Stripping Callum (Last Hangman MC Book 6)(83)

I don’t know why she’s not back yet or where she is. Ryan was keeping an eye on her while she was in Denver, but she managed a grand escape the day after Bennett and I showed up there. I called to check in on her because Ryan said she wasn’t in, and the owner said she quit the day before. I called the hotel and they said she checked out. I called the daycare and they said Elijah hadn’t come back. We have no leads as to where she could be or could be heading, and it’s f*cking shit up for me.

I’ve tried to call her, but she never picks up the phone. Although one time I did get to talk to Elijah. She was in the shower and the sneaky little one picked up the phone when he saw my name appear. It was good to talk to him. He didn’t know where they were, but he said they were safe and had a roof over their heads and were having fun but that he missed me. That nearly killed me. I need them both back in my life. I want us to be able to have a family life and be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

While she’s been gone, I got a new house. With the help of my brothers, we worked on making it perfect for Annabella, Elijah, and me. It’s bigger than the one I had. It has a few extra rooms just in case we want to have people over or more kids. It’s next door to Nancy, and she was beyond excited. We’re more or less all living on the same street besides Gabe and Viv who live in her childhood house, but it’s only two streets over.

I’m not sure how she’s going to react or if she’s ever going to come back, but I wanted it done for them. Hell, the little hope I had for her to come back is vanishing quickly.

Three long weeks, and she’s still not back. Maybe she’s given up on us.

“Stop frowning, wrinkles!” Nancy shouts at me from her bedroom window.

“How can you tell I’m frowning from all the way over there?” I shout back at her.

“You’ve been frowning constantly for over three weeks!” she says before disappearing inside. I know in less than two minutes she’s going to be here. “And you really can’t afford to do much more frowning. You’re going to look your age soon if you keep at it.” She smirks at me.

“Always so charming. What are you doing here?” I kiss her head, and we go inside my kitchen. I start on her daily hot chocolate.

“Checking in on you.” She shrugs.

“Have you heard from her?”

“As a matter of fact, I have.” She looks at me smugly. “We’ve been talking daily on the phone.”

“You what?” I below.

“Don’t shout, you’re going to scare the babies.” She rubs her ever growing stomach. They found out they were going to have twins. She should give birth in two months now.

“Sorry. How is she?” I bring her a large cup of hot chocolate and get her a slice of the lemon drizzle cake that Josie brought me.

“Fuck yeah, cake!” she says excitedly and takes a bite out of it as soon as I place the plate in front of her.

“So, Bella…” I insist.

“Oh, right. She’s alright.” She shrugs and washes the bite down with hot chocolate.

“Are you f*cking kidding me?”

“She’s as good as anyone would be after they found out their boyfriend thinks of them as a gold digger or whatever.”

“Touché.” I sigh.

“She’s heartbroken, but she’s safe.”

“Where is she?”

“I’m not allowed to tell you and don’t try to threaten me with more or less cake and hot chocolate, it won’t work. Girl code.” She shrugs.

“Is she really safe?”

“Yes, she’s in the safest place anyone could be in.” She smiles at me as if that should tell me where she is.

“What’s with the cryptic message?”

“You’re stupid sometimes.” She shakes her head.

“I must be. Should I just give up? Is she ever going to come back?”

“No, you should never give up on her and Elijah. I can’t believe you’d even say those words!” she yells at me. I’m sure if she weren’t so pregnant, she’d have hit me.

“Is she going to come back?”

“I don’t know. I’ve asked her, but she wasn’t sure yet. She wants to, but she’s scared.”

“Of what?”

“Being hurt again, Cal. She’s been through so much as it is, but what Shane and Co. have done, she’s wary of putting herself and Elijah through that again.”

“Understandable, but I wouldn’t let anything happen to them.”

“I know you wouldn’t and she knows, but she’s scared.

“This is f*cked up,” I groan.

“What is? The fact that you love a woman and that she loves you, or the fact that you actually want to give it another go despite what happened and the curse you thought you had hanging over your head?”

“Both.”

“Man, I’m good at this! Piece of advice, wait for her to come back. Stop sending her countless texts. Send her one telling her how you feel, and that you’ll wait for her but won’t bother her until she’s ready. It’s wearing on her, your constant messaging, and not in a good way. She feels like you’re trying too hard to convince her, and it has the opposite effect. She’ll come back when she’s ready. Just be patient and whatever you do…”