Wren
Iris was the only reasonI stayed sane for the two and a half hours Callum was gone. She stayed, talked to me, urged me to call Jenny and ask her to keep Ez overnight. Iris and I FaceTimed with them too, and that pulled me further out of my stupor.
And then I explained to Iris how Callum and I had started five years ago. She listened to all of it and remembered the time period after I left when Callum became even more removed from the band than he ever had been. That made me sad.
But mostly, we stuck to the good things. I discovered Iris truly loved Callum. She didn’t know him the way I did, but then, I didn’t know him the way she did.
We bonded over our shared love for Callum, and then over our mutual experience of being attacked. Because as time ticked by, I admitted to myself that Chrys and Rasc had hurt me. They’d forced me into their vehicle, terrified me, and yeah, Chryshadpushed me to the pavement. Admitting that out loud had sent me into another wave of sobs.
By the time Callum and Ronan crowded through the door, I had calmed down and cried all my tears. I rose to my feet, and in seconds, Callum snatched me around the waist and bundled me against him. He cupped the back of my head, his body curling around mine, holding me close. I held him back, breathing in his Callum smell, weak with relief he was here, he was standing, he was mine.
Sometime while we were holding each other, Ronan and Iris made their exit. After forever, I pulled back and tipped my head so I could examine Callum’s face. It was unmarred, no cuts or scrapes or bruises.
“You’re not hurt,” I whispered.
He dipped his head to press his mouth to mine. It started sweet but turned deep and hot in seconds. I clung to him while he took my mouth. He clung back just as fiercely.
Finally, he eased his mouth away, breathing heavy and hot on my lips. “No, I’m not hurt.”
“Rasc and Chrys?”
He exhaled. “Rasc can’t say the same. Chrys is fine.”
“Good. I was worried about her.”
“She doesn’t deserve your worry.” Anger laced his words, but I knew he wasn’t angry at me. He didn’t want me to spare any worry over his sister, but as a mom, I couldn’t help myself.
“Well, I guess I’m worried about the baby. She looked like she’s due soon.”
He stilled for a beat, then his mouth tipped into a small smile. “She’s not pregnant, Wren.”
“She is.” My eyes went wide. “It’s kinda hard to miss her big belly.”
“Remember the story I told you about the oranges and my mom?”
It took me a moment to recall the story. And then I did. And it dawned on me. I’d been played. Of course I had. “Belly was fake?”
He nodded. “She was raised by the same mama I was. Fake belly always gets you more money. Grifting’s in our blood.”
“Was that really her son? Sparrow?”
He sighed. “Yeah, that’s her boy. Name’s not Sparrow, though. I’m thinkin’ she made it up knowin’ you’d appreciate the bird connection. Kid’s name is Tim. She got knocked up by a married guy. Took ten grand from him and hit the road.”
“I feel dumb for falling for that.”
“You’re not dumb. You’re just so good, you don’t see the bad.”
I squeezed his arm. “Are you okay? I know you’re not hurt, but this can’t be easy. What they did to you—”
“All I felt was anger. I’m done now.”
I sucked in a breath at the finality of his words. “That easy?”
“It’s that easy because they have been settin’ fire to our relationship since they knew how to strike a match. This has been goin’ on for years. It sounds cold, I get it, but I’m ice for them.” He cupped the sides of my head. “Me turnin’ off my heart to Chrys and Rasc doesn’t mean I’d ever be able to do that to you. You aren’t them. The only match you’d light is one to keep me warm.”
That was the most true thing he’d ever said.
He backed me to the couch and pushed me down gently, then he lay down with me, putting most of his torso on mine, his head on my chest. I was crushed into the cushions by his weight, but I liked it. My good hand came up to stroke his hair. Callum’s arm looped around me, and he held me tight.