They all said that he was dangerous, that he was bad news, that he killed for a living and enjoyed the fear in his victim’s eyes.
Calum Hood was a huge person in the underworld. They say that he created it and therefore owned it.
He loved it when people saw their life passing by right before getting killed. It brought a smile onto his face and he got off on them begging him not to kill him. He was cruel, merciless and unrelenting.
He was always dressed in black. Black boots, black jeans and a black shirt, sometimes paired with a black blazer or leather jacket.
He had short black hair and numerous tattoos that littered his arms, his chest and his hands. It made him look even more menacing.
He had broad shoulders and thick-muscled arms. When you weren’t too intimidated by his appearance, you could see his faintly lined abs through his tight black shirt.
He was in control, he had the power and he sure as hell radiated it.
I’ve lived here forever and I’ve heard everyone’s stories but I never paid much attention to them.
It’s past midnight and I’m in a hurry to get away from him and that dangerous alleyway.
It’s where criminals do business, where police officers don’t dare to come and where the shiftiest bars are located.
It’s where the normal world meets the dark underworld.
And it’s where tonight turned out to be different than my usual Friday nights.
I know that I shouldn’t be here but he was so sweet and so gentle earlier that he tricked me into coming here with him. I should’ve known better but my mind was too clouded from all the alcohol I’d consumed earlier with my friends at the club.
He took advantage of my drunken state. He whispered sweet nothings into my ear and gently touched my waist. He danced with me and twirled me around like they do in the movies. He kissed me as if his life depended on it. It was sweet and passionate yet hungry and impatient. I’d been very stupid and I wished that I could turn back time.
“Y/N, for god sake! Wait a second and let me explain myself!”
He was faster than me, I could tell by his quickening footsteps but I kept on running like crazy. My chest was burning and my throat and mouth felt dry. I didn’t look behind me, my feet kept going and I turned yet another corner to try to get rid of him.
I was having the time of my life. I was dancing with my two best friends in the fanciest club in town. We were downing Strawberry Daiquiris like crazy, it was fun, careless and chill. It was different than the other Friday nights when we’d watch a movie together and eat crisps because tonight we had something to celebrate. We officially graduated tonight.
The three of us were dressed up in the most beautiful gowns ever. Mine was red, glimmery and very elegant. I felt like some princess from a faraway country and radiated confidence. I was on top of the world and he must have noticed that as well.
He slowly walked over to me from the bar, not once breaking eye contact. My breath had hitched in my throat, my pulse had quickened and my senses had heightened. He was drop-dead gorgeous and he only had eyes for me.
“Shit,” I cursed under my breath and both my friends winked at me before disappearing into the crowd to leave me alone with this hot stranger.
Black hair, dark brown eyes and plump, kissable lips.
I knew he was trouble. I fucking knew it yet I didn’t care. I didn’t care about any of these stupid, ridiculous rumours and that’s when I made the first mistake of the night. I let him in.
I was mad at him and myself but I was even more furious at the people that spread all the rumours about him because they left out how good he looked.
His big dark eyes looked me up and down. They were dazed yet wild and his lips turned into a smirk. I was on fire and my cheeks were burning.
He winked at me and took my hand in his. I let him. I let him sweep me off of my feet and danced with him for what felt like hours. He twirled me around like I was a princess, he slow danced with me like I was his girlfriend, he danced with me like he was Johnny and I was Baby and I was his forbidden fruit.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked curiously. I nodded my head yes.
“I think so, you’re Calum Hood, right?”
“Yes, what about the rumours you heard about me?”
“What about them?” I yelled over the music.
He smirked and pulled me closer to him. “Well, I’m just saying that you shouldn’t believe them!” he smiled and I nodded understanding. “Let’s have fun, Calum!” I smiled back. Stupid, little me…
“You’re driving me crazy!” he yelled over the loud music and I grinned widely. “Show me!” I had yelled back and his eyes grew very dark. Instead of being scared, I got more and more confident and intrigued by him and placed a soft kiss on the corner of his lips. It was a bold move. He grabbed my hand and walked to the exit, he opened the heavy door and pressed me up against the wall of the club in the small alleyway. Was this lust or was it more?
He smashed his lips onto mine. I kissed him back. Doing that was the second mistake I made.
He smelt so good and so fresh. It reminded me of Canadian pines. I also smelt a hint of lemon, very sour but with a sweet aftertaste.
He slowly pulled away and traced my cheek with his calloused fingertips. “Your skin is so soft,” he whispered against my ear before placing sloppy kisses down my neck.
I put my head against the brick wall and pulled him closer until all of a sudden I heard a loud noise and both our heads snapped up in the direction where it was coming from. His eyes darkened and he immediately stepped in front of me so that his back was facing my stomach. He protectively hid me behind him while trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.
“Don’t make a sound,” he whispered sternly and I nodded in agreement.
Three guys appeared from the shadows farther down the alleyway. They looked intimidating and my stomach twisted. It was a sickening twist as if something bad was to go down.
Calum’s body tensed up. “Maybe I should have told you the truth earlier and before I decided to kiss you but some of those rumours that people spread about me are true.”
Just like that, my heartbeat sped up.
“What do you mean?” I hissed and tried to get away from him yet he stopped me and pushed me closer to the wall.
“Well, maybe I am dangerous… Have you ever heard of the Australian mafia?”
They’re butchers. They kill, they kidnap, they enjoy it. My heart stopped.
I was completely sober, my mind was racing and my eyes were a little clouded. I blinked a couple of times and tried to back away from him yet he stopped me again.
The three guys were walking closer to us, they were holding something in their hands and when they stepped into the lantern light, I could tell that they were holding knives, they were scratching it against the dumpsters in the back.
Calum too grabbed a knife that he kept hidden in his jacket and I gasped loudly.
I pushed him away and tried to even my breathing. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I should’ve never let him kiss me, hell I shouldn’t have let him walk up to me in that club in the first place. I shouldn’t have ignored the rumours about him.
“I’ll count to three, on three, you run away from here as fast as you can. Don’t look back, don’t stop until you’re far away from here and most importantly don’t call the police,” he whispered harshly.
I clenched my hands. I was so angry. I was angry with myself for letting him close to me and angry with him for lying to me.
“Y/N, focus! On three. One, two, three, run!”
I wanted to stay and kick him where the sun never shines but I was also scared and confused.
“Run now!” he yelled and I obeyed. I found myself running away from him. My lungs were on fire, my mouth was dry and my body was drenched in cold sweat.
I stopped running and looked back to see what had happened.
Someone was lying on the cold, wet ground. I couldn’t see who it was but I felt nauseous when I realised it could be Calum.
He’s strong, yes, but he’s not Superman.
All of a sudden, three other people appeared and they started beating up the three guys that were towering over the guy who was lying on the ground. He was not moving at all.
I felt tears pricking my eyes. When I blinked them away, I saw the person getting up from the ground, he straightened his clothes and looked in my direction. I was so scared… It was hard to tell who it was due to the poor lighting in the alley.
“Y/N, I told you to run!” That’s Calum, he was the one lying on the ground and now he’s running over to me.
I was too scared to wait for him so instead, I turned away from him and started to run as fast as I could. It wasn’t easy due to my red gown but at least I was trying. My stomach twisted again. I wished we never met. He’s the leader of the freaking Australian mafia and he almost got killed tonight.
I didn’t want to be around him.
“Y/N, for god sake! Wait a second and let me explain myself!”
He quickly catches up with me and grabs my hand. He turns me around and I gasp. I’m so scared right now. Not of him but of the fact that he was their target.
His face is swollen and bruised. His lip is busted and his hands are scraped.
“Who were these guys?!” I ask frantically. I so badly want to take care of him and these cuts and bruises.
“American mafia…” he trails off and takes both my hands in his. “I never meant to put you in danger, I-just…”
I stare at him. I’m confused. He seems guilty and I bite my lip. What do I do? He’s part of the mafia, he’s dangerous and apparently, he carries knives around in his pockets.
“Look, I saw you in that club and thought you were really hot. I just wanted to get to know you, I never meant to put you in any danger,” he confesses, not once breaking eye contact.
“Also, I’m sorry for lying to you.”
My heart flutters, it feels so much better than my twisting stomach.
“Let me make it up to you. Let’s forget about what just happened and let me take you out some time?”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Forget about this? “How can I forget about this?!” I yell incredulously. He smiles apologetically and takes my hands in his as he did earlier. “I’m sorry, Y/N.”
“Sorry? You’re sorry-“ He cuts me off by pressing his lips on mine. My body is on fire, his hands are all over me and my breath is taken away.
Wow. He’s sweeping me off of my feet. Like back in the club except that I’m sober now and he’s still making me swoon.
At this moment, I don’t care that he’s dangerous and involved with bad people. Because I know that I’ll be safe with him and he’ll protect me no matter what.
Fuck these stupid rumours.
I might regret this later on but right now I don’t care.
That’s mistake number four...
