While I Breathe: The Veiðimenn Mob, Book One

Thirty-One

He led her to the underground parking lot, and over to a Cadillac CT6 2.0. He opened the passenger door, motioning for her to get in. As she buckled up, he slipped into the driver’s seat. Raising a brow at him, she asked, “Is this your car?”

“Yeah,” He grinned as he fired up the engine.

Ambrosia scoffed, "Your father spoiled you, didn't he?"

Unable to help himself, Callum laughed. He glanced over at her, "Hey now, I don't like it any more than you do, but it was my Godfather who bought me this beauty. He called earlier today to ask if Dad was yanking his chain or not when he told him I brought a woman back to the Towers. Dad’s been bragging to his friends about you, so don’t be shocked if he bombards you with his old friends."

She eyed him with the shadow of a smirk on her lips. Ambrosia gazed out her window for a minute, watching the flashing lights and people as they flew past. He wasn’t wrong in what he said. Finally, she sighed. "My brother is an ass.”

Callum chuckled, knowing what she was talking about. Deciding to play stupid, he said, "Not sure what makes you say that. I was a little unsure at first, but Dec is awesome to hang with, and the rest of the mob likes him, too.”

“I know you guys bonded,” she replied. “He doesn’t make friends easily, but he likes you to the point that he verbally kicked my ass this evening. He’s a likable guy when the mood is right. Piss him off and he makes mince meat out of his opponents. Not me, though. I’d kick his ass sideways, and he knows it.”

“Doesn’t he always behave that way, though? I mean, he’s calm, Callum arched a brow questioningly. He didn't bother asking what she meant as he pulled into the parking lot of a Chinese restaurant. Anxious, he glanced over at her shocked face.

“You remembered my favourite food,” she looked back at him and saw that he was smiling brightly at her. “What are you grinning about?”

“Nothing, babe,” he said as he took her hand, and led her inside. “Did you think that I would forget anything about the woman that made such an impact on my life?”

How had she made an impact on his life? Shouldn’t it have been the other way around? Confused, she followed his lead silently.

An older Asian woman in a traditional dress rushed over. Locating his name on the reservation book, she happily led them to a private table in the back.

Callum stared over at Ambrosia as they took their seats. He noted the look of concentration on her face, and wondered what she was thinking about. Reaching for her hand, he smiled as she let him take it. “Talk to me, please. Tell me what’s on your mind. Let me in, my Angel.”

She turned her head, and, for the first time since he came crashing back into her life, she really looked at the man across the table from her. His blond hair was cut short on the sides while the top was left to grow out a little. The fabric of his shirt stretched over the corded muscles in his arms. A slow, burning heat crept across her face as she realized she really did love him. She didn't think she ever stopped, or that she ever could. He wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he still wanted and needed her.

Then, there was the nickname he kept calling her. It made her feel nostalgic, the warmth filling her with blurring sensations. She shook her head, forcing a smile in his direction as she picked up the menu. “I’m fine. I’m just trying to figure something out, that’s all.”

"Need help? Two heads are better than one, after all," Callum joked.

Her heart fluttered as he smiled again. A memory of when they were once teens sharing a house flashed in her mind. “You never did smile for anyone but me. You know, I still remember thinking you were the worst flirt I’d ever met.”

He grinned, “You were the only one who could make me smile.”

She tilted her head to the side, “Why is that? I assumed you would have had a slew of women after we broke up.”

“We never broke up, Amber. Neither of us said the words, and neither of us wanted to let the other go. I couldn’t move on while you still filled my heart and mind. I know it’s not very mob of me, but I can drop my cold-hearted act around you because I feel like you make me stronger.” He replied.

A waitress walked over to take their order. She smiled at Callum, and Ambrosia felt the same white-hot jealously from earlier lance her heart. “Mr. Hansson, welcome back, Sir. I can have the house special brought out to you if you wish.”

“Make it two, and bring us each a Pepsi. Don't open the cans, and don't bother bringing glasses, we won't need them.” Callum snapped darkly.

“Right away, Sir,” the server said as she hurried off to relay the order.

Ambrosia raised a brow at him, “Care to explain why you scared that girl? You’re not usually an asshole.”

Callum raised her hand to his lips, brushing a light kiss over her knuckles. He smiled, “Every time I’d go anywhere in public, girls would try to get with me. After a while, I realized behaving like a cold-blooded jack-off made them keep their distance.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem anymore,” Ambrosia sighed.

He blinked, sitting a little straighter in his chair. Her words were a shock to him, and he wasn’t used to the feeling, “What do you mean?”

“My brother verbally kicked my ass for you this evening, and that’s a first for him. Declan never does that stuff, and usually sides with me, but not this time. This time, he was doing it for you,” she said as she leaned away from him.

Callum blinked, suddenly afraid of what Declan could have said for the woman across from him change so much in a few short hours. "What did he say to you exactly?"

“He made me realize I was being a self-centred b***h. I would without a doubt love to beat him senseless over the fact he was right, but I won’t. He’d probably let me do it anyway, he’s that much of a gentleman,” she groaned, dropping her head to her hands. When she looked up, she said, “Four short months ago, I had everything mapped out for my life. Then you came back out of the blue, and those plans were set on fire. You shook up my version of normal, so I pushed you away.”

“What are you afraid of, Ambrosia? Talk to me, baby. Let me in,” Callum pressed gently, reaching for her hands. She was finally opening up, finding that he actually understood her fear completely. A small part of him was scared she would clam up again, but he had to try.

“I was afraid to let you in because I’m afraid to lose you all over again. Then there’s always the fear that your father would change his mind and send us home. Or he’d take my baby, and I would lose everything I worked so hard to obtain. It’s terrifying to live with these thoughts in my head while acting like everything is smooth sailing,” she sobbed, a lone tear rolled over her cheek.

“He wouldn’t do that,” Callum confided. “Not knowing he stands to lose me in the process.”

Wiping her tears, she hiccupped as she snatched a napkin from the holder. “It’s not that I don’t love you still – I do. I’ve always only ever loved you, Cal, and yes, I realize that my fears are slightly irrational. I shouldn’t be thinking this way, but -”

Stopping her, he said, “Amber, look at me. I got you, I do. It’s hard to get past what you thought you knew when reality gets shoved down your throat in a windfall. If I’m being honest, I feel the same.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” she murmured. “You’re scared?”

Callum nodded, “Any day now, I feel like I’m going to wake up, only to find that being with you and our son is nothing but a beautiful dream concocted by my perverse imagination.”

Only now realizing that they were going through the same things, she offered a sympathetic look. “I didn’t help that fear, did I?”

“Not really, but that’s alright. I knew upsetting your life would be chaos, so I didn’t think much of it. I held onto the hope you would come around, though.” Taking a breath, Callum brought out the ring box his father handed him earlier that day. "Let me love you all over again, and I promise you will never regret it. You and our son will be the most protected people in Ontario, and I know that my father wants you guys around for a long time to come. Will you marry me, Ambrosia?"

Ambrosia felt her throat tighten with emotion. Sitting in the box was a Princess cut diamond set in a thin golden band. She was speechless as he got down on one knee. Beating back her unrealistic fear, she closed her eyes and tried to stay calm. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Can you guarantee nothing will change between us?”

Callum shook his head, “I just want you back in my life, Angel. That is the only change I want to make at this point.”

Unable to find any excuse to say no, Ambrosia licked her lips and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I don’t know what to say other than yes, I'll marry you, Callum.”

“You are everything I ever needed, Ambrosia. Let this be the start to our new life together as a family,” Callum replied as he slid the ring over her knuckle, kissing her deeply.