Chapter 4
Callum
“Callum. I need you.”
Her words kept echoing in my head as I gripped the steering wheel and sped down the back roads. If a cop tried to pull me over right now, he’d have to chase me to the lake. There was no way I was going to stop on my way to Felicity’s side.
“Just stay where you are. I’m going to find you.”
“I don’t hear him anymore,” she whispered, her voice soft.
She’d sounded strong yet terrified when she’d first called, but now her voice kept getting quieter, and I wasn’t sure it was from wanting to hide from that man. No, it sounded worse.
“Just stay where you are,” I repeated, my pulse racing. “I’m almost there.”
“I know you are. I’m okay. I’m okay.”
“Yes, you are, little flower. I’m almost there.”
“I should tell my friends where I am.”
“You can text them, but don’t get off the line. I want to hear your voice, Felicity. Got me?”
“Okay. I trust you.”
It was like a kick in the heart, and I swallowed hard. “I’m almost there.”
My tires squealed as I turned into the parking lot, and I jumped out of the car just as I turned off the engine.
“Callum?”
I looked up to see one of the Ls. I had no idea which one it was and stomped towards them. “Where the fuck is Felicity?” I growled, even though I knew she could hear me on the other line.
The girl’s eyes widened. “She was out with a guy. Bradley. On a date. Why are you here? Jealous much?”
I glared at her and one of the other girls, who seemed to be worse for wear. “Where. Is. She?”
She lifted her chin. “I’m not going to let her get hurt. If you go and chase her, I’ll—”
“You fucking let her get hurt by going out alone with that asshole. He’s lucky I haven’t found him yet.”
The girl’s eyes widened as the other girl wobbled near her. “Oh my God. She was out by the lake. That way. I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”
“We’ll talk about this later.” I turned and ran down the path, keeping my phone to my ear as I heard Felicity’s soft breath against the receiver. “Do you hear anything?”
“No. I should just get up and come to you. I’m sure he’s not out there anymore.”
My stomach clenched, thinking about what could happen. “No, I’ll be right there.”
I ran down the path, searching for the group of trees that she said she’d hidden in, but it was dark and everything looked the same. Fuck. I was going to have to have her make a noise, but I had no idea where this douchebag was.
“Callum, is that you?”
I paused where I was, searching, but I couldn’t find her.
“There you are!” a voice growled on the line, and I ran. Full speed.
I didn’t know what the hell I would come upon, but I knew if that kid touched her, I’d end him. I wouldn’t care that it would be my father’s hands once again beating someone to near death. I’d do it.
Nobody touched Felicity.
Felicity screamed, and there was a sound of skin against skin as somebody slapped another person, and I had to hope she was fighting.
I couldn’t think about anything else.
I turned the corner and finally caught sight of the two of them. Felicity kicked out and ran as the guy chased after her. I moved quickly, heart thudding.
The moonlight danced over her skin as she ran barefoot. Her face was pale.
“Whore!” the kid called behind her.
She ran past me, skidding to a stop, but I kept moving toward the kid who only had a few moments left to breathe. I’d kill him.
“Fucking bitch,” the kid snarled before glaring at me. “She’s a tease. Calling her daddy out to save her? What the fuck. She was asking for it, man.”
My fist connected with the kid’s nose, the crunching sound satisfying. Of course, it looked as if Felicity had already broken it before I got to it, and when the kid wailed, I didn’t care. I just hit him again.
“You little bastard. You put your hands on her. You’re lucky I don’t kill you.” Another fist to the jaw. The kid tried to kick back, but I pinned him to the ground.
“My father’s going to end you.” Funny thing to say through the blood pouring from his mouth.
I snarled, leaning over him. “Your father can try, but if I bury your body right now, nobody’s going to miss you.”
Finally, alarm hit his eyes, and I spread my hand around the kid’s throat. For a moment, it looked like my father’s hands on my throat, a flash of memory, the feel of strength around my neck as I tried to gasp for breath. That burning in my lungs when I nearly passed out.
But no, this wasn’t then. No, this was a little boy who had wanted to have something he couldn’t. To forcibly take it.
“Do you want me to end you?”
“No, no,” he rasped.
A hand on my shoulder, and I froze.
“I’m okay, don’t kill him.”
I swallowed hard, trying to find some semblance of control. “You like this kid enough for him to live?”
She squeezed my shoulder again. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. He’s worthless. I’m fine.”
I caught a quick glance at her face, the paleness there, the sight of blood on her lip.
Then, looked down at her feet—torn up and bloody from running in the forest barefoot.
I turned back to the little creep. “You come at her again, you touch her again, you even think about her again, I’ll kill you. ”
And that wasn’t an empty threat. I’d do it.
“You’re insane. Both of you are insane. It was just a little ass. What the hell’s wrong with you?”
I squeezed a little harder around his neck, and the kid finally seemed to get it.
“Callum.”
The fear in her voice was mixed with worry, and I finally let out a breath. I released my hold and stood up, not bothering to be careful where I kicked.
“What the hell?” a few voices said behind us, and I turned to see an entire group of people moving.
I pulled Felicity into my arms and ran my hands up and down her skin. “What hurts?”
“I’m fine,” she whispered, but her teeth chattered.
I cursed again and just held her close.
“Felicity!” one of the Ls said, probably Laura or Lauren. I didn’t fucking care.
“I’m fine,” Felicity whispered against my chest as I just crushed her to me.
“What the hell did you do to him?” another kid asked, his polo askew.
“He attacked me,” Felicity said as she pulled away from me slightly. But I wasn’t about to let her go. “And he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
The guys looked at her for a moment, and I was worried that they were going to stand up for their friend, but instead, two of them just sighed, and another lowered his head while the fourth came forward. My hand fisted at my side, and I glared at him.
The other kid held up both of his hands and shook his head. “I don’t want any trouble. But we’ll take him from here.”
“Oh? You’re just going to take him away, and we’re not going to press charges? I don’t fucking think so,” one of the Ls said, chin raised. She surprised me, and from the way Felicity stiffened, it surprised her as well. Why the hell was she even hanging out with these girls?
“Stupid bitch,” the boy growled beneath us, and I looked down at him, narrowing my gaze. He shut up.
Felicity tugged on my shirt, once again bringing my attention to her. “I don’t want to press charges. I just want to go home. Please, can I just go home?”
“What if I want to press charges?” the little weasel snarled.
“Shut up,” the other kid said. “We’ll take care of this. He’s not going to be a problem.” He turned to Felicity, gaze narrowed. “If you want to press charges, we’ll vouch for you. He’s a little dick weasel.”
“Then why the hell did you want him to go on a date with her?” one of the girls asked, and thankfully, she looked sober.
The other kid’s cheeks pinked. “His dad works with my dad. I knew he was an idiot, but I didn’t realize the rumors were true, and he was actually a creep too.”
“Are you kidding me?” Felicity asked as she slid her hand into mine, taking a step away from me.
I didn’t let go, but I knew I probably should.
“That’s why you thought it’d be okay for him to take me out alone?
What the hell is wrong with you?” She looked between all of them, shaking her head.
“What’s wrong with all of you?” Her knees nearly buckled, and I wrapped my arm around her waist.
“Take care of him.” I lifted my chin at the piece of shit struggling to stand. “I’m taking Felicity home.” I stared at the sober girl. “You good to drive?”
She nodded, eyes wide. “Yes. I’m good. Felicity?”
“I’m fine, Laura. I’m fine.”
I didn’t think that was quite the truth, but I wasn’t about to let go of her. Everything moved quickly after that. The guys half-dragged, half-fireman carried the idiot away, and I lifted Felicity into my arms.
“Callum,” she gasped as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
“You don’t have any shoes on.” I paused. “Where are they?”
“I kicked them off when I was running. I was wearing wedges, and it was harder to move with them on.”
“Good girl.” I struggled with my control once more. “The guy looked like he had a beating or two before I got to him.” My jaw tensed, and it took all within me not to go back and kill the kid. That was the anger that ran through my veins. The carelessness. The Ashford.
And I wouldn’t let Felicity see any more of it.
“My father and brothers taught me to defend myself. I didn’t think I’d ever have to use it.”
I cursed under my breath. “Let’s get you home.”
“Thank you for coming for me,” she said, nestling her head underneath my neck.
“I’ll always be there for you, Felicity. Always.”
And as I got her into my truck, and headed back to Ashford Creek, I had to wonder to myself why exactly she had called me instead of her brothers, instead of anyone else. But I didn’t want to think about that, nor did I didn’t want to focus on the fact that I was damn glad she had.
* * *
The next morning, jaw tight after a sleepless night, I answered the door.
Felicity stood there, face clear of makeup, her hair flowing around her shoulders. She had on an old sweatshirt of one of her brothers and jeans with a hole in the knee. She wore tennis shoes and a cross-body bag, looking so different than she had the night before.
There was a slight bruise on her chin, and I wanted to go back and find that little asshole to teach him another lesson he’d probably forget.
“Rune said you slept well. That’s good,” I said before she could speak.
I’d called her brother as soon as I dropped her off, and the man had run back home, letting his team take care of the bar. Rune had given me one questioning glance before focusing on his baby sister.
“Thank you for taking care of my sister,” he’d whispered to me, and I nodded tightly, not knowing what to say. Because I was a fucking bastard when it came to Felicity Carter. And no one else needed to know that.
“I’m okay. The girls all called to apologize, and I will have to go back and talk to them since I still have a couple more weeks as their roommate, but I’m okay.”
I wasn’t about to touch that since I didn’t understand why she hung out with them to begin with. “You’re not going to press charges?”
She shook her head, hands in front of her. “I just don’t want to think about it. Okay? Nothing happened.”
I raised a brow but took a step back. “It’s getting colder out there. You shouldn’t be standing on the porch.”
And I shouldn’t be letting her inside.
Her shoulders sagged in relief as she stepped forward.
I closed the door behind her and raised a brow. “You should be at home resting. Or going back to school.”
“I will. I promise. I just wanted to say thank you. For being there. For dropping everything and coming to me. I don’t know why I called you first… I just knew you would be there.”
She shrugged as if it meant nothing, and I couldn’t let it mean anything. Because if I let her call me again, to reach out, it would be too much. She would see too much. I needed to nip this in the bud right then and there.
“Don’t think of me as a white knight,” I snapped, and her eyes widened.
“Callum.”
“No. I’ll break you just like I nearly broke him.
You get that, don’t you? Don’t be careless with your life.
Because I’m not always going to be there to save you.
” I knew the words were cruel, but I needed to push her away.
Needed to get that look out of her eyes.
Because I recognized that look. It was the same look I wanted to feel.
And damn that. Damn whatever the hell mounted between us.
“I don’t need you to save me.”
I raised a brow. “You called me. And yes, you do need me to save you, little flower. You’re a kid. You’re fucking Bambi.” Cruel words, and yet she didn’t back down.
Instead, she did the worst thing possible. She stepped forward, put her hand on my chest, went to her tiptoes, and pressed her lips to mine.
I cursed and knew I should push her away.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I broke.
I wrapped my hand around the side of her neck, my thumb below her chin, my fingers digging into her flesh, as I crushed my mouth to hers, kissing her harder.
She moaned, a little gasp of surprise, as my tongue flicked along hers.
The kiss went on and on, exploring, deepening, and it took all within me not to lift her up by those hips of hers, press her against the back of the door, pull down those jeans, and slide my cock right into that tight pussy.
But she was already bruised, already hurting, and already scared.
And I wasn’t that man.
Abruptly, I pulled away and pushed at her side slightly.
She staggered back, and I nearly reached out for her. Regret shamed me, but I didn’t touch her again. Instead, I stood there, chest heaving, as she stared up at me, looking like fucking sweet with her eyes wide and her lips swollen.
“I’m not a good man, Felicity. Just stay away. It’ll be good for both of us.”
And then I stomped out the back door, leaving her alone in my house, and knowing that the taste of her would be forever branded into my lips.
I was a careless man, and I did not deserve Felicity Carter.
And that would be the last time I let myself break.