“You’re right.”
“I need to see them at least. They deserve to see their real father and not live a lie.” I couldn’t tell Alexander that I wanted Camilla too. That part had to remain under wraps. I’d do whatever I could to get her in my clutches. “I just need you to figure out her schedule so maybe I can convince her to let me see them. Emmanuel can’t be in the house though. He’ll never allow it.”
“And you think Camilla will?” Alexander scoffed.
“She will. Son, what you don’t understand is Camilla wants a man who can control her. A man like me. She might act like she hates me but it’s only until I show her who’s in control. Something you and your brother couldn’t do.” Alexander shifted in his seat and looked as though he was mulling it over.
“Camilla won’t go for it,” he grumbled. Clearly, he still had faith and hope in her. Well, I didn’t expect for it to be totally easy. He’d take a little time to bring around to everything but he’d come around eventually.
“Look, all I need from you is to pull a little information from her the rest, just leave up to me.”
“Whatever, Dad. It’s not like I have anything else to do in here.” Maybe it was good thing he was behind bars after all.
“How long is your sentence again?” I asked.
“Life,” he grumbled.
“Jesus, what did you do?” Lana frowned with her arms folded.
“Nothing,” he snapped bitterly.
“Hey Lana, why don’t you stay behind and give my boy a little conjugal visit? I’m sure he could use it.” I stood and patted him on the shoulder. She eyed him and smiled suggestively. “Wouldn’t be the first time Alexander messed around with Emmanuel’s seconds.” I chuckled and so did Christina. Alexander looked like he wanted to say something but it was swimming just below the surface. At that point I didn’t care though, I had him on my side mostly besides a few reservations he had about Camilla. My plan was still in motion and working just fine. Soon I’d have my sons and I’d be working on making a new wife for myself too.
**
Chapter Nineteen
Camilla
When Dad and Laurel got back from their trip, he seemed agitated which was the exact opposite of what I expected. Then he told me about spotting Joseph and my skin crawled. I knew Emmanuel would be on top of it though. I felt like I needed to be on high alert. I didn’t want the kids out of my sight and I was more than ready to have Emmanuel back in the house. I tried to call him to ask how soon he could move back in but he was in meetings all damn day and didn’t have his phone on. Fucking perfect.
Laurel was still at my house while Dad took their things home and unpacked. So I asked her to sit with the kids along with Claire so I could go see Alexander. It was Tuesday after all. I wanted to see if Joseph had reached out to him at all. I knew he was probably still in contact with Christina. Crazy bitch. “When I get back…we’re going on a best friend mission.” I told her with a point.
“Oh lord. Do I want to even know?” She sighed.
“Probably not, but I’ll fill you in when I get back. I just wanna go check on Alexander.”
“You still love him, don’t you?” She quizzed.
“I do. It’s different now, but I love him. I’ve forgiven him for everything. I’ll just be happy when he can finally start over…away from all this nonsense.” I grabbed my keys and waved before leaving.
Everything I’d said to Laurel was true too. I’d forgiven Alexander for breaking my heart. Especially after all the shit he’d gone through behind it. He’d been turned upside down enough. The last thing he needed was for me to turn my back on him and be mean and bitter. I had every right to be, but whenever I looked at him I saw the man I used to be madly in love with. I saw the man that listened to me and helped me heal myself. He brought me so much happiness and I couldn’t just throw it away.
I struggled for a while with forgiving him but once I saw that underneath all the shit he did, he was just as screwed up as the rest of us, I had a sense of understanding. He was only human.
When I walked into our usual meeting room, Alexander wasn’t chained to the base of the table this time. I smiled upon realizing he was actually able to stand and hug me tight. It felt so good. “What? Why aren’t you chained? Did they forget or something?” I smiled, double-checking his ankles.
“No. Your husband waved his magic wand,” he chuckled. “He didn’t tell you he came yesterday?”
“No! Well, he was busy fighting Cole, which is a long story…so maybe it slipped his mind.”
“Jesus. Let me guess, it was over you?” I held my hands up and shrugged. “You just leave a pile of men in your wake, don’t you?”
“I seriously try not to,” I frowned. “So why the hell did he come to see you?” I sat in front of Alexander at the table and crossed my legs. He always watched me so hungrily and I wished that I could have given him a little pity pussy but Emmanuel and I were back on the road to repair so I was shutting down the heartbroken fuck fest I’d been having.
“He’s finally submitting my DNA evidence,” he smiled a genuine smile that warmed my heart. “It’s all for you of course, but I’m happy nonetheless.”
“Me too! Oh my God, I can’t believe he didn’t tell me! You think he wanted it to be a surprise?” I frowned.
“Nah, he didn’t say it was. I think he just has a lot on his plate. Joseph is back.”
“Ugh, I know. My dad told me.”
“He was just here. Like, just here,” he expressed seriously as his dark brown eyes met mine. I felt a chill snake up my spine as I sat up straighter.
“He came to see you?” As much as I loathed Joseph and couldn’t wait to end his life, he still terrified me. The lengths he was willing to go to just to touch the kids and me. How far he’d go merely to hurt Emmanuel was insanity. Now he was trying to get Alexander on his side. Luckily, Emmanuel had extended an olive branch before their father could get into his head.
“I have to show you something else, Camilla. It’s going to change every fucking thing.” I shut my eyes for a moment before inhaling sharply and nodding my head for him to go on. “Manny got me a phone and a laptop in exchange for my help bringing our father to you. I snuck it in here during our visit.” He didn’t say anything else, he just set the phone on the table and pressed play.
I heard Alexander asking who someone was then I heard the most bone chilling thing: Joseph introduced Lana. My body heated up instantly upon hearing the intricate and pathetic plan they’d weaved to separate Emmanuel and I. I couldn’t control the rapid way my leg bounced up and down the longer I listened.
When I heard him tell Alexander how he thought Lucas and Logan were his, I nearly lost it. I almost launched that fucking phone across the room, smashing it into a million pieces against the concrete wall. “He thinks my children are his!” I shouted angrily. “What the fuck is wrong with him?”
“Calm down, Camilla,” Alexander said softly.
“Fuck that! I’m going to find him and kill him myself. If he tries to touch my babies, Alexander so fucking help me I will rip his head off!”
“I know. I tried to call Manny but I can’t get a hold of him.”
“He’s in meetings,” I breathed. I settled down almost instantly and let out a slow breath through my nose.
“You’ve snapped haven’t you?” Alexander knew me well from years of being my psychologist, my lover, and my friend. I’d absolutely snapped. I refused to be contained again until Joseph, Lana, and whoever else got in my way was dead. It was non-negotiable. I’d orchestrated my fair share of murders but these were personal. These people would get an up close and personal slaying from my hands.
“Yes,” I answered with a smile. For the first time ever, I felt my two sides split without a pounding headache, without the need to feel pain and an orgasmic release. This time I felt in control of both polar opposite sides of my brain. “I’m fine though,” I told Alexander honestly.
“What are you
going to do? Because I want in.” A smiled graced his full lips, lighting up his handsome face.
“Tell me what Joseph wants from you.” I drummed my nails on the steel tabletop.
“Details about your schedule. He wants to get to you while Emmanuel is out of the house to convince you to let him see the twins.” A maniacal cackle escaped me upon hearing his words. He really thought I’d let him get close to my boys? He was bat shit.
“Okay. I want to take Lana out first though. Toy with him for a little while until I let you know she’s gone. Then we’ll all reel him in. I only have one stipulation for Emmanuel though,” I said, running my fingers through my hair. Alexander frowned with curiosity painting his face.
“What?”
“I want you out of prison. Immediately.” Alexander blinked and swallowed nervously.
“I think you have to wait for your husband.” He chuckled.
“I think you’ll be out in a couple of days, if not sooner.” I stood up and walked over to him to place a kiss on his forehead. “Alexander, you need to be free. It’s been long enough. Plus I want you on my side.”
“You got me on your side, Camilla. You know that.” We hugged for a long time and I could tell he was just soaking me in. “You’re going to get to finally put a stop to Joseph,” he assured me.
“I know,” I smiled happily. “Justice is coming and it’ll be swift but it’ll be painful.” I felt a happy flutter in my chest thinking about ending Joseph’s life and I couldn’t wait.
**
When I got back home, Laurel and Claire were playing with the kids and I let out a pent up breath. I was just happy that the kids were safe. Knowing Joseph was back had me on high alert. “Okay, what’s the best friend mission?” Laurel asked. Alyssa came and climbed all over me until I covered her cute little face with kisses. She looked so much like me it was crazy. Her and Chloe would get mistaken for sisters all the damn time.
“Lyss, go play okay?” I laughed while she stroked my hair. She pouted but ran out of the room to find the rest of the kids. “Okay, we need to go up to Emmanuel’s building and see if we can go through Lana’s shit before she comes to clean her office out. Hopefully we’ll run into her,” I smiled. “She’s been drugging my husband and now she has to die.” Laurel’s cheeks flushed a pale pink and her brows scrunched together angrily.
“Wait, she was drugging him? Oh my god! It all makes sense now. Manny would never cheat on you willingly. How did she know to drug him?” I filled her in on Joseph’s plan and her jaw dropped. “Oh. My. God. You’re going to kill them both, aren’t you?”
“I’m absolutely going to kill them,” I beamed. “It’ll be the highlight of my fucking life. Finally killing the bastard that orchestrated my kids getting kidnapped and killing the bitch who tried to take my husband. I’m like a kid in a candy store. I’m ending it all.”
“You’re going to finish it, mommy?” Chloe’s little voice made me spin around with wide eyes. Shit.
“Chlo, how long have you been standing there?” I frowned.
“You’re going to kill them? Like Daddy killed the bad man? Are there more bad men?” Laurel’s hazel eyes shifted from me to Chloe as she chewed nervously on her bottom lip. I wasn’t prepared to give a kid friendly answer to my daughter about how I planned to murder everyone that tried to harm my family and tear it apart. I opened my mouth and closed it, still not knowing what to say. “Mommy, are you going to kill the lady I didn’t like from dinner? Her name was Miss Lana, right?” Chloe climbed in my lap and started to play with my fingers mindlessly. “You should kill her. She’s a bad person. I know it. Can I see?”
“See what, Chlo?” I stammered.
“When you kill her.”
“Jesus,” Laurel muttered.
“No baby, that’s not for little kids.”
“So, you’re going to kill her for real then?” She scrunched up her little button nose. My own child made me tell the truth and I didn’t even see it coming. It was like having a conversation with myself.
“Would you think mommy was a bad person?” I asked honestly. Chloe shook her head, her long hair swaying back and forth.
“You’re finishing it. Just like you told me.” She put her little hands on my cheeks and stared into my eyes. Every time she spoke her dimples deepened a touch. “Finish it,” she said quietly. I nodded and smiled proudly. She clearly inherited my twisted darkness, and at first I was scared for her but I knew it meant she’d grow up to be ruthless. I’d teach her myself.
“I will, Chloe. Trust me. Mommy always finishes it.” I smiled at her and she smiled back. “We always protect our family baby.”
“Always? Even when Mase steals my juice?”
“Even when he steals your juice,” I laughed. She rolled her eyes and hopped down.
“Okay. I’ll protect him.” She paused before walking out and looked over she shoulder at Laurel. “Don’t worry Laurel, I’ll protect TJ and Alyssa too.”
“Okay, Chlo,” Laurel laughed. Chloe walked out and Laurel stared at me with big hazel eyes. “Oh my God. She’s like you. She’s just like you.”
“She is. It’s scary,” I sighed. “I’ll make sure she’s well-trained though. Gotta harness all that cute little darkness swirling around in her head.”
“Only you would think it’s adorable that your daughter is totally okay with you killing people.”
“I mean…it’s kind of expected.” I shrugged and then stood to my feet. “I’m gonna ask Claire to watch the kids then we’re leaving.”
“Camilla, I don’t want to watch you kill the girl,” Laurel frowned.
“You won’t if you don’t want to. I will need your help though,” I winked at her and she groaned.
**
Emmanuel’s office was quiet and there was barely anyone on his floor. When I peeked in Cole’s office, I saw him putting things into boxes, cleaning his desk out. “You’re seriously leaving?” I pouted.
“Yes. I already have my eye on a new job,” he told me.
“Oh?”
“The chief of police is moving to North Carolina. I’m going for it,” he smiled confidently and sat on the edge of his desk.
“Wow, so police chief Dunham?” Laurel turned the corners of her lips down and nodded approvingly.
“Yup. I know I have that shit in the bag.” He was grinning from ear to ear and as much as I was happy for Cole, I knew it would mean we wouldn’t see each other nearly as much. He noticed me pouting and pulled me in for a hug. “Stop it, Camilla.”
“I’m happy for you. I think you’ll get it,” I shrugged.
“Then what’s the face for?” Laurel asked.
“She’s sad because…”
“I won’t see you that much,” I looked down at my hands.
“So since you two have surpassed that whole creepy twin-friend level…I’m gonna go out here and find Lana’s office.” She closed the door behind herself and I just looked up at Cole with big, puppy dog eyes.
“You know I’m still gonna come over to bother you and the kids,” he assured me, tugging on my hair.
“I know, but you’ll be so busy. Chief of police, Cole? Really?”
“You don’t think I’m cut out for it?”
“You are. You’re so cut out for it it’s ridiculous. That’s why I’m sad.”
“I’m not gonna cut you back.” He grabbed my chin and made me look at him. I knew he wouldn’t want us to pull away from each other but that job was too demanding and it would happen one way or another.
“Cole, it’ll be inevitable if you get the job. No…when you get it.” I squeezed my bottom lip between my teeth and tried not to get too worked up.
“It won’t be that bad. Plus, maybe it’s for the best since we can’t be too close to each other.”
“I mean…we can,” I said.
“We can, huh?” He chuckled, tugging on my earlobe gently. “We can’t. Looking at you bite that bottom lip got me wanting to do some things.”
/> “Like what?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.
“Like this…” he kissed me and I fell into it hard and fast.
“Okay, maybe we can’t be around each other,” I laughed once we broke the embrace.
“Nah. We need shit to cool down for a little while.” I nodded reluctantly, knowing he was right.
“Um Camilla,” Laurel called from the hall. I blinked away the lust clouding my eyes and rushed out to meet her. In her hand she held a bag of small blue pills. I snatched them and felt my blood boil.
“Is it Molly?” I asked her.
“Yup. Blue dolphins. She was getting Manny fucked up.” Cole came out and looked at the bag in Laurel’s hand and sighed.
“Laurel I thought your pill popping days was over.”
“They mostly are but these aren’t mine.”
“They’re Lana’s. She was drugging Emmanuel. It’s the only way she could get him to sleep with her.” I explained everything to Cole as we went into her office to rifle more.
“Fuck. I should have seen that. Shit,” Cole cursed. “I should have had his back but all I could see was you and how much you were hurting.”
“Cole, it’s okay,” Laurel said, rubbing his shoulder.
“We came to blows over this shit and it wasn’t even real. I should have known Manny would never cheat on you. I feel like a prick.” While Cole beat himself up, I looked through Lana’s desk but didn’t find anything else out of the ordinary. Not even anything related to Joseph.
“Shit. She’s here,” Cole spoke in hushed tones and pushed her drawers closed.
“Just follow my lead,” I smiled and went back to Cole’s office before we were spotted.
“What are you going to do?” He asked with a raised brow.
“Just follow my lead,” I repeated. I had my best friends with me so I knew everything would go smoothly. If anyone could feed off of me it was Cole and Laurel. As soon as I saw Lana walk into her office I turned on the waterworks. “Where is she, Cole?” I shouted.
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