Chapter 9 #3
Callum wasn’t sure which emotion to express first. He was absolutely devastated, completely furious, and somewhat relieved.
He wasn’t proud of that last one, but it was hard not to be glad things hadn’t worked out between Bianca and Fuckboi Supreme.
She deserved so much better, and Callum wasn’t going to let that prick ruin another moment of her life.
He pressed the intercom button. “Daniel, we have a code fuchsia. I’m declaring a state of emergency. We’re having a movie day.”
“Despite your continued mocking of our security protocols, I’m going to allow it,” Daniel replied, and Callum could hear the smile in his voice.
“What are you doing?” Bianca lifted a brow, even though she still sounded shaken.
“As co-founder of the Disgraced Devil Delegation, I am declaring an emergency rot session! We’ll go back to your place and watch something dumb and comforting, order takeout, and plan our revenge,” Callum said, pulling her back into his arms. She melted against him, though she still radiated sadness, so he decided a bit of teasing would be a good distraction.
“I bet I can guess your genre of comfort movie. Based on how you move those hips, I’d say you’re into dance movies where beautiful people stumble through a thin plot that requires lots of sexy movement and not much clothing.
And I’m one hundred percent down for that. ”
As he expected, Bianca’s cheeks pinkened and she gave him a playful punch in the arm that actually stung quite a bit. She sounded almost like her sassy self when she replied. “Fine, but we’re ordering mozzarella sticks.”
As if he’d read their minds, Daniel was already turning into the garage of Bonnycastle Privé.
Soon, the two omegas were curled on a plush sofa in her living room, cuddling beneath a blanket that smelled intoxicatingly like Bianca.
Callum had met the massive reptile that Bianca credited with saving her life, and he had to admit Lilith was beautiful, though it was going to take a while for him to not also find her petrifying.
Luckily, Bianca was fine with letting Lilith skip the movie day, and so the two omegas were left alone for their marathon.
The coffee table was strewn with takeout and wine and an alpha with more abs than brains was body rolling across the huge television screen toward a goody-two-shoes omega who was pretending she wasn’t going to dance with him.
It was basically heaven.
After they’d finished two movies and two bottles of wine, Callum decided it was the perfect time to make the experience more interactive.
Movie two happened to include a male and female omega pair who were auditioning for a coveted spot at an elite academy.
The characters decided to join forces instead of being rivals, and their dance number was as fun as it was sexy.
“We’re learning this choreography, Queen B!” Callum proclaimed, pulling Bianca to her feet. “No excuses! We can bust it out next time we’re at Nocturne and act like it was totally unplanned. It’ll be epic!”
He ignored her protests as he pushed the coffee table out of the way.
They spent the next hour replaying the same scene over and over while they practiced the dance moves and laughed themselves to tears.
Bianca had a knack for remembering choreography, but he had to coax and tease her into relaxing into the movements.
By the time they collapsed their sweaty, drunk selves back onto the sofa, Callum thought he might’ve never had more fun in his life.
Bianca’s eyes sparkled, and she took his hand. “Callum, I don’t know how you manage to make me do such ridiculous things but thank you. I needed this today.”
Callum grinned, intertwining their fingers, and then kissing her knuckles. “Me too. And I am happy to do it again anytime. But can I make a suggestion?”
He knew it was a risk, and he wasn’t sure how much vulnerability she had left to give for the day, but he needed to say it. Whether he was going to be her friend, or something more, he needed to be honest with her. And she needed to hear some hard truths too.
“I suppose that’s how this whole friendship thing is supposed to work.” Bianca shrugged, eyeing him warily. “Suggest away, but fair warning that I am very stubborn.”
Callum laughed at the understatement. He pulled her close, not caring that they were both clammy from the dancing.
She smelled even better like this, and there wasn’t a whiff of fear or distress marring that oleander and apple goodness.
This was how she should feel all the time.
And he’d do everything he could to help.
“Fuck those shitheads, Queenie. Your parents, Robert and his bitch ass friend, and even the assholes from the country club. You can’t let them control your life.
You decide what comes next. You are unstoppable, Bianca Bonnycastle.
I knew you were a force of nature the moment I laid eyes on you.
Own it.” Callum paused and brushed his lips against her forehead, enjoying the way she snuggled closer in response.
“I’ll support you in whatever you choose, even if it’s that pack of stuffy old twats you’ve got on the line. ”
Bianca snorted and punched him on the chest playfully.
Callum winced, catching her sharp little fist in his free hand and pressing it to his heart, before using their joined hands to lift her chin and meet her gaze once more.
He made sure she could see the sincerity in his expression before he spoke again.
“But only on two conditions,” he said seriously.
“Number one, you have to do something for yourself first. Not for your future or for your family, but for you right now. You are beautiful and desirable and deserve to feel like it for once. Make a selfish choice and make that shit count. You plan to mate soon, and this is supposed to be your last hurrah, so let’s fucking hurrah!
Let your hot bodyguards blow your back out and tell them exactly how you like it.
Before you condemn yourself to saggy balls and vitality supplements, you deserve to get absolutely railed. ”
Bianca covered her mouth, looking both scandalized and amused. “Callum! You’re incorrigible!”
“You have no idea, sweetness,” he replied, grinning wickedly. “My second condition is that you have to tell me everything so I can be suuuuper jealous and also stock my spank bank.”