Jeff clicks mute on the television. The room goes quiet with the exception of Lennon chattering away in the floor playing with his blocks. I turn my gaze to look at Callie. She’s staring at me.
“Do you think it’s him?” she asks, and God, where just a minute ago there was a gentleness on her face—a trace of the woman she once was—now, there’s only fear.
It kills me.
If I could go back and kill Mitch all over again, I would. I wouldn’t even blink.
“I think you don’t need to worry anymore about him, Callie.”
“But—”
“It’s over, Bluebird. That’s all you need to know.”
“Reed…”
“How about some of your banana bread? I haven’t had it in a hell of a long time,” I suggest, changing the subject.
Callie looks at me. I see the worry on her face and the questions in her eyes. I ignore them.
She will heal. That’s all that matters.
CHAPTER 32
Callie
“Reed,” I moan, as his hands cup my breasts. His beautiful, brown eyes look into mine and everything fades away.
Everything but Reed.
“You’re so beautiful, Bluebird,” he murmurs.
“I love you, Reed. I’ve always loved you,” I confess, as I feel his lips make a lazy path down my stomach, his tongue sliding against my navel. I slide my fingers into his hair, holding him to me. I have to touch him. I’m afraid if I don’t hold onto him, he’ll leave. I don’t think I could handle losing him again.
“You’ve always been everything to me, Callie,” he moans as he slides down my body, bringing my legs gently up on his shoulders, opening me to his eyes.
“It’s been so long,” I whimper, pressing my head back into the pillow as I feel his hot breath fan out against the lips of my pussy. His fingers skirt along the inside of my thighs—hot, branding touches that make me so wet I can feel it slide through me, giving him visible evidence of my desire.
“You’re mine, Callie. I’m never giving you up.”
His voice is darker, rough, and on edge—as if I’m driving him insane. My heart quickens, thundering loudly against my chest. I tremble and bite my lip as I feel his fingers slide against my clit.
“Reed, tell me you love me,” I beg, feeling weak, but needing to hear him, to know that the man I love—the only man I’ve ever loved—still feels the same way about me.
In answer, his fingers press inside of me, slowly at first. I concentrate on that, concentrate on how good it feels as he works me. His fingers tunnel in and out of me, imitating what his cock will do to me soon.
“Mine,” he growls, the word vibrating against my clit as he suckles it. Then, his tongue expertly laves against it. I can hear blood rushing through my ears, my body dotting with perspiration.
“Reed, please,” I beg. “Can we slow down? I want you so much. I just need you to go a little slower with me, baby. Please?” I find the courage to ask as the bitter taste of fear tries to take completely over.
He pushes his fingers harder inside of me, adding a third into the mix. I can feel my desire begin to wane and I desperately try to hold onto it, not wanting to let it go. I need to fight it so I can prove to Reed that I can be what he needs. I can be worth his effort.
“Reed, it’s painful. Can we—”
I don’t get the words out before I feel him bite my clit. His teeth press into the tender folds, pain explodes through me, my body jerking. The pain I’ve tried to hold at bay explodes then. I kick out, squirming as I try to get him away from me. His hands hold my thighs pulling my legs completely apart as he pins them against the mattress. It stretches me too much and searing agony erupts, only deepening my panic.
“Reed!” I cry, my heart thundering as I twist my upper body, trying to get my body free. “Stop. I don’t want this.”
“You fucking tease!” he accuses. “I own you, Callie. I own every inch of you. I can do whatever I want to you. You think your cunt is made of gold, baby? You think you can use it to tie a man up? That’s laughable,” he spews. “It’s worthless, just like the rest of you!”
My eyes go wide as he raises up from between my legs. But it’s not Reed—it’s not Reed at all. It’s Mitch.
“Mitch, I don’t… I don’t understand.”
“That’s because you’re too stupid to live! Did you really think you could ever get away from me, Callie? I told you, I’m never letting you go. You’re only breathing because I’m letting you. Would you like me to prove it to you?” he laughs, sounding so full of hate and anger that it spreads a poison through my body, paralyzing me so that I can’t move except for the way my body quakes in its fear. “Answer me, bitch! Do you want me to prove it to you?”