Page 60 of Stolen Voices
“It was so stupid. The man grabbed my mom’s purse, and my dad tried to stop him. If he just let the man go, he never would have been shot. He’d still be here.”
Callie doesn’t elaborate any further, but I can tell it took a lot for her to even tell me that bit of her history.
I’ll take it for now. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
Not knowing what else to say or how to console her, I let the silent minutes stretch as each of us lose ourselves in our own thoughts.
She breaks the silence first. “It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?”
Not as beautiful as you.
As if she can feel my eyes on her, or maybe hear my silent thoughts, she turns to look at me. We stare at each other, and that tug returns, making it hard not to pull her close.
“I can’t tell you who hurt me.” I go to argue, but she shakes her head, making me snap my mouth shut. “Not yet. It’s not because I don’t trust you. I do. I don’t know why. Especially when you say some really shitty things to me.”
“I’m sorry,” I blurt. “Sorry isn’t enough, but I didn’t mean what I said.”
A smile spreads across her face, taking my breath away. “Which time? The time you said I was just another bubble gum pop singer, a spoiled princess with no real talent, or that you didn’t want to fuck me?”
My heart stops in my chest, and my stomach falls out of my ass. “Umm…” I trip over my words, trying to come up with an excuse, but I’ve got nothing.
Callie laughs, and the sound is utter joy to my ears. Even if her laughter is at my expense, I can’t stop myself from laughing with her.
She swipes a finger under her eye as she tries to stop giggling. “You should have seen your face.”
“Happy to entertain you, Calliope.”
“I needed that. It’s been a night.”
“It has. And truly, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was an ass.”
“Yeah. Just a little.” She holds up her thumb and forefinger, leaving an inch between them. The smile on her face hasn’t faded, and the light is returning to her eyes as they sparkle like the star-filled black sky above us. “But I forgive you, Elijiah.”
My name on her silky tongue sends a shiver through me.
Callie shoves her arms into my coat sleeves and sits up on her knees. I watch as she slowly leans forward, bringing us nose to nose. My pulse races as the sea air whips her delicious-smelling hair into my face.
My lips prickle in anticipation as her mouth brushes against mine with a faint touch. At the last second, she turns her face and places a kiss on the side of my mouth. It all happens too quickly and when time catches up, Callie is already on her feet, walking toward the car.
A part of me wishes she had made the first move and placed her lips on mine. Disappointment spreads through me like poison. I shove the feeling down and follow Callie.
The drive back to her apartment is quiet. Neither of us says a word, and maybe it’s for the best. Between the club and that near-kiss, something between us has shifted. I don’t know what it is or how to define what’s changed, but it scares the living hell out of me.
I’m not a fan of the unknown. I like control.
And yet…
There’s a part of me that welcomes this new, terrifying, and exhilarating energy shift that’s been transpiring between me and Callie. A piece of me wants to hold on to it and see where it goes.
But… Fuck. It’s too risky.
There’s no way I can have Callie without repercussions. Both our careers and reputations would be in jeopardy, and there’s no way I’d put her in harm’s way.
She deserves better than that.
sixteen
