“Little one –”
“Go away, Callum.”
“No,” he replied and she closed her eyes.
When she opened them, she asked, “Why would I ever think you’d give a gosh darn about what I wanted?”
Then without hesitation she again turned her face away.
Briefly Callum weighed the virtues of giving her what she wanted and asking Leah to stay the night with her. Then he decided she’d not benefit from his absence because she could think she could get used to it.
Which she could not.
Carefully, he moved from the bed. He felt his jaw harden when she didn’t fight nor did she move at all when he pulled off her boots, lifted her ass gently at the h*ps to unbutton and unzip her pants and he pulled them down her legs, leaving her panties. Then he disrobed, turned out the lights and joined her in bed, sliding again along her side, pulling up the hides and, slowly and cautiously, forcing her body to her side, facing him.
She had to turn her head again when he did this and she glared at his throat.
“Does it hurt to lie on your side?” he asked softly.
She gritted her teeth then bit out, “I don’t feel anything.”
“Good,” he murmured. “I don’t want you lying on that wound at your temple.”
She made no response, simply continued to glare at his throat.
He pulled in a deep breath and let it out just as deeply.
Finally, he admitted on a whisper, “I f**ked up, baby doll. I wanted to tell you time and again but I just couldn’t find the right moment.” She remained silent so he continued, “I didn’t expect that to happen. I didn’t expect that to be how you’d find out. I wanted to control it, protect you, manage your reaction. I knew it would be a shock and I wanted to cushion the blow.” She didn’t speak so Callum lost patience and demanded, “Baby doll, f**k, give me something.”
Her eyes lifted to his and she asked with acid curiosity, “How can I give you something, Callum, when you’ve already taken everything I have to give?”
Callum froze at her words.
With a hand in the wall of his frozen chest, she pushed away and resumed her place on her belly with her head turned from him.
Callum came unstuck, his temper flared and his arm snaked out, hooking her at the waist and, with a carefully controlled movement, he slid her toward his body so that her side was tucked in his front.
Then he leaned down to her ear. “I understand you being pissed, little one, you’ve a right. Especially considering you were injured in the fray but, I’ll point out only this once because we’re never f**king speaking of it again, that was your own damned fault.” Her body got tight in his arm but he ignored it and carried on, “I’ll give you time. But you’ve never experienced anything from a single one of my people to continue having this reaction to them after the shock wears off. As for me, I’m willing to pay my penance but I’ve explained I was coming at this from a good place with your best interests at heart. If you don’t come to terms with that, and soon, I’ll not be pleased.” She didn’t speak so his fingers gripped her waist, still gentle but in a way she couldn’t miss. “Now tell me I’m understood.”
Instantly, still facing away, she replied bitterly, “Oh, you’re understood, your grace.”
Callum growled low.
Sonia didn’t make another noise.
Callum scowled at her hair.
Then his hand moved and his thumb encountered bandage. His anger evaporated, his eyes closed and visions of her little, prone, bleeding body lying on the steps to their home filled his brain. To dispel the images, his eyes shot open.
That night was not the night for her to die.
But, for one unbearable second, when his eyes took in her wounds, he felt that sinister sliver of fear score through him.
Callum leaned into her cautiously and shoved his face in her hair.
“No one can piss me off like you do, honey,” he whispered there. “But I’m sure as f**k relieved you’re all right.”
Her body tensed at his first words and stayed tight for long moments after he finished speaking.