And for the first time in my life, I believe that maybe, just maybe, I deserve this.
I deserve him.
28
CALLUM
By the time I leave the docks, the sun is already setting.
We caught two people trying to break into our warehouse today, from the Order, of course.
They didn't talk, no matter how persuasive I was. My slightly swollen knuckles and the spattered blood on my skin and shirt are a testament to their silence.
It makes no difference. Cormac dies next week. Zaria gives me the intel for another ritual they'll have, and this time, I'm bringing my army. Declan is amped up and ready. I still haven't told him, or anyone for that matter, about Zaria. I will when I'm ready.
And thinking of Zaria, it's been one week since she showed up in my room and never left.
We've been spending all our free time together, her body keeping my bed warm.
I can't seem to get enough of her. Once I crossed that line, it was like a dam breaking and everything came flooding in.
Even now, I'm speeding through Boston, faster than I should. Every mile puts me closer to the estate. Closer to her. To her body and lips.
Her scent is all over me, and I'm obsessed with it.
Even now, as I stop at a red light and tap the steering wheel impatiently, I catch myself smiling.
She's been doing that to me lately.
I pull into the estate just after seven. The gates close behind me, sealing the world out.
One of my men approaches as I get out of the car.
"Sir, the boxes have arrived," he says and nods over to them. "Where should we put them?"
I follow his gaze. Shit, I didn't think it'd be so many. There must be about twenty boxes of all different sizes stacked by the door.
The other night, as Zaria lay next to me asleep, I went online and bought a ton of history books. I figured if it's something she loves, she should have her own collection.
When they came, I was going to have a housekeeper make some room on the shelves in our library. Looks like I'm going to need to speed that process up and give her more than a few shelves.
"Put them in the garage for now," I say, and a few of my men walk over and start picking them up.
I walk into the house, and I hear Zaria's voice in the kitchen. She's talking to Linda, my chef.
I almost make it into the room when I hear Zaria's voice again.
"Stop right there," she says. "Turn around. I'm not ready yet."
"Ready?" I ask, confused. "For what?"
"Something. Do you have anything you can do for, uhh…" she trails off, "twenty minutes?"
I look down at my bloodstained hands. "Shower."
"Perfect. Do that and then come back," she says. "And that goes in there?"
"Goes in what?"
