Taming of the beast - Completed.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What? You haven't taken enough from me already?" Callie clutched at her arms, fingers digging in, frozen to the core. He had stolen her only chance of genuine happiness.

"Men like him don't give up without a fight if they believe you belong to him." She glared at him hard. Look who is calling the kettle black. The bastard, however, was correct. Her shoulders sagged, seeing he would never let her go. She had no support from her so-called family, who wanted her gone. Oh, that's right; they weren't her flesh and blood, were they? Maybe that was the scandal, whoever her actual family was, bewildered.

Could it be why her aunt had disappeared?"

Shocked, her gaze rested on her so-called mother. "Is my aunt my actual mother?" Martha flinched; Callie rose to her feet, hands falling away, fists at her side.

Martha sniffed. "She didn't want you. Termination was never an option." All colour drained from Callie's face, dropping back into the seat. There it was. She was disposable and explained why Aunt Em had been so nervous around her.

Had Riyad known all along? Shaking her head. No, he would've never married her if she was a part of some scandal, yet couldn't see what kind of scandal. Having a baby out of wedlock meant nothing these days unless it involved someone important.

What did it matter? It wouldn't change this situation.

"I will write a letter and explain. He will give me my freedom, without question. You will have to go through his lawyers in London." There had to be a distance maintained between the two men. "Now if you excuse me, I am done with all of you," she stood and headed out, having nowhere else to go, she headed back to her bedroom and wrote the hardest letter of her life.

It had to have the right tone. She had to free him from this mess that was her life. Before Riyad, if she found out the truth about herself, she would have walked away without looking back. She had to safeguard Riyad. He had made her feel like she meant something that she mattered, she was worth something. Look what she had achieved at the hospital, the connection with the children. She would never have that again.

Dreams.

All foolish dreams, so focussed on Riyad, look what he had achieved.

He didn't need her anymore.

He was reconnecting to his family. She had to believe that because he had stayed away. 

Even if she didn't have a family, at least he would.

***

Only half-dressed, out on the balcony of the hotel, Riyad looked out across the city of Melbourne, numb to the colder weather. With time differences and after a long sleep, he still felt restless. He must admit, ever since Callie hadn't been in his bed,  he hadn't slept well, for different reasons. Since that last nightmare, they hadn't returned. Callie snuggled up against him, kept the darkness away. Reaching out to help him always. 

He had sent her away when there was no need.

Sending her away had been the worse mistake of life. He had done that twice to her now. Did he have any rights to go after her? What if there was a family emergency, and she needed his help? It was the least he could do. 

Collecting his phone as it buzzed, from the outside table, taking him away from the outlook of the city. Raking a hand through his messy bed hair, he answered the phone, wishing now he had given Callie his number. He hadn't put it into her phone, and he's would come up as a private number.

Pity he hadn't taken her new number down. Even if under the highest security, and untraceable to keep her safe, apart from one, him, he needed to connect to her phone before he could turn on the tracker. It would be the easiest way to find her.