The Redemption of Callie & Kayden

and realize that his eyes look a bit greener, his shoulders a little less stiff, like some of the darkness he keeps bottled inside has reduced and lightened. “What did your therapist say for you to do?”
    He stares off into space, his hand coming up to my face. He starts twirling a strand of my hair around his fingers and I don’t think he’s even aware he’s doing it. “He said to think about pressing charges.”
    “And are you going to?”
    “Think about it?”
    “No, press them.”
    “I’m still thinking,” he mutters. He unravels my hair from his finger and looks at me with depth in his eyes. “I want to, but it’s hard. I just need some time,” he murmurs, confused. “I really wish I had some help… What I really wish is that my brothers would be on my side, at least so I don’t look like a complete liar.”
    “Maybe they will be,” I say encouragingly. “You said it was the same for them, right? Maybe once they see you do it they’ll want to stand up to him too.”
    He shakes his head, his gaze never wavering from mine. “Nah, Tyler’s a crackhead alcoholic so I’d have to wait for him to sober up first, and Dylan’s been missing for forever. Well, missing in the sense that he won’t speak to anyone in the family.”
    “Do you know where he is?” I ask, sketching my finger below his eye and along the red streaks on his skin. He’s been crying. I can feel the dried tears.
    He shrugs, moving my hand to his mouth and closing his eyes. He places a tantalizing kiss on my palm. “I’ve never tried to find him.” He opens his eyes and tilts his head. “Maybe though… I could try.”
    I nod, leap to my feet, and wrap my arms around his waist without any hesitation. “You should. At least I think you should.”
    He kisses the top of my head and inhales my scent. “I know you do. I wouldn’t expect any less from you.” He sweeps his lips across my head again, then slants his face to the side and relocates his lips to my temple. He kisses it delicately before traveling south to my cheek and then my jawline, sucking on my skin. My shoulder shudders upward as his breath feathers against my neck. He kisses me there too, sliding his tongue out and giving my skin a little nick.
    “Thank you,” he whispers against my neck as his arms encompass my waist. His fingers press into my back as he steers me closer, aligning our bodies.
    I try to tip my head to the side to look at him, but one of his hands cups the side of my neck and he secures me in place. “For what?” I breathe as he strokes my collarbone with his lips, lightly grazing his teeth along the skin.
    “For saying it.” His voice is unguarded and he keeps peppering me with kisses all the way down my shoulder. I have on a tank top and some pajama bottoms and my skin is sensitive to his hungry touch.
    “It was the truth.” The last part comes out as more of a whimper as he slides the strap of my top down while his other hand glides up the front of my shirt, his cold skin mixing with the heat I’m radiating.
    He starts backing me up to the bed with his hand resting on the outside of my bra. When the backs of my legs hit the edge of the bed, he lifts me up by the waist and lays me down on the bed. He draws back for a minute, staring down at me and I feel naked under his penetrating gaze. But I’m not nervous. I know he won’t hurt me. And I think I know that deep down, even if he can’t say it, he loves me.
    He opens his mouth to speak and I hold my breath in anticipation. “You’re beautiful. And amazing.”
    My cheeks grow warm at his compliment and I stuff down the harrowing connection my memories have to the word “beautiful,” because the one and only guy who’s ever said it to me is Caleb. “Kayden, no I’m not. I’m just an average girl and I’m happy with that.”
    Shaking his head, he traces his finger down the arch of my neck. “No, you’re way beyond average, Callie.”
    I squirm under his gushing. “I’m not that great.”
    “No, you’re amazing and perfect and caring and beautiful.”
    I offer him a small smile. “So are you.”
    He kneels down on the bed so he’s straddling my hips. “Those things you said on the phone… it had to be hard to say them.”
    Pressing my lips together, I shake my head. “Not as hard as I thought.” His face is masked and he looks perplexed as he struggles for words he’s afraid to say, so I say them for him. “You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted