Page 82 of Unleash Hades
“Family business,” he said, his face terse.
“Oh no! I hope the boys are alright.” Bellamy looked at me, his eyes boring into my soul, almost as if he was asking something…as if he knew. And I was starting to realize that he probably did. “Such delightful creatures, I can’t wait to get to know them better! That Romulus is a real credit to you, Cali.”
A credit to me. Not to Richard. It was purposely meant.
Then he turned to Richard with an expression that shimmered with enthusiasm.
“I was just talking to Remus about the greatness of journalism as a tool of…”
Richard had had his fill of the conversation.
“Calissandra and I will be leaving now,” he said with determination, as he came to his feet, his hand outstretched to me.
I didn’t take it. Where was Hugo? I couldn't find him. Where was he?
“Oh! We’re leaving?” Bellamy said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Let me just say a few farewells and…”
“Weare leaving,” Richard said. “Mywifeand I.”
The title was a condemnation.
“Oh! Well, how rude!” Bellamy said. “We showed up together, and we’re partners in this story…”
“The story is dead,” Richard said. “Not a word of it will be published.” Then to me, “Let’s go, Calissandra. I’d hate for your actions to recreate what happened in Marseilles.”
My veins turned to ice.
He wasn’t just making a threat on my boys but reminding me of their mother.
Bellamy looked at me, then back at Richard. His lips hardened into a line.
“I must insist that…” Bellamy started to come to his feet, only for Richard to push him back down.
“Stay here, Peacock,” Richard gritted through his teeth. “You have no idea what you’re doing. I wouldn’t try to interfere if I were you.”
It was the closest thing to an overt threat that he’d ever done.
His threats were always veiled, laced with plausible deniability. But something about Bellamy made him angry… it made him lose his cool exterior.
“Calissandra?” Bellamy said, grabbing me by the bicep, his grip was much tighter than ever anticipated.
“I’ll be fine,” I reassured him.
I did not like Bellamy before… but he cared. And there wasn’t a surplus of people who did.
I couldn’t take it for granted when someone tried to do the right thing by me.
“We’re just going to see the boys,” Richard said, looking at Bellamy’s hand on me, and my hand on top of his.
I wasn’t sure what went through his mind, or what passed for emotions in his heart. Was he jealous? Probably not. He’d never consider Bellamy a threat as a lover. Was it for the emotional connection? No, I doubted that too. Afterall, what did he care for emotions?
“Yourboys,” I said, emphasizing that they were biologically his, “Are good people. And they…”
“Are in your hands,” Richard said, as he outstretched his hand again.
I knew the threat. I understood it completely. If I did not take his hand, then the boys would be harmed. Our boys. No… his boys… Adelia’s boys.
What was the use in lying?
