by Ruby Rowe
“Wow, I suspect this evening will be interesting.”
“You have no idea. Damn, my parents are approaching. I’ll keep it brief.”
Camilla
As Ellis’s parents come closer, every neuron in my brain signals for me to run. I glance to the door we came in, emergency exits and a hall that I hope leads to a bathroom so I can vomit after this introduction.
“Ellis, sweetheart, I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show.” She kisses both his cheeks and then grants me a smile. Her eyes survey me as Ellis speaks to his father.
This woman is the epitome of classic elegance. Her blond hair is up in a tight twist, and her soft makeup gives her a youthful appearance. She’s petite, whereas Ellis’s father is tall and broad.
“Mother, Father, I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Camilla Rose. Camilla, these are my parents, Estella and James Burke.”
Upon hearing the word girlfriend, Estella’s eyes sparkle with joy. I think that’s a good sign. I reach out to shake her hand.
“Dear, you’re absolutely radiant,” she coos as she examines my face. James practically pushes her aside and takes my hand next.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Camilla. Ellis, being the private man he is, has starved us of details, so we look forward to getting to know you.”
“Thank you. I look forward to it, as well, and I’m touched to have the opportunity to attend such an important event.”
Estella beams at me. “I love her already. Ellis says you’re interested in philanthropy. We must have lunch soon to discuss it.”
“Yes, I’m getting my master’s now in Public Administration.”
“Ohhh,” she says in frustration. “I wish we could chat about it this instant, but I need to make sure everything’s in order for the auction. It was lovely meeting you. Let’s talk a bit over dinner.”
While she leans up to give Ellis a peck on the cheek, his father smiles at me and takes a moment to give me a once-over.
“Ellis, son, you better not let this one out of your sight.”
“I don’t plan on it.” He leans down and presses his lips to my temple, and I blush from his father watching.
As they speak about people I don’t know, I take the time to admire the ballroom. Sections of white fabric draped from the ceiling meet in the center, where a lavish crystal chandelier shines with dozens of lit bulbs that reflect light off brilliant strands of multi-faceted glass prisms.
I thought the one hanging in Ellis’s home was impressive, but it’s not nearly this size. It’s a centerpiece above tables blanketed in light grey linen cloths. The walls are draped with pale pink rippled fabric. The lighting is subdued, and I’m in awe.
“We better find our seats,” Ellis says.
Estella points toward a stage. “Your father can direct you to our table. Naturally, it’s front and center.” I nod and smile as Ellis nudges me forward. Taking my glass from me, he looks for a waiter passing by and sets it on a tray.
“Oh, do I have time to use the ladies’ room?”
“Absolutely.” Hooking my arm in his, he directs me to the restrooms. “I’ll wait right here,” he says next to the doorway, hesitating to let my arm go.
“I won’t be long.”
Once I’m in the stall, I discover it’s anything but ladylike to hold up a gorgeous gown and pee, but I do my best to make it quick.
As I walk toward the sink, I see a gorgeous woman standing there, fooling with her lustrous raven hair. I wash my hands next to her, and as I touch up my makeup, I catch in my peripheral vision her staring at me.
I close the cap on my lipstick and take a glimpse of her. She smiles with her full lips and midnight eyes.
“Hi. I couldn’t help but notice you’re with Ellis Burke this evening,” she says with a Middle Eastern accent, and I’m not pleased with the exotic, seductive way his name rolls off her tongue.
“Yes, and you are?”
Clasping her clutch purse, she shifts to face me.
“I’m Dalia.” I stick my hand out to shake with the beautiful woman, but she only glances down at it and holds her purse tighter. “Ellis and I dated a couple of years ago.”
I gulp and wish she hadn’t noticed, but her smirk says otherwise.
“Oh, well, I’m sure he’ll wish to say hello.”
“Yes, I’d like that.” She holds her hand out toward the door. “Shall we?”
Oh, she wants to do it now. Giving a weak smile, I head for the exit and hear her follow. Ellis is where I left him, speaking to a man, but the second his eyes catch the sight of us, he stops mid-sentence. His upper lip twitches, and he pulls on his bowtie to make room for more air.
“Ellis, how lovely to see you.” Dalia takes hold of his bicep and leans up with her long legs to kiss his cheek. She lingers, and it stirs a jealousy I haven’t felt before.
I hate knowing that when she steps back, he’ll struggle not to look at the plunging neckline of her striking purple gown, which reveals an excessive amount of cleavage.
“Dalia,” he says curtly.
“I was just getting to know your friend in the ladies’ room.”
He holds his arm out and nods for me to loop mine around it.
“Girlfriend. Camilla and I live together.” I sidle up to him, pleased by his response.
She shoots me a wicked glare but quickly recovers and lifts her chin. She says something to him in another language, Arabic I believe, and Ellis furrows his brow.
“She moved in only recently. Now, keep it in English please so Camilla can understand you.”
“I must admit, I’m intrigued as to how you got this man to want more from you than sex. Women have been trying to accomplish that for years.”
Her eyes flit back to Ellis, and the anger emanates off him.
“That’s precisely it, Dalia; Camilla didn’t try. She’s quite extraordinary and was above throwing herself at me.”
“You’re still brash as always, I see, and that’s my cue to leave.”
“I agree, and stay away from Lawrence and Aspen.”
“Be careful, Camilla. This one holds grudges. I wouldn’t cross him if I were you.” As my stomach sinks over her warning, I watch her march away. Tugging on my arm, Ellis starts walking.
“Let’s go. I’m calling Fletcher to pick us up. This is the exact bullshit I didn’t want you to witness.”
I come to a stop, pulling back on his arm.
“Ellis, please, let’s stay. Your parents will be disappointed, and I need them to get to know me before they hear how they’ve lost time with Liam. They’re going to be hurt.”
Sighing, he rubs the back of his neck and shifts his jaw to loosen it.
“Fine, we’ll stay, but let’s take our seats so we only have my crazy family to deal with. That’s a job in itself.”
I raise up to kiss his lips. “Thank you.” As we stroll toward the tables, I bite my lip and admire the affluent guests. “Can I ask who Lawrence and Aspen are?”
“Lawrence is my cousin, Greyson’s older brother. After I’d been dating Dalia a few weeks–and I use the term date loosely–I found out Lawrence had slept with her not long before.
“He’s married to Aspen, and she’s an incredible woman. Greyson said Dalia made passes at him, too, so I knew then she was only trying to get her paws on any Burke she could. He confessed about Lawrence when he thought things might get serious between Dalia and me.”
I steal a glimpse of him as we walk.
“Do you believe you would’ve become serious if she hadn’t slept with your married cousin?”
He smiles down at me, and seeing him lighten up is a relief.
“No, Camilla. She wasn’t you. No woman could ever be you.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ellis
I’m trying to keep it together for Camilla, but it’s a struggle. I don’t want her meeting women I’ve slept with for mere sexual gratification. She’ll let one bitter partner slide, but more than that, an
d I’m going to lose the respect I’ve fought to gain.
We reach our assigned table without any more interference, and my uncle Rich, who’s sitting to the right of my father, stands up from the other side of the round barrier. I say barrier because if it wasn’t there, Camilla would already be on the inside of a bear hug. He grins broadly.
“My favorite nephew, how are you this evening? And who’s this beautiful lady?”
“I’m good, Uncle Rich, and this is my girlfriend, Camilla. Camilla, this is Uncle Rich. He has that southern drawl, similar to yours, after years of working in Texas.”
“But he’s Ron to you, Camilla,” Greyson quips. “Only the golden boy here gets to call him Rich.”
Ignoring him, I introduce my aunt Mary Ann, who’s sitting to the right of Rich, and then continue around the table. “That’s my cousin Lawrence and his wife, Aspen.”
I glance to Camilla, and she frowns for a fleeting moment, and I’m certain it’s because she just heard about Aspen being cheated on. Thankfully, Aspen and Lawrence worked through it, and her forgiveness made her stellar in my book.
Everyone is welcoming to Camilla, but I expected no less. I smack Greyson on the shoulder next. “And you already know this annoying bastard.”
“Greyson is a sweetheart,” Camilla says before she sits in the seat I’ve pulled out for her next to him.
“Ellis secretly envies me, Camilla; he wishes to be me. It’s why he resorts to name-calling.” He brandishes a cocky grin and winks.
“Maybe I need to sit between the two of you,” I say. My family laughs, and at least the introductions are out of the way.
“How do you already know Greyson?” Aspen asks. She looks elegant tonight in her yellow gown with her light brown hair resting over her shoulders.
“Oh, we’ve talked at the house. I mean, I’ve spoken with him at Ellis’s home.”
“Our home,” I interject before I pick up my glass of water and take a much-needed drink.
“Excuse me?” my father asks in his curt voice, and suddenly I feel smaller as he waits for my response.
“I said it’s our home. Camilla lives with me.”
Her head shakes. “Ellis, this isn’t the best time…” I squeeze her hand under the table.
“No worries, dear,” my father says to her. “We’re all aware this is how Ellis operates. He blurts his thoughts out at the most inopportune times.
“I think he enjoys his tactless behavior, but little does he know; this news makes my day. It’s about time he settles down.”
“Now who’s choosing an inopportune time to speak their mind?”
“Damn, I love this family,” Greyson says. There are two empty seats to the right of him, and I’m sure one is for Whitney, but I’m curious as to who the other is for.
My mother arrives at our table as we’re being served our salads. She sits to my left, between my father and me, and smiles at everyone.
“Finally, everything is in place for the auction. Ellis, change seats with Camilla. I want to get to know her without yelling over you.”
I roll my eyes. “Sure. I should probably keep her out of Greyson’s reach, anyhow.”
“Dad, why is Ellis your favorite in this family when he’s so cruel to me?” he asks Uncle Rich.
“After what you’ve put me through over the years, it’s a joy to see him torment you,” he replies before nodding at me.
Camilla and I switch seats, and with the noise level in the room, it’s hard to overhear her conversation with my mother, which cranks up my anxiety.
Greyson leans over to my ear. “As much as I’d enjoy the show, maybe tonight’s not the best time to tell them about Liam.”
“I want it over with.”
“Or you wish to give your parents heart attacks.”
“Fine, I’ll wait.” Out of nowhere, Christopher appears behind the empty seat next to Greyson. Staring up at him, I scowl.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Ellis!” my mother scolds.
“Your gracious mother invited me. May I?” he asks, smiling at Estella as he grasps the back of the empty chair.
“Of course, and Ellis, Christopher was your brother’s closest friend and employee. He should be here to honor Tony. I don’t know why you’re surprised.”
OK, so my comment was rude, but I haven’t had a chance to address the stunt he pulled yesterday, when he went to see Camilla behind my back.
I grit my teeth. “I apologize, Christopher. I wasn’t expecting to see you, so it caught me by surprise.”
“It’s all good, Ellis.” After he sits, a waiter appears to take his drink order. Camilla squeezes my hand, and I watch her gnaw on her lip, giving away that she’s uneasy, too.
Thousands of square feet close in around me. My throat thickens, so I take another drink of water. Penny, a woman who’s stalking Greyson like prey, approaches our table and stands between us.
“Good evening, Burke family. Greyson, could I have a word with you?” she asks.
“Uh, sure.” He lays his napkin on the table and stands.
“Hi, I’m Penny,” she says, reaching across me to shake Camilla’s hand. “Oh, and congratulations; my friend Dalia told me you two are living together. It’s nice to hear Ellis is taking the plunge.”
My mother gasps. “Excuse me?”
“My sentiments exactly,” my father chimes in before he takes a drink of his scotch. Uncle Rich laughs, and I’m about to lose my shit.
“Oops, did I spill the beans?” Penny asks before she covers her mouth. Greyson grabs her arm and pulls her away.
“Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
“This family could be on one of those afternoon soap opera shows.” Uncle Rich chuckles boisterously. “Not that I watch them or anything.”
Aunt Mary Ann gives him a stern look, and Aspen giggles. Shaking his head in embarrassment, Lawrence tosses back his scotch. Maybe I need to reevaluate the drinking.
“Camilla,” Christopher says out of nowhere, “it was nice running into you at the park yesterday.” He flashes her a sly smile, and it couldn’t be more obvious that he’s instigating trouble.
Her eyes widen. “Right … it was a pretty day out.”
The asshole sneers in my direction, and I’m about to climb across this table and beat the shit out of him. I pull on my bowtie, ready to rip it off.
“When did the two of you move in together?” Mother asks Camilla. Dammit, we still have this to address.
“Uh, I—”
“Last month,” I say.
“You should’ve told us, Ellis. I shouldn’t have to hear it through the gossip mill.”
“You’re right, Mother. I apologize.”
“So, Camilla, how well do you know Christopher?” Lawrence asks with a cocked brow and thin lips that want to turn up into a smile.
Another asshole.
That’s it.
I’m done.
Time to leave.
“I have to go.” My alien family looks at me, so I lean over to Camilla. “We have to go,” I whisper in her ear and slide my chair back.
“Um, OK.” She gets up, chewing on that lip, and all I can think about is how I need a stiff drink and a hard fuck.
“Just take a breather outside,” Lawrence orders, giving me a pointed look. He’s relaying that I better pull my shit together and return to my seat like a grown-ass man, but if that’s the case, then he shouldn’t have stirred the damn pot only moments ago.
Unable to wait for Camilla, I tear off toward the exit. She calls my name, and I want her–need her, but my chest is caving in, much like the walls around me. She can’t see me any weaker.
Saying my name again, she begs for me to stop. Dammit. It’s unfair of me to do this to her, so I freeze in the lobby. Stepping in front of me, she cradles my face.
“Look at me. Let me help you through this.” Reluctantly, I gaze down at her. “I had no idea it was this difficult for you.” Tears rush to her ey
es, and it pisses me off that I’m the cause of it.
“I don’t want you to see me weak.”
“You’re not weak. You’re simply not like them, so it makes sense you’d be uncomfortable here. I am, too.”
“It’s not that simple. You’re not the one trying to leave.”
“Only because I’m putting your and Liam’s needs first. His grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins … they’re his family and in that ballroom, so I need to present my best self to them.”
Inching closer to me, she presses her body to mine. “I want to make a good impression for you, too.” She slides her hands from my cheeks to my neck and then down to my chest.
Her bedroom eyes, beneath heavy lashes, tilt up at me and stare as she licks her lips, her seduction intense and intimate, as if we’re alone in the busy room.
“Let me ease your tension. Find somewhere in this place to fuck me.”
Camilla
Panic had caused the flame that resides in Ellis’s eyes to become only a flickering ember, but my daring words are the sparks that send it back up in flames.
I watch it roil with desire and domination until he clutches my hand and pulls me behind him. I struggle to keep up in my spiked heels, but I let him take charge. He’s desperate for the control, and I need to feel safe.
His command gives me a sense of protection. Through his dominance, he’s confidant and won’t let me fall. It shows him he’s not alone, and I’m beginning to see that Ellis has felt alone most of his life.
Far away from everyone, we reach a set of doors.
“Please don’t be locked,” he mutters before yanking on one of them. It pulls back, and he practically pushes me inside. No lights are on in the spacious room, but windows allow the setting sun to filter in.
Dragging me to a round table, he bends me over it and removes his tux jacket before tossing it on a chair. I realize we’re in a much smaller venue, not rented out tonight, but there’s still a sense of recklessness since I’m certain we shouldn’t be here and anyone could walk in.
Lifting my long dress, he yanks my panties to the floor and taps my ankle, signaling for me to step out of them. He leans over my back and stuffs the ivory silk fabric inside my mouth.