Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Brielle nestled further under the flannel sheets, ducking a gust of ocean wind. It probably wasn’t the best night to sleep out in the gazebo, but it felt very freeing. It was good to know she could close her eyes and the only thing threatening her was rain, and even that was letting up.
She rolled over, letting the heat hit her in the face.
The vision of Anston’s gun poised at her head still lurked in her brain, but her years of sports psychology had taught her that nothing good came from negative thoughts.
So she concentrated on tomorrow. Her chance to take her life back, and she reminded herself how much better that life was for having Callum in it.
A log shifted in the pit. She opened her eyes. and froze when she saw the darkened figure standing over the flames with a large piece of wood in his hands.
“Hey, it’s okay. It’s just me.”
She held her hand over her heart and cursed. “Callum, you scared me.”
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to build the fire up. The last thing we need is for you to catch a cold the night before your match.” He turned back to the pit and added the log on the fire.
The match. After everything that had transpired tonight, she was shocked he even remembered.
She watched him maneuver the wood with the metal poker, sending yellow and orange specks through the air.
He shaded his face with his hand and even in the darkness, she could make out the deep purple cuts along his knuckles. “Callum, were you in a fight?”
He set the poker down. “What are you talking about?”
She climbed out of bed and went to him, carefully holding his wrist. “What happened to your hand? It didn’t look this way when you left Vitalie’s.”
“Nothing a bandage or two won’t heal.”
He released his hand from hers, then sat down on the edge of the bed. The way he squinted at the fire told her the pain of a headache was nagging him. So she crawled up beside him and pressed her chilled fingers against his temples.
“Feel better?”
She took his moan for a “yes.”
A soft breeze kicked up, bringing the citrus scent of Callum’s freshly washed hair to her nose. She kissed the top of his head, before sliding her arms around him.
“I’m sorry about Vitalie,” she heard him say. “I had to do it. You know that, right?”
“Of course I know. You saved my life.”
Of course she felt bad about Anston. Even after what had happened, it was hard to erase a lifetime of loyalty. But if Callum felt bad, she wanted to make sure he knew he shouldn’t. She slipped her legs around him to face him, bringing her mouth to his.
“Brielle, stop.” He moved her off of him and stood up.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Did I do something?”
“You didn’t do anything, sweetheart,” he said, his back to her.
“If this is about my engagement to Geoffrey, you don’t have to worry. I’m not marrying him.”
“It’s not Geoffrey. Believe me.”
“Then what is it?”
His body heaved with a breath before he turned to face her. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but I guess I have to now.”
She watched his brow wrinkle and her pulse quickened. “What is it? You’re scaring me.”
“Your father.” He finally said. “He was behind the attack after all. He was in cahoots with Vitalie.”
The breeze kicked up like it understood, sending a chill through her body. She could feel the fear gather inside her, the same crippling helplessness that had plagued her her whole life. But this time, she felt strangely immune, like the pliable parts inside her had hardened.
Now she was angry.
“You went to see him after you left Vitalie’s? You were going to kill him.” She stared at the fire and let her eyes water. “Didn’t you?”
With a shake of his head he knelt down in front of her, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. “Sweetheart, I think we need to talk about a few things. And no I didn’t kill him.”
“Talk about what?”
“Well, for starters, I know what you were planning with Geoffrey. I know about eloping to Switzerland.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, and I want you to go.” His voice wavered, his gaze now focused on her hands in his. “If you are there, you’ll be out of harm’s way.”
His words hit her like a well-marked blow. She pushed herself up and stood in front of him. “You must think I’m the most gullible woman you have ever met. You act like you care about me, to a make sure I do things your way!”
“You think I’m faking this!” He jumped to his feet and snatched her hand, pressing it against his hardened cock. “Feel this? This is what you do to me, Brielle. You think it’s easy for me to send you away?” He shook his head. “Learning to walk again was hard, but it was nothing compared to this.”
“Why is this so complicated?” she yelled. “Vitalie is gone, Geoffrey will be and if my father did it, arrest him and turn him in!”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because the only evidence against him implicates you, too.”
The fire crackled behind her. “What evidence are you talking about?” she asked, not sure she wanted to know.
He looked at her a long moment, then took a breath. “There’s a tape. An old school, cassette tape. It looks like Vitalie recorded conversations with Frank about their dealings.”
She nodded, running her hands down her goose pimpled arms. “Have you heard it?”
“Not yet. I wanted to wait until after the match tomorrow. I wasn’t even planning on telling you about it.”
“Well, where is it?” she asked, turning toward the house. “Maybe we should listen to it now. Do you even have anything to play it in?”
“Brielle, wait!” he grabbed her arm and spun her around. “I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Because if I hear something I shouldn’t, I have to arrest you. And that’s the last thing I want to do.”
She winced, absorbing the glancing blow. Going to jail would be terrible, but the alternative wasn’t much better. Feeling her knees begin to weaken, she sank into his chest. His strong arms curled around her, his heartbeat sounding in her ear. “What’s going to happen to me?”
“Nothing as long as you leave the country. At least for a little while. The Feds will cut you as a loss as long as they can nail your father.”
Inside his embrace, the plan seemed almost bearable. He seemed so incredibly at ease with the situation. As if saying good-bye was no more than an inconvenience. But for her it seemed the world was ending.
As if hearing her thoughts Callum held her tighter. “I promise you this is what’s best.”
This whole thing between them may have been just another fling to him, but to her it meant much more.
She had given him her body and he’d stolen her heart.
Risks she had no regrets taking. When he scooped her up and carried her to the bed, she was reminded she never had a real choice in the first place.
With her back to his chest, they huddled together for a while, just watching the fire. “Callum, have you ever been outside in the winter, and your hand gets really cold and you come inside and it starts to warm up. At first it hurts so badly, you can’t stand it.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s how I feel. I feel like there is this part of me that was frozen before I met you. And now that it started to melt, it hurts.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said quietly. “I want you to understand that this is what is best for you.”
“You are what’s best for me.” She turned herself towards him. His musky scent mingling with the rain and fire created a strange and arousing combination. She kissed his neck, slipping her fingers around the collar of his shirt.
His muscles relaxed under her touch and she was impressed that in such a short time she’d learned him. She could read his body language, sense his desire. Nothing could turn her on more.
“Sweetheart,” he whispered with his lips against hers. “Our first night together I was really rough with you. I regret that was your first time…”
“I know.”
“I just want you to trust me.”
“Then I want you to trust me.” Feeling bold, she found the fly of his jeans and with surprising dexterity released him. He inhaled sharply when she touched him. “Do you like that?” she asked.
He nodded and his satisfaction pleased her.
She removed both their clothes, taking her time like they had some to spare.
She straddled him and studied his naked form against the shadows of the fire.
The broad shoulders, tousled dark hair, and the smirk that could stir her like nothing else.
Pure sex in male form, and her heartbeat raced in response. She lowered herself down to him.
The stars above had returned and the moon was close to full.
Despite the grandeur above her, she closed her eyes, completely taken by his tender touch.
His dark hair tickled her chin as he suckled one breast, his fingers working leisurely on the other.
It amazed her how intuitive he was, to know exactly when and how to touch her, even in such a short amount of time.
It was freeing and frightening all at once when he finally slid inside her.
The force of her climax paralyzed her. It went on and on, with peaks and valleys under his command.
He thrust deep and hard up into her, but at a pace that didn’t rush her.
She wanted this to last. Bracing herself upright against his shoulders, she let him take her wherever he wanted to go. Just as long as he made her his.
“I’m with you, baby,” he breathed. “Hold on to me.”
And she did. For dear life, finally relishing the feel of his release inside of her. This was what ecstasy felt like. This was rapture. This was love.
When the wave finally receded, she collapsed beside him, letting him pull her close. “You are definitely a woman with many talents, you know that?” He brushed his lips to her forehead. “No one has ever made me feel like you do.”