While I Breathe: The Veiðimenn Mob, Book One

Five

Another month passed until Callum knew Justin’s habit like clockwork. They knew about his phone, his bike, and that he’d been hanging around Ambrosia. Neither adult thought anything of it, which gave the budding relationship a chance to blossom.

He had a sour taste in his mouth as he crinkled his nose at the homework in front of him. Sure he was smart, but he still struggled with the things he wasn’t good at. Typically, Science and Math were his strong suits, while the rest of his classes were mediocre, at best. When he was nearly frustrated enough to start pulling out his hair, he heard a familiar knock telling him that his solo study session was over. “Come in.”

He smiled as he heard Ambrosia walk in and close the door behind her. She still wasn’t sure around him, but it didn’t matter. He was willing to take his time. Willing to bide his time to see where he sat with her.

Feeling her hot breath by his ear as she leaned over to check his work, he bit down on his lip to keep from moaning. “So, having trouble in Social Studies?”

“Yeah,” he replied. Running a hand through his hair, he scowled at the terms on the page. “Mind helping me get through this faster so I can go for a ride?”

“Sure, what’s your issue?” Ambrosia asked.

Working over what he needed to do, he found himself studying her more than the pages in front of him. His heart skipped whenever she looked at him, and he felt hot all over. Finally, when the work was done, he said, “Cool. At least you made more sense than the teach.”

Glancing at his face, she realized that he was blushing. For one who acts like he could take on the world, you can be shy and withdrawn by times, can’t you?”

He snorted a laugh, “It’s my birthday, today.”

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she smiled, “Happy birthday to you, then. I bet they magically got you something, right?”

“Oh, for sure,” he returned, matching her sarcasm. “It’s right there in the middle of the room. You can’t see it, though. It’s make believe.”

“Really? What did they get you?” She asked as they fell into their usual way of communicating.

He laughed, “They got me a first class ticket to Pain Town. I wonder if I can trade it in for a Ticket to Paradise?”

“Ohh, nice! A Goldie Oldie!” She laughing as he finished off his homework. “So, what would you actually like for your birthday?”

Callum’s face fell as he thought about her question. Leaning back on the chair, he sighed. “I don’t really know. I mean, I’d kill to have some alone time, maybe even go sit at the beach for a few hours and not have someone beating on me like I owe them money. Maybe even go for some ice cream.”

“So, let’s see how much of that we can make happen for you.” Ambrosia said as she laid down on the bed.

For weeks, they had been dancing around each other and their feelings. If she actually got him out of the house for a few hours and covered for him, he would be happy. Closing his books, he put them in his bag before moving it to the back of his closet. He’d been leaving it by the door, but Ambrosia had warned him about Cindy’s habit of snooping. If he left his bag by the door, she would go through his things.

Again, he took her advice, grateful for the small acts of kindness he was shown. Now he was fighting with his original plan. “Hey, can you cook?”

“Better than Bitchface,” she countered.

Grinning, he told her he wanted a home-cooked meal for his birthday. Nodding, she left the room to see what she could come up with while he got on his riding gear. Checking his phone, he saw that his battery was at half. Sure that it would last him, he shrugged and shoved it into his pocket and ran for the garage where his precious bike was stored. Straddling it, he glanced over to see her staring. “What?”

“You’re really going to ride that deathtrap on wheels?” She asked.

Laughing, he nodded, “Yeah. I named her Pricilla. What do you think? Want to go for a ride with me?”

“Uh, hell no. You are not getting my ass anywhere near that seat. Look, you go enjoy your ride, and I’ll go make something for your dinner,” she told him as she backed into the house.

******

The chilled evening air whipped around him as he guided his Ninja through the streets. The shop windows were lit by signs that said they were closed, and the town clock read nine thirty. He turned down the road leading to his foster home, and the dread mounting in his chest dissipated when he spotted Ambrosia's Jeep in the driveway.

Thank God for small favours, he thought. He didn’t know why, but the mere thought of her made him feel instantly better.

As he put his motorcycle away, the connecting door opened, and Justin stepped into the shadows of the garage. The man cracked open the bottle of beer he was holding and lit a cigarette. Smoke streaming from his nostrils, he pushed the button closing the garage door before sitting down in one of the white plastic lawn chairs. Every time his foster father drank, he got worse than when he was sober. Finally, Justin's voice cut through the tension-thickened air of the garage, “Where were you?”

“I was out for a ride,” Callum replied.

Would it really matter if he was telling the truth? No, probably not. Mentally calculating the time it would take him to reach the inside door, he licked his lips nervously.

“Bullshit,” the man declared. “Your phone kept going to voicemail, so where were you.”

“My phone died,” he said as he edged towards the door. “I thought I had enough battery, but I didn’t.”

Justin laughed as he tossed back the rest of his beer. Opening another one, he stared the boy down, glaring darkly at him. “Are you on drugs?”

He sighed, not wanting to argue with the man at all. “No, Sir. I’m just tired.”

The man knocked the drooping ashes off the tip of the cigarette. He took a step towards the teen, intent on blocking his path into the house when the connecting door opened to reveal Ambrosia. She glanced at Callum as she spoke, worry filling her dark green orbs. “Dad, your friend Aaron is on the phone.”

“Alright, be there in a second,” Justin cast a withering glare in Callum’s direction before leaving. As he was about to shut the door, he said before he left the garage. The door closed behind him, leaving the teens alone.

Callum turned to Ambrosia, “You know there’s only so many times you can stop him before he finds a way around you, right? Thank you, though. I’m glad to know there are still good people like you in the world and that I got someone in my corner.”

Ambrosia took the helmet from his hands, setting it on the handlebars of the bike. “Were you planning on fighting back this time?”

His voice was just above a whisper when he spoke again. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Ambrosia cursed as she watched his dark brown eyes dart from her to the door. She reached out, grabbing his Iron Maiden shirt to pull him into her arms. Her shoulder-length auburn hair swayed as she shook her head, “Cal, you bleed every time he gets you alone. I’m sick of it.”

Callum sucked in a breath, raising his head to the collar of her shirt, inhaling deeply. "You smell so good, Amber. Just like cotton candy."

His words sent shivers down her spine as he snaked an arm around her waist. He lifted his head, bringing one hand up to cup the side of her face as he tenderly caressed her cheek with his thumb. Her green eyes darted to his lips as his tongue slipped out to wet them. Ambrosia moved closer until her lips pressed against his, making him gasp at the unexpected action. His free hand moved to her lower back, drawing her closer.

For most of his life, he’d been a loner due to his circumstances, but she had managed to changed that. She joked and studied with him every day since he arrived. She was the first person in years who wanted to know him for who he was, and not for what he could do for her. Since the first time she asked about it, she never even talked about money or asked him for anything. He hadn’t even lived with them for very long, but she had earned his trust. Callum found himself clinging to her for support, even though he knew he shouldn't.

She was the first person that tried to understand him. He was still unsure of her intentions, and the unknown scared him. He didn't want what he revenge so much as he wanted her with him for the rest of his life. He broke the kiss, brown eyes glittering in the pale light as he whispered an apology before he left the garage.