Songbird (36 page)

“He apologized.”

“Well, as long as he apologized . . .”

“Stop it, Devin.”

He watches me get dressed. “This is about the money, isn’t it? You think just because you’ll be making six figures that you’ll be happy? He’s an asshole, Callie. He wants you, and he doesn’t give a shit that you’re mine and pregnant with my child.”

“I’m not yours.”

Devin slowly climbs out of bed and walks over to me. If it were any other man, I’d be afraid of the intense look in his eyes. But he loves me. I love him. And I’m not scared.

My back presses against the wall as his body leans close to mine. He trails his nose across my cheek before kissing the edge of my mouth.

“You are mine . . . body and soul, and you know it. I love you so much I can barely breathe.”

My body trembles when his lips slide along my neck.

“What’s your plan, Devin? Kiss me into submission?”

He takes a step back.

“Callie, do you honestly think for one second that I’m going to let you put yourself and our baby at risk by working for him?”

“I don’t want to fight with you, and I didn’t want to keep it from you. I’m simply telling you that he made me an offer. I’d be crazy not to consider it.”

“No, Callie.”

“We’ll see.”

“Over my dead body.”

His eyes blaze, but I hold my head high and stare right back at him. I won’t let him boss me around. No matter how much I love him.

“I love you, Devin.”

“Do you?”

I know he doesn’t mean it, but it breaks my heart anyway.

“You know I do. But I’ve been making my own decisions for a long time.”

“Things are different now. It’s not just about you anymore.”

“I know.”

I walk around him and head for the door. He’s not rational right now, and to be honest, neither am I. We both need some space.

“Don’t walk out on me, Callie.”

“Don’t treat me like a child.”

“Don’t act like one.”

I step out into the hallway and slam the door behind me.

My silent phone rests in my hand. Not a call. Not a text.

Nothing.

He’s not coming home.

I stare at the clock on my cell, the numbers taunting me. With every passing minute, I’m reminded I’m all alone.

I walked out, and he didn’t chase me.

Selfishly, I admit that’s what I expected because that’s how we are. We fight. We say things we don’t mean. We make up. It’s what we do. Because no matter how mad I am, or how mad he is, we always find our way back to each other. He always comes back to me. To us.

He’s not coming back tonight.

I’ve finally done it. I’ve pushed him away. My desire to be an equal provider for our daughter has brought me here—to this cold, dark place where I’m all alone.

No amount of money is worth this.

I throw back the covers and sit up in bed. I’m hungry, but I can’t eat. I’m exhausted, but I can’t sleep. Desperate to talk to him, I send him another text. He hasn’t replied to any of them so far, and he’s not answering his phone, but I send it anyway. I tell him I won’t take the job, and I mean it.

Screw my stubborn independence.

Lorie’s right. Even from hundreds of miles away, my mom has this insane power over me. Her voice still rattles around in my brain, telling me to focus on the wrong things for all the wrong reasons. Feeding on my insecurities to the point that I actually considered accepting a job offer from a man who makes my skin crawl.

You’re so stupid, Callie.

Pulling my knees close to my chest, I wrap my arms around my legs and start to cry.

Nothing new. I’ve cried all night.

Earlier tonight, I’d given the delivery boy from the baby store a heart attack when he arrived with the furniture. As he brought the boxed crib into the nursery, he told me the store would have been happy to assemble it for us, but Mr. McAllister had been adamant about putting it together himself.

I’d dissolved into tears right then and there.

The guy quickly brought in the rest of the furniture, and as soon as I signed my name, he was gone in a flash. Through teary eyes, I gazed at all the baby furniture and then quickly closed the nursery door.

It’s so beautiful I can’t even look at it.

My rocking becomes frantic as my exhausted and emotional mind begins to spiral into a pit of anxiety. In my head, I can hear my mom, telling me that, just as she predicted, I’ve ended up alone. I hear Lorie’s warning that Devin would react this way. And I can hear him screaming at me and calling me a child.

My chest tightens and my heart pounds as their taunting voices start to mingle.

I can’t breathe. Why can’t I breathe?

The bedroom spins in and out of focus.

Something’s wrong with me.

Something’s wrong with the baby.

My phone’s still in my hand. I tap a number. I have no idea which one until I hear Valerie’s voice.

“Callie? What’s—”

“Can’t . . . breathe.”

She doesn’t ask any more questions, and the next thing I know, Devin’s parents are there.

“Callie? Callie, what’s wrong?” Valerie sits down on the bed next to me. “Where’s Devin?”

I just close my eyes and try to will my body to stop shaking so much.

The next thing I know, William is cradling me to his chest and carrying me out of my apartment.

I
place the glass against my temple. “Make it a double.”

The bartender shoots me a look but pours me another drink anyway. My head pounds, and the bright lights of the club don’t help. Shit’s sliding in and out of focus, but it’s preferable to the hell that’s been playing in a continuous loop inside my head.

It’s been twelve hours since she walked away from me. Twelve hours since I screamed at her. Twelve hours since the woman I love more than anything turned into a complete stranger right in front of my eyes.

Obviously, I hadn’t been clear enough when I told Dominic I’d kill him. I’ll rectify that . . . just as soon as I can walk out of this bar.

Callie had left me, and I’d let her. I won’t chase her. Not this time. She can bat those beautiful eyes all she wants, but this is the one time I’m not giving in.

There’s no way in hell she’s working for that man.

I down my drink.

Money.

It’s the root of all evil and the death of so many marriages.

Marriage.

I asked her to marry me. Had she heard me? Did she even care?

And what is this sudden fixation with money? Did she not realize my family’s loaded? Doesn’t she understand money will never be an issue? Of course, we’d never really talked about that.

We haven’t talked about a lot of things.

I wave at the bartender, but he finally man’s up and cuts me off. That’s okay. There’s not enough booze in this place to make tonight any better.

“You look like hell,” a smooth voice whispers in my ear. “Rough day at the office?”

I look to my right to find Nina Drummond sitting on the stool next to me. She smiles before ordering herself a drink.

“Hello, Nina.”

She looks like sin, of course, in her skin-tight blouse with the top two buttons undone. With her long pencil skirt and stilettos, she’s every man’s fantasy.

Every man except me.

“I detect a slur, counselor. Just how much have you had to drink?”

“Not nearly enough. What are you doing in town?”

“Working on a merger. Remember? With Spellman Communications? I told you about it.”

I don’t remember, but I pretend I do. We make small talk for a while before my eyes finally begin to grow heavy.

I have to call a cab. Or Owen.

“You look tired, baby,” Nina coos in my ear. “I’ll be in town for the next two days. Why don’t you and I take this pity party back to my hotel?

I try to focus on her face. When I do, I’m reminded how easy it used to be with Nina. No strings. No expectations. No emotion. No heartache.

No Callie.

I reach into my wallet and throw some cash on the bar. “I don’t think so, Nina. I’m just gonna call myself a cab and head home.”

I manage to climb off the stool, but walking isn’t so easy. Nina takes pity on me and does her best to hold me up. She loops her arm through mine and helps me out of the bar.

“Just . . . get my cell out of my pocket and call my brother.”

Nina waves to someone, and the next thing I know, there’s a guy wearing a chauffer’s hat helping me into a long black car. The two of us pile into the backseat, and I mutter a curse when the car starts to move.

“Just close your eyes,” Nina whispers softly, lacing her fingers with mine. “I’ll get you home. Just relax and let me take care of you.”

I’m too tired and too drunk to argue.

Besides, if Callie can do something stupid, why can’t I?