There he was again. Dressed almost the same as last time, only in different colors. Across the street and a distance away from her, facing her way. He wasn’t hiding his presence, but he wasn’t coming to her either. When he did nothing, she left for home. She again, looked over her shoulder and he wasn’t coming after her.
He was there again when she had to go out the next day to pick her mom up from the bar she’d ended up in, and days later when she headed back to the office to hand in her work. She’d finished it early because she’d been venting her frustrations into it, and she’d spent a whole lot of time at home, hiding from him. It creeped her out that he was always lurking about, but never approaching her.
As she stepped out of the building, empty handed this time, she looked and sure enough, there he was. Still across the street, but a lot closer this time, so she could see he was definitely looking right at her. People walked past and around her, but his stance and his head never once shifted.
It was as if he was deliberately baiting her, waiting for her to go to him.
Shit. How long do I have to put up with this? she thought in frustration.
She was no longer frazzled by his appearance though just annoyed that he was resorting to this.
Camila normally didn’t get out of her home much anyway, so she was tempted to see how long he could play this game before he grew tired. However, it would get tiring eventually. It was tiring even now and she didn’t think she could take being holed up in her home anymore. Not because of work, but because she didn’t want to bump into him again. Even if he wasn’t actually going near her.
With a sigh, Camila moved up to the edge of the curb instead of walking away. She was at a cross point in the road, so she watched out for cars, and ran across when the light showed red.
Time to get this over with, she thought.
She never did think to consider however, exactly how he kept finding her wherever she went, when he shouldn’t have been able to.
“Adrien,” she called as she walked up to him, not even bothering to hide her annoyance, and ready to start lecturing him.
Only, she stopped when she saw his expression. She hadn't expected for his face to light up when he saw her coming toward him, and her footsteps even stumbled a bit. She slowed her walk, but still moved forward until she stopped right in front of him.
“Hey,” he said, sounding so unbelievably happy.
Camila had to keep herself from wincing. She frowned at him, hard.
“I thought you’d never come up to me. I don’t know what I did to make you mad, but… do you think you could give me a chance to apologize and not run away every moment you see me?”
By the end of his little speech, his words had turned into pleading. His face, which she could have compared to a kid seeing an offered ice cream, changed, and he now looked like a kicked puppy. Camila actually felt a twinge in her heart.
No! her head cried out. What are you doing? You’re supposed to be making a clean break…
Adrien, unaware of her inner turmoil, took a tiny step closer to her, slouching his back and hunching his shoulders, as if he was trying to make himself appear smaller. Not that it helped much since she still had to tilt her head back just to be able to see him.
“I’m sorry about before,” he said sincerity clear in his eyes. “Just saying it might not be enough, but please, don’t keep running from me, okay? I was really hoping that things between us could work out. I fucked up, but I’ll fix it.”
As he spoke, Camila could feel herself slowly softening toward him. He’d been hanging around so much because he was waiting for her to approach? But then she frowned and shook her head.
“I don’t think this is something you can fix, Adrien.”
He winced like her words physically pained him. “Don’t say that. Everything was going so great. You aren’t like anyone else I’ve been with before, Camila. You’re special. What we had was special. Just tell me how I fucked up. I know it’s important to women to cuddle after sex and next time I promise, I’ll—”
“I didn’t leave because you didn’t cuddle,” she said sharply, shocked. Was that really what he thought? He’d seen the blood. And he had to have realized she hadn’t gotten off or been into the sex with how rough he was being. Right?
His brow furrowed. “Then… why? You rushed off the boat and then just started ignoring me, without even a word. I’ve been trying to give you your space but I miss you.” He took the smallest step closer, eyes searching hers. “I miss us.”
Camila’s mouth dropped open. Could it really have been a misunderstanding? She guessed… well, it had only happened once, and he was right, she hadn't even said what was wrong. And while it was happening, had she actually asked him to stop? She frowned and scrunched her forehead. No, thinking back, she didn’t think she had.
Maybe… if she actually told him how bad it had been for her, then it wouldn’t happen a second time? Communication was key, everyone said that. But she hadn’t even tried explaining. And here he’d been every day, trying to make amends but waiting until she was ready to come to him.
“I don’t know,” she murmured, the still annoyed side of her rearing up. Even if it had just been bad sex, it’d been really bad sex. And it hadn’t been the only problem in their relationship.
“Come to lunch with me,” he said quickly, seeing her vacillating. “My place. Please?”
Camila wavered for a bit longer, but she had this feeling that if she said no, he would continue with his persistence. She didn’t want that. It was wearing her down, but it couldn’t be any easier for him, tracking her down just to apologize and spending so much effort.
“Fine, but only lunch,” she murmured. Was she actually ready to try again?
Adrien beamed at her as if she’d given him the best present.
“I promise you won’t regret it,” he said, reaching for her hand, then tugging her behind him, and Camila followed.
Am I really doing this? she asked herself. But it was just lunch. And this was the absolute last chance she was giving him. If he screws it up I’m done. I know I’ve thought this before, but doesn’t everyone deserve another chance? Or maybe three in his case? Camila sighed. She probably should have just ignored him. It was too late now though since she’d agreed to lunch.
To her great surprise, though, he was charming at lunch. More than charming, he was attentive. For once, he didn’t monopolize the conversation. He asked about her work and he listened.
He took her hand over the table and rubbed gentle circles with his thumb and it made her feel warm all the way through. She began to think that maybe she was right to give him this chance.
“I’ve missed you, Camila. Please, will you give me a second chance?”
She breathed out hard, but looking into his earnest blue eyes, stomach flipping, she couldn’t do anything else but nod. He might be wrong about the number of chances he was on, but there was something here, wasn’t there? She could see that he was really making an effort to change and wasn’t that all she could ask for?
So like that, their dates resumed, and she was seeing him regularly again. And, Adrien did change a bit. They no longer went to dance clubs, they didn’t even go to restaurants outside anymore. He invited her to his home for lunch and dinner, and even when she knew she had work to do, as long as he called her, she would go. They wouldn’t always have both on the same day, or sometimes he would let her have some days to herself. But between lunch or dinner, she got to see him more days of the week than before, even.
He made her laugh and it was nice having someone in her life again.
“I’m so glad you decided to give me another chance,” Adrien said, reaching for her hand across the table two weeks later. He did that a lot now and it always made her happy.
They were at his house, at a small table that was set out just for them in a parlor, because the dining room only had that huge ass table. Camila, feeling happy with her decision to be with him again, squeezed
his hand back in affection.
“I’m glad I made the decision, too,” she said, smiling over at him. “But if you wouldn’t mind, I need to use the bathroom for a bit.”
“Oh,” he said, standing up while still holding her hand. “I’ll take you.”
Camila just giggled and squeezed his hand again as she stood herself. “There’s no need! I’ve been here enough times to at least know where the bathroom is. Just wait for me and I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Okay,” he agreed, sitting back down and reluctantly letting go of her hand.
They had yet to have sex again, and Camila was sort of wishing for it and dreading it at the same time. She did, however, hope they didn’t do anything today.
What terrible timing to get my period, she thought self-consciously. None of the guys she’d ever dated had liked period sex, and she didn’t think Adrien would either, so she’d just have to wait until after it was over before she started hoping for sex again.
Camila froze, realizing she’d forgotten to get something. Her bag was still in the room.
“Shit,” she muttered. “Tampon.”
She rushed back to the parlor. She was wearing medium high heels, but since the floor of the hallway was covered by a rug, her movements were noiseless.
Camila moved to the door of the parlor, only to freeze a second time, watching Adrien’s actions.
“What was that?” she asked, or rather blurted out, because she was so startled.
She had just seen Adrien pouring something into her drink. They’d been sipping on wine as they waited for the food to come, and she’d left her half empty glass right there.
He wasn’t even startled. Adrien made the move look totally casual as she stopped whatever he was doing and slowly straightened up, then looked at her with a smile.
“What do you mean?”
She gaped at him. “Adrien… I just saw you messing with my drink. What the fuck did you put in it?”
He shrugged his shoulders, a familiar innocent expression on his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said with a chuckle. “I didn’t put anything dangerous in your drink.”
Yeah, right, she thought with heavy sarcasm. People didn’t spike other people’s drinks with harmless things.
“Adrien,” she said, her voice dropping low in warning. “You better be straight with me right now and tell me what is going on, or I will walk out of this house, this instant, and you’ll never see me again.”
That, at least, got him to stop smiling. His eyebrow twitched, and she saw a tick in his jaw. She couldn’t even feel satisfaction. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was feeling right then, but anger was definitely at the forefront.
“Adrien, I fucking trusted you!” she yelled at him, feeling her heart shatter all over again.
He frowned, then, his lip curled. “Well then, if you had just agreed when I asked if you could spend the night with me, instead of telling me no, we wouldn’t be having this conversation! Why do you keep telling me no? Even when I picked you up today, you said no to staying with me tonight!”
“Is that really what you’re bothered about?” she asked, her voice high with incredulity. “We were rebuilding our relationship and trust, Adrien! I would have stayed, but I had a reason not to stay today! Any other day would have been fine, but I couldn’t do it today!”
“And why not!” he shouted back at her, also losing his cool. “Why not today! You already said you forgave me for what happened!”
Camila felt her face burn at that, but it was true, she had forgiven him. But how could she just come out and say she wouldn’t sleep with him tonight, or the next few nights, because she was on her period? It was too fucking embarrassing to be put into words! Besides, that was not the fucking point. He’d spiked her drink!
“What is going on in here?”
That low, stern voice had them both going still and quiet. Camila, in particular, hadn't heard it in a while, and turned to look at the doorway, where Sam stood, dressed in a suit with his arms folded across his chest, frowning at the two of them.
Chapter Nine
Camila felt shaken. To think she’d been fooled by the same guy again. His apology before must have been an act, but he’d looked so sincere that she’d softened almost immediately. Clearly, it was a mistake. Now she wondered if she could ever trust herself again.
She could only consider herself stupid for falling for his apologies. She knew better now, though. Not being good in bed was one thing, but to do something like this? There was definitely something wrong with Adrien.
With Samuel staring at the two of them from the doorway, she suddenly felt very cold, and very foolish.
Camila ducked her head down without another word, slowly moving closer to the table while keeping as far away from Adrien as possible. She managed to pick up her bag, keeping an eye on him in her peripheral vision, but neither of the men in the room moved. She got her bag, and immediately headed for the door.
“Camila.”
The voice came from behind her, so it was Adrien. It was just him calling her name, but his voice sounded so flat, so without emotion, that her heart trembled a bit and her stomach knotted. She didn’t stop. When she got to the doorway, she still didn’t look up, but Samuel didn’t obstruct her. He stepped to the side and allowed her to walk past him.
“Wait for me outside,” Samuel said.
His voice was quiet, but she heard it clearly, being so close to him. She wanted to look up at his face and gauge his reaction, but he’d already walked forward. Camila had stopped at his words, hesitating, but as she noticed him move out of her vision, she continued forward at a slower pace. Behind her, she could hear the twins’ voices speaking quietly to each other.
She wondered if Adrien was going to admit to Samuel what he’d done. She didn’t think Samuel had seen that part for himself, so what would he think was the reason for their argument?
Would he take her side, or his brother’s side?
If she told him what Adrien had done, would he believe her?
Camila was feeling a bit dazed by the time she made it to the front doors. They were large double doors that were usually left open during the day and closed once the day grew into evening. They were surprisingly not as heavy as they looked, so she was able to push them open on her own though she left them open as she stepped outside.
Honestly, if Samuel hadn't shown up, she would have been in a bit of a bind. The Kane mansion was quite a distance outside of city proper, and getting a taxi out here once she made it to the gate wouldn’t be possible, because none ever passed by out here. If she called for one, who knew how long she would have to wait in the cold for it to come? She was in a dress today that fell to just above her knees. She had a jacket over it, but her legs would still feel the cold.
She was going to ask Samuel if he could drive her home, or at least have someone else drive her.
“Camila.”
It was the second time someone had called her name, but she knew even before turning this time that it was Samuel. After hearing the flat way Adrien had called her name, she realized there was a bit of a difference with Samuel. Samuel’s tone wasn’t cold, or flat, it was just low and even. It was simply how he always spoke.
“I’m sorry if my brother acted wrongly toward you. I could give you a ride home, if you’d like? Or call a taxi for you if that’s your preference.”
Camila blinked at him. It had been a while since she’d heard his formal way of speaking. She didn’t know anyone else who spoke like that, so she could only take it as one of his quirks, but it wasn’t as though it was bad. After dealing with Adrien and finally being broken, just a little, by him, she even found it soothing.
“If you could drive me home, I would appreciate that,” she said with relief. She’d been thinking of asking, so if he was just going to offer, of course she wouldn’t say no.
“All right, then,” he said, walking forward. “I arrived not too long ago and I did
n’t park my car far. Follow me.”
Camila had only gotten as far as a few steps out the front door, because it was dark already and she could feel the breeze, so much colder now that it was evening, washing over her. Looking toward where he was headed, she saw a car parked several feet from the house, but it was still close enough. She wasn’t sure, but she thought the house had a separate garage. She’d never seen it before, though it was probably not close. If it was around the house, for example, just the front of the mansion covered what would be a couple blocks.
Though he probably would have just asked someone to bring the car around for him. His house did have plenty of servants, even though she hadn't seen much of them when Adrien brought her over, besides when they were getting served to eat on their dates.
Dates that are never happening again, she told herself decisively.
At the bottom of the front porch steps, Samuel walked over to the car, but instead of going toward his side, he moved to the passenger side and pulled the door open, then turned to Camila. She was a bit surprised, because no guy had ever held the door open for her before, but she hurried forward and got inside. Then, she watched as he rounded the front of the car and got into his seat. She watched him pull on his seatbelt, and did the same herself.
“Thank you for this,” she murmured, feeling a bit ashamed of herself now when she remembered all the unflattering things she’d thought of him, when he was turning out to be such a gentleman. “Sorry to trouble you.”
“Not at all,” he said kindly, his voice the most gentle she’d heard since she met him. He glanced over at her with a light frown, then started the car and headed down the drive. “I feel like I should be the one to apologize to you, actually. I should have worked harder, before, to make you understand just what an… ass my brother is. I feel responsible for his actions so I can't consider myself not to blame entirely for what happened.”
Buried Obsession: Book 1 of the Obsession Trilogy Page 8