you found out. How do you know?”
He runs his hands through his perfectly parted hair, crouches, sighs, then stands abruptly.
“The Society. Your mom has done some parties for them. I thought it was just a casual thing, then Harrison told me he heard his dad talking about her. She’s in deep with them Scar—” He looks over toward the mansion.
“She’s been working for them for at least eight years.
I thought she was just dancing, but I don’t know.
I’ve been trying to find out so I could tell you everything.
You have to understand–once you’re in The Society, they make it impossible to get out.
They will control you. Haunt you. Once they have their claws in, you can’t leave. ”
He isn't just talking about Mom—this feels personal. Horror is written all over his face. Even when I hate him, I want to embrace him.
“How long have you known?” My tone is calm yet assertive.
He tries to speak. “Scar—”
“How fucking long, Callum!” Every ounce of control leaves my body.
“A few months.” His words feel like a slap to the face. I step forward.
My ears ring as I tilt my head. “A few months?” I close my eyes for a moment. “You knew all this time, and you didn’t tell me?”
I open my eyes. His sharp eyes impale me.
“Every insecurity I shared with you. All the times I told you how I felt about her. You just sat there and listened to me pour my fucking heart out. But you knew… you knew that she was what, selling her body? I’ve been with you almost every day.
We spend so much time together and you couldn’t tell me?
You knew and you never told me. I can’t Callum…
” A drop of my saliva hits his perfectly ironed black dress shirt.
“I can’t trust you.” I slowly back away.
He looks distraught, but I can’t focus on that. I slowly feel him letting his guard down. I need to pull away before he sucks me back in. “Callum…”
He tightens his jaw. “Don’t you fucking dare.
” His words are a threat, not a warning.
“You want to hate me? Fine. Hate me.” His voice is unsteady.
“I hate me too, Scarlett. I have spent so long hating and hiding. I was trying to… I thought I was protecting you. The first real thing in my fucking life.”
My heart betrays me as tears start to flow down my face.
“I’m sorry—for the secret, for not telling you. For thinking that silence was safer than the truth. For not being the kind of man who deserves to hold something as precious as you.”
I can’t listen to him anymore. I need to leave. We’re surrounded by darkness, but I spot the many parked cars down the driveway. There’s no one else out here, other than the valet driver. I rush over to him.
“Mercer.” I stutter. “I need the keys for Callum Mercer.”
The valet driver makes eye contact with Callum in the distance. He gives the valet one nod and then the man reaches behind the podium to grab the keys.
“I’ll bring the car around Miss,” he says and begins to walk off.
“No,” I step in front, cutting him off. “Just give me the keys.” I place my palm out.
He slowly places the keys in my hand and my fingers curl around them. I know that I must leave, but a part of me wants to stay. I shut my eyes—they feel so heavy.
I walk down the stone path to his car. The headlights flash as I unlock the door and slide into the driver’s seat. I rest my head against the steering wheel. I turn the car on and drive off, leaving Callum there.
When I pull up to the house, the porch light is on. I park on the street and see my reflection in the rear-view mirror. I dry my wet eyes. Dad will notice anyway.
I push all the air out of my lungs to gain strength, then get out of the car and climb up the porch stairs. My fingertips brush the worn railing.
Dad sits in his lazy boy chair. “Hey honey, I wasn’t expecting,” his voice gets quiet as he spots my red face. “What’s wrong, Scarlett?” He abruptly asks.
I can’t tell him.
“Callum and I got into a fight. It’s nothing”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.” Concern grows in his voice.
“Dad, please, not tonight. I’m just going to go to bed and sleep it off.”
“Okay. Well, I’m here if you need anything. I love you, honey.”
I know he’ll be there, but it will break him when he finds out about Mom. Even though they aren’t together, she’ll always be the love of his life. He doesn’t deserve this. We don’t deserve this.
“I love you too, Dad. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Eventually I’ll tell him, I just need to figure out how.
And I need to figure out what the hell is going on.
I make my way up the stairs, my legs carrying my tense body and broken heart.
I reach my bedroom, push my shoes off, and flop onto the bed.
The comforter swallows me whole and as I curl onto my side.
I close my teary eyes and release a quiet sob.
For the first time in the last few months, I think about the possibility that Callum and I might not work out. Maybe we were never meant to survive each other.