Chapter Twenty-Two

Callum

It was becomingharder and harder to hide my attraction to this woman. I found her beautiful even when she wasn't at her best, but seeing her lately... that just did something to me. Growth and happiness were beautiful on her. I knew she was still dealing with a lot, but she had so much to be happy about these days. Seeing her genuinely smile did my heart all the good in the world.

The first stop of the night was a Riot Room. I knew she had stressors because I was dealing with stressors of my own. This was the perfect place for us to release some of that tension.

"Is this one of those smash rooms or whatever you call it?" she asked, looking around.

"Yes."

"God, I needed this. I can't tell you how many times I've just wanted to break some shit."

"Well, you can break all you want here."

I got us checked in, and we were led to our room. She didn't hesitate to suit up in the vest, gloves, and a face shield. After a brief rundown of rules and expectations, we were left alone. She eagerly grabbed a bat and went to work. When she smashed the first item, she took a deep breath. I could tell that felt good to her.

"Stay with it," I said. "You can fuck up as much shit in here as you want until you get it out."

"This is what I wanted to do the night you stopped for me."

She dragged the bat around the room until she found what she sought. It was a mirror. She raised the bat again.

"For all the times he called me fat."

Whack!

"For all the times he made me feel ugly and worthless."

Whack!

"For all the times he made me hate myself!"

Whack!

All the mirror pieces shattered and fell to the floor. She moved around the room, smashing the bat into various objects. She had stopped talking and was now channeling all of her anger. Her hits became harder and more forceful. I could only imagine that it was that man's image in her head every time that bat connected.

After a few minutes, she dropped the bat and leaned over, resting her hands on her knees, panting heavily.

"Feeling better?" I asked.

"That was liberating. I didn't realize I had that much rage built up."

"Look at how long you had to hold it in."

She stood upright and wiped the sweat from her brow. "I'm ready to go again. Are you going to join me? I know there has to be something you're angry about... something you want to get out."

I had enough to be upset about. After my uncle's funeral, my aunt Sheila and aunt Glenda popped up at my house to check me about coming and then leaving. They accused me of trying to start trouble, and that wasn't the case. I wouldn't have waited seventeen years if I wanted to start trouble. The whole visit started a big argument and a slew of unwanted pop-ups at my house.

One of the cousins who had been present during my parents' will reading showed up on some "putting me in my place" type of energy, and we almost came to blows. If it weren't for Martin stepping in, things could have gone completely left. One thing I didn't play about was disrupting my peace. Coming to the place where I lay my head and starting drama was a big hell no. Not only that, but this was also my parents' home, and nobody was going to disrespect that.

Picking up the sledgehammer I'd chosen as my weapon of choice, I crashed it into an old computer monitor. Pieces flew everywhere. Damn, that felt good. Pasha and I looked at each other and gave a simple nod before we tore that room apart. Nothing went untouched. By the time we finished, both of us were breathing heavily. She dropped the bat and came over to me.

Gentle brown eyes stared up at me. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around me and rested her head against my chest.

"Thank you, Callum. I didn't know how badly I needed that."

I embraced her warmly and kissed the top of her head. "I've got you. Whatever you need, I've got you."

We stood like that for a while until she pulled away.

"How about we go get something to eat?" I suggested. "I don't know about you, but I worked up an appetite."

"Me too."

"There's this food truck that has the best tacos you'll ever taste. It's down at the park. And there's this festival type of thing going on."

"I'm good with that."

"Well, let's get out of this stuff, and we can head on over."

"Okay."

We quickly left the space and undressed to head to the car. I was surprised when Pasha linked her fingers through mine for the short walk. She looked up at me with a smile, and I swear my heart swelled in its cavity. I lifted her fingers to my lips and kissed them. Maybe this wasn't a date date, but it sure as hell felt like one.

Pasha moaned, and her eyes closed as she took the first bit of the nachos I recommended. I looked up to see an almost euphoric expression on her beautiful face.

"Good?" I asked.

"That... Whew! That is amazing. I've never had nachos so flavorful."

"They are based in Charleston. I found them during a day trip with Bella and Precious. When I tell you I can taste this every time I think about it, I swear I'm not lying."

"They gave me so much! I don't know how I'm gonna eat this and the rest of this food!"

We had a spread of nachos, chicken on a stick, and loaded fries. I really hadn't eaten all day because I wanted to prepare my stomach for this.

I chuckled. "I know what you mean. Just make sure you save room for something sweet."

She stifled a laugh. "You sound like my late grandfather. It didn't matter what he ate. When he finished, it was always, ‘Now I need something sweet,' to follow."

"We are eating for the culture, baby."

She smiled. "I'm having a good time."

"That's all I wanted."

"You know..." She cleared her throat. "My girls seem to think something is going on between us."

"Do they now?"

"I've told them we are just friends, but they don't believe me." She looked up at me, her eyes piercing mine. "They seem to think you've been dating me, and I've just kinda been blind to it."

I swallowed my food and took a sip of my drink. After wiping my mouth, I leaned across the table a little, and she did the same.

"I will say this... I've been very intentional in my treatment of you. Make no mistake, I respect you as a woman. I value your friendship, but I believe that we were placed in each other's path for a reason. I don't know what it is, but I haven't been able to get you out of my head since the first time I met you. You are so beautiful to me, Pasha. Beneath the hurt and pain, I know there is an equally beautiful soul, and I just want to nurture it the way it deserves to be nurtured."

She blushed and covered her face. I slid closer to her and pulled her hands away.

"You don't have to be shy with me. You don't have to be afraid or worry. I'm not here to hurt you. I simply want to restore what was once broken by someone who never deserved you. I have to ask... Do you feel anything between us?"

"Yes," she whispered. "You just... You feel good to my spirit. I can't deny that."

"Then don't." I cupped her face. "Whenever you're ready to explore this, I'll be waiting for you."

A tear slipped from her eye, and I swiped it away.

I smiled softly. "Don't cry."

"I can't help it!" She fanned herself. "I wasn't looking for this, and now, here you are." She gripped my wrists as she gazed into my eyes. "I'm afraid to fall for you, but more than that, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself."

I wanted to reassure her. I wanted her to feel that everything I could put into this was genuine. I brought my face close to hers.

"Can I kiss you?" I asked.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and for a moment, she was still. Then slowly, she nodded her head. Gently, I pressed my lips to hers. I didn't grip or grope her. I wanted this kiss to be sweet, sensual, and comforting. She relaxed, and I felt her lips part. When her tongue slipped into my mouth, I swear it was the sweetest thing I'd ever tasted. A soft moan escaped her lips, and the sound caused her to pull back and place her hands on my chest. Her eyes remained closed.

"I could lose myself with you," she whispered.

I pressed my forehead to hers. "I'll never let you get lost."

She opened her eyes. Her hands slid up my chest to my face. She stared at me for a moment before wrapping them around my neck and pulling me into a tight hug.

"Just hold me for a little bit," she said softly.

I slid my arms around her waist and pulled her in closer. "As long as you need."