Stripping Callum (Last Hangman MC Book 6)(61)

The only thing I’m hoping for is that the psycho sending the notes is just all talk and no real action. He’s spent the past three months sending notes, trashing my place, and blowing up my car, which I still don’t get if I was meant to be inside. I left work early that night. I didn’t give any lap dances, and the car blew up before I was in it. I don’t know if it was just a warning or if it blew up too early by accident. Either way, the cops have no lead at all. I’ve shown them the notes besides the one I got tonight, and they haven’t been able to match it to anyone. It makes me wonder if they are actually interested in helping us at all. I’m starting to understand Callum’s resentment for the cops.



Distant screaming wakes me from a deep sleep, and I put the pillow over my head to stop it but it gets closer and closer. I groan, frustrated as I’ve been suffering from some serious lack of sleeping these past couple of weeks.

‘No, Billy!’ the distant voice screams, and I realize that it’s not so distant. The screams come from next to me, and I’m awake instantly. I throw the pillow away from my face and look at a shaking and crying Callum. He’s still sleeping and probably having a nightmare about what happened fourteen years ago.

“Callum, I’m here, it’s okay, you’re just having a nightmare,” I say in a soothing voice wrapping myself around him, hoping it’ll do the trick, but it’s not that easy. “Baby, calm down.” I shake him gently to wake him up to no avail.

“Mommy, what’s going on?” a sleepy Elijah asks.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Callum is having a nightmare. Go back to bed,” I say softly.

“Oh,” he scrunches his cute, little face and jumps into bed, cuddling his little body into Callum. “I don’t like it when I have nightmares.”

“I know.” I smile softly at him and stroke his cheek. Not two seconds after he’s cuddling Callum, he calms down and stops shaking. I sigh in relief as the screaming and crying subside, and Elijah slowly falls back asleep cuddling on Callum’s chest.

A few minutes later, Callum wakes up confused, looking at me and then at Elijah.

“What happened?” he says in a rough voice.

“You had a nightmare,” I whisper and cuddle into him. He wraps his arm around me and holds me close.

“Fuck,” he groans and rubs Elijah’s back. “Why is he sleeping on me?”

“He heard you scream and came in worried about you. He said he didn’t like it when he has nightmares and cuddled into you. You calmed down instantly.”

“Sorry.”

“What for?” I ask confused.

“Waking you up, waking Elijah up.” He blows out a breath.

“It’s alright, he doesn’t seem fazed by it too much.”

“You don’t either.” He looks at me.

“I can’t say that it’s pleasant to be woken up in the middle of the night by you screaming and crying in your sleep, but I get it. All that has been happening lately has brought those memories and feelings back to the surface. You were bound to have them. I’m just glad we were here to calm you down quickly, well Elijah. I tried but you wouldn’t wake up.”

“Next time cuddle on top of me.” He chuckles softly.

“I’ll try although I hope there’s no next time. I don’t like to see you in such a state.” I frown.

“Nor me.” He kisses my head. “Thank you for not running.”

“I never will.” I kiss his shoulder and drape my arm over Elijah.

“I’ll hold you to that.” He kisses my head and caresses my back with his left arm.

“You couldn’t get rid of me with your story. Nothing will.” I smile looking at him.

“Good.” He kisses me softly.

We stay lying in bed silently for a while and at some point, we both fall back asleep, this time without any nightmare.





Callum

Last night was a rough one. I never expected to have a nightmare about Alina and Billy with Bella sharing my bed. I hate that I woke her and Elijah up with my screams. I’m also shocked about how they both handled it. For Bella to wake up and try to soothe me, I get it. We share the same bed, I was bound to wake her up and knew she’d try to calm me. But I would have never believed that Elijah would come in and cuddle into me to calm me down and for it to work had I not woken up with him on my chest.

I’m not sure if it’s because in my subconscious I thought it was Billy or if I’ve developed a strong bond with Elijah. As hard as it was when I first saw Elijah, it warmed my shattered heart.

The realization that I’m starting to live freely without Billy or Alina is a weird feeling. I never thought I’d feel that way again, but slowly, Elijah has worked his way into my heart, and I feel it more each day. It’s both a good and bad thing. It’s good because I have a family all over again, and it’s bad because I’m allowing myself to feel again and I know I’ll end up hurt sooner rather than later.

My heart is finally piecing itself back together with Bella and Elijah’s love. I don’t think I’d survive it being shattered all over again.

What I felt for Alina and Billy is nothing compared to the love I feel for Bella and Elijah, and it’s f*cking with my head. I thought Alina was it for me. That I would never love someone again or at least not the way I loved her, but Bella has turned the tables on me. I’m f*cked. There’s no other way to say it. Or as Aleck would say, I’m * whipped, and I am. She could ask me anything, and I’d do anything in my power to give it to her.