Callum (Blue Halo Book 7)

Callum headed into his bedroom, hot coffee in his hand, but he stopped in the doorway at the sight of Fiona in the connected bathroom in front of the mirror.

Fuck, she was beautiful. And after last night, he wanted to hold her tighter and closer. It had scared the hell out of him, knowing she was in danger but unable to prevent it and protect her. The feeling of helplessness was foreign and damn near destroying him.

He needed to figure out who the hell was targeting her and why. He didn’t think they were trying to hurt her…yet. It seemed they only hit her last night because she’d caught them red-handed. But the person had been going through her locker, and before that, they’d entered her house. Why? What were they looking for?

She’d just finished applying cream to her face when he stepped behind her and set the coffee onto the counter.

She smiled and leaned against him. “Hey.”

“Hey, beautiful.” He kissed her cheek, hands going to her hips. “How’s your head feeling?”

“Okay. It’s just like a dull headache.”

It shouldn’t even be that much. She shouldn’t be in any pain at all. “I’ve got pain meds in the cabinet.”

He was about to move away when she grabbed his hands and tugged them around her waist. “Wait, you haven’t given me a good-morning kiss on the lips.”

He grinned. “You’re right.”

She turned in his arms and pressed her palms to his chest. “A woman needs her morning kiss to get her day started right.”

He leaned down, hovering his lips over hers. His voice quieted. “Big oversight on my part.”

“Huge,” she breathed.

Then he kissed her, swiping his lips across hers and letting the softness that was Fiona surround him. Her fingers slid through his hair, and when her tongue nudged at his mouth, he opened, tasting his beautiful woman.

His hand skirted down her side, tugging her closer. She hummed, and that sound ricocheted throughout his chest. When she began to push his shirt up, he lifted his head.

He chuckled at her groan. “You have a concussion, Fi.”

“I can still kiss you.”

If he kept kissing her, it would turn into more than that. “You’re spending the day on the couch. Bedrest.”

The change was instant. She shook her head. “I have to go to work.”

Hell no. “Someone can cover for you.”

“No, Callum, it was a mild concussion. I’ve got a little headache, that’s it. I’m fine.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

He bit back a growl.

She stroked a hand over his cheek. “Callum, I don’t want to just sit at home all day and think about the fact I’m a target. It will drive me crazy.”

“Better crazy at home than passing out halfway through your shift.”

She gave him a pointed look. “I’m only on for four hours in the afternoon.”

His jaw clicked. “Fine. But no working overtime, and I’m trailing you to work and home, so no driving on your own. And if you’re in pain, you call me.”

“Done.”

He didn’t like it. But he also didn’t want to get into a fight with the woman after everything she’d been through last night. “And no more late shifts.”

“Well, if you’re there, we could find other reasons to be in the library after hours.”

This time he did growl. “You’re killing me, woman.” He dipped his head and kissed her again. His hand was just skirting up her side when her phone rang. “Ignore it.”

She laughed and turned, reaching for her cell on the counter. His chest rumbled with sounds of his disapproval as he continued to kiss the back of her neck.

She groaned. “It’s Amanda again.”

“Definitely ignore it,” he said between strings of kisses to her shoulder.

She did, her lips returning to his. But the second her phone stopped ringing, it started up again.

She groaned and tugged her lips away once more, this time answering the call. “Amanda—”

“Fiona, it’s me, Freddie.”

Callum’s hand stilled on her bare waist and his head shot up. What the fuck was that asshole doing calling her?

Fiona straightened, her muscles going tight beneath his touch. “I’m hanging up, Freddie.”

“Wait, please! I just want to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Us.”

It took every ounce of Callum’s self-restraint to not grab the phone and tell the fucker to hang up.

Fiona blew out an exasperated breath. “There is no us, Freddie. You cheated on me, then married my sister. I blocked your number because I do not want contact from you. Don’t call me again, and certainly not from her phone.”

She hung up and turned her phone off.

“Has he called since the wedding?” Callum asked, keeping his voice as calm as he could. It was damn hard.

“Yes. That’s why I blocked him, and probably why he called from Amanda’s phone.”

That little shit.

She blew out a breath. “Well, at least now I won’t need to tell Amanda about anything. She’ll see it on her call history.”

He didn’t like that idea or the abuse it would probably bring. “I’m sorry, honey.”

“She said there’s a family dinner this weekend. I said I wasn’t going.”

“Well, if you do decide to go, I’ll be by your side.”

The smile returned to Fiona’s mouth. “I’m not, but if I was, you sure as heck would be. Or you’d be dragged along kicking and screaming. I’ve decided you’re the only way I can survive family events with Amanda.”

“Wherever you are, I’ll be, Fi.”

“Jenny, you don’t need to hover.”

Her friend blew out a breath before following her down the library aisle. She’d been no more than two feet away the entire shift.

“I’m sorry, but I’m worried. Are you sure it’s okay that you’re at work today?”

Fiona grabbed a book from the cart. She’d planned to tell her friend everything when she got to work, but by the time she arrived, Rick had already told everyone…big mouth.

“I’m fine. I’ve taken my pain meds, my head feels okay, and I’ve almost survived my four-hour shift.” Ten minutes and counting until Callum picked her up. If she was honest, he and Jenny were right. She should have stayed home, but no way would she be admitting that after she’d pushed to come to work.

Jenny lifted a book from the trolley. “Well, good. I’m glad you’re okay. And honestly, I’m surprised you chose to come in and not spend the day with Mr. Sexy-pants.”

She laughed. “Sexy-pants?”

“Sexy pants, sexy arms, sexy face you want to kiss until the sun goes down. I could keep going?”

“No thanks, I get the gist.” She pushed her trolley down the aisle. “And I didn’t want to stay home and stew about everything, so here I am.”

A shudder she couldn’t stop raced up her spine at the memory of the previous night.

“I wonder what the person wanted,” Jenny said quietly.

Wasn’t that the golden question? She wasn’t poor, but she didn’t have money or valuables worth stealing. Even if she did, she certainly wouldn’t keep them at work.

“And then there’s Freddie,” Jenny continued. “It’s so strange that he’s still trying to contact you when he’s married to your sister, and you clearly want nothing to do with him.”

“Don’t even get me started on that guy. I’ve been so clear with him. I don’t understand why he’s trying, either.” She stopped and slotted a book onto a shelf. “But even if I did still have interest, he married my sister. I just…I can’t believe what a scumbag he’s turned into.”

Or maybe he was always like that, and she’d just been blind to it because she’d been with him for so long.

“You must just have that effect on men.”

She snorted. “Yeah, right. I’m in so much disbelief that Callum likes me, I wake up expecting him to tell me it’s over. That he’s going to run away with his hot neighbor, Kasey.”

Okay, maybe she wasn’t expecting him to say it in those words. He’d probably go with a gentler breakup. It’s not you, it’s me kind of thing.

Jenny gave her a pointed look. “Fiona, you’re beautiful. Don’t doubt what you bring to the table with that man.”

She laughed as she stopped again, slotting another book into place. “I bring a knowledge of books and book categorization.”

“You’re a beautiful, intelligent, kind woman who has a sense of humor to boot. You bring all of that.”

“Uh, I was awful to Callum for months before the wedding weekend.”

Jenny lifted a shoulder like it was nothing. “You had trust issues. It’s normal after being cheated on. I can’t believe you never knocked your sister and that prick on their asses for what they did.”

“Not doing exactly that will be a lifelong regret of mine.”

Rick moved past their aisle, pausing when he saw them. He opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something about them standing there talking, but then he snapped it shut again and moved away.

“What was that about?” Jenny whispered.

“He’s in an I-feel-sorry-for-you-after-last-night mood. He also knows who I’m dating and what he’ll do if he’s not nice.”

Jenny sighed. “You’re so lucky to have him.”

“Well, there’s still one Blue Halo man who’s unattached, if you’re interested?”

Her brows pulled together like she was considering it. “Is he hot?”

“Aren’t they all?”

“You’re right. And tempting, but I’m not dating at the moment.”

“Why not?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know, because that would involve talking to a man without freezing up.”

Fiona opened her mouth to respond but stopped—because all her attention went to the main door as Freddie stepped inside.

What. The. Hell? She had to blink to make sure she was actually seeing what she thought she was seeing.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

“What?” Jenny glanced over her shoulder, then back to Fiona. “Who’s that?”

“Freddie.”

Freddie met her gaze and walked straight toward her.

“What are you doing here?” Fiona growled before he’d even stopped.

“I came to see you. I don’t have your address, so I was counting on you being at work.”

Jesus Christ. She grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door.

“Fiona—” Jenny hissed.

“I’ll be back in a sec.”

Rick wouldn’t like it, but hell, she was basically done for the day. She waited until they were outside, standing several feet to the side of the library door, before turning to face the guy. “I don’t know what the hell made you think driving an hour and a half to see me today was a good idea, but it wasn’t. Go home!”

His jaw clicked. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the wedding.”

“Since your wedding to my sister, you mean? God, have you lost your mind? This is so inappropriate.”

“I know.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “But I felt something for you at the wedding. You were giving me mixed signals.”

She gaped at the man. “Mixed signals? Are you serious? Freddie, I can only say this clearly so many times. I am not interested in you anymore. I am happily dating someone else, and you are married to my sister!”

God, why did she have to keep repeating that to this guy?

Freddie stepped closer and touched her arm. “Fiona—”

“Hey!”

They both looked up to see Callum walking toward them from the lot. Well, less walking and more storming like he was on a damn mission. She also saw Jenny step outside, arms around her waist, watching with a worried look on her face.

Freddie cursed when he saw Callum. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Callum stopped close and tugged Fiona behind him. “I’m the boyfriend, Freddie. What are you doing here?”

“That’s none of your damn business.” He looked back to her. “I’m staying at the Tamarack Lodge in Ketchum tonight. Please come talk to me.”

Her insides rolled. “I won’t. You need to go home to your wife.”

Callum stepped closer to him. “Go. Away.”

“Fuck you!” Then Freddie pushed Callum…or attempted to. Callum moved so quickly, his actions were a blur, grabbing the arm that had shoved him and spinning Freddie around. “Get the fuck off me, asshole!”

Callum didn’t. In fact, he shoved Freddie against the wall, lowered his head, and quieted his voice. “You will leave Cradle Mountain, and you will stay the hell away from Fiona. If I see you touch her again or even speak to her, I will break your fucking hand.”

When Callum didn’t immediately release him, she stepped forward and touched his arm. “Callum. It’s okay.”

One more beat, and he finally released her ex. Freddie pulled away, straightening his clothes and looking mad as hell at Callum before storming off.

Jenny slipped back inside as Callum turned to Fiona, hands going to her waist. “You okay?”

“You did it again.”

He frowned. “What?”

“I didn’t need saving just now, Callum.”

His gaze shifted between her eyes before softening. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I should have let you handle that.”

She tilted her head. “Really? No speech about being a protector and how you’ll always step in if you can?”

“Nope. I mean, I will step in if I think you need it. I can’t help my instincts when it comes to you. But I’ll try to wait to see if you kick him in the balls first.”

Her lips twitched. She wasn’t sure she believed him, but she appreciated him saying that. “Thank you.”

“Now…are you okay?”

She sucked in a long, deep breath. “Yeah. I just don’t know why he won’t leave me alone. We’re done but he keeps coming back. And he said I was giving him mixed signals at the wedding when I wasn’t.”

Callum growled. “The guy’s delusional. Did he touch you?”

“Not really, just the touch on my arm that you saw.” When his features hardened, she cupped his cheek. “But I’m okay. And I would have kneed him in the balls if he did anything else. Although…it was kinda nice to watch him squirm in your hold.”

“So my stepping in wasn’t all bad?”

“No. It wasn’t all bad.”

He lowered his head, his mouth hovering over hers. “Good. Because I like being your growly protector.”