Complicated | Calum Hood (Sequel to Unexpected)

5.

Calum

My mind races as it tries to process this new information. What does she mean he came back? He found her? What had he done to her? Most importantly, why the fuck hadn't anyone told me?

"What the fuck, Jes?" I practically scream. "What do you mean he found you?" I can feel my blood boiling just beneath the surface of my tanned skin. The veins in my arm twitch as my anger builds.

She won't meet my eyes and it's making me anxious. If he fucking hurt her I will hunt him down and end him.

"It's fine Cal. It's in the past, I'm fine, Paisley's fine..."

"It's not fine, Jes. You dumped me over it. It's not fine. Tell me what the hell happened." And then something else hits me. "Paisley was in the house." I say flatly.

"No. Thank God, Lena had agreed to watch her for the night since you were due home the next day and I wanted to be well rested. I would never forgive myself if something had happened to her."

I scrunch my face in concentration trying to take in this vast amount of information I've been given. Why would she hide this from me? What had he done to her? I don't want to pry but this is the most progress we've made in six months. I don't know when or if I'll have her here and willing to talk things out with me again. I have to know, the wondering what happened has been almost as painful as losing her. If I'm ever going to put my life back together I need to understand what happened to us. She owes me at least that much.

Paisley, always with perfect timing, picks this moment to wake up. I hear her calling for me from her room next door. I slide back the covers and push myself up. I step into her nursery and find her bright smiley self stood at her crib rail waiting for me.

"Dada" She says with her toothless grin. Her rosy cheeks revealing her dimples as she smiles up at me. She reaches up with her arms and I lift her over the railing and into my arms. Her hair is a mess, her bedhead making her curls look untamable. I run my hands over them trying to help, it's no use but PK doesn't seem to mind. I pull her night shirt down to cover her small tan legs and bring her back with me to the master bedroom. I place her on the bed and she immediately abandons me and crawls towards Jes.

"Pais! You're breaking Daddy's heart running off like that." She looks at me with a mischievous grin and lets out the sweetest giggle before reaching for me and attempting to pull me down to her. I let her win and lay next to her. Close enough that she can reach both Jes and I without moving.

"Back to what we were discussing..." I say trailing off and hoping the distraction hasn't closed the window for sharing.

Jes

Maybe telling Calum everything is a terrible idea. I could be putting him in danger, but at this point we're both obviously suffering and I'd rather face this together than apart.

"If I'm gonna tell you this Calum I need you to listen. You're going to get angry and upset and I need you to promise me you'll let me get all the way through this and then we'll figure this shit out. Promise me? Because I'm scared if I get started and stop I won't be able to finish. You've got to let me finish, okay?"

He nods. His eyes are dark, clouded with worry and apprehension. Here goes nothing.

"It was in February, the night before Valentine's Day, the night before you came home. I wanted to get everything cleaned up for you and since Lena had P, I was actually being productive. I wanted everything perfect when you came home. I guess I was so tired from cleaning I fell asleep on the couch. The windows were still open from where I was airing out the house."

I stop and take a shaky breath, I haven't told anyone the whole story. Only Lena and the police know about it at all.

"I was fucking stupid. I made myself an easy target. He just crawled right in." I sob hating that I'd been so stupid. Calum sticks to his word and doesn't say anything, but reaches out and places his hand on my knee. We've sat up from our previous laying position and now sit cross legged facing each other.

"I woke up and he was standing over me. I screamed, I honestly don't know how the neighbors didn't hear. I just remember I kept blinking thinking it was one of my nightmares. But it was worse, so much worse, it was real."

Cal looks down at Paisley who's crawling over our laps. I'm relieved she doesn't understand what's going on, innocent to our pain. She settles in my lap, reaching out with her tiny fingers to trace the tattoos that coat Calum's arms, he shifts closer so she can better access them, and I kiss the top of her head, drawing another shaky breath before continuing.

"I should have ran but I was like, frozen in fear. He talked for hours. Just spewed absolute crap like he used to tell me. 'You're a fat ugly cow', 'you worthless piece of sh..." I trail off my eyes darting down to the unaware toddler in my lap. "He went on and on, each insult worse than the last."

I meet Cal's eyes as he reaches out to wipe away the stray tear on my cheek.

"He had a gun." I whisper quietly. "He waved it around like a lunatic and I really thought I was going to die. He put it to my head multiple times. When he ran out of insults...he switched to threats."

"He threatened you?" He blurts our unable to control himself. I shake my head.

"Not me. You." He brings his hand to the nape of his neck as the wheels of his mind work and he starts to put things together.

"You said...you said you left because you thought you were protecting me." I look up and our eyes connect.

"He said he'd kill you, and Paisley" I choke out. "He said if he couldn't have me no one else should. He said I had to leave you. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do Calum. You have to understand that I loved you, I still love you, more than life itself. I couldn't have lived with myself if something happened to you and it was my fault." I'm sobbing now completely incapable of holding myself together.

"He left after his threat. He made it clear he would find a way to hurt me if he found out we were together. It killed me Cal, these last six months have been hell on earth."

"Has he come back?"

I shake my head no, then add. "Only in my nightmares."

"You should've told me." He forces out.

"I didn't want to put your safety at risk. I really believe he would hurt you."

"I should've made that decision. We could've saved ourselves so much time." He's staring at my lips now, his hand trailing from my knee to my waist upwards until he cups my cheek with his hand.

His eyes snap up to meet mine, seeing what I hope is desire in my eyes he leans forward and places his lips to mine.

"We'll figure this out Jes. I love you. Just promise me no more running." He searches my eyes for confirmation and I nod to give it him. I'd fought it as long as I could, we needed each other. We were far better together than apart and I was done being without him.

An: thoughts? Yay they kissed? Do y'all still hate me?

Ily
Sav 🖤