Chapter 33
Cate
Bianca cinches me into a brand-new dress. It’s violet and high-necked with sleeves that go down to the tips of my fingers. It’s suffocating and nothing I would ever choose for myself, but today isn’t about me.
It’s been a week since Callum and I reignited our Bond, and with it, decided to get married. The thought still makes my stomach spin.
The anxiety has nothing to do with him. Callum has been steadfast and true since the moment I met him. The man was meant to be a partner and a father and a leader.
It’s me that is the problem.
I don’t want to let him down. I don’t want to cost him this election.
But when it came down to the choices presented to us—marriage or nothing—I was too selfish to make the smart decision.
I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, and so now, we’ll be legally bound together for the rest of our lives.
There will be nothing he can do to shed his association with me.
Andra tucks a stray curl into place. “You look beautiful.”
I study our reflection in the mirror. Andra is still not back to her usual weight, but her color has improved, and she no longer looks like she might faint without notice.
She looks happier and healthier than I’ve seen in a long time.
I take one of her hands in mine, grabbing on to Bianca with the other. “I can do this.”
They both hear it for the question it is.
“You can,” Bianca affirms.
“Am I ruining his life?” I ask on a whisper, unexpected tears filling my eyes.
Both of their hands tighten around mine.
“Do not talk that way about my sister.” Andra reaches for a handkerchief, dabbing at my eyes. My face has been left bare so at least there’s no makeup to ruin.
“Do you love him?” Bianca asks.
I nod. “You know I do.”
“And does he love you?”
I roll my eyes. “You know he does.”
Bianca shrugs, straightening my sleeve as she drops my hand. “Then let that be enough, Cate. Let yourself have this.”
I nod again, not entirely convinced.
There’s a knock at the door. Alex enters with my permission, smiling as he takes in the conservative dress Callum’s team chose for me. “It’s time to go.”
The four of us file down the long hallway of the Scotan Castle like little marching soldiers.
Callum waits for us at the bottom of the stairs, looking devilishly handsome in a perfectly fitted three-piece suit.
He offers me his arm when I reach the ground floor, and I tuck my hand into the crook of his elbow.
“You look stunning,” he tells me as we make our way to the carriage out front.
“Thank you.”
“You hate it, don’t you?”
I tilt my head up to catch the gleam of a smile in his eyes. “It’s terrible.”
He chuckles, opening the door of the carriage and helping me inside. “After today you can wear whatever you want.”
“Let’s wait and see what your team has to say about that.”
Callum folds himself next to me, sitting close so our thighs are pressed together. “You are my team, Cate. It’s you and me, that’s all I care about.”
I reach for his hand, lacing our fingers together. His thumb traces soothing circles over my palm and I lean into his comforting weight.
We arrive in Stratford City sooner than I would have liked. What I wouldn’t give to stay locked in here with Callum for the rest of the day. There are several ways we could put the small space to creative use. But now isn’t the time to think about that.
Our Bond hasn’t wavered since the night we made love in Callum’s room, the night I agreed to marry him, the night he let me use my Gift.
Since then, we haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other.
Every moment not locked in campaign work is spent wrapped up in one another.
The longing I feel deep in my bones for him hasn’t abated; if anything it’s only intensified.
Just the thought of it is enough to stoke the fire in my blood.
“How long do we have?” Callum mumbles, his lips finding the sensitive spot on my neck, and I know he’s thinking similar thoughts to mine.
“Long enough.” I hoist the heavy skirts of my dress and clamber my way onto his lap, our mouths tangling around my clumsy maneuvering.
Within seconds, his hard cock is in my palm, his fingers are stroking my folds, and I sink down over him with a sigh of relief.
“We don’t have more than a few minutes.” His hands slide under my dress, latching on to my thighs and assisting my hips as they roll over him.
“Then you better make me come quickly, Your Highness.”
He does, because he always does, chasing his own release seconds later.
The wheels clatter over the cobblestones as we right ourselves, rolling to a stop right as I manage to get my skirts back in place.
Next time I will insist on wearing something less restrictive, if for no other reason than it wouldn’t be prudent for the fiancée of the future president of Avon to be caught with her skirts around her ears.
Callum exits the carriage first, reaching back to help me down the rickety steps of the carriage. My feet hit the ground and I sway, leaning into him to keep me upright, the sudden rush of blood and fear making me queasy.
The carriage has stopped right in front of La Puissance.
I haven’t been back here since we lost Harold, and the sight of my former home brings on a rush of emotions.
“Are you all right?” Callum tightens his hold on me, pulling me into his side.
I sink into his warmth, but only for a second. I force myself upright, force myself to be the kind of partner he needs right now in this moment. Callum needs me to be strong and so I will find a way to be so.
Callum’s worried eyes never leave me, even as we’re ushered behind the building to the back entrance.
He guides me into a chair in the kitchen where I’ve spent more hours of my life than I can count and crouches down in front of me, the fine material of his suit pulling across his thick thighs.
“Cate. Talk to me. What’s wrong? If you don’t want to do this, now is the time to tell me. ”
“Why are we here? Did you know this is where we were coming for the announcement?”
Callum hesitates, his blue eyes hiding emotions that send a tingle of fear down my spine.
Bianca cautiously creeps over to us, as if she doesn’t want to interrupt our conversation. “Cate? Do you have a minute before the announcement?”
I look to Callum, who nods.
“I’ll give you a minute,” he says, planting a soft kiss on my cheek before turning to walk away. “We can talk later.”
“You should hear this too.” Bianca stops him before he can get very far, a calm hand on his forearm.
I stand, linking my arm with Callum’s. “What’s going on, B? You’re scaring me a bit.”
She smiles and it’s genuine and calming.
“Nothing to be scared about.” She turns to gesture behind her.
Many of the Gifted club members join her, coming from around the side of the building to clump around her.
Meri and Tes and Rosa and Helen, a few faces I haven’t had the chance to get to know very well.
Bianca takes a deep breath. “We have been talking over the past few days, and we’ve come to a consensus.”
I raise my eyebrow, trying to hide the hurt that comes along with being excluded from these talks. I understand why, but their rejection still stings.
“And we all agreed, voted unanimously in fact, that you should be the one to take over leadership at La Puissance.”
Bianca’s words hang in the air for several long, quiet seconds.
“I’m sorry, I think I misheard you?” My stomach spins once again, but this time, there’s no grief or sadness. Only excitement, and some disbelief, and an overwhelming feeling of this being exactly right.
Meri grins, but it’s Tes who says, “We want you to take over for Harold. And we think that’s what he would have wanted too.”
“Actually, we know it is.” Bianca holds up a piece of paper, full of Harold’s scratchy handwriting. “He left this on his desk, a note leaving the club in your and Andra’s names.”
The rest of the group nods.
Callum’s hold on my arm tightens and I turn to him, the bubble of happiness in my chest on the verge of popping. I can’t take over the club if it means damaging his campaign.
But there’s a smile in his eyes as he asks me, “Is this what you want?”
“I think so,” I whisper, afraid to latch on to this possibility if it’s only going to be snatched from me. “But I won’t, if it means—”
“Don’t even think about turning down something you want because of me.” He cups my cheek in his hand, his thumb running along the line of my jaw.
I lean into his touch for a brief second before turning my attention back to the women in front of me.
Some of them are watching Callum and me with expressions bordering on sappy.
Some, like Tes, look like they want to throw up.
But all of them grin when I tell them I accept, enveloping me in a stifling hug that I never want to end.
The hug breaks apart only when Alex comes to tell us Callum is about to be announced, and the girls head out to the main lobby.
I start to walk toward the grand staircase, where Callum will deliver his first speech as the Scotan presidential candidate, ready to stand by his side, but he pulls me back, his brow furrowed.
My heart sinks. Despite the impending disappointment, I still feel like taking over the club is the best decision for me.
“I can stay back here. We can delay the marriage announcement, or cancel the marriage altogether.” For some reason the thought of losing something I don’t even know for sure I want makes me incredibly sad.
“Cate. How many times are we going to have to have the same conversation?” The corners of his eyes crinkle with an exasperated smile.
“I don’t know. Several, I’m assuming.”
He takes my face in his hands and kisses me softly. “Are you happy? Is this truly what you want?”
I nod, the movement breaking his hold on my cheeks. “It is. And I am happy. But only if my decisions don’t affect your future.”
He takes a deep breath. “I had something different planned for my announcement, you know.”
This time it’s my brow that furrows.
He continues without giving me time to interrupt.
“I was going to tell everyone that you are the one who killed Harold, and that you not only earned the candidacy, but you had my full support. That’s why I chose La Puissance for the location to deliver this address.
This place is what made you the person you are today, and the person you are is someone who would make an incredible leader, Cate. ”
My heart softens, squeezing inside my chest. “Callum. You are wonderful and perfect, and so incredibly misguided sometimes.”
He frowns. “I don’t know about that.”
“I have no desire to be president of Avon. That is a job you were born to do. Just as I was meant to be the head of the club. You are exactly where you’re supposed to be and I can’t wait to stand by your side.” I loop my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me.
I’ve already heard the speech he will deliver to his people in a few moments, have heard him speak about how he has plans for a future where everyone in Avon has equitable resources, where the Gifted are no longer treated as second-class citizens.
He is going to do great things for the people of this country.
He leans in and kisses me, soft at first, and then deeply. Warmth shoots through me and I rise up on my toes, pressing my body to him. His heartbeat pounds in his chest, and mine syncs with his.
A throat clears. “It’s time.”
We break apart and turn to see Alex waiting for us, a frown creased on his perpetually tense face.
I fix Callum’s hair, taming those gorgeous copper-colored curls. “You ready?”
He nods, his hand slipping down to lace his fingers through mine. “Are you?”
“I’m ready for anything if you’re there with me.”
He tugs on my hand and we start a slow walk through the kitchen and out toward the grand staircase, waiting to hear our names announced to the sound of raucous cheers from the large crowd. “My lady, that comment was downright sappy.”
“This is what you’ve done to me, Your Highness.”
He lifts our interlocked hands to his mouth and kisses the back of my hand. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He pulls us to a stop just out of the sight line of the crowd of people. “I love you, Cate.”
“I love you too, Callum.”
Alex calls our names and a swell of applause greets us as we walk to our place front and center on the grand staircase of the pleasure club that raised me. We stand next to one another, solid and proud, ready to face whatever the future holds.
—
A week later, we gather in the courtyard of the Scotan Castle. In two days’ time, it will be turned over to the Uprising, and so our timeline was pushed up a little.
Alex wanted to make sure our wedding was a grand affair, something for the papers to write about, for the citizens of Scota to partake in, but we decided instead to keep it small.
Bianca, Tes, and Meri. Andra, of course.
And Alex. Callum’s side would feel noticeably empty, so we decided to do away with sides, our friends and family circling around us, surrounding us with love.
We take a moment to remember Harold and Dom and James, and Callum’s mother. The grief hasn’t passed, for either of us, and I don’t know that it ever will. But each day it’s a bit easier to breathe. Luckily the club and the campaign are keeping us plenty busy.
I wasn’t so sure about marriage, but when we stand and face one another, our hands linked, smiles bright, I know this is where I am meant to be.
We pledge our love and faithfulness to one another, and when Callum slips a ring, his mother’s, on my finger, he brings my hand to his lips, kissing my palm.
“I will love you until the day I die, my lady,” he whispers, too quiet for anyone else to hear.
“I will love you forevermore, Mr. President.”
He grins, his blue eyes sparkling. “I think it might be bad luck to call me that before the election has even truly begun.”
I shrug, leaning in to kiss him even though the ceremony isn’t officially over yet. “We don’t need luck. We have each other.”