Page 91 of Broken

Back inside her apartment, there is still no sign of her. She is going to be so pissed about the alarm.

Everything she told me last night comes back in a rush. Phoenix and I have terrible moms, but what Calli’s did? Fucking disgusting. And damn cruel, especially after what she’d been through.

The only people she has are here. From what I’ve seen, they’re good friends. I’m glad she met Lucky and Katja. This was what she needed.

The sound of her voice stops me in my tracks. Who is she talking to? Outside her bedroom door, I listen to what she is saying.

“Great, he gives me a huge hickey, then disappears.”

Stifling a laugh, I wait a moment to see what she is going to do next, but when I hear nothing else, I decide to mess with her.

“Who said I disappeared?” I push through the door.

Calli jumps out of her skin. Which is all on display, given she is standing naked in front of me.

“I’m glad I didn’t.”

She watches me taking her body in as I push her hair back to see this so-called hickey. Damn, my chest swells when I see it.

Calli pushes me away and grabs a robe from the back of the door. It’s a damn shame when she covers herself up.

“I thought you left.”

“Nope, still here.” I haven’t moved back, so she has to tilt her head.

“Did you turn off my alarm?”

“You needed sleep.”

“I also need to be at work in twenty minutes,” she glares.

“Don’t worry, I can drop you off.”

“That is beside the point, Garrett.” She walks around me and out into the living room.

I like it when she says my name. Better when I have some part of me buried inside of her.

She’s mad. I’m about to push her buttons some more.

“You left, though, right?” Before I can answer, she spots the bag and takeout cups.

“I was hungry, and your cupboards are bare. You need to go grocery shopping. It’s important to eat right, Calli.”

“Yeah, I don’t need a lecture right now.” She’s not annoyed anymore, lifting the cup and taking a sip, her eyes close in bliss.

“You depend on caffeine far too much.” There is the glare that makes me hard. “You should go get ready. You’re gonna be late for work.”

Peering into the bag, she folds it back over and tucks it under her arm. “For that, I’m having both.”

As she is leaving, her eyes land on the coffee table. And the picture from her purse. Her mouth drops open, and she turns to me.

“I needed your keys,” I shrug.

After a moment, she blows out a heavy sigh. “I guess now I know how it feels.”

It’s not the same thing as her finding and opening my sketchbook, but she doesn’t need reminding of that. Instead of bringing that shit back up, I walk over and put my hand on the back of her head and tilt it so she’s looking at me.

I drink her in, wondering if I’ll ever be this close to her again. She puts a hand on my hip, the other is still holding the coffee. Her hand slides under the hem of my T-shirt.

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