Fuck.
She looks back at me. “Honestly, the landlord doesn’t want me to break my lease. He was okay at first but he’s turned assholey and is slowing down the communication between him and the real estate. We had someone interested but he had some questions for the landlord who took two days to get back to him. By that stage, he’d found somewhere else. It’s pissing me off.”
“Why’s he being such a dick?”
“Something about not wanting to let a good tenant go or some shit. He offered me a rent reduction to stay.” She loops her arms around me and presses hard against my body. “I just wanna get out of there and be here all the time. Promise.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “I believe you, but I also know there’s something else going on with you. And I want you to tell me now what it is. We’re not moving until you do.”
Her eyes widen a little. And then she pushes her hands against my chest. “Now you’re being dramatic. There’s nothing else besides a little work stress.”
She tries to move out of my embrace but I fight against her. “I’m not being dramatic and we both know it.” Her reaction is only reinforcing my thoughts that she’s been avoiding me this week or keeping something from me. She hasn’t seemed quite as eager to see me or quite as quick to return my calls. I need to know what’s going on.
“Yes, you are. Let me go.” When I still refuse, she raises her voice. “Luke!”
I finally let her go and rake my fingers through my hair. She bends to retrieve her T-shirt and slips it over her head. I frown. “What are you doing?”
Without looking at me, she continues retrieving her clothes and dressing. “I’m getting dressed.”
“Jesus, Callie, I can see that, but why?”
Straightening to pull her shorts up, anger flashes back at me. “You’re clearly not going to fuck me, so I may as well put my clothes back on.” Once she does her shorts up, she says, “I’m going to get a drink. Do you want something?”
“So that’s it? You’re not going to discuss this with me?”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” she snaps before stalking out of the bedroom.
I pull my shorts on and follow her. “There is something to discuss. Because you’re losing your damn mind over it.”
She doesn’t stop, just keeps stalking away from me. When we finally make it to the kitchen, I reach for her hand and halt her. She turns in an angry huff and stares at me.
“Where the hell did this anger come from and how the fuck did we get from a blow job to this in the space of a few minutes?” I demand.
She takes a few deep breaths. “I hate how you push the point sometimes. I told you there’s nothing, but you just kept going.”
“Because I can tell there’s something there. Why won’t you tell me what it is?”
Her phone vibrates on the table and starts ringing.
Her attention diverts to it, but I snap, “Leave it. We need to sort this out.”
It stops ringing but starts almost straight away.
She takes a step towards it.
I pull her back to me.
“Callie,” I demand. “Start talking.”
She stops and stares at me. Her eyes are heavy with conflict and I suck in a breath at what I see there.
Fuck.
Fuck!
Her phone stops ringing.
“Luke… I can’t tell yo—”
The fucking phone rings again.
I stride to the table, pick it up and snap, “What?”
Silence.
And then—“Ummm, is Callie there?”
Ice runs up my spine.
I stiffen.
I’d know this voice any-fucking-where. What I don’t know is why the fuck I’m hearing it on Callie’s phone.
I grip the phone hard as my eyes bore into Callie’s. “Why are you calling this phone, Jolene?”
Silence.
“Luke?” Her voice is a strangled mess of confusion and hesitation.
“Yes. Answer me. Why are you calling Callie?” I barely contain my anger and bewilderment.
Callie’s eyes widen in horror and she freezes. Her hand covers her mouth as she sucks in a breath.
“How do you know her?” Jolene asks.
“Answer me!” I roar into the phone.
“She’s a newspaper reporter who’s been helping me with my case.”
“What fucking case?”
“Luke…” Callie finally moves and reaches out as if she wants the phone. Her hand lands on my arm and I flinch away from her touch.
With one shake of my head, I send her a warning and she shrinks back.
“She’s helping me prove my innocence.” Jolene’s voice has also shrunk. I can hear the confusion there too. “Why is she with you? Did she come and see you to try and convince you?”
“No, she didn’t come and see me. I had no idea she was even doing this,” I snap.
Silence.
“I don’t understand. Why is she there?” Realisation hits her and she gasps. “You know her?”
I force out a harsh breath. “Yes, I fucking know her. I’ve been dating her for months.”
Silence.