To Love a Player (33 page)

"Yes, we are," he said, turning away from me and kissing Mollie with such passion that it was almost like he was forcing me out of his mind. I smirked at them, knowing that just a minute before it was me he was kissing like that. Sam stepped forward, but was quickly grabbed by Callen who muttered, "It's not worth it."

I blew him a kiss before I walked back to my car, pleased with myself. Step one of my plan was complete.

"What the hell was she doing here?" Sam snapped at me. Sighing, I could feel a small headache starting to build. Mollie's eyes bored holes into my skull as she looked at me silently and I knew that she was wondering the same thing. I didn't know why she was looking at me that way, she was the one who wanted me to talk to Sophie.

"She was here because someone felt that I needed to give the situation closure, that maybe it would make her move on," I snapped back angrily. Mollie's eyes went wide as she scoffed and then let out a frustrated sigh. Her eyes were stormy as she said, "Don't blame this on me."

I sighed, closing my eyes as I grunted, "You're the one who wanted me to talk to her, remember? I wanted nothing to do with her."

"You broke up with her over the phone, Callen. I'm sorry that I thought that you needed to do it face to face," Mollie snapped back. "I didn't expect you to be standing that close to her with a guilty look on your face like you were caught doing something that I'm not sure I want to know about."

"She came up to me, I didn't go to her. She's the one whose hands were all over me, the one who kissed me," I said, instantly wishing that I could take back the last part. The color started draining from Mollie's face as her eyes looked deep into mine. "She kissed you?"

"Yeah, for a split second," I said, dropping my head and she stepped away from me. I watched her take a deep breath as she asked, "Did you kiss her back?"

I lowered my eyes to the ground, wishing I didn't have to answer that question. I regretted that kiss and the feelings that had arisen because of it. I didn't know why I allowed it to happen and I knew that I was about to lose the most important thing to me because of it. Her voice sounded far away and cold as she asked me again, "Callen, did you kiss her back?"

I looked slowly up at her, watching her face as she realized the answer. Her eyes instantly changed from hard to hurting and it killed me to know that I was the cause of it. Sam stepped between us as she stared me down angrily as she asked, "How could you? I mean, really Callen? What in the hell were you thinking?"

Anger boiled under my skin as I angrily said, "I wanted nothing to do with her. Mollie wanted me to give her closure."

"Yeah well, kissing her isn't closure, Callen," Sam said, giving me a disappointed look. She put her arm around a shell shocked Mollie and said, "That is all on you. I don't understand why after all the times she has cheated on you and treated you like her neglected pet that you would want to do something like that. I don't get it, Callen, you have this amazing girl that you claim to love, but yet you still allow Sophie to get close enough to kiss you? You are definitely not the guy that I thought you were. You're the same Callen that I hated when you were with her."

She walked away, pushing Mollie along with her. I grabbed Mollie's arm as she passed by me and she instantly jerked it out of my hand. Her eyes were stormy once again as she snapped, "Don't. I thought you were different, but you're not. You are still the same cocky jerk you were a month ago, you just hid him well."

I watched, helplessly as the girl I love turned and walked away from me. I had never been angrier with myself than I was at that moment. Letting out a deep sigh, I closed my eyes as tears fell from my face. I was wrong to blame Mollie. I kissed Sophie back; Sam was right, it was all on me. I agreed to meet with her, but I didn't stop her advances. What in the hell was I thinking?

Sighing, I knew that was the problem, I wasn't thinking. I easily slipped into the old version of me where Sophie had that seductive power over me. Running my fingers through my hair, I thought about what happened. It wasn't just a random kiss with a stranger, not that that would be okay either, but it was a kiss with someone that I had history with and it hurt the girl that I deeply loved. I would have reacted the same way if Mollie had kissed Ben back like I did Sophie.

I needed to go to her and beg on my hands and knees for her forgiveness, but first, I needed to put an end to Sophie and me, for real this time. It was long overdue.

From my spot across Mirco, I watched a pissed off Sam and a distraught Mollie slide into a booth with the rest of Callen's pathetic friends. Mollie clearly didn't look like she wanted to be here. I couldn't hide my satisfied grin as I knew that I was the cause of it. My phone light up with Callen's picture, causing my smile to get even wider. I answered on the second ring, "Hey sexy, trouble in paradise?"

"Where are you?" he asked, angrily. I smiled as I watched Mollie being comforted by my rival, Rita and smiled. It was too perfect that my plan was going so well. I purred, "I'm at Mirco, meet me at our usual table."

"I'll be there in ten," Callen muttered, letting out a deep sigh and hung up. I thought about parading myself in front of their table across the way, but I decided that it wasn't worth my time. My view became blocked when my brother, Scott stood in my way. He was glaring down at me and said, "I told you to leave her alone."

I gave him a look of innocence as I said, "I have no idea what you are referring to. I came here for a drink and to meet up with Bella and Amelia."

He put his hands on his hips and gave me a look that showed he didn't believe me. I shrug my hands up at him and he rolled his eyes, plopping down into the booth next to me. I glanced over across the bar and noticed that Mollie was on her way to the bathroom, alone. This was my chance to put part two into action.

"Excuse me," I said, pushing on Scott. He rolled his eyes as he slid over to let me out. I casually walked over to the restrooms in the back and stood at the sink waiting for Mollie to come out of a stall. After a few minutes, she finally emerged and I pulled out my red lipstick and applied it slowly. She stopped in her tracks as she saw me and I gave her a look of fake surprise.

"Oh, I didn't realize they let trailer trash in this place," I chided and saw her eyes narrow in slits at me. I flipped my hair back over my shoulder and said, "I guess Callen and I will have to just move the party back to my house."

Her eyes went wide as she asked softly, "Callen's here?"

"Yes, he came in with me. He told me about his little game plan," I smirked and her eyes held questions. I smiled as I said, "The one where he would seduce you? Make you believe that he was in love with you?"

Her eyes lowered and I let out a laugh as I reached out to bring her eyes back to me. "Oh, you thought that was all real? Wow, he must have done a much better job than I thought he would. I guess he owes me a little extra tonight then."

In the blink of an eye, her hand slapped across my face. I was taken off guard for a moment and she got up in my face as she seethed, "You two deserve each other."

I held my stinging cheek as I watched her wash her hands quickly and leave the bathroom. I smirked in the mirror. Goodness, I was such a bitch.

Mirco was crowded as I searched around for Sophie. I was caught by surprise when I saw Mollie storming out of the bathroom and to the table where the girls were. I almost went over there, but was stopped by Scott.

"She's on a warpath," he said and I assumed he was talking about Mollie. "Protect Mollie."

"Wait, what?" I asked, giving him a curious look and he nodded in Sophie's direction. Mollie's angry look was now explained and I knew that going to the table would not be a good thing. Sophie stopped in front of me and tried to lean in for a kiss. I pushed her away and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm kissing my boyfriend," Sophie said, trying to get near me again. Shaking my head at her, I pointed towards Mollie and said firmly, "I am her boyfriend, not yours. I love her, not you. We are done Sophie. If you come near me or Mollie again, you will regret it. Do not call me ever again. I mean it, Sophie. Ever."

Sophie's eyes widened in shock as I pushed her away and Scott held her back from going to me again, and instead pushed her to the door. I knew that wouldn't be the last time she tried anything, but I wanted her to know that I was completely done.

I saw Mollie looking at me solemnly as she watched Scott push Sophie towards the door. Swallowing nervously, I went over to where she was sitting. The girls around her all glared at me, well everyone except for Rita. She was looking at me with a mixture of disappointment and pride.

"Can I talk to my girlfriend, please?" I asked, standing in front of the table. My eyes bored into Mollie's while I waited nervously for her to respond. Sam was about to open her mouth when Mollie put her hand on her arm and shook her head before sliding out of the booth.

I sighed in relief and led her out of the club with my hand on the small of her back. I crossed my fingers, hoping that I could undo the damage that Sophie had caused over the last hour. Once we were outside, I said, "I am so sorry."

She just shrugged, but her stance was cold. She folded her arms and pretended to kick at a rock lying on the sidewalk. I wanted her to look at me, yell at me, something other than just be silent. I pulled her to me, only to be pushed away.

Her eyes were cold as she said, "You kissed her Callen and then you kissed me. I don't know what to think about that. You told me you were done with her, but yet you allowed her to kiss you. Not only kiss you, but you willingly kissed back. Do you know how hard it was to see that?"

"You saw it?" I asked, my mouth dropping open in shock. She nodded slowly as she said, "Yeah, I snuck out early and I saw you through the window. You just stood there with your hands by your side while she kissed your neck. When she got to your mouth, you grabbed her head and pulled her closer before you pushed her away."

"Why did you ask me if I kissed her, if you already knew?" I asked and she shrugged her shoulders sadly. She inhaled deeply before saying, "I wanted to see if you would give me a different story, plus Sam doesn't know that I saw you. I told her that I went to the bathroom and didn't want to come back to class."

"Oh my goodness, Mollie, I am so so sorry. I didn't mean to let her kiss me," I said, cupping her face so that she would look at me. I could see the hurt swimming in her eyes and wished I could rewind the night to erase that hurt. "I didn't mean to blame you either. It was completely my fault—I know that. Tell me what I can do to make it up to you? I'll do anything."

She shrugged a shoulder as a tear rolled down her cheek, over my fingers. I moved my thumb under her eye and wiped it away. She sniffed as she said, "Just take me to Lacey's."

"You mean home?" I asked and she shook her head as she replied, "No, I'm not staying with you in the guesthouse. Not tonight. Just drop me off at Lacey's."

I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her as I pleaded, "Mollie, please."

Shaking her head against my chest, she pushed me away slightly. Her sad eyes tugged at my heart as she said, "Callen, I just need some space. Just for now."

"Okay," I said, leaning in and kissing her softly on the forehead. "Let's go then."

She nodded as we walked over to my jeep. I unlocked her door and she slid in, giving me a small smile. I looked softly into her eyes and said, "I promise you that I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

Shutting her door, I went over to my side and climbed in. We pulled away from the curb and stopped at the stoplight half a block down. I took her hand in mine and kissed it gently while waiting for the light to turn green. As soon as it did, I pressed the gas for the jeep to go and what happened next seemed like it went into slow motion.

The oncoming car chose not to stop at the red light and smashed right into the side of my jeep. I just remembered the bright lights coming from beside Mollie's head a split second before impact. We slammed into the street pole on the opposite corner and I felt a slicing pain in my leg as the metal twisted inside the car. My chest was hurting from the airbag deployment. I quickly looked over at Mollie and my heart stopped. Her face was pale and she looked like a rag doll bent over the airbag. Her eyes were glossy and half closed.