Taken Captive

Chapter 47

Nia's POV...

I rubbed my hands through my hair, washing out the leftover conditioner as the past twenty-four hours juggled through my mind as if it were a dream. I had to keep convincing myself that what happened was real, it wasn't in my head.

Tears filled my eyes, falling out soon after. The look on Callum's face kept flashing in my mind. His face, his vulnerable, horrified face watching me, completely clueless with that disgusting man's hand on his shoulder, almost like he was trying to trap him there, manipulate and abuse him like he used to.

When Callum told me Alexis called, that she and her father were coming, I was terrified. I was completely and utterly terrified, thinking I'd just bring Callum down, make this worse for him. Then he opened up to me, told me about his past with William with so much detail I felt like I was going to puke out of disgust because of that horrid man that Callum's father let inside their home.

At that moment, as I held his shaking body in my arms, seeing how scared he was and how much he needed a break, I decided I would hold the reins for this one. He's tired, so tired of living off of his past. Having to see his darkest nightmare over and over again, being reminded that the man still had control over him was giving him an inexplainable amount of pain inside. I'm not gonna let him be put through this misery again. I'm going to deal with it, I'm going to end this knowing that he wants absolutely no part in it.

I let out a sob, just imagining how alone Callum must've felt all those years, how manipulated he was into thinking it was normal, that it was his duty as the youngest son. All that William had convinced him to believe, told him upfront how much his family despised him and convinced him that his brother left him to the wolves and wasn't coming back.

"Hey," Callum's warmth came up behind me, wrapping his arms around the front of my body and resting his chin on my shoulder. I stood straight, this wasn't about me.

"Hey," I forced the tears back, trying to keep myself strong. Just for this week, I needed to let him be the one to show his weakness, his pain, his vulnerability.

He turned me around, cupped my face and wiped the tears. "Stop that, why are you crying?"

I shook my head, "I don't know. I was just thinking about all of this, what he did to you." My voice broke again, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in, never wanting to let go. My body shook against his, not only in pain but in anger, I wanted to cause hell to the man that put the love of my life through all of that heartache, but worse. Years upon years, he used Callum with no remorse to this day.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Callum." I repeated to him. He had no one to turn to until Jordan came around like the pure angel he is. But it was too late, Callum had already gone through years of abuse and trauma.

"Shh, it's okay. Don't cry, it's-it's over." It's like he was saying it more to himself than to me. He couldn't believe it, he was finally free. The contract was coming soon, it was on its way and until then, Alexis and her father would be strapped to the wall in one of our guest bedrooms, being put through an immense amount of pain every second of the day.

Why? Because I feel like it.

"I'm okay, baby." He pulled my head out of his chest and pressed it against his forehead instead. "You saved me." We stood there embracing each other for a long time until the hot water started becoming cold.

"Are you sure you don't want to join me and Jordan for the fun?" I asked him, grabbing my knives from the closet.

He smiled, shaking his head. "I'm okay, you guys have fun. Kara and I are going to go to the warehouse for some training."