Free Songbird by Sydney Logan Page B

never left. I told you I wasn’t leaving.”
    He slept out here?
    “You’re a jerk.”
    “No argument here. Please just talk to me.”
    I sigh deeply and turn to face him. He’s right there , staring at me with those brown eyes that make me lose my mind.
    “I’m gonna be late for work.”
    “Meet me for lunch. Dinner. Whatever you want.”
    Devin McAllister is the most infuriating man I’ve ever met. How dare he camp out at my front door all night long and make me feel sorry for his arrogant ass.
    “Why are you here, Devin? You made it very clear how you feel.”
    He leans closer. “That’s not how I feel. I’m here because this is where I should be. You have to let me apologize.”
    “I don’t have to do anything.”
    He sighs. “Of course you don’t have to. But would you at least let me try to make it up to you?”
    “I don’t need your apology. Now get out of my way and leave me alone.”
    I hold his gaze, and he holds mine, neither of us willing to let the other one get the upper hand. Devin’s used to getting his way. A cocky, high-priced attorney who pours on the charm to get whatever he wants. Six weeks ago, I would have fallen for it. I did fall for it. Twice.
    Never again.
    “I’m going to work. If you’re here when I get back, I’m calling the cops.”
    His eyes flash with fury. I take pride in the fact that I’m pissing him off.
    “You can call the National Guard for all I care. I’m not giving up, Callie.”
    “You don’t have a choice, Devin.”
    He opens his mouth, but I don’t give him the chance to argue. I just step around him and head to the elevator.

P issed and exhausted, I haul my ass to my apartment to shower and change before driving to the office. When I walk in, my secretary regards me with a smirk before handing me a pile of messages.
    “Good morning, Mr. McAllister.”
    “Hello, Alicia. What’s all this? My punishment?”
    “ This is what happens when you disappear for two days. I can weed through them if you like? Trash the unimportant ones?”
    I hand them back to her. “Yes, please.”
    “Oh, and your dad called. He’d appreciate it if you’d stop by the house sometime today. They’ll be home all afternoon.”
    Great.
    “And I’ll bring you some coffee. You look like you need it.”
    “Thanks, Alicia.”
    I head into my office and fire up my laptop. I regret it immediately because I find over two hundred emails.
    Heaven forbid if I ever take a vacation. My inbox would explode.
    I delete what I can before losing all patience and calling Alicia, begging her to work her weeding magic on my email, as well. By the time she brings me my coffee, I only have twenty phone calls to return and about fifty emails requiring my attention.
    The rest of the morning is spent replying to clients. To be honest, I’m glad to have something to concentrate on besides Callie and the baby. Then my brother calls and asks about the two things I’ve been trying hard not to think about.
    “Has she let you in yet?”
    “Shut up, Owen.”
    “You know, if you keep stalking her, eventually she’s gonna call the cops.”
    “Good. Maybe they’ll lock me up and put me out of my misery.”
    His laughter grates on my nerves. “That girl hates you, man.”
    “I’m aware.”
    “I mean, she even let me in the house.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Uncle Owen arrived with gifts. Brought my nephew some kickass toys.”
    “Neph—what? How do you know it’s a boy? Did she tell you that?”
    “Wow, you really don’t know anything about pregnancy, do you? It’s not like they can tell the gender yet. But I know, man. Uncle Owen knows.”
    I roll my eyes and resist the urge to throw my phone against the wall.
    “You know, Dev, that’s what you need to do. Gifts, man. Not for the baby, but for Callie. Something to soften her up.”
    “Right. So, how is she?”
    “Callie? She’s okay, I think. Mad at you .”
    “So you said.”
    I glance at my watch. Wonder what time she goes to