by C. Davis
I woke up in a pissy mood. Last night was so perfect. I made love to Camila over and over. Worshipped every inch of her body. Tasted her as she wrapped her thighs around my neck. I should’ve known it wouldn’t last. That she would sneak out on me.
I opened my eyes, fully prepared to make love to her again. However, that plan went out the window. I woke up to a cold spot next to me and a note on the pillow.
Lance,
Last night was fun.
XX Camila
I crumpled the note in my fist and threw it across the room in frustration. Was I pissed at her? Hell yes! I was mad because she fucked and ran.
Fun?
Is that what she thought last night was?
I got dressed and cursed myself the whole way home. I was livid with Camila for running away from me. But mostly, I was pissed at myself. Last night, I told myself it was one last fuck. I lied. It wasn't one last time. The truth was that I wanted Camila more than I had my whole life. I wanted what Murdoch has with Aubree.
I wanted Camila to be mine.
To be my girl.
Now that I think of it, I don't think I was ever in love with Aubree. I was in love with the idea of being in love.
“Hey, where have you been?” Caine asked as I sat down at the kitchen table.
“Busy,” I muttered.
“Busy doing what?”
Nosy fucker.
“None of your damn business.”
Caine narrowed his eyes, studying my expression. It’s been a few months since I came to terms and was okay with Murdoch and Aubree’s relationship. And Caine and Lila? Yep, still barely talking to each other. Not that I care. I’ve only got one thing on my mind. Camila Martinez.
“So, it has nothing to do with a certain dark-haired Martinez?”
He smirked.
“Don’t,” I warned, “Just leave it the fuck alone.”
“Lance, I’m assuming you’re over Aubree.”
Aubree who?
There’s only Camila now.
I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. When I met his gaze again, he let out a long sigh. “How long have you been fucking the Martinez sister?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you.”
“So, the past few months you’ve been with her? Lance, this isn’t high school anymore.”
I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. I didn’t need another reminder of how bad I fucked up things between Camila and myself.
“I fucking know that,” I hissed.
“Where have you been hiding lately?” Caine asked again, pushing for information.
“Out.” My reply is short and to the point.
“Dad is back,” Caine informed me.
“And?”
“And shit is about to hit the fan. Have you seriously not been checking your messages lately?”
“No. I told you… I’ve been a very busy man.”
I averted my gaze and pulled out my phone. I scrolled through my messages to find one from Austin.
Shit!
Meet me at Gilmore Point. We need to talk.
I swallowed hard and put my phone down on the table. Caine raised a brow and asked. “Trouble in paradise?”
A frustrated breath falls from my lips.
“Leave it the fuck alone! I swear to God if you don’t stop with the questions…”
“So, hell has frozen over. You’re over Aubree. I thought I’d never see the day.”
I growled.
He smirked.
“Goddammit,” I ground out, “I’m…”
“Lance,” he sighed, “Our world is about to go to shit. Long story short, Aubree’s father put her mother in the hospital and we have a half brother.”
“Brother?”
“Trevor is our brother,” he clarified.
“What the hell?”
“You heard me. Aubree’s brother is our brother. Trevor is a Spelling.”
“Shit, are you sure?”
“Yes, that’s why dad came back. He’s been staying at the cabin with Stella for her protection.”
Caine cocked his head to the side and grinned. “Which means you haven’t been staying there or you would’ve known about this shit storm. So, I’ll ask you once again, where have you been living for the past few months?”
“With a friend,” I muttered, “And that’s all you’re gonna get from me. Leave. It. Alone.”
“Fair enough “
I raised myself from my chair and grabbed my phone.
“And where are we off to?”
“Out and that’s all you need to know.”
It only takes me about ten minutes to pull up to Camila's World of Liquor. I opened the door and see her leaning against the counter. She’s wearing a simple V-neck cotton t-shirt. I groaned as she runs her hand down her neck, massaging her shoulder. And fuck me, it makes my dick hard when she softly moaned. The truth is, she always makes me hard. It doesn’t matter what she wears… or the sexy little sounds she makes. I’ll always get a stiff dick for her.
I stood in front of the counter and laid my palms flat on the counter to get her attention. She knew I was here, but playing her game again. She was ignoring me.
“Problem, Spelling?” Camila asked, meeting my heated gaze.
“Yes, I have a very big problem. I missed you in bed this morning.”
“I had to come to work. You know, the thing some people do to earn money.”
I do earn my own money. She doesn’t know that though. Hell, not even my brothers know that. Vincent and I own the bar I took Camila to. And that’s how I like it.
“So, I had an interesting customer earlier. Were you ever gonna tell me Austin was back in town?”
My fists curled into balls at Austin’s name. I. Was. Pissed. Not because he was back, but because he approached Camila.
“Well, Lance?”
I wanted to tell her everything. From how I never wanted to hurt her to how I got mixed up with The Royales. Most importantly, I wanted to take her away until Austin was gone.
“Let’s get out of this town this weekend. Come with me to Sweet Escapes.”
“Sweet Escapes? Lance, that place costs a fortune.”
“Money isn’t a problem, babe.”
“Well, some of us aren’t privileged to spend daddy’s money. Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll pass.”
“And that’s where you’re wrong, Senorita. I don’t spend my father’s money. I haven’t since high school.”
“You don’t work and hardly help your brothers out at the garage. So, where do you get your money?”
“Come with me and you’ll find out. Just let me take you away for the weekend.”
“Say I do, what will we even do? All we do is argue and fuck.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Argue.
Fight.
Fuck.
It’s what we do.
“Please, come with me and let me treat you like a queen.”
“And you’ll tell me everything?”
I slowly nodded.
Was I ready to come clean and reopen the wounds?
“I will,” I whispered.
“Even what happened in high school?”
Fuck.
“Yes,” I breathed out, “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Just say yes.”
“Okay, I’ll go.”
I leaned forward and kissed her softly. “Be ready at six tomorrow.”
Chapter 14
Camila
Lance left me breathless with his kiss lingering on my lips. A twinge of guilt hit me right in my chest.
This is what I’ve been waiting for… the truth.
So, why do I get the feeling things are about to change for the worse. This weekend would either bring us closer together or tear us apart. And I would be ready for it. I’ll face it head-on.
I heard the door open and shut, meeting Caine’s hardened gaze. He stormed towards me, leaning against the counter and narrowed his eyes.
&nb
sp; “Can I help you?” I asked.
“You can start by telling me what the hell you’re doing with my brother.”
“It’s complicated,” I muttered.
“Yeah, I got something similar from Lance.” He drawled out.
I closed my eyes and sighed. I was expecting this from Murdoch, but not Caine. An angry Murdoch, I could deal with that. But a pissed off Caine? No. Definitely didn’t see that one coming.
“Caine…”
“What’s going on between you and my brother?”
“We’re… friends.” I replied.
But were we?
Or are we just frenemies?
“Are you?” he questioned.
“Yes, we are friends,” I replied.
“Does Lance know that?”
“What’s with the questions?”
Caine leaned closer and darkened his eyes. “Lance likes you. If this is some kind of revenge for what he did to you in high school, I will make sure you pay severely. So, tell me what’s going on between the two of you.”
“Lance likes me?” I asked.
“He won’t admit it out loud, but yes. Lance likes you… he really likes you.”
I laughed.
However, Caine wasn’t laughing.
“Caine,” I sighed, “Lance and I are… friends.”
Lance and I were more than that. We crossed that line weeks ago. We're more than friends. I knew that. Lance knew that. And apparently, Caine knew that too.
“Friends?” he scoffed, “Last time I checked, friends don’t fuck each other. But it’s whatever, right?”
Okay, Caine.
I’ll bite back.
“Is that what happened between you and Lila?”
Caine’s lip twitched, his jaw tightening. “Just remember what I said.”
With that being said, Caine stormed out and slammed the door. He nearly knocked Murdoch down in the process.
“Christ, what was that about?” Murdoch asked, furrowing his brows.
“Lance,” I whispered.
Murdoch flashed me a grin. “So, big brother doesn’t approve?”
“Something like that,” I muttered.
“Don’t mind him. He’s just pissed because of what happened between him and Lila.”
“And what happened?”
“She friend-zoned him and now he’s pissed.”
“Damn.”
“Yep. Don’t let what Caine said bother you. His bark is worse than his bite.”
Murdoch slid an envelope across the counter and said. “Aubree and I are getting married next month. She wants you to be her maid of honor.”
“But what about Lila?”
“Lila is going through some shit. I’m assuming Lance will be your date.”
“I don’t know if I should. Considering…”
I knew of Lance and Murdoch’s rocky relationship. Lance is in love with Aubree… his brother’s girl.
“It will be fine now that Lance is over Aubree.”
“He’s not…”
“You’re blind if you can’t see that my brother only has eyes for you.”
“H-he does?” I stuttered.
“Yes. For the record, I think you’re good for him. You look cute together.”
I widened my eyes.
“No! We’re not…”
“A couple? You are.”
“We’re just friends,” I corrected him.
“By the way, have fun this weekend.”
How does he even know about that?
He threw me a wink.
“Who do you think gave him the idea? Have a good day, Camila.”
As Murdoch walked out of the store, I covered my mouth and closed my eyes.
Were Lance and I a couple?
I leaned against the wall and opened my eyes, realization washing over me.
“Fuck, we are a couple,” I whispered to myself.
I closed up the store and drove home. When I entered the house, I shared with my brother, I spotted a single rose with a note attached to the stem. It read:
Camila,
I can’t wait for this weekend. Don’t pack anything. All you need to bring is you. Let me take care of the rest.
xx Lance
I smelled the rose and smiled. A pair of arms wrapped around my waist and whispered seductively. “I take it you liked the rose.”
“Lance,” I breathed out, “I love the rose.”
He twisted my body around and captured my lips. I dropped the rose, threading my fingers through his hair. He groaned and whispered as he pulled away. “I missed you.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I missed you like crazy, babe.”
“It’s only been a few hours.”
“A few hours too long.”
Lance cupped my cheeks and kissed me again. This time, he kissed me passionately. Just like he did in high school.
“Let’s start the weekend early.”
“But I haven’t packed.”
“Babe, the only thing you need to bring is your sexy body. I have everything you need.”
“Lance…”
“Shh, let me take care of you, Senorita.”
Lance slid one hand down my neck and lowered it to my waist. He rubbed circles on the exposed skin of my hip and murmured. “I want to make love to you, babe.”
Make love?
He hasn’t said that since senior year.
“Then, what are you waiting for, Lance? Take me to bed and make love to me.”
And that’s what he does. Our mouths connect, a fire building up as we explore our bodies. Piece by piece, our clothes disappear.
“Fuck me, Lance. Now!”
“Lie down on your back and spread your legs, babe.”
It wasn’t a suggestion. It was a demand. The dominant side of Lance was coming out to play. The one thing I love about Lance.
Shit!
Did I just say that?
The one thing I love about Lance.
This was no longer a game for me. I was falling slowly. Falling deeper in love with a man I was supposed to hate. I just hope it's not a game to him. Because if it was... I would never come back from this.
Chapter 15
Lance
If I could take it all back, I would in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t have chosen to join ‘The Royales’. Most of all, I wouldn’t have betrayed the woman I loved. In the end, I chose to double-cross Austin. Then, that’s when all hell broke loose.
He knew I was falling for Camila. That’s when he took it upon himself to blackmail me using Camila. Austin was going to expose Oliver’s secret. I couldn’t have that. So, I did as he ordered. I broke Camila’s trust. I took the magic marker from Austin and wrote her name on the wall.
I ripped her heart out.
Broke her.
Ruined her.
And I hate myself for it.
Now the same girl is begging me to fuck her.
And I will.
Just as soon as we get the hell out of here.
Away from Sage, Oklahoma.
Away from Austin.
No distractions.
Camila sighed and said, “Caine came by the store today.”
“Oh yeah?”
“He doesn’t like that we’re… friends.”
Friends?
That ship sailed weeks ago.
“Senorita, we’re much more than friends and you know that.”
“Fine, We’re frenemies.”
“Try again, girl.” I bit out.
“Friends with benefits.”
“No,” I growled, “You’re mine, Camila.”
“Yours?”
“Mine,” I confirmed.
“And what if I don’t agree?”
“Too fucking bad. You’re mine.”
I loved Camila’s bad girl attitude. It’s what made me want her so bad. The way she stood up to me made my blood boil but in a good way.