19. Chapter 19

Dammit.

A roar at his lips, Callum scrambled after Nemity in the crowd, but she was slight and fast, and no matter how many people he pushed out of his way, she was just out of his reach.

And then there.

Fucking hell.

Valerie—no, Vanessa. Vanessa was her name.

Nemity screeched to a halt in front of Vanessa, grabbing her wrist. Vanessa wrapped her arms around Nemity. Nemity's shoulders shook. Sobs.

Vanessa.

Vanessa.

A stupid, stupid transgression when he was on a job for her father, investigating stolen funds from his accounts and if they were tied to his younger brother, who he was sure was plotting something with his mistress.

Vanessa had been a welcome dalliance in the middle of the months' long drudgery of that mission.

The damn fireworks boomed harder in the sky and filled his head like a blacksmith setting hammer to anvil had crawled into his skull.

His chest tight, he started pushing his way through the crowd.

Nemity. He had to get to her.

Had to explain.

He just had to explain.

Except she was so damn far away.

He shoved a man on his left, making him fall, but he didn't even look back.

He wasn't going to let his past take this from him. Take her from him.

Vanessa turned and said something to the tall man next to her. The man's look came up, scanning the crowd as he sidled to the other side of Nemity and the three of them moved through the crush, headed toward the river entrance to the gardens.

Bloody fucking hell.

He wasn't getting near her now.

The tightness in his chest spun into a full-out storm that he was having a hard time controlling.

He turned and ran toward the main entrance to the gardens.

He had to get to her townhouse before her.