Chapter 54 Callum
Chapter Fifty-Four: Callum
I’m standing at the kitchen window watching Tiger hug her mom in the driveway.
They’ve been out there for twenty minutes. Just standing next to the car. Talking. Crying. Hugging again.
“Think they’re okay?” Zephyr asks beside me.
“Yeah.”
Jax has been watching them the entire time.
“She looks like her,” he says. “Tiger’s mom. Same eyes.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
“Why are you guys being so weird?” Zinnia says from behind us.
I turn around, pick her up, and turn her upside down, holding her from her legs. She laughs hysterically. “Cal!”
“Zinni!” I mock, placing her head nicely on the couch. “Don’t call us weird.”
“Jax is her boyfriend! So, you and Zeff are being so weird.”
I scoff, scrunching my nose at her.
She scowls at me. “Jax would beat you up.”
Jax says, “She’s right.”
I look down at her smug face. “So, Zinnia. Are you going to live with your mom?”
“No!” She sits up quickly. “I want to live with Lily…” She puts up four fingers. “Four-eva!”
I blink, watching Zinnia storm down the hall to her room. She shuts the door and then I go back to the same place I was. Where I’m classified as being weird to a ten-year-old girl.
We watch in silence for another few minutes. Then Tiger’s mom says something. Tiger nods and wipes her face.
A car I don’t recognize pulls up, and her mom gets inside.
Tiger stands there watching her pull away. She waves at her as they drive off.
“Should we—” Zephyr starts.
“Give her a minute,” Jax says.
Tiger finally turns, looking at us through the window. And then she walks back to the house. Her face is red. Eyes swollen.
She steps inside and closes the door quietly behind her.
Zinnia appears immediately from her room. “Where’s Mom?”
Tiger takes a breath. “So… she’s not going to stay here.”
Zinnia’s face falls. “Why?”
Tiger inhales, looking at the three of us and then back at Zinnia. “She wants to ease us into this transition and not... intrude.”
I scoff before I can stop myself. “She’s not intruding.”
Zephyr nudges me.
“But if that’s what you need,” I add, softer.
Tiger nods and tears start falling. “She knows of a place. A transitional housing program. She thinks it’s better this way.”
Jax is still watching Tiger closely, reminding me of the times when we’d sit outside of Tiger’s house.
“I feel so bad,” Tiger admits. Her voice breaks.
“Don’t feel bad,” we all say at the same time.
Zinnia walks over and rubs Tiger’s back. “It’s okay, Lily. We’ll see her a lot, right?”
“Yeah. A lot.”
I pull Tiger into my arms and let her cry against my chest.
Jax suddenly pushes off the counter and heads for the door.
Tiger lifts her head. “What are you going?”
The door shuts behind him without an answer.
Zephyr watches Jax walk outside. “He’s being Jax.”
I shake my head. “He’s always so protective over you.”
She turns her head and rests it back on my chest. “I know.”
We stand there for a moment. Me holding her. Zinnia holding onto both of us. Zephyr standing close.
Through the window, I see Jax jog down the driveway. Like he’s trying to catch Tiger’s mom before she gets too far.
“He’s going to tell her to stay, isn’t he?” Tiger asks.
“Probably,” Zephyr says.
“She won’t listen.”
“He’ll try anyway.”
Ten minutes later, Jax comes back, alone.
“Well?” Tiger asks.
“She said thank you, but she needs to do this her way.” He walks over and tucks her hair behind her ear. “She’ll come over tomorrow for dinner.”
“She will?”
“Yeah. I invited her. She said yes.”
Tiger starts crying again. “Thank you.”
Once Zinnia stops asking a million questions about when she’ll see her again and if they can visit her new place and what she’s going to do for work, we settle into homework time.
Zinnia spreads her books across the kitchen table. Math worksheets. Reading assignment. Spelling words.
Zephyr helps with the math. Jax handles the reading. I’m on spelling duty.
“Okay, Zinni. Next word: necessary.”
She scrunches her face. “N-E-C...”
“Keep going.”
“E-S-A-R-Y.”
“Almost. Try again.”
Tiger’s sitting at the counter watching us. Still quiet. Still processing.
I catch her eye and smile.
She gives me a small smile.
After homework, Zinnia goes to watch TV. The guys migrate to the living room with her.
I stay in the kitchen with Tiger.
“You okay?” I ask.
“I don’t know.”
She hugs me, wraps her arms around my waist, and presses her face against my chest. I hold her, running my hand through her hair.
Then I lean down and whisper in her ear. “You could stay the night at my place.”
She pulls back slightly. “Cal—”
“I know. I know. You can’t leave Zinnia. I’m just saying... whenever you can. My door’s open.”
“Your place is twenty minutes away.”
“So? I’ll make it worth the drive.”
She blushes, so I kiss her forehead. Then I let myself think about the day when her mom will take Zinnia for a sleepover. When it’ll just be the four of us. No interruptions. No responsibilities.
Just us.
The thought makes me grin.
“What?” Tiger asks.
“Nothing. Just thinking.”
“About?”
I whisper in her ear, “About how one day your mom’s going to take Zinnia for the night. And we’re going to have you all to ourselves.”
Her face turns red. “Callum.”
“What? It’s a nice thought.”
She shakes her head, but she’s smiling. That’s all I wanted.
That weekend, we travel for back-to-back games. Wisconsin on Friday. Minnesota on Sunday.
The plane ride is long. Boring. I spend most of it texting Tiger.
Me: Miss you already.
Tiger: Same and you just left two hours ago.
Me: Think about me tonight.
Tiger: Always.
She’s not catching the hint.
Me: And maybe Jax.
Me: Maybe Zeff.
Tiger: Right, and what am I thinking about?
I roll my eyes, smirking.
Me: Me fucking you.
Me: Jax watching.
Me: Zeff’s dick in your mouth.
I glance over at Jax. He’s staring at his phone. Jaw tight.
“You good?” I ask, trying to hide my boner.
“Fine.”
I smirk. “You look pissed.”
“I’m fine.”
I grin and go back to texting.
Me: What are you wearing?
Tiger: Callum
Me: Tiger
Tiger: Sweats and one of Zephyr’s hoodies.
Me: Traitor
Me: Mine are more comfortable.
Tiger: You’re bigger.
Me: I know, baby. That’s why I’m your favorite.
She sends me the rolling eyes emoji.
Jax shifts in his seat and glances at my phone. He looks away quickly.
“Want to text her?” I offer.
“No.”
“You sure? You look like you want to.”
“I’m fine.”
“Jealous?”
“No.”
“Right.”
He glares at me. “Shut up, Cal.”
I laugh and look at my phone to see if she wrote back.
Nope.
The game Friday night is brutal. Wisconsin comes out fast. Physical. We’re down 3-1 by the second period.
Coach is furious. He pulls us into the locker room between periods and yells about effort and execution and a bunch of other shit I tune out.
We come back in the third. Score twice. But it’s not enough.
We lose 4-3.
Sunday’s game in Minnesota is better. We’re sharper. Faster. More aggressive.
Rowan’s back in form. Passing is clean. Jax and I connect on two goals. Zephyr shuts down their best forward.
We win 5-2.
The plane ride home feels longer than the ride there. Everyone’s tired. Sore. Ready to be done traveling.
I text Tiger the whole way.
Me: Home in an hour
Tiger: Can’t wait
Me: Miss me?
Tiger: Maybe
Me: Just maybe?
Tiger: Fine. Yes. I missed you
Me: Stay at my place soon?
She doesn’t reply.
When we finally pull into the parking lot, I’m first off the bus. I grab my bag and head straight to my truck.
Jax and Zephyr are right behind me.
“You driving straight there?” Zephyr asks.
“Yeah. You?”
“Yeah.”
We caravan to the house. I’m speeding slightly. Can’t help it.
When we walk in, Tiger’s in the kitchen. There’s music playing. She’s dancing while she cooks something.
“Where’s your sister?” I ask immediately.
She turns and grins. “She’s not here.”
“For how long?”
“Overnight.”
I look at Jax. Then Zephyr. Then back at Tiger.
“Overnight,” I repeat, instantly fucking throbbing in my pants.
“Yeah.” She walks toward us. “Zinnia wanted to see my mom’s new place. And my mom said she’d bring her back tomorrow after breakfast.”
Before I can respond, she’s kissing Zephyr. Deep. Hungry. I watch his tongue enter her mouth, and I’m already moving. I pull him out of my way and turn her toward me.
“Fuck, I really missed you,” I say against her mouth.
“It’s been a while,” she agrees.
“Too long.”
I kiss her hard. She responds immediately. Her hands in my hair. Her body pressed against mine.
Then Jax is there, pulling me back and taking his turn.
I step aside and watch them for a second, still yearning for her touch.
Then I take Tiger’s hand and start pulling her toward Jax’s bedroom.
Jax pushes me. “Not yet.”
He kisses her again. Slower this time. More deliberate.
We keep doing this back and forth, trading her between us. All of us trying to get close at once.
Finally, Tiger pulls away from all of us, breathing hard.
“Okay. Stop.”
We freeze.
She looks at each of us. Eyes dark. Deciding something.
Then she reaches for me and pulls me forward. “You first.”
“Yeah?”
She nods. “Yeah.” She looks at Jax and Zephyr. “You two. Just watch and be patient.”
Jax’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t argue. We walk to Jax’s bedroom. Zephyr leans against the doorframe, smirking.
Tiger turns her full attention to me. “You wanted me all to yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“Well…” She chews her bottom lip. “You have me.”
I kiss her, pouring every ounce of myself into it. Every missed moment. Every text message. Every thought I had on that damn plane. Every time it was my hand and not her.
She responds just as intensely, matching my energy, pushing back.
I’m vaguely aware of Jax and Zephyr watching. Of the tension building. Of the fact that this is just the beginning.
But right now, in this moment, it’s just me and her.
And that’s exactly what I needed.
I pull back slightly and look at her. “You’re so fucking sexy, Tiger.”
She focuses on me, and I revel in the fact that she hasn’t glanced over at Jax or Zephyr once. I groan against her mouth, trailing my kisses down her body. I pull off her shirt and suck on her perfect tits. I take each nipple, watching her head fall back with a sweet moan.
Then I push my hand into her panties and rub her clit. Her hips follow my finger as I kiss her mouth. I insert my middle finger and start fucking her with it. She hums against my mouth, wrapping her arms around my neck, kissing me.
“You feel so fucking good, Tiger,” I groan.
And then I pull her pants off, keeping my eyes on hers. When the pants fall on the ground, I look at her naked body. Her bra is pushed up to her chest, squishing her tits beneath it. It looks so fucking hot.
“Baby,” I groan, unbuttoning my pants. I pull them down and stroke myself.
She bites her lips, watching my movements.
“Turn around,” I command.
Her eyes flick to Zeff and Jax briefly. Then she turns around like a good girl, giving me the prettiest view I’ve ever seen.
I look over my shoulder and smirk. I mouth, “Told you I’m the favorite.”
Jax glares and Zephyr smirks and then I’m aiming straight for that pretty fucking pussy.
I kiss her shoulder, nipping her. I fuck her with my fingers first, and then I slide my dick in as much as she’ll let me.
“Relax, baby,” I mutter against her skin. “You’re so fucking tight all the time. Shit, Tiger.”
I rub her clit, trying to her to relax. After a few minutes of trying to push into her, I finally find the right angle and slide right in.
“Fuck,” I groan, and then I’m thrusting the fuck out of her, chasing my own pleasure, listening to her moan.
She bites her lips, and sooner than I know it, I’m coming all over her fucking back.
Later—much later—we’re all tangled together in Jax’s bed. Sweaty. Exhausted. Satisfied.
Tiger’s between me and Jax. Zephyr’s sprawled beside me.
“We should do this more often,” I say.
“What? Take turns separately?” Zephyr asks.
“No. Have Zinnia stay with her mom.”
Tiger laughs and curls into Jax’s side.
I watch them. Zephyr reaches over and runs his hand through her hair. Tiger stares at Jax and leans into Zephyr’s hand.
And I think: This is it. This is what I want.
Not just tonight. Not just when Zinnia’s gone.
This. Them. Us.
All the time.