Chapter 39 PLAN ARCHIVED
CALLUM'S POV
The laughter and applause came up together as Matthias finally broke the kiss, his mouth curving against mine, completely unbothered, completely in control of every second of it.
I smiled for the cameras as I walked back to my table with my face composed and my hands steady.
I sat down and picked up my champagne glass and took a long drink, trying not to look at anyone.
Blackthorn Industries took the stage three times before the night was over.
Elias went up for the first award, Acquisitions Company of the Year, and he stood at the microphone and said his speech.
Callum went up for the next two.
He stood at the podium, said his speech also and claimed his award. It went around for another hour. Different people claimed their award and soon the awards calling was over.
Caroline Reeves came back to the microphone after the final award and spread her hands wide.
"Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our awards for this evening. And now it is time for what many of you have told me is the real reason you come every year." She smiled. "The Meridian After Dark reception. As always, the bar is open, the music is live, and what happens at After Dark stays at After Dark."
The room broke into applause and the lights changed, from white to blue. Some parts were even red.
Music went louder and I immediately pushed my chair back.
"I need some air," I said to no one in particular and walked toward the side doors.
I made it maybe ten steps before his hand closed around my wrist.
"Hey." Matthias turned me around. "What's wrong?"
"You put me on stage," I said. "In front of every camera in the room. That is going to be in every paper tomorrow morning."
"You looked beautiful up there."
"That is not the point and you know it." I stepped back but he stepped with me, closing the space, and then his arms were around me and he had pulled me against his chest before I could create any real distance between us.
"I'm sorry." His mouth dropped to my neck, his lips warm against my skin. "I wanted everyone to see you. I wanted them to know you were mine. I'm sorry."
His hands moved down my back and I let myself lean into him for a moment because he smelled good and his voice was low and some very tired part of me wanted to just accept the apology and stop fighting everything.
He kissed me slowly and I kissed him back.
Then his hands slid to my backside and I pulled back and put my palm flat against his chest.
"Not here," I said.
He looked at me for a second. Then he nodded and took my hand instead.
I let him lead me back toward the reception and told myself I was fine.
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CALLUM'S POV
Elias had already left.
I watched him go twenty minutes into the After Dark reception, his jacket over one arm, his jaw tight, not saying goodbye to anyone. I did not try to stop him.
There was nothing to say that was going to make tonight feel like anything other than what it was.
Matthias Hale had kissed Nova on a stage in front of four hundred people and put his hands on her in public and smiled at her like she was already his. Of course she was his.
I was still holding my third drink when Vanessa appeared at my shoulder.
She held out a fresh glass. Dark amber, neat, something that was not what I had been drinking.
"You look like you need this more than I do," she said.
I took it without looking at her and drank half of it in one go. It burned differently than whiskey but I did not care enough to ask what it was.
Vanessa sat in the empty chair beside me and crossed her legs then looked around the hall.
"She's not going anywhere with him tonight," she said. "If that's what you're thinking."
"I'm not thinking anything."
"You've been staring at their table for so long."
I finished the drink and set the glass down.
I was beginning to feel strange. My dick kept bulging in my pants.
Vanessa turned in her chair to face me and I turned to look at her. The room felt like it was shifting as I moved my head.
"How much did I drink tonight?" I said, mostly to myself.
"Not that much." She reached up and put her hand against my jaw, turning my face toward her fully. "Callum."
I looked at her. Her face was close and her eyes were dark, there was something moving at the edges of my vision that I could not quite catch.
"Something is wrong," I said.
"Nothing is wrong." She shifted forward off her chair and onto my lap in one smooth move, her dress riding up her thighs, her hands going to my shoulders. "Nothing is wrong."
My hands went to her waist. I did not tell them to.
They did on their own accord.
I was still trying to process everything when she kissed me and I kissed her back hard, my hands pulling her closer. Making sure she was sitting on top my dick directly.
Vanessa made a sound against my mouth and pressed herself closer into my chest.
I kept pressing her ass while she savoured my lips.
She moaned out when I spanked her ass. "Mmmhh."
We were totally on our own world. Lost in the moment we had forgotten that people were watching. We're they?
I smacked her ass one last time, groaning into her mouth as I bringer her closer, making her hips rock my dick that was now standing.
I took my hands off her ass and cupped her boobs instead. She had nothing underneath, just her dress.
She gasped when I pressed harder, running my hands round her boobs.
I slipped one out and sucked on it immediately.
"Fuck, Cal—"