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“My siblings.” He wraps his arms around me, dragging me to him.
“They each have a spouse to help them. Let me help you,” I sink into his chest as his chin rests on my head. “Is he sick?” I whisper the words, hoping they’re wrong.
“Yeah, he’s sick. It’s cancer. Multiple myeloma.” He forces out the words like a physical fist clenches his throat, and I can’t even imagine what that feels like. “We’re waiting for the test results so they can come up with a treatment plan. That was Mom letting me know he has an appointment tomorrow after practice.”
“Callen...” I tip my chin up to look at his face, and the pain in those green eyes is crushing as I press my lips to his jaw. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere, and I can handle anything you throw my way. Promise me you won’t forget that.”
“I promise,” he whispers as his fingers tangle in my hair. “I’m going to take the dogs out. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“You sure?” I press up on my toes and ghost my mouth over his. “I can take them out.”
The look he gives me speaks volumes and yet manages to tell me nothing new.
This man is protective of everyone in his circle.
His family. His friends.Me. . .
He kisses my forehead and smiles against my skin. “Go upstairs, kitten. I’ll be back in, in a few minutes.”
“Yes, sir,” I whisper and bite down on my lip to hide the grin that immediately springs to my face when his eyes flood with desire.
I watch as Cupcake and Meatball trot over to their leashes, knowing what’s coming and waiting with their non-existent tails wagging a mile a minute. I’m not sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or hold my breath waiting for the next big hit.
Callen
“Caitlin...” I reach over her the next morning and hit snooze on her cellphone, silencing the alarm that’s been going off for the past five minutes. “Kitten... it’s time to wake up.”
“Hmm... no,” she mumbles, so fucking pretty, it almost hurts to look at her.
I slide her wild hair away from her face and skim my lips over her temple as she lies draped across my chest, her legs tangled with mine. Her body is cold, like a tiny freezer I wish didn’t have to wake so soon.
I spent half the night watching her sleep, wondering how the hell we got here. Trying to figure out the best way to get to the next place with the least amount of damage. Because I know at the end of the day, there’s going to be damage. And whether she wants to think about it or not, we’ll both be the ones dealing with it.
The thing is, Caitlin Beneventi is worth it.
She’s worth it all.
The shit show that’s coming from Maddox.
Probably from our families.
Maybe from our friends.
She’s always been worth it. I was the one who never was.
I wasn’t enough. Wasn’t ready.
Not for what I knew came with being with her.
She’s not the girl you date—she’s the one you marry.
I smile, thinking about it because anyone else would say I was nuts even contemplating it.
Caitlin is loud. She’s a smart-ass. Her sarcasm knows no bounds, and her words are cutting like the sharpest knife.
You don’t look at her and see soft. You don’t see the girl next door who needs to be protected. None of the typical things guys see when they say they know their girl is the kind you make your wife. But she’s better than that. She’s strong and fierce and protective and fucking capable. She’s sexy without even trying. And when no one’s watching, she’s soft and sweet with the biggest damn heart.
I’m screwed because I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with her for the better part of four goddamned years.
