She’s Mine

Callum

The moment I step into my office, I can feel the anger boiling under my skin, barely contained. The door slams behind me, rattling the frame, but it does nothing to ease the frustration simmering inside me.

I've been on edge since I got the call this morning. The Ryker deal—the one I've been working on for months—gone. Stolen right out from under me by Damien fucking Frost.

I pace back and forth behind my desk, running a hand through my hair, trying to keep my temper in check. How the hell did this happen? Everything was lined up perfectly. The papers were ready; the lawyers were finalizing the details, and then—nothing.

Damien got to them first, offering a deal they couldn't refuse; a deal twenty times more than I was offering.

I grit my teeth, my hands curling into fists at my sides. Ryker was the key to expanding my tech empire, to solidifying my place as one of the most powerful players in the industry. And now, all of that's slipping through my fingers because of that smug piece of shit.

The sound of heels clicking against the polished floor pulls me out of my thoughts, and I glance up to see Bianca walking into my office, a soft smile on her face, though I can see the tension in her eyes.

"Callum," she says gently, stepping toward me. "I heard about the Ryker deal. I'm so sorry. But you can fix this, right? You always find a way."

Her voice is soft, placating, but it only grates on my nerves. I don't need soothing words. I need solutions.

"Fix it?" I snap, unable to keep the edge out of my voice. "There's nothing to fucking fix. Frost has the deal. It's done."

Bianca's face falls, her attempt at comfort faltering. "But you're Callum Hawthorne. You don't lose. There has to be something you can do. Maybe … maybe you could offer them something better, a counterproposal?"

I shake my head, frustration pouring out of me in a bitter laugh. "It's not that simple, Bianca. Damien played this perfectly. Ryker's locked in now. There's no way I'm getting that deal back."

She steps closer, placing a hand on my arm, her eyes soft and pleading. "You'll figure something out. You always do."

I pull my arm away, not in the mood for her touch or her attempts to make me feel better. "Stop saying that, for fuck's sake! This isn't something I can just figure out."

Bianca flinches slightly at my tone, but she doesn't back off. "Callum, you're angry. I get it. But you can't let this get to you. You're better than him."

"Am I?" I mutter under my breath, my mind racing through every possible way I could have stopped this from happening. I don't like feeling outplayed, and that's exactly what Damien did. He saw the opportunity and took it. And now, I'm the one left with nothing.

Not even a fucking fiancée at my side.

A knock on the door interrupts my spiraling thoughts, and I look up as my best friend, Connor, steps into the room. One look at his face, and I know something else is wrong. His expression is grim, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by something darker.

Connor doesn't say anything right away. He just walks over to me, holding out his phone. "Did you see the news?"

I grit my teeth. "What the fuck now?"

"Just… take a look," Connor says quietly, holding the phone up in front of me.

I grab it from him, already irritated, but the moment my eyes land on the screen, the world tilts beneath my feet. My pulse thunders in my ears as I take in the image in front of me.

Riley is sitting across from Damien Frost at some fancy restaurant, her body language relaxed, even… intimate. And then, in the next photo, they're kissing.

Kissing.

I see red. Riley and Damien. Together. How long has this been going on? Did she plan this from the start, or is this her petty revenge for walking out on our engagement?

My heart slams against my chest, my blood boiling with a rage that makes the earlier anger I felt about Ryker seem like nothing. My fingers tighten around the phone, my knuckles turning white as I stare at the image, my mind reeling.

She's in a black dress, looking every bit the woman I used to control, but with a confidence in her posture I haven't seen before. Her hair's pinned up, and her lips are pressed against his while he holds her neck possessively. 

Damien fucking Frost, of all people. And it's clear they're not just there for a casual dinner. They're there to be seen. To make a statement.

"What the hell is this?" I growl, my voice low and dangerous, though I already know the answer. 

My mind is racing, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing, but the only thing I feel is betrayal. Pure, gut-wrenching betrayal.

"This… this can't be right," I mutter, my voice tight, barely controlled. "There's no way…"

But the proof is right there in front of me. Riley's lips on Damien's, their bodies pressed together in a way that tells me this is more than just a business arrangement. She's chosen him.

Bianca steps closer, peering at the phone, and lets out a small gasp. "Oh my God…"

I ignore her, my mind spinning. How did I not see this coming? Riley, the woman who walked out of my life like she was done playing the game, is now with my biggest rival. The realization is a knife to my fucking heart. She didn't just leave me... she went to him.

"This can't be happening," I growl, shoving the phone back at Connor. "It's some sort of setup. Riley would never—"

"Never what?" Connor asks, his voice careful, like he's trying to avoid setting me off. "Never leave you? News flash, Callum, she already did. You can't pretend this isn't real."

"Shut up," I snap, pacing again, my mind racing a mile a minute. I can't let this slide. I won't. She can't just walk out on me and go to him. I should've seen this coming. I should've known Riley would pull something like this.

But how could I? Riley was never like this. She was so easy to control, so perfect to fold into what I wanted. How could I have guessed she'd be so cruel?

I feel a familiar tightness in my chest; rage and betrayal that makes it hard to breathe. Riley was mine. She was supposed to be mine. And now she's prancing around town with Damien like she's completely forgotten everything we built.

Bianca places a hand on my shoulder again, this time more tentative. "Callum… it's not the end of the world. You don't need her."

My body stiffens at her words, and I turn to face her, my expression hard. "You don't get it, Bianca. This isn't about needing her. It's about winning. She's not supposed to be with him. She's fucking mine!"

Bianca frowns, her eyes searching my face for something. I don't care what she's looking for. All I care about is what I'm going to do next. Damien's been circling for years, waiting for the right moment to take what's mine, and now he's done it.

First the Ryker deal, now Riley.

Connor clears his throat, stepping forward cautiously. "Callum, I know this is a blow, but you can't let this get under your skin. Damien thrives on this. He wants you to react emotionally."

I grit my teeth, turning my gaze to Connor. "This isn't emotional. This is about control. He's making a power play, and I won't let him win."

"So what are you going to do?" Bianca asks, her voice a little too eager, as though she's waiting for me to come up with a grand plan to fix this.

I glare at her, but my mind is already spinning with possibilities. "I don't know yet, but I'm not sitting back while Damien parades Riley around town like some kind of trophy."

Connor gives me a cautious look. "You need to be careful. If you go after him too aggressively, it's going to backfire. He's already one step ahead with the Ryker deal."

"I don't care," I snap. "I'm not letting him take everything."

Bianca steps closer again, her hand sliding down my arm, but I barely register it. "We'll figure this out, Callum. We'll make sure he doesn't win."

Her voice is soft, trying to soothe me, but it's not enough. It doesn't touch the anger burning in my chest, the rage at seeing Riley with him. She was supposed to be mine. Mine to control, mine to marry, mine to fucking do with as I pleased. She had no right to walk away, and she sure as hell has no right to run into Damien's arms like that.

"You need to calm down," Connor says, trying again. "Take a breath. We'll figure out the next move."

I clench my jaw, trying to focus, but all I can see is Riley's face in that picture. The way she looked at Damien. It wasn't a business move. It wasn't some calculated play to get back at me. It was real. And that makes it so much worse.

"She's with him," I mutter, my voice low, seething. "She's with him."

"Callum," Bianca starts, but I cut her off.

"Enough," I growl. "Just… leave me alone for a while."

Connor hesitates, watching me carefully, but he nods and gestures for Bianca to follow him out of the office. The door closes behind them with a quiet click, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Alone with the image of Riley and Damien seared into my mind.

I sit at my desk, my fingers tapping against the wood, trying to steady my breath. I won't let them win. Damien thinks he can take everything from me, but he's wrong. This is just the beginning. I'll find a way to make him pay for what he's done.

With that, I grab my phone and dial a number I haven't used in a long time. The line rings twice before a voice on the other end picks up.

"It's Callum," I say, my voice hard. "We need to talk. Now."

I hang up before the person on the other end can respond and slam the phone down on the desk. The next move is mine, and I'm going to make sure it's one Riley and Damien will never forget.

No one betrays me and walks away unscathed.

No one.