20. Chapter Twenty
Callie’s haunted expression has my muscles tightening and my heart palpitating. What has this poor girl been put through by this bastard of a father? Why hasn’t anyone been able to stop this yet?
“Callie, who else hurts you?” Kat’s voice is soft, her eyes imploring. Callie’s mouth opens and then closes, once, then twice. She starts shaking her head, her knee slowly starting to bounce up and down as she, yet again, glances outside.
“I d-don’t want to talk any more.” Her voice is shaky. Clearly, she’s spooked about something. I rest my palm on her shaking leg and she jumps backwards, her shoulder whacking against the glass window of the diner. I raise my hands and shuffle myself back, giving her some room.
“Sorry, I-I need some air, I just need to cool down.” She’s visibly shaken and her voice is rising with panic. I quickly move out of the booth and she rushes to get out before speeding towards the door of the diner. Once she’s outside, I turn to Kat and Nate who are both sat with shock evident on their faces as they stare at Callie out the window.
“How badly do you think he hurts her?” Nate asks, turning to me with a heavy brow and misty eyes. I shake my head, my gaze flicking back to the window to see Callie now sitting on the bench outside, her phone pressed against her ear as she stares towards the parking lot entrance.
“I saw scars when we were in the locker rooms. She had scars on her thighs. And I’ve seen some bruises, plus the state that her dad left her mother in all them years ago. I think it’s safe to say that it’s quite bad,” Kat adds.
Nate’s features darken a tad, showing that this information is unsettling for him.
“Why hasn’t your dad been able to catch him yet? If she has physical injuries, then there’s proof right there!” I growl. Kat glares at me.
“He’s trying! He said earlier, that there’s no evidence and no proof. Callie also told us that her dad has connections. It doesn’t seem like it’s easy, Brad, so back off.” She crosses her arms over her chest and slumps back against her seat.
“Well, we can get evidence. Right? We can take pictures, get Callie to write a statement or someth-”
“What do you think she meant when she said it wasn’t just him? Do you think it’s her brother’s hurting her as well?” Nate murmurs, interrupting me. My brows pinch. Maybe he’s onto something here. Kat scoffs as she looks between us both.
“No, definitely not. You’ve seen how they are with her, they wouldn’t hurt her, they wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” Kat smacks him upside the head, showing how idiotic she believes his question to be.
“They”ve already let shit happen to her, though, Kat. You said you’ve seen scars and bruises, and she just admitted that her dad abuses her!” Kat’s narrowed eyes crash with mine, but my gaze is pulled away from hers when strong, clenched hands smash down against the wooden table. I lift my head, and my gaze connects with Callum’s thunderous one. Oh shit, this is new and troubling.
“If I ever hear you suggesting that I’d hurt my sister or allow her to be hurt again, I’ll break your fucking jaw so that you never speak again.” His voice is low, menacing. He leans down till his eyes are level with mine. “We protect our sister as much as we possibly can. Ask yourself why Connor has that bruise on his face and why he goes to that fight club to earn some money. Or maybe try and guess why I only have four fingers on one hand,” he growls out.
My eyes drop to his fists that are still resting on the table in front of me. He uncurls them, laying his palms and fingers flat, and I gulp when I see his baby finger missing from his left hand.
“Callum, we know you wou-” His angry glare transfers from me to Kat, cutting off her sentence.
“Don’t.” He pushes off the table and stalks outside, going over to join Callie and Connor on the bench.
“You stupid arseholes!” Kat rages, staring both of us down.
Nate has the nerve to look at her innocently and ask, “What did I do?” She smacks him again and clambers over him to get out of the booth.
“You suggested that it was also them hurting her.” Her gaze then slices over to meet mine. “And you.” She jabs her pointer finger towards me, “Ugh, I can’t even believe you right now! I’m going out there to try and salvage this friendship that we’ve made with these people and to try and find out more information so that I can hopefully help them. You two can sit here until you realise how ludicrous you both were, and then I expect you to go and apologise to Connor and Callum.” She finishes her breathless spiel and charges out of the diner.
Nate and I sit in silence for a minute or two before Ruth walks over with a tray in hand. “She’s a good one, that girl, I’m not too sure about you two though from what I’ve just heard,” she says whilst picking up our untouched milkshakes and fries. “I’ll be taking these back.” With that said, she turns and leaves us to sink back into quietness.
Callum stomps out of the diner with a scowl set on his face. As he sits down opposite me and Connor, a muscle pops in his jaw as he grinds his teeth in anger. I sniffle and glance at Connor, who’s also curiously observing our brother.
“Callum, what’s going on?” I ask. His fists clench and he stares back at the diner, a murderous glint in his eye. Have these two switched bodies in the last half hour? This is a rare mood for Callum to be in. Even Connor looks confused about Callum’s noticeable anger. “Cal, talk to me, what’s happened?” He shakes his head, an obvious denial to answer me.
I’d already texted them earlier when we got to the diner to let them know where I was. When I called them, asking them to come to the diner, they were already on their way here so it didn’t take long before they arrived. I just needed to clear my head and I wanted them to come here so that I didn’t have to ride back with Kat and the boys after having an overwhelming conversation.
“Callie!” Kat’s shout has me turning towards the door of the diner as she comes rushing out, barrelling towards me. “They’re stupid, okay? They never should’ve said that, and I just have to tell you that the thought never even occurred to me. I knew they’d never be at fault for you getting hurt, but I still want to apologise on behalf of them and I don’t want to lose you as a friend so-”
“Kat!” I shout. She snaps her mouth shut, halting her rambling. “Slow down. What are you on about?”
She glances between Callum and me, and a breath of relief rushes out of her. “Oh, thank God,” she mutters. “We were talking after you’d come out here, and Nate and Brad were just a little shocked with what you’d said…” She pauses as Callum scoffs and pushes away from the bench, stalking across the parking lot. Her hands run through her hair as she stares after him regretfully.
“I’m gonna go check on him,” Connor grumbles from beside me. I nod my head in acknowledgement and wait for him to leave before I speak to Kat.
“Hey, sit down and tell me what’s going on.” She complies, sitting across from me and burying her head in her hands.
“They were just trying to figure out some things, I think, I don”t even know. I can’t make excuses for them because I don’t understand how or why the thought even entered their stupid brains…” My brows furrow, she lifts her head, and our eyes connect. Hers are glossy and wide. She looks nervous, maybe even a little scared. “They didn’t realise Callum had come into the diner. None of us had. They were thinking out loud, and they were discussing whether it could be the twins that are hurting you.” My head immediately shakes from side to side, and Kat places her hand on mine.
“I know, I know. I told them that the twins would never hurt you… but Callum overheard what they said, and he kind of lost his shit in there. I promise you, Callie, I never once thought-“
“Are you fucking kidding me?” My gaze jumps over to the twins as Connor”s bellow echoes across the lot. His face contorted with anger.
“Oh shit,” I mumble, quickly standing from the table, planning to walk over there. The little bell above the door of the diner chooses that moment to ring as the door is pulled open, stopping me in my tracks. Kat’s sharp intake of breath and her panicked stare are enough to tell me who’s exiting the diner.
I keep my eyes trained on Connor as he slowly turns to glare in our direction. His deep dark blue eyes are cut into slits, his thick eyebrows drawn down and his face is tinted red with fury. This is not good.
I quickly flick my gaze to the sheepish pair who are standing frozen in the doorway of Ruth Norman’s diner. Nate’s looking at me like a kicked puppy and Brad’s eyes are ping-ponging between me and Connor. He looks like he’s unsure of what to do, but he looks ready to run if one of the twins starts to kick off.
Callum is shooting daggers at the pair with a smug grin on his face as he stands behind Connor’s fuming form.
My eyes connect with Connor’s, and past the anger, I can see the hurt swirling around in them, too. He hasn’t exactly warmed up to these guys, and he hasn’t been particularly friendly, but he’s tolerated them. He’s seen that I care about them, and he could have made a good connection with them after some time.
But now, this little miscommunicated accusation has hurt him deeper than anything else ever would. Connor’s very overprotective. He’s strong, fierce and somewhat scary. But he’s also sensitive, especially when it comes to me and Callum. He does everything he can to keep us safe, yet he blames himself every time one of us gets hurt. He always thinks that he could’ve done more to protect us. So, with Callum no doubt telling him that Nate and Brad thought he could’ve been one of the people hurting me, I know that’s got to be cutting him deep.
I subtly shake my head at him, silently telling him to back down. His hands fist at his sides, his jaw clenches and he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before turning and slamming his fist into the door of the jeep. That wipes the smirk off of Callum’s face.
“Dude, what the fuck! You can’t hurt my baby like that.” He pushes Connor away and rubs his hand along the metal, caressing the car. “It’s okay. Daddy won’t let him hurt you again.” I cringe at my brother. What an absolute weirdo. How am I even related to this guy?
I huff out a frustrated breath and face Brad and Nate. Both of them straighten as my eyes fall on them. Brad takes a step towards the bench, quickly glancing above my head to see my brothers across the car park. He motions with his head for them to come over to us, and then he sits down on the bench, Nate following suit. Once the twins have made their way over, he solemnly glances between us all.
“I want to say sorry to both of you. I was out of order, and I’ve realised that I was stupid to assume that you two would’ve hurt Callie.” He clears his throat and his gaze nervously drifts over to Nate. Nate nods his head, agreeing with Brad.
“It’s just that Callie was explaining things to us, and she mentioned how your dad wasn’t the only one who had been hurting her. We jumped to conclusions without even thinking about everything properly. It was a shock, and we were just trying to connect all the dots,” he rushes out. Brad pats him on the back as if telling him well done, and I feel a small smile creep up on my face. Connor scoffs from behind me and I can’t contain my eyeroll.
They’re both obviously remorseful. Nate’s guilt is rolling off of him in waves and it’s so strong it’s almost suffocating me. I can’t even look into his eyes because of the glossy film across them. Brad’s more put together than Nate but I can see that he’s nervous as hell.
Their words both seem sincere and apologetic. They’ve both had some time to think whilst we’ve been outside and they’ve obviously come to the conclusion that the twins aren’t the ones that are hurting me. I understand the twins being pissed but I also understand why Nate and Brad would’ve come to the conclusion that they did.
I feel as though I can’t hold a grudge against them for their assumptions, I’m partially responsible, I didn’t explain much to them; I was finding it too difficult and I’m still terrified of them all looking at me differently if they find out the whole truth about what happens at home.
“I think we should all go somewhere and talk about everything properly, somewhere that’s not out in the open where anyone else could hear us,” I say to them. I then turn to my brothers, “You’re coming with us. We need to talk about this because it’s kind of my fault for them assuming that, but we also have to talk about Mum,” I mutter. Callum’s head draws back and his eyes round in shock. Connor shifts uncomfortably beside him, his eyes trained on the floor.
“We can contact her, send her a letter,” I say softly. Connor”s head snaps up, his eyes zoning in on me.
“What? For real?” he asks.
“Nate’s dad is the detective who’s been helping keep Mum and Crystal hidden. He said that he could get a letter to her.” Connor and Callum both look at each other, silently communicating in that weird way that twins do. Connor breaks their connection first and his eyes travel over to Nate.
He tips his head down, giving him a slight nod and then pivots on his foot, stalking across the car park towards the jeep. Callum steps towards me, but his eyes stay trained on the two guys sitting on the bench behind me. I guess he’s still angry.
“Can we trust them?” he whispers, his gaze finally connecting with mine. I look over my shoulder to see Kat, Nate and Brad all staring at us intently. I turn back to Callum and nod.
“I remember being with Mum one night when she met Colin, and he’s the one that Ryker told me about as well. We can trust him, Cal. He can help us,” I whisper back. He scans my face, then looks over at the table again before blowing out a breath.
“Okay, fine, we’ll trust them. But I don’t think you should tell them everything, maybe hold some things back.” I wince at his words, and he pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me. “I’m only saying that because I know how much it affects you, Little C. I don’t want you to have to explain everything to them if it’s going to hurt you.” I squeeze him tighter before I disentangle myself from his arms.
“I’ll decide whether I need to tell them or not. You go check on Connor and make sure he’s okay. I’ll text you where to meet us, and then we can all sit down and talk this out.” He nods, drops a light kiss on the side of my head and then walks off to join Connor in the jeep.