Chapter Forty-One
Calypso
Stepping out of the bathroom, the only thing on my mind is getting back to Liam.
I’ve never met Brielle or Emilia, but none of their tenants have complained in the years since they bought a few rental buildings.
They seem like good people, and this could be the next big project for Maddon Construction.
Liam’s only waiting on me, but I’ll push him out the door if I have to.
I turn down the hallway and run into someone. My body immediately goes cold. It’s not Liam—it’s Stefan.
He’s a couple inches shorter than Liam, and thinner than him. His orange and basil cologne is a bitter, unwelcome contrast to Liam’s woodsy vanilla scent.
Stefan grabs my hips to balance me and I push off his chest.
“Stop.” He doesn’t let go of me until I resort to slapping his hands away. “Don’t touch me. What are you doing here?”
His face is darker than anything I’ve seen on him before. The social mask he wears like a crown is slipping. “I need to speak with you,” he growls in frustration. “You’ve been avoiding me for months.”
“No, Stefan.” I stomp my foot like a petulant child, and he catches the movement. I don’t care anymore; for the second time, I’m at my breaking point with him. “For years! I have been avoiding you for years. But you must not have gotten the memo when I divorced you.”
“You’re acting like a child, Calypso,” he scolds. His face twists in anger. “If you’d just listen to me—”
“I don’t want to listen to you.” I move to step around him but he stops me with a hand to my waist again. Flinching away, I sneer, “You have a new fiancée to boss around.”
Guilt bubbles in my gut for throwing Ruby under the bus but right now, I need to get away from him.
“That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you, dammit.” He reaches for me again and I step backward, out of reach.
“Fine,” I concede. “Fucking fine, Stefan. Go ahead and tell me what poor Ruby has to do with this.”
He rolls his eyes. “Nothing. She has nothing to do with us other than the fact that my mom wants me to get married and chose her.”
He mentioned something along those lines when he stopped by my house. I tightly shake my head, still not understanding what this has to do with me.
Stefan huffs out a breath and rubs a hand through his hair, tousling it in a very un-Stefan like way. “I wasn’t looking for a new wife because I already have one.”
“No, you don—”
“Shut the fuck up, Calypso.” I do—from shock, not his demand.
“For once in your life, shut up and listen to your husband.” Stunned, and suddenly anxious, I cautiously wait for him to continue.
“Thank you. Anyway, you’ll finish this tantrum eventually, and I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.
Just like I always have. But Martha is a stubborn woman—sometimes she’s smart, though. ”
Maybe there has been some friction between them over the last few years. If it’s because of me? Even better.
“Ruby is one of her friend’s daughters and desperately wanted a husband.
” I take everything he’s saying with a grain of salt but maybe that’s true.
Still, no one deserves this family-in-law.
“I fought with my mother for a while, assuring her you’d eventually come crawling back.
But then it hit me. Ruby is exactly what we need to make our relationship work. ”
Swallowing down bile, I close my eyes. “What does that even mean?”
Frustration reeks off him like BO. “Ruby can be everything I publicly need from a wife. Committed to me and my career, a mother, and anything else I need. There’s no pressure on you. That’s what you always hated.”
I let out a bitter laugh, suddenly unsure if I’m having a nightmare or not. What else could explain Stefan’s delusion and obsession? He’s only gotten more possessive of me the longer time has gone by, making himself believe this is just another normal argument between us.
“No, I hate you!” I shake my head in disbelief, and a little bit of fear. “I hate your mother, and the house we owned, and everything about the life we shared. I will never get back together with you.” I can barely hear myself over the pounding in my ears.
He steps closer until my back hits the wall. “Of course you will. I do so goddamn much for you, despite how ungrateful you are.” He points a finger at my face. “The poor, lonely little girl who just wanted to be loved,” he mocks. “Then she’s too much of a spoiled bitch to accept it.”
I slap his hand away, barely flinching at his words. It’s far from the first time he’s spat something similar to me. “Fuck you. Why do you even want me, then? If I’m such a bitch and a slut, why do you keep coming back?”
“Because I love you.” His red, swollen head looks like it’s about to burst, and spit flies out as he berates me. “I love you, Calypso. I’m the only man who ever will.”
Pausing, I stare at Stefan. The sad thing is, I really believe that he believes that.
In Stefan’s fucked up way, he sees all of this as love.
The indifference he holds toward Ruby is a stark contrast to anything I’ve experienced from him.
I can’t confidently say it’s “better” but I don’t believe it’s a competition either.
“You are insane. I mean, I am genuinely concerned for your well-being.” I push at his chest, trying to move around him.
It all happens in an instant.
Stefan grabs my wrists and pushes me back against the wall before crashing his lips against mine.
Then I’m throwing him off of me and my hand is connecting with his cheek. The loud slap is still ringing through the air when Stefan returns the gesture, twice as hard.
Standing across from each other, we’re both speechless. I’ve slapped Stefan plenty of times. I admit that honestly, not proudly, but it’s true. This is a first.
I’m still standing there like a statue, trying to process how my life has gotten to this current moment, when Liam comes flying down the hallway.
“What the fuck?” he shouts a second before punching Stefan.
I have enough wits about me to take a step back, but not enough to decide if this is a nightmare or reality.
Stefan gets a few hits in, I think, but Liam has him pushed against the wall within seconds. His fist cracks against Stefan’s jaw again. I should tell him to stop—I need to. As much as we joke about it, I’d rather either of our arrests stay just that.
Before I have to figure out how to try to stop two grown men from fighting, my brothers are barreling past me and ripping them off of each other. The entire scene is ridiculous, but I can’t find any humor in it.
“Hey,” my brother-in-law says and places his hand on my shoulder.
With wide eyes, I turn to Grady before realizing I’m still holding my cheek. On instinct, I drop it when all five pairs of eyes land on me, but that’s a mistake. It’s still stinging and it must be redder than I assumed.
“You fucking hit her?” Hudson sneers before throwing Stefan back into the wall.
“Wait, stop!” I shout, but Grady gently grabs my shoulders and pulls me back.
Only Hudson is able to get another hit in before a larger crowd comes through the hallway, including security guards. I let everyone push me toward the back, and I’m grateful that Grady stays close to my side instead of joining in.
Once they’re separated again, Liam doesn’t need to be held back as Stefan is escorted away. His head whips around until he finds me. Coming straight toward me, he lets out a deep breath that I feel in my own chest.
He reaches for me with hesitation, but I grab his hand and pull him close. I’d rather not bring more attention with a big, emotional embrace, but I want him close. He squeezes my hand, telling me it’s enough for him right now, too.
“Are you okay?” Liam reaches up, contemplating brushing my cheek with his knuckles, but decides not to.
I shake my head then nod, confused on how to answer. “I—yes. I am okay, just shocked, I think.”
He nods in understanding, about to say something before he tips his chin behind me. Quickly turning around, I find Ruby standing at the end of the hallway, silent tears running down her cheeks. She’s pale as a ghost and all by herself.
Looking at Liam, there’s a silent question in my eyes. He walks toward her, taking our interlaced hands with him. There’s a lot happening around us, and I’m sure I’ll need to make a statement. God, what has this night turned into?
“Hey, Ruby,” I say quietly and step around Liam’s large body. “Are you okay?”
She nods, staring at my red cheek. “I—yeah. Yes, I am. Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I say, sounding more confident than I feel. Liam’s hand in mine adds to my wavering strength. “I mean, as much as I can be?” I offer her a sad, dry smile that she returns.
Mia walks up with an off-duty police officer.
I recognize him, but can’t think of his name off the top of my head.
“Security is detaining Stefan until someone from the station can pick him up.” Turning toward Ruby, she puts on her softest smile.
“Hey, Ruby, right? I’m Mia Maddon—Liam’s cousin and Calypso’s lawyer.
I’ve been hoping we’d meet, just under different circumstances. ”
Ruby’s eyes widen and she takes a quick glance at me. “You wanted to meet me?”
Mia nods. “I believe you and Stefan aren’t married yet?” Ruby nods in confirmation. “Good. I’d still love to help you in any way I can, starting with accompanying all of you to the police station.” She gives a pointed look at Liam.
My eyes shift between her and the officer. “My brothers, too?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says. “I’m Officer Nichols.” We offer him quick handshakes and introductions. I can sense the group behind us but no one interrupts. “Mr., uh, Prescott?” Mia nods to confirm his name. “He accused the group of attacking him. We’ll need to talk with everyone and get some statements.”
“Uh, okay.” I take a step closer to Ruby, silently letting her know she’s not alone.
“We’ll get the story straightened out,” he assures in a gruff voice. “But it sounds like these boys were protecting you, yes?”
I have to physically stop myself from scrunching my nose at the word choice but I nod. “Yes, sir. They were.”
“Go ahead and meet us down at the station. I’ll wait for the on-duty officers to get here.”
We all nod before turning to find most of my family, and Liam’s, behind us. My sister and Grady are gone, as is Blake’s family and Knox with his kids. Lucas stands close behind us, waiting for his cousin. I’m glad none of the kids are here to see this.
My mom steps forward and gently cups my cheek.
There’s so much pain in her eyes, the kind that comes with a person’s own memories of a similar situation.
For the first time, a tear slips down my cheek.
There might have been a few when Stefan first slapped me, a natural reaction to the sharp sting.
But staring at my mom’s honey-brown eyes, identical to mine, I can’t stop them any longer.
It only takes me a few seconds to pull myself together after she draws me into a hug, but the moment helped more than I expected.
Behind us, Liam, his cousins, and my brothers have a quick discussion before we go to the station.
The entire time, I don’t have to make one decision.
I’m not positive that I could, if required to.
I’ve always prided myself on doing well in a crisis, but that’s only when it belongs to someone else.
In my current state of shock, following the direction of the people I trust feels a lot safer than being in charge right now.
My attention extends to keeping Ruby close by and making the final resolution to file a protective order against Stefan.
Mia gently grabs Ruby’s elbow, guiding her outside.
Blinking up at Liam, he explains, “There’s not a lot of room in your car, so Ruby is going with Mia. Unless you want to leave it here tonight?”
“Oh, uh.” I shake my head and push the keys when he tries to hand them to me. “No, you can drive.”
He raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Calypso, I can ask one of your brothers if you don’t want to leave it.”
More firmly, I close his fist around them. “No, Liam, I want you to drive because I trust you.”
The words settle around us, calming some of the chaotic energy lingering from twenty minutes ago.
I’m glad my brothers were here, as well as security.
I actually am. But the only person who I cared to find tonight was Liam.
Even in the midst of their confrontation, I felt relieved to have him there, to know he came looking for me.
I never doubted he would, because Liam hasn’t given me a reason to in the last six months—nine, if I count our first night together.
And after tonight, I don’t want to deny that anymore.
With his free hand, he takes mine in his and leads us outside. The night has grown exceptionally long, but when he opens my door and stops me long enough for one passionate, claiming kiss, I don’t feel alone.