Page 137 of Broken

We’ve done this dance before. She wants to push me away. Her grip tightens and twists my T-shirt and I surge further towardher. Somehow maneuvering her so her legs are hanging over the mattress on either side of my hips, without breaking the kiss.

I pour everything into that kiss. All the words I’ve never been able to say. Everything I feel for her, and I hope she understands how sorry I am. I never apologize for who I am, but with her, I’d get on my knees and beg, offer her anything to make her stay.

As expected, she comes to her senses and leans back. Her lips are wet, parted and swollen from the kiss. Her chest heaving as she pants. She’s angry, confused but her eyes betray the other things she’s feeling.

She’s never looked more beautiful, more deserving of the name I gave her all those weeks ago.

Calli bites her lower lip between her teeth. It’s a lot for her to take in.

“That’s how I feel,” I tell her. “And that is only part of it.”

I draw back and get to my feet. Her head tips so she can still see my face. What I want right now isn’t important. She had a scare, a bad one, and needs something more than me right now.

“Call Sin, go stay with her tonight, don’t be alone here.”

“You’re leaving?”

“It’s the last thing I want, believe me. You need time to process. I can give you that,” I step back again, but I take her hand and pull her up. “Call her, get packed up and I’ll take you over there.”

“My phone broke.”

I let her use my phone to call her friend. Calli barely gives her much, but Sin agrees. I kick the broken glass out of the way and look back at the drawing on the table.

We still need to discussthat.It’s one more thing that can take her away. I turn my back on the drawing and open the door, moving so that she doesn’t have to see Caleb’s apartment. The hallway is quiet. The Disciples have left.

Calli gets on the bike without argument and gives me Sin’s address. She clings on like she always has and I convince myself it’s because she wants to hold me, not for safety reasons.

Sin lives near the shop. It’s good to know she won’t be far away. Her friend comes out of the house when the bike pulls up. She looks worried. Calli climbs off and stands to the side.

“We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Calli arches a brow. “You were the one who said I need time to think.”

“I didn’t say indefinitely.”

“Jesus, you’re so arrogant.”

“Would you want me any other way?”

“Who says I want you at all?”

After tonight, who knows. But I’m not driving away letting her think it will be easy. I grab her hip and pull her into me. Her own fault for not stepping further away. Her body shivers when I press my lips close to her ear.

“I’m going to make shit right with Nero. Then I’m going to make them right with you. I will not stop trying, Vixen. Fight it all you want, I don’t think you want to stop either.”

Her lips part, then close. I kiss her one last time, then ride away. I’ve poured my heart out to her in the only way I know how. If I have to do more in the next few days, I will.

Calli isn’t getting away. She’s mine.

Chapter Thirty

Calli

After three weeks back in San Antonio, it still doesn’t feel like home.

The day after what happened in my apartment with Caleb, and everything else, I made the choice to look out for myself. It took a lot of soul searching and I barely slept but my only decision that day was to return to San Antonio and find out what my next steps were.

I had to talk to Vaquero about what they want from me, that was the first step. I would take it from there. Whether that meant staying in Texas or going back to Baltimore, I was going in with an open mind.

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