“You running out on me?” I say it as a joke, but deep down I’m upset. We were supposed to order takeout and watch a movie tonight.
“A job came up,” he says as he stuffs his feet into his boots.
“Security?” I ask and he nods. His whole demeanour has changed and it unsettles me. “A new job or old?” I push and he sighs.
“Why does it matter? I have to go.” He leans over the bed and presses a quick kiss to my head. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I repeat. “You’re not coming back here later?”
He shakes his head. “It might not finish until late so . . . ”
“Like an all-nighter?” I ask. I’m trying desperately not to let my insecurities show. We’ve literally been seeing each other a few days, but something about his behaviour screams guilt.
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “Sorry.”
I pull myself together and smile. “It’s fine. I’ll find something to keep me busy.” He eyes me for a few seconds and I know he’s warring with himself whether he should ask me what I mean, but he doesn’t. Instead, he heads for the door.
“It’s not Michelle, is it?” I blurt out and immediately yell at myself, in my head of course.
“Stop with the questions, Eva,” he snaps and then stomps out, leaving me confused by his sharp answer. I feel like he’s lying to me.
I know exactly who to call to keep me entertained this evening so that I don’t end up sending desperate texts to Cree and scaring him away.
Cree
I put the call into Riggs. During church yesterday, we decided to step up the attention to Callum and Michelle. The other men we were following gave us barely anything. The only thing that came to light was that they all visited the same townhouse in central London. They go at various times in the week and there’s no set time, day or night, and there’s no set length of time they spend there. We also discovered that Callum’s name is on the deed to the house. Riggs is convinced he’s running whatever goes on in that house, so now we need a way in to see what happens there. To get that, I’ve been tasked with getting them to trust me. That means being at their beck and call for the foreseeable.
“Pres, Michelle just called and asked me to be her security this evening at a club. I’ll be in London until the early hours. She likes to party.”
“Okay. Check in every hour or so. Watch your back, brother.”
Michelle’s driver opens the door and she gets in one side while I get in on the other. “Callum is so busy at his private club, I thought I may as well meet the girls and have a few drinks,” she says to me. I stare out at the passing London streets, pretending his club doesn’t interest me. “The girls booked the VIP area as soon as I suggested drinks.” She laughs. By girls, she means the three witches—that’s what I nicknamed them because they cackle like witches and bitch just as bad. Two of them are footballers’ wives, all fake hair and tits. The other isn’t so bad, and I feel like she doesn’t fit in the friendship group but they keep her around to make fun of.
We step to the club and the bouncers greet us. We skip the line and head straight to the VIP section, where the witches await their fourth member. I position myself by the roped space. It’s only a small VIP area, big enough for about ten people.
Michelle’s at least three cocktails in when she presses herself against me. “It’s been ages since you came by,” she slurs.
“I didn’t know you were so bothered,” I mutter. She goes to run her hand over my chest, but I snatch her wrist and hold it. She smirks at me. This is normally where I’d drag her somewhere quiet and fuck her, but tonight is different. Tonight, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a very long time and Michelle isn’t going to ruin that for me.
“Come on,” she smiles. “Let’s find somewhere risky,” she adds, her eyes lighting up.
“I can’t,” I say firmly.
“You can’t?” she snaps, pulling her hand from my grip. “Or won’t?”
“Maybe later,” I add to pacify her. I can’t blow the trust I’m building, but I have no intention of having sex with her ever again. “Enjoy the night with your friends and we can catch up after.” I know she’ll be too drunk later. She smiles and throws herself towards me, planting a kiss on my lips.
Like a bad fuckin’ movie, she moves away and my eyes fall on the blue-grey ones that stare up at me full of hurt. Eva. I don’t move towards her. If Michelle sees me talking to her, it will completely fuck up everything. She spins on her heel and stomps away, followed closely by Kyle.
My heart is beating out of my chest. Everything inside me wants to run after her, but I can’t. I pull out my cell and send her a text message.
Me: I’ll come by later and explain everything.
I stuff my cell back in my pocket.
“I need to pee,” says Michelle. I nod and lead the way through the crowd to the female toilets. Her witchy friends follow, which means they’ll be in there for ages. After five minutes, my cell buzzes with a reply from Eva.
Eva: Don’t bother. I’m not going home tonight.
Me: I don’t like games, Eva. Be home when I come by.
Eva: You’ll be busy apparently.
I grit my teeth and frown at her cryptic reply, then the bathroom door opens and Eva breezes past me. I glance at the door to make sure Michelle isn’t following her.
“What
