Bonus Scene
We’d been discussing the guest list and the wedding now for far too long in my eyes. And Callahan was being complicit, kind, almost protective of how I handled myself with my family.
I wondered if he was that way in every relationship, if Demi had got that from him too, if she’d gotten more of that than I did.
The idea made me unreasonably jealous and had me mulling over how easily he’d gotten away with putting his lips on another woman.
“Do you have a man outside my door today?”
“Not Archer.” He growled immediately, glaring at me for a second
I rolled my eyes and got up to go open my door and look down the hall. I’d agreed to lines in the sand now. I’d agreed to exclusivity, but I hadn’t agreed to him getting his way without me getting mine.
I was a woman of principle, okay? I was in an equal partnership with equal opportunities. He needed to see that.
Archer wasn’t standing at the door but another younger man in a suit was. I knew he only got the post because Callahan was in here with me and Archer had pissed Callahan off the night before. He was blond, cute, had soft eyes. I could have wanted him for a night or two, you know, if I really tried.
What I wanted was to have him only for two seconds though.
“What’s your name?”
“Charlie, Miss Jasmina.” He stared at me scared, like I might be about to fire him.
“Charlie, hi.” I looked over my shoulder to see Callahan studying me. His beautiful eyes were narrowed, his lips in a grim line. He knew where this was going as much as I did.
I turned back to Charlie. “This is going to test your loyalties to me or to the man in that room. Just know, that I will protect you even when he wants to kill you, okay?”
The man frowned and when I leaned in to kiss him, I think he was so stunned, he let it happen. He even let me pull him close without pushing me away.
It took all of one second for me to hear Callahan’s deep, guttural command at the side of me, “Step away from her before I pull the trigger and blow your head off.”
Charlie’s hands were immediately raised, his lips glistening with my spit and his eyes wide as he stepped back. I saw Callahan had his pistol aimed right at Charlie’s head.
Both of them had been so focused on what my lips were doing, they didn’t realize I’d pulled Charlie’s gun from his belt. I raised it to Callahan’s head.
“We’re even now, Cally baby,” I said, calmly and quietly. “Lower the weapon.”
His jaw ticked once, then twice.
I heard a swear from around the corner and saw Archer walking down the hall about to pull his gun on me. Callahan saw it too and ground out, “Arch, aim a gun at her and I’ll fucking kill you.”
“She’s got a gun to your head. Have you lost it?” Archer seethed as he walked up to the three of us.
Callahan’s stare met mine. He held my gaze for maybe just a second but in that moment, it felt like forever. It felt like a whole conversation passed between us, an understanding we both could live with and move on from.
I wouldn’t be made a fool of, and I would have equal respect.
“I deserved it, Arch.” Callahan knew I needed this to even the score, to bring us back to a level playing field.
He lowered his gun from Charlie’s head before growling at him, “Don’t accept another kiss from my future wife or not even she will be able to save you from the torture I’ll inflict on you. ”
Charlie nodded repeatedly, his eyes ping-ponging between both of us like we were disasters of human beings. He was probably right.
“Jas, can you please stop with the theatrics and remove the barrel of the gun from my head now? It’s too damn early in the day for this.” Callahan pinched the bridge of his nose, not at all scared that I’d pull the trigger or that I couldn’t handle the weapon.
I had to smirk at his confidence.
I hated to admit it, but I was really starting to like the asshole. “You probably do deserve a bullet in your brain,” I grumbled and then sighed as I lowered it. Archer let out a large breath and Charlie backed away slowly.
“Or I can tell these men to go home and apologize to you again, just the way you really like.”
I licked my lips before waving him off and walking back into my room without looking back. “No thanks. I have wedding planning to do.”
He followed me in and slammed the door on his men. “Not without me. I’m just as much a part of our wedding as you are.”
THE END