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‘Mitchell’s’ was a famous department store in the city, and one which was owned by Charlie Mitchell’s family. She was the daughter to the founder of the luxury store, and one who’d grown up with these Titans. Like me, her father and many other generations of Mitchells, were Titans. I’d seen the beauty a few times with others in our circle, but I’d never met her in person. The reason for that came rushing back to me. I hadn’t been introduced to her because I was his secret lover, and nothing more.
“I don’t want you anymore,” I lied out loud, then tossed the box onto my nightstand. “Or this.”
My aim was off, so the box hit the edge and fell to the floor. When it did, the top fell off. I’d never even planned to open it, but with fate deciding differently for me, I saw a flash of black lace and red silk. Unsure of what it was, I reached down to pick it up, then held it up. A masquerade mask. This could be from no one but Callum. No one else knew I was there at that event. It wasn’t the exact same one I’d worn, but it was close enough in color and design.
I’d never forgotten that night, or any of the ones I’d spent with Callum over the four and a half months we’d been together. That Halloween party was the first event he’d ever invited me to, and it was the only one where I could be in his arms like Harper had been. When on the dance floor encased in his strong arms, it had been magical as our bodies moved together as one. It’d also not been real. The only thing that stayed true to us that night had been him dragging me off to a deserted part of the warehouse, then fucking me in darkness where no one would ever see us.
I came multiple times for him, and it’d been more than I could’ve hoped for at the moment, but it would just be a sign of things to come. They said sex could destroy even the strongest of relationships, but ours had never been that to begin with. Ours had been weak and held together by a few tattered threads which finally broke a few weeks ago.
After the second event he’d invited me to, I’d left early to wait for him. That evening had been singularly the best, and worst, night of all of our time together. He did things to my body, which had never known such pleasure, but the pain he’d inflicted on my heart wiped it all out. After we’d had sex for the final time, I’d left him, and had only looked back in sorrow.
Callum obviously hadn’t been able to forget that night any more than I had because earlier yesterday, there was something stuck in my door. When I picked up the envelope and looked at the contents inside, there was a ticket from that charity event. I sure as hell didn’t need any reminders of that night, but he’d given me one nonetheless. I’d spent the next hour crying my eyes out over what I had done, then I vegged in front of the television with a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream, hoping to eat myself to distraction. It hadn’t worked, nor had the two glasses of wine I had to try drinking away my pain. The only thing that brought me any relief had been a few hours later when I was alone in my bed.
It was there when so many of the wicked things he’d said to me over our time together came rushing back, playing over and over like some sort of broken record. Despite the time and distance I tried placing between us, I knew what wicked things he spoke of, as did my body. Even in just remembrance, I became aroused.
I physically ached for his touch, and his alone, but I had made do with my own. I had fingered my pussy and played with my clit, much like he would. A poor substitute for the real thing, but all I would ever have from this point forward. It took much longer for me to drive myself to the edge, but after I had come, a familiar emptiness filled me.
“I wanted to announce to my entire fucking social circle that every inch of your sexy body is mine.” Those words also echoed in my head, and tears formed knowing he’d never intended to do that. It’d all been an empty lie, and one I evidently still wished would come true. It hadn’t even been the worst thing he said that evening. “I want to take everything from you tonight, Nicole.”
And the saddest thing was that I’d given him every part of me. My body would forever remember him, and it’d been all my fault. I should’ve cut things off sooner, but I’d wanted to experience all that he had promised me.
I’d felt him for days afterward, too. Even now, I couldn’t stop dreaming about him. If only I’d gone home to Los Angeles with my friends instead of staying in Costa Rica a few days longer... If only I’d never gone to ayahuasca... Or if I’d never taken him up on his invitation and fallen into his bed. There were so many would’ve/could’ve/should’ve moments to dwell on, but none of those would change the cold, hard truth.
I had liked Callum, so much so that I had a one night stand with him. That sort of thing was done by people like my brother, not me. And to make matters worse, when I realized anything between us was forbidden, I still allowed it to happen. Now, I’d be paying for it the rest of my life. He was my first real love, while I’d been nothing more than a notch on his bedpost.
Callum claimed to love and miss me, but he didn’t mean it. Words were like weapons to people like him, and they were wielded without a single thought to those they would affect. Up until this point, I’d let them affect me, but not anymore. I never would’ve believed that threat about the Dean came from me if I hadn’t heard it with my own ears. I kept on giving him the power to hurt me. His actions... his words... and if I kept this up, I’d give him the power to completely destroy me, too.
“No more,” I seethed. I had to snap out of this, and soon. I was a Courtland, so certain things were expected of me. I was raised to hold my head up high at all times, no matter the circumstances which was what even my mother had done at the end. My father. My brother. Everyone else was holding it together, so I needed to do the same.
After putting the masquerade mask back into its box, I tossed it in a drawer with the envelope from yesterday. I then went to shower and by the time I’d gotten dressed and had my hair and makeup done, I received a phone call. Having been screening them all week, I was relieved to see a familiar, and welcome one flash across my phone.
“Hey, Travis,” I said, answering right away.
“How are you doing with everything? I’ve missed you in cl—”
“I’ve missed you, too,” I told him, then stopped myself just in time before I asked about Callum. “How are you?”
“I’m good. There’s a new slasher flick showing at the Icon. Do you want to get out and come see it with me?”
Earlier in the week, I would’ve politely declined, but I needed to get out of this place. It was over three thousand square feet, but felt like a prison cell closing in around me. “Sure. Where are you?”
“I’m just down the street from your place. I could swing by and pick you up.”
“Okay.” I grabbed my purse, and headed to the door. I figured by the time I got downstairs, he would likely be here. When I opened my door, however, something was in front of it, and I screamed.
“Nicole! Nicole, are you okay? Nicole!”
I was shaking like a leaf at the sight in front of me. There lay a book opened to a specific chapter, but with a picture of me held in place with a Costa Rican dagger. The words ‘you’re next’ were hastily scribbled across the other page in bright red ink. Travis asked me what was wrong, and I told him what was left for me.
“I’m at your place now. Go back inside and I’ll be up in a minute,” he told me, and I nodded mutely. I stepped back into the safety of my place, but I was still very shaken. Travis soon arrived, and he quickly got rid of the evidence, but not before taking a few pictures of it. Afterward, he pulled me into his embrace. “What the hell is this?”
I couldn’t tell him about Callum, but I needed to talk to someone. If my mother had been alive, she would’ve been my go-to person. Careful not to let on who the ex was, I told him I’d started seeing someone in the city, and that things didn’t work out. There was a level of hurt on his face, and I suppose if everyone was right about his affection for me, it had to have gutted him to know I’d been seeing someone else.
I told him about the break-up, and how the ex hadn’t been taking it well. After telling him about the two latest gifts before this one, he shook his head. “I’m really scared for you, Nicole. You need to get a restraining order against him immediately.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. I—”
“If he’s gotten this close to you on multiple occasions, and his behavior is escalating, you have to do this for your own safety. It’s very likely that once he’s served, he’ll finally bow out and leave you alone. But if he doesn’t, you could be in serious danger. He has to know how secluded you are from your family, and he won’t stop until he’s made to stop. Please, go get a protective order.”
