The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 348

Callum’s POV

I woke to the feeling of something warm in my chest.

For a moment, I almost could have sworn that I had something small and delicate gathered up in my arms. A gentle heart beating against my own. A lock of soft hair fluttering against my cheek.

Liora.

A smile touched my lips. I tightened my arms around the body in my embrace and nuzzled down deeper, savoring her scent and warmth.

But then I woke fully, and realized that Liora wasn’t there at all. I was alone, hugging my pillow. It was my own hair I felt against my cheek, not hers.

She hadn’t stayed. Her scent had completely dissipated from the room by now, indicating that she had probably left when I fell asleep. I furrowed my brow, rolling onto my back, and dragged my fingers through my hair as I struggled to recall exactly what had happened last night.

Then, it hit me.

Right. I recalled drinking too much, then running into Liora in the parking lot. I remembered inviting her to drink with me. I remembered her following me up to the roof, where I spilled my guts out like a fool, and then I showed her the cuts on my back.

Everything after that was a blur. I vaguely recalled her gentle touch as she smeared some kind of antibiotic ointment on my wounds, which was still slightly sticky against my skin now. I recalled, for the first time in my life, feeling like someone cared enough to help me, even when I didn’t care enough to help myself.

Most of all, I remembered the overwhelming need to keep her close even though I knew she didn’t want it.

I still felt that way now. Even waking up with a hangover and a lot of regrets about last night couldn’t even begin to change that.

For the first time, I didn’t care that my parents had disowned me and cut me off from the money—money that I now knew was never truly ours to begin with. I didn’t care that I had no idea where I was going to live once school was out or how the hell I was going to make ends meet.

I didn’t care about any of it.

I only cared about Liora.

My stomach gurgled then, ripping me out of my thoughts. First, I needed to eat.

I dressed quickly, throwing on a sweater and a pair of jeans, then headed down to the common room. I still swayed slightly on my feet, evidence of last night’s wallowing. Two bottles of vodka. I was surprised I was even walking at all.