CHAPTER 3
1863 Words
CALLISTA POV.
The door barely closed before Tammy was in my face.
"Let me see it."
"Tammy..."
"Let me see it." She grabbed my chin gently, tilting my face toward the light. Her eyes went wide when she saw the mark on my cheek. "Oh hell no."
"It's not that bad…"
"Not that bad? Girl, you got a handprint on your face!" She dropped my hand and started pacing. "I'm gonna kill him. I swear to god, I'm gonna find that man and…"
"Have your seat first.” I interrupted. There’s no way you will find him." I sank onto the couch, exhaustion hitting me all at once. "Please. It's done. It's over."
"Over? Over?" She whirled around. "Some entitled asshole put his hands on you and you think it's just over?"
"What else am I supposed to do?"
"You shouldn’t have said you didn’t want to press charges." She threw her hands up. "You can't just let him get away with this."
I rubbed my temples. “I don’t want a legal battle. I just want to forget it happened.”
"Cal." She sat down next to me, her voice softer now but with a hint of anger. "That man assaulted you. He doesn't get to just walk away like nothing happened."
"He got punched in the face by Thorian in front of half the city's elite. I think that's enough punishment."
"That ain't punishment. That's just karma." She shook her head. "Man's a son of a b***h. If I'd been there, I would've done a lot worse than punch him."
"And then we both would've ended up in jail."
"Worth it."
I couldn't help it. I almost smiled. "No it wouldn't."
"Fine. Maybe not." She leaned back, studying me. "So what happened after? What'd Thorian do?"
"Put me in his car. Told his driver to take me home."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"He didn't say anything else?"
He said he'd call me," I said quietly, staring at my phone. "Last night. When he put me in the car. He said he'd call to make sure I was okay."
Tameka's expression shifted. "And?"
"And he hasn't."
"At all?"
"No."
She sat back. "He should've at least texted. Something. Anything."
"Yeah," I said softly.
"Maybe he forgot about you."
The way she said made something sink in my stomach.
"Maybe." I tried to keep my voice steady. "Or maybe he had to deal with his family. Last night was hell. His grandfather was furious. He probably had his hands full."
"Still." Tameka's voice was gentler now. "A text takes two seconds."
"I didn't give him my number."
She blinked. "What?"
"I didn't give him my personal number. He doesn't have it."
"Then how was he supposed to call you?"
"I don't know. I thought maybe…." I stopped. I didn't know what I thought. "I emailed him this morning. From my business email. To thank him. But he hasn't replied to that either."
Tammy was quiet for a moment. Then she reached over and squeezed my hand.
"Look. Maybe you're right. Maybe he's dealing with family stuff. But Cal ...don't sit here waiting for a man who might not even be thinking about you."
The words stung because they felt true.
My phone buzzed.
We both stared at it.
I picked it up and stared at the screen.
"It's my business line."
"Could still be him. Maybe he called there to get your cell."
"Maybe." I swiped to answer and used my work voice. "Sweet Sensations, this is Callista."
"Callista."
I froze.
The low, calm voice made my stomach flip.
Thorian.
"Oh…hi." My professional tone cracked. "Mr. Brooks."
Tameka's eyes went huge. She mouthed IS THAT HIM and I nodded.
"I got your email," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner."
"No, it's… it's fine. I just wanted to say thank you. For last night. For everything."
"You don't need to thank me."
"I do. You didn't have to do what you did, and now..." I stopped myself. "I'm just really grateful. And I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" His tone shifted. "For what?"
"For the mess with your family. I know things got heated because of me…"
"Callista." He cut me off. "None of that was your fault."
"But..."
"None of it. What happened to you wasn't your fault. What happened with my family after…..that's on me. Not you."
I didn't know what to say.
"I'm sorry I didn't call last night," he continued. His voice was softer. "Things got complicated after you left. By the time I had a second to breathe, it was past midnight. I didn't want to wake you."
"It's okay. I figured you were dealing with everything."
"I was. But I still should've at least texted." He paused. "How are you? Are you alright?"
“I’m… fine.”
"Callista."
The way he said my name told me he didn't believe me.
"I'm okay," I tried again. "Really. Just tired."
"Did you apply an ointment to your face? Where he hit you?"
I touched my cheek without thinking. "Yeah. I did."
"Good." Another pause. Longer this time. "Listen, I know last night was chaotic. And I know you probably want to put it behind you. But something happened after you left. With my family. It's complicated, and I'd rather explain in person. Can we meet? Today, if you're free."
My pulse quickened. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, you don’t have to be scared. I just… need your help.
I heaved a sigh. “Sure.”
"Good. I'll text you an address. Noon?"
"Noon works."
"Thank you." His voice softened. "And Callista? You have nothing to apologize for. Nothing, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Good. See you at noon.”
The line went dead.
I lowered the phone slowly, my heart pounding.
Tammy leaned forward. "What did he say?"
"He wants to meet. Today. In an hour."
"About what?"
"He said it's complicated and he needs my help.” I stood up, suddenly very aware that I was still in my pajamas. "He said he needs to explain in person."
Tameka's expression shifted from curiosity to concern. "You think something bad happened?"
"I don't know." I headed toward the bathroom. "But I guess I'm about to find out."
**************************************************************
The café was the kind of place where a cup of coffee probably cost more than my electric bill.
Floor-to-ceiling windows. Minimalist furniture. Soft jazz playing in the background.
Thorian was already there, sitting at a corner table away from the windows. He looked tired like he hadn't slept. His jacket was off and his sleeves rolled up.
He stood when he saw me.
"Callista. Thank you for coming."
"Yeah. Of course." I sat down across from him, my hands folded tightly in my lap. "Are you okay? You look..."
"Exhausted?" He gave me a wry smile. "That's accurate."
A waiter appeared, asked if I wanted anything. I ordered a coffee I didn't really want, just to have something to do with my hands.
When the waiter left, Thorian leaned forward, his elbows on the table.
"I owe you an apology," he said.
I blinked. "For what?"
"For last night. For putting you in the middle of my family's mess. For…." He stopped, running a hand through his hair. "For a lot of things."
"You didn't do anything wrong. You helped me. If you hadn't been there..."
"I know. But what happened afterward..." He exhaled slowly. "It's complicated."
"You said that on the phone."
“Because it is.” He looked at me directly. "After what happened last night, Charlotte and I cut off our engagement. I told her I wasn't in love with her."
I opened my mouth, but he kept going.
"She didn't take it well. Started saying things in front of my whole family—that I was seeing someone else, that she'd caught me looking at your photo once, that I'd never looked at her the way I looked at you." He dragged a hand down his face. "Her family was pissed. They ended everything right there. Cut ties with us completely."
My eyes widen in disbelief.
"My grandfather asked me if it was true. If I was with someone else." His eyes met mine. "And I said yes. I told him I was in a relationship. With you.”
I stared at him. My brain was trying to process what he'd just said, but it wasn't working. "You told your grandfather… one of the richest men in the country… that you're dating me? A baker he's never met?"
"Yes."
"Are you insane?"
That came out before I stopped it.
"Probably." He didn't even try to deny it. "But it was the only way out. If I'd told him the truth that there's no one, he would've pushed Charlotte back into my life. Or found someone worse. And my grandfather..." He stopped, his expression darkening. "He made it very clear what would happen if I didn't fall in line. I'd lose my position in the company. My inheritance. Everything."
I sat back in my chair, my mind reeling. "So you lied."
"I lied."
"And now you're here because...” The realization hit me. "Oh my god. You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend."
He didn't answer. He didn't have to.
"Mr Brooks, I can't…" I shook my head. "I appreciate everything you did for me. I really do. But this is too much. Your family, Charlotte's family, all of that…"
"I know."
"Do you? Because this isn't just some casual favor. This is your life. And if they find out we're lying….."
"They won't." His voice was firm. "I'll handle my family. I'll handle Charlotte. All I need is for you to show up to a few dinners, meet my grandfather, and help me buy some time."
"Time for what?"
"To figure out a way to get them off my back permanently." He leaned forward again. "Callista, I wouldn't ask if I had any other option. But I don't. And I know it's not fair to put this on you, but…." He stopped, and for the first time, his composure cracked. "I'm out of moves."
I looked at him, really looked at him. The exhaustion in his eyes. The way his hands were gripped together like he was holding himself back from falling apart made my stomach drop.
"It's not for free," he muttered before I gave him an answer. "I'll pay you. Seventy- Five thousand dollars. For three months."
Seventy-Five thousand dollars!!
I did the math in my head before I could stop myself.
That is enough to pay some bills.
But it also meant lying to one of the most powerful families in the country.
"Three months?" I heard myself ask.
“Yes, three months but if it’s too long for you we can renegotiate. It’s just that three months is believable and it will give me more time to get my family off my back.”
I stared at the table, my thoughts spinning.
This is insane.
This is so insane.
"I need a minute," I said.
"Of course."
I stood up, my legs shaky, and headed toward the restroom.
- Writer
