CHAPTER 2
1551 Words
THORIAN POV
"Thorian!"
I stopped mid-step, my hand still on Callista's elbow and I didn’t miss the way she tensed beside me.
My grandfather approached me along with Uncle Richard, Charlotte, and her parents.
Shit.
"What is going on here?" He asked. “Did you actually assault Derek Hartley?"
"I stopped an assault," I corrected, keeping my tone level. "There's a difference."
"You punched a guest at our event!" Richard stepped forward, red-faced. "Do you have any idea what kind of scandal..."
"He put his hands on her." I gestured toward Callista. "He cornered her outside, grabbed her, and when she tried to get away, he hit her. So yes, I punched him. And I'd do it again."
Then Charlotte's mother let out a bitter laugh. "Of course you would," she said. "Defending some random girl like she…." She stopped herself.
"You've never defended me like that," Charlotte’s voice shook.
I turned to look at her. Her eyes were red. Her hands were clenched at her sides.
Charlotte's father looked between me and Callista. "And who exactly is she?"
My grandfather's voice cut through before I could answer. "Yes, Thorian. Who is she?"
I opened my mouth, but he held up a hand.
"Let her speak." His eyes shifted to Callista. "What's your name, dear?"
Callista looked at me, her face pale. I wanted to tell my grandfather to back off, that she'd just been attacked and didn't need an interrogation. But I knew him well enough to know he wouldn't listen.
"Callista. Callista Green." She replied.
"And what Mr. Hartley did to you, did it happen the way my grandson claims?"
"Yes." Her voice was steadier now. "He….he got aggressive. I tried to leave, and he grabbed me. When I pushed him away, he hit me." She touched her cheek lightly, wincing. "Thorian stopped him before it could get worse."
My grandfather studied her for a long moment. Then he nodded. "I see."
"That's enough." I stepped between them, blocking his view of her. "She's been through hell tonight. I'm getting her out of here."
My uncle and Charlotte started to protest, but I was already moving, guiding Callista toward the exit.
I led her to the parking lot. Lin, my assistant, was already there with a first aid kit and ice pack.
"Give me the ice." I held out my hand.
He handed it over without a word.
I turned to Callista. Her hand was already reaching for it. "I can do it myself..."
"I know you can." I didn't let go. "But I'm doing it."
She looked at me for a second, then nodded.
I pressed the ice pack gently against her cheek. She winced.
"Sorry," I muttered.
"It's okay."
It wasn't okay. Nothing about tonight was okay.
Her eyes were getting glassy. Tears she was trying to hold back.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to cause all this..."
"Don't." The word came out harsher than I meant it to. I forced myself to breathe. "Don't apologize. Not for this. Not for him."
"But your family..."
"f**k my family." I didn't care that Lin was standing right there. "And f**k Derek. This isn't your fault. He's a predator. He saw an opportunity and he took it. That's on him. Not you."
A tear slipped down her cheek and a muscle tightened low in my chest.
I wanted to wipe it away. I didn't.
"I'm going to deal with him," I said. "Personally. He's not getting away with this."
"You don't have to…."
"Yes, I do." I pulled the ice pack away and looked at her directly. “Lin is going to drive you home. He'll make sure you get inside safely. And I'll call you. Later tonight. To make sure you're okay."
She nodded slowly.
"I'm sorry this happened. And I'm sorry you got dragged into my mess."
She shook her head. "You didn't drag me into anything. You saved me."
I looked at Marcus. "Take her home. And text me the second she's inside."
"Yes, sir."
I opened the car door for her. She slid in, still holding the ice pack to her face.
Before I closed the door, I leaned down slightly. Our eyes met.
"Get some rest, I'll call you soon."
She nodded.
I closed the door and the car pulled away.
*****************************************************
They were exactly where I'd left them.
Charlotte was crying.. Shaking. Angry tears streaming down her face.
"You've never looked at me like that," she said, her voice breaking. "Never. Not once in all the years we've known each other."
I stopped a few feet away. "Charlotte..."
“Don’t!” She held up a trembling hand. "I've watched you for months, Thorian. Waiting for you to show even a fraction of the emotion you just showed that girl. And you never did. You smiled at her. You protected her. You looked at her like…" Her voice cracked. "Like she actually mattered.”
She turned to her mother. "Mom, I caught him staring at her picture. Thorian doesn't have a single picture of me on his phone."
Guilty. But it was the bakery website.
Her mother put an arm around her shoulders, shooting me a look that could kill. "You have some nerve, bringing that woman here. Humiliating my daughter in front of everyone."
"I didn't bring her here to humiliate anyone," I said evenly. "She was catering the event."
"And yet somehow you ended up defending her honor like some knight in shining armor." Charlotte's father stepped forward, his expression cold. "We came here tonight in good faith, Thorian. To finalize the engagement. And this is how you repay us?"
"There is no engagement," I uttered.
My grandfather’s head snapped toward me. "Thorian…"
"There never was." I looked at Charlotte directly. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted this. I know our families expected it. But I can't marry someone I don't love. I won't."
Mrs. Hastings' face flushed red. "What nerve you have!”
"We're done here." Charlotte's father took his wife's arm. "Come on. We're leaving."
"Mr. Hastings, please…." My uncle Richard stepped forward, "Let's not be hasty. I'm sure we can work this out…"
"Work it out?" Mrs. Hastings turned on him. "Your nephew just made it abundantly clear where his priorities lie. And it's certainly not with our family." She looked at my grandfather. "We'll be severing all business ties effective immediately. Good evening."
They swept out, Charlotte stumbling slightly as her parents pulled her along.
Then my grandfather cleared his throat. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"
I met his gaze. "Yes."
"I have spent years building that relationship. Years of negotiations, partnerships, alliances. And you just destroyed it in one night."
"I know."
"And for what? Some girl you barely know?"
"For the truth." I kept my voice steady. "I've never been interested in Charlotte. You knew that. Father knew that. Everyone knew that. But you kept pushing because it was good for business."
Richard scoffed. "Of course it's about business. Everything is about business. But clearly you're too selfish to understand that." He turned to my grandfather. "Just like his mother. Always thinking with his heart instead of his head. Ruining everything the family built."
“Leave my mother out of this!”
“How dare you raise your voice at me!” He stepped closer to me. One step closer and I promise he won't spend the rest of the evening on his feet.
"Richard!” My grandfather's voice rang in my ears. "Enough."
He turned to me. “Charlotte said something interesting before she left.”
I said nothing.
"She said you looked at that girl differently. That you smiled at her. That you've never looked at anyone that way." He tilted his head slightly. "Is that true?"
Shit. I knew where this was going.
"Because if it is," my grandfather continued, "that tells me something very important."
"Grandfather…"
"Are you in a relationship with Callista Green?"
It just keeps getting worse.
I could say no. I could tell him she was just a baker who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That tonight meant nothing.
But I'd already torched my engagement to Charlotte. Already destroyed years of my grandfather's carefully laid plans. And if I admitted now that there was nothing between Callista and me, he'd push Charlotte back into the picture. Or find someone worse.
And my father would make good on his threats. Cut me off. Remove me from the company and everything I’ve worked for will be gone.
So I made a choice.
"Yes."
Richard's eyes widened. "Thorian…"
"Yes," I repeated, louder this time. "I'm seeing her. We've been keeping it quiet, but...yes."
My grandfather studied me for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then he nodded slowly.
"I see." He straightened his jacket. "Then you'll bring her to dinner. Friday night. I want to meet this woman properly and you'll apologize to the Hastings family. In person. Whatever you have to do to repair that relationship, you'll do it."
“I can't bring her Friday. She has work, obligations…"
"Then she'll cancel them." My grandfather turned toward the exit. "Seven o'clock. Don't be late."
He walked away with my uncle trailing behind him.
Fuck.
What the hell did I just do?
- Writer
