Reid - Maddie Wade Page 0,68

Clay stated.

“Because she is. Callie encompasses it, her smile, her light, her laugh, just her.”

“You love her.”

“Never thought it would happen to me, but yes. She’s the other half of my soul. I would die for her.”

Clay nodded again, but he looked heat-sick as he looked down at his boots. “Then you know why I can’t let you hurt her.”

Reid hated his friend saying the words, hated even more that he agreed. If this were the other way around, he’d do the same thing.

“Yes.” The single word was the hardest he’d ever said, and it gutted him more than any bullet ever could, leaving his chest an empty cavern where his broken heart sat.

“I’ll take her home.”

Clay reached out and squeezed his shoulder and Reid knew he took no pleasure in it. Clay was merely looking out for Callie as he should have done.

Chapter Twenty-Six

It had been three weeks since Callie had returned to her apartment in London. While she was glad she was safe, her heart hurt as if it had been ripped open. Every room reminded her of why she preferred Reid’s place. Her bedroom had been completely redecorated, but she still slept in the spare room, the thought of sleeping in the room where Tina had lost her life was too much for her.

She had nightmares most nights, but she’d learned to hide them from Clay who refused to leave and hovered over her. She knew he loved her, but she was about ready to kill him. He watched her every move with an expression of guilt riding him as he waited for her to fall apart and sometimes, she did, but it happened less and less as the days went on.

The counsellor that Pax had recommended had helped, and she was now seeing him every two weeks after her initial three sessions in the first week after the attack. Though it was less about the kidnapping and more about who had instigated it which had shaken her to her core. To know a woman she trusted, cared for even, had harboured such malice towards her had been difficult to assimilate in her brain.

Sophia would now be held on remand until the trial next year. She had stated she’d been the person on the roof and had worked completely alone. The men at Eidolon weren’t entirely convinced but so far, the evidence suggested she was telling the truth.

Claude had alibis for when she was attacked, and nothing had come to light to suggest he had any idea that Sophia felt as she had.

Then there was the elephant in the room, the one she tried to forget, to block from her waking mind. Her Reid, the man she loved, had walked away from her. Without a single word, he’d completely ghosted her. No explanation, not even an excuse, nothing at all. She’d tried everything to get him to speak with her, but at each turn, she’d failed. He wouldn’t take her calls so she’d demanded Clay take her to Eidolon or she would walk.

Her brother had reluctantly agreed, however, when she arrived she was told by a sheepish Lopez that Reid had gone overseas. Clay had held her while she cried and then he’d brought her home so she could get on with her life. The threat to her was over, and she could resume her life, such as it was.

Having no choice she had tried to do just that, but there was an empty space where her heart was, a heavy weight which felt empty and numb. Part of her was furious with him for his cowardice, for not having the decency to face her and tell her he didn’t love her. That what they had was just fun and it was over. The other part just wanted to hear his voice, to have his arms around her.

She’d been doing well the last few days, working with Mel to calm the media storm over Sophia, announcing her retirement, and that she’d be pursuing other things in the future.

Callie decided to go ahead with her plan to start a charity for models and actresses with mental health problems, drug and substance addictions, and eating disorders. It would be a considerable undertaking, but she was gathering some great people around her, including Pax and Evelyn.

Callie watched Clay through her apartment’s large glass windows as he checked the perimeter on her balcony and found nothing. She knew he felt guilty for not being there when she needed him, and it