A mistake

CALLIE

My hands rested in my lap, trembling slightly as I stared at the floor. The anger pumping through my veins was the only thing keeping me from completely unraveling.

No one believed me.

Not the doctors, not the police….no one.

It didn’t matter that I saw it with my own eyes. Liam and Ethan had killed my father, and they were getting away with it.

My brother, the heir to the empire my father had built, was playing the part of the grieving son, while my ex-fiancé, the man who betrayed me in the worst way possible, was probably celebrating his victory.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as my mind replayed every detail of that night.

My father’s frail body, the coldness in Liam’s eyes, Ethan’s betrayal.

I had told the police everything, poured my soul out, but they brushed me off, claiming I was just a grieving daughter, too emotional to see the truth.

"Jealous of your brother?" the detective had asked.

"It’s common in families like yours. Sibling rivalry, heightened emotions after a death… Give it time."

Give it time?

My father was dead, and they wanted me to give it time?

“Miss Callie?”

The secretary’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked up, blinking away the haze.

She nodded toward the hallway. “It’s time. He’s ready to see you now.”

This was it….the moment that would change everything.

Tony.

The infamous mafia boss, known for making problems disappear.

I'd heard the stories…rumors of his ruthlessness, his ability to get results where the law failed.

It was whispered that if you had enough money and the stomach for it, Tony would make your problems vanish.

But it was never without a price, one far steeper than anyone anticipated.

And here I was, about to cross the line.

I had never imagined myself seeking out someone like Tony, but I had no choice.

The police didn’t care, the justice system had failed me, and my father’s killers were walking free.

Liam and Ethan would pay for what they did…no matter the cost.

The secretary stopped in front of his office and knocked twice.

“Go in,” she said, opening the door for me.

As I stepped into the office my breath caught in my throat.

Tony wasn’t just intimidating….he was impossibly handsome.

I had heard the rumors of his cold, calculating demeanor, but nothing had prepared me for the striking presence of the man now staring at me from behind his desk.

"Callie," he called out.

I stiffened at the sound of my name coming from his lips.

“So," he continued, leaning back in his chair.

"You’re here because you want your brother and fiance….sorry, ex-fiance…dead, right?"

I froze, my mind racing. How the hell did he know that? I hadn’t told a soul that I wanted them dead.

My heart pounded as I tried to keep my expression neutral. "How… How do you know that?"

Tony’s lips curled into a smirk.

He stood up, walking around his desk with slow steps, his gaze never leaving mine. "You don’t get to ask the questions here, sweetheart," he said.

"Only if I want you to."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to let him see how unnerved I was. "Fine," I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended, but I still asked another question.

"Then how much do you want to get the job done?”

He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. "Money?" he repeated.

“I don’t need your money, Callie."

I frowned, confusion tightening my chest. If it wasn’t money, then what could he possibly want?

His eyes darkened, and his voice lowered to a growl. "If you want me to help you seek revenge… You’ll have to marry me.”

“Excuse me?!”

A sharp laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it.

The disbelief hit me like a tidal wave, and I stood up, shaking my head. "Are you serious?" I asked.

"You want me to marry you?"

Tony didn’t flinch. His eyes stayed locked on mine.

The smirk playing at the edge of his lips only fueled my irritation. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

The past few days had been filled with enough shocks to last a lifetime, but this… this was something else.

I crossed my arms, taking a step toward the door. "I’m leaving," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though a part of me still trembled inside.

"Coming here was a mistake."

I turned to leave, ready to walk out of his office, out of the madness that this entire meeting had turned into.

But before my hand could reach the door handle, Tony’s deep voice stopped me in my tracks.

"You’re not going to make it downstairs, Callie."

I froze mid-step, my hand still hovering over the door handle. Slowly, I turned back to face him.

His smirk deepened, and he took a few steps toward me. "My soldiers won’t let you pass through. You leave this room, and they’ll stop you before you even reach the elevator."

A wave of shock and panic rushed through me, but I kept my expression guarded. "Are you serious?"

"You’re trapping me here?”

"You’re not going anywhere," he said coldly. "You’re in my building, Callie. Whether you like it or not, you’re mine now. And you will marry me.”

Tears stung the corners of my eyes as I blinked rapidly, trying to stop them from spilling.

I swallowed hard, my voice breaking as I spoke. "Please... Tony, I... I made a mistake coming here. Just let me leave. I won’t cause any trouble, I swear."

His expression remained unchanged, but before he could respond, the door burst open and a man rushed in.

"Boss!" he gasped.

Tony snapped his attention toward him, visibly annoyed at the interruption. "What is it?" he growled.

The man hesitated, catching his breath before blurting out, "A guy outside the gate… he killed one of the guards. We don’t know who he is or what he wants and we’ve lost contact with the outer perimeter."

Tony’s jaw clenched, and without another word, he stormed toward the door. "Get the men ready. I’m coming."

He gave me one last glance, that sent a chill down my spine. "Stay here, Callie. We’re not finished."

With that, he was gone, leaving me alone in the room as chaos erupted outside.

For a second, I was frozen, my mind struggling to catch up. Then it hit me.

He forgot about me.

Seizing the opportunity, I bolted for the door.

I just needed to make it to an exit, any exit, before they realized I was gone.

Just keep going, I told myself. Don’t stop.

By some miracle, I reached the bottom floor without running into anyone.

And then freedom.

I pushed through the doors and stumbled into the cool night air, my lungs burning, my entire body trembling with fear and exhaustion.

But I didn’t stop.

I rushed to my car, my hands shaking as I fumbled with the keys.

Relief washed over me for a brief second as I settled inside the car, but just as I gripped the steering wheel, I heard it….a voice from the passenger seat.

"Wait. I need your help."

My heart stopped. Every muscle in my body went rigid as I slowly turned my head.

There, sitting in my passenger seat, was a man.

My breath caught in my throat as fear surged up inside me.

What the hell.

“How the hell did you get in here?” I shouted, reaching under my seat for the pocket knife I always kept in the car.

“Who the hell are you?” I screamed as I yanked it out, pointing it toward him.

He raised his hands. “Please, just drive,” he said. “I’m not here to hurt you. I just need to get out of here.”

My grip tightened around the knife, my pulse pounding in my ears. “That’s not an answer! Who are you? How did you even get into my car?”

He glanced out the window and then back at me. “Please, I will explain everything, but drive out of here first.”