Page 117 of Stolen Voices

The word tastes like acid on my tongue. Accident, my ass. Someone is deliberately trying to hurt my woman, and I have my suspicions, but that’s all I have—suspicions.

“So, it’s confirmed, then? Sabotage?” Hudson asks.

I nod, hating the truth. “Yes. By Boone and the police. PR has done their best to bury the story with a few tricks up their sleeve, pushing some of our other clients into the spotlight, but you know we can’t keep the paps off this forever. The police report is public knowledge. And before you ask, I have a few people digging into the picture so we can identify the son of a bitch. They won’t get away with this.”

If it’s the last thing I do, I will make whomever hurt Callie pay. They almost robbed me of the woman I love.

Love?

Where the fuck did that come from? I’ve only kissed her once. I can’t be in love with her, right?

My heart does this little pinch as a thick warmth floods my chest. Physically, Callie and I might be a quick burn, but we’ve been building the fire for weeks. Hell, we’ve been building it for years. I was just too stubborn to admit it until now.

“Good. How’s Callie doing?” Dez asks, yanking me from my thoughts.

“What?” I ask too quickly.

Dez stares at me like he has a window in my head and knows where my thoughts went. He fights a smile and waves for me to continue.

“How’s Callie doing, you dumbass? What’s wrong with you?” Hudson asks, exasperated with my daydreaming.

Out of habit, my brain switches to business mode. “Callie has some bruising on her back and a minor case of whiplash from the fall, but she’s otherwise good. She’s a fighter and will be back on her feet in no time.”

Seriously, what the fuck is coming out of my mouth right now? My response sounds plastic, like Callie’s just another client when she is so much more. I need to come clean, and tell Hudson and Dez how I feel about her.

I tug at my shirt collar. “So, listen. I have one more thing I need to fill you in on regarding Callie.”

“Okay,” Hudson says as Dez gives me an encouraging wave to continue.

“I… Uh. S-so, umm…” I stutter as my heart beats in my throat.

Fuck, this is harder than I thought it would be to admit.

I can do this. These are my closest friends, and while I know what I’m about to tell them may hurt our business—and make them hate me—I need to do this. I won’t have a secret relationship with Callie. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of guy, which is why I have avoided relationships for so long. In the past, work has been my everything, but now it’s Callie.

I’m ready to give her my all.

“I never wanted this to happen—especially not after all the shit that went down with Harold—but it has, and now I can’t go back. I… Callie… Fuck. This is coming out all wrong,” I ramble, tugging at my hair. Hudson says something, but I can’t hear him over my own swirling thoughts. “The fall happened, and then I just…”

“Eli, stop. For fuck’s sake, just stop!” Hudson shouts.

I find him and Dez staring at me, a look of amusement on each of their faces. “Sorry. I just… I have to tell you—”

“Dude, chill for a second and listen to me. It’s okay. I know.” Hudson arches a brow at me like I automatically know what he means.

“Know what?” I ask Hudson, confused.

I look at Dez for answers. He rolls his eyes at me.

“Seriously, guys. What the fuck do you know?”

Hudson chuckles at my obtuseness. “That you love Callie.”

There’s that word again.Love.

Blood rushes to my ears. How do they know?“I-I…”

“Relax, Eli. We’ve known for a while,” Dez adds in a placating voice.