Callum is out of his mind, but he has enough self-preservation instinct not to pull anything while multiple people are watching.
I hope.
He looks at Roman’s muscle and already, I can see Callum’s smile starting to retreat.
I need to be near Oliver again.
Desperately.
I stand up and walk over to him and I wrap my arm around his shoulder. I grip his hand, holding it tight.
“Can’t believe this is the guy.”
“He’s already given me more than you ever have. Get away from me.”
Roman looks between the two of us and can sense a problem even though he’s out of the loop. He steps over, walking up to Callum like he’s a bodyguard, placing his solid brick of a body between me and Callum.
I see Roman feeling for his back pocket, and I know there probably actuallyisa weapon he’s carrying there.
“You’ll come back to me,” Callum tells me.
I watch a drop of blood from his hand fall and hit the stone.
Finally, he steps back.
One step.
Then another.
“I care about him more than I ever cared for you,” I call after him as he finally turns and walks away, and the panic shatters in my chest like glass.
He’s gone.
“Niko, are you okay?” Oliver says, squeezing my hand.
I pull him in and I press little kisses to his forehead, his cheek, the side of his neck. I hug him close like he’s precious, like I was afraid something terrible was going to happen to him.
My phone is vibrating, over and over again, in my pocket. I ignore it.
I realize my hands are shaking.
It’s not that I’m not afraid. I’m pushed to my limit.
Can’t stand this feeling.
“I never want to see him again,” I say. “So tired of it. I just want toexist.Why can’t I just exist?”
Oliver’s holding me close, keeping me locked tight in a hug. “You can get a restraining order.”
My phone is incessantly buzzing again.
I reach to pull it out, keeping my body against Oliver’s as I look at the screen.
It’s a call from Sevan.
“Sev,” I answer. “What’s going on?”
“We have a problem.”