BABY FOR A PRICE: Marino Crime Family

by Kathryn Thomas

  “How?!” Camille stood up from the beanbag with a jerk. She placed the mug of tea back on the table and stared at Shayna. It was a genuine question.

  “Because he’s putting you in harm’s way. Who knows what kind of business he runs, and what he’s involved in? The more you see him, the more entwined you’ll get in his stuff,” Shayna said, flailing her arms about her. She was obviously desperate for Camille to see some sense in this.

  “He promised me that it’s not dangerous or illegal,” Camille insisted, but Shayna rolled her eyes.

  “He was hiding away in your locked bookstore, then he punched a guy in the face and then three of them turned up at the store. How is any of that not dangerous?” Shayna asked, glaring at Camille. She had forgotten about her tea, but so had Camille by now.

  “I’m going Shayna, and that’s that. I want to know what’s going on. I want to see him again,” Camille said in a strained voice. She had raised her own voice to match Shayna’s. “Are you going to come with me or not?”

  The two girls stared at each other. Shayna had her lips pursed as she glared at Camille, and then she rolled her eyes again while folding her arms on her chest.

  “Fine, whatever. Just because you’re my best friend and I love you,” Shayna finally replied, and Camille clapped her hands and went over to give her a hug.

  “I love you too, Shayna. And I promise I won’t get myself into trouble,” Camille said, hugging her tightly.

  “We’ll see. I just don’t get a good feeling about this guy. He sounds like someone who is capable of anything,” Shayna told her with a pinched face and crossed brows. She had agreed to go, but it seemed like she was still hoping that Camille would change her mind.

  “I know what you mean, but I don’t know how to describe him better to you. He’s sweet and funny and protective.”

  “He just has a massive cock,” Shayna said, and they both laughed. Camille had told Shayna about the sex on the beach, and since then Shayna believed that the amazing orgasm that Camille had experienced had completely changed her.

  “Thanks again for agreeing to come with me, Shayna.” Camille sat back down on the beanbag, and Shayna finally picked up the mug of tea that had begun to get cold

  “Of course I would. I don’t want you to spend any more time alone with that man. Not if I can help it,” Shayna said, sipping the tea and looking Camille directly in the eye. Camille sighed and then smiled. She didn’t want to say anything to Shayna, but the truth was that she couldn’t wait to be alone with Devin again.

  “Can we work on our comic now, please?” Shayna then asked, breaking her train of thought.

  “We can try, but I can’t promise that I’ll be any good. I’m sorry, I’m really just very distracted.” Camille watched Shayna walk over to her bag to get her notebook.

  Shayna sighed and then turned to Camille with a shrug. “Fine, whatever, let’s do it on Sunday then, after our little visit to the art gallery.”

  Camille beamed. “Sounds like a plan!”

  Chapter Eight

  Devin

  Devin honked twice. He was parked in the same spot but in a Ferrari this time, and he saw Camille’s face appear at the window and then disappear. The past two days had been quite the wait.

  His boys worked tirelessly trying to get in touch with The Choppers, to find out what the problem was. Why they were stalking Devin. But nothing was discovered. He had also been desperate to see Camille again. Two days without hearing her voice, seeing her face, holding her… it had made him grow anxious. And Devin couldn’t think of the last time a woman had made him anxious.

  In a few minutes, the front door of Camille’s building opened, and she appeared, followed by another girl who Devin assumed was Camille’s friend.

  She looked different today; there was no red dress. But she was just as gorgeous.

  Camille wore a black pencil skirt that stretched over her long slender thighs, with a simple white silk blouse tucked into it and sparkling silver earrings. She had chosen a dark plum lipstick for her kissable lips, and her blue eyes shone just as bright as her earrings. Devin barely noticed her friend as his eyes remained on Camille.

  “Devin, this is my friend, Shayna.” Camille had walked up to the rolled down window on the driver’s side.

  “Hi, Shayna.” Devin tipped his head at her friend. “Hi Camille, you look beautiful,” he then added. Camille blushed, dropped her gaze, and walked around the front of the car to the passenger’s side. She climbed in, as did Shayna jumped in the back.

  “How have you been?” he asked, turning to Camille with a wide smile on his face. Camille smiled back as she strapped her seat belt on. Devin had already forgotten there was another person in the car with them; all his focus remained on Camille.

  “I’ve been well. How have you been?” she asked in her sweet musical voice. Devin nodded his head in response, watching her face, and then her nervous fingers on her lap. She was smiling widely, seemingly happy to see him.

  In the backseat, Shayna cleared her throat, and the two girls exchanged looks.

  “Devin,” Camille began as the smile disappeared from her face. For a moment he thought she was going to tell him that she wouldn’t be able to go out with him and that she never wanted to see him again.

  “Three guys from some biker club came into the store the day before morning. They were looking for you,” Camille finished, looking up at him. Her blue eyes were suddenly small, and she looked afraid. Devin lost his temper almost immediately and struck the steering wheel with his fist.

  “Did they hurt you? Did they threaten you?!”

  Camille looked more afraid of his reaction, so he tried to calm himself down. “I’m sorry, Camille. Are you alright?” he asked, and she silently nodded.

  “No, they didn’t do anything to me. They just wanted you to know that they’re looking for you,” she replied, and Devin reached for her face, he wanted to touch her lips, but Shayna interrupted them.

  “Why are your enemies following Camille? What do they want from her?” Shayna’s voice was shrill, and Devin turned to look at her with his brows crossed.

  “Shayna, will you please just relax?” Camille said while Shayna glared at him with dark eyes. Devin glared back until Camille touched him on his shoulder.

  “She’s just worried about me,” Camille told him, but he didn’t stop glaring at Shayna. He had heard the threat in her voice. Shayna was trying to communicate to him with her voice and her eyes that she had control over her friend, and that Camille would listen to her.

  “As am I,” Devin said, still holding Shayna’s glare.

  “Then why are thugs turning up at her bookstore? What kind of shit have you gotten her into?” Shayna said through gritted teeth.

  “Shayna! Stop it!” Camille’s voice was raised, and she jerked Devin’s arm, urging him to turn back around.

  “I’ll take care of it, Camille. I don’t know what they want from me, but I’ll find out. You won’t have to go through that ever again.” Devin turned back to her, with his hand on the ignition key. Camille still had her hand softly placed on his arm, and his temper started to die down. Just looking at her face had that effect on him. He felt calmer around her.

  “I’m sure you will, let’s just go to the art gallery,” Camille said. He nodded and threw one quick look at Shayna before revving up the engine.

  “What a noisy little car,” he heard Shayna say in the back, but he only rolled his eyes.

  “I’m looking forward to this. I didn’t expect an art gallery from you,” Camille added, ignoring Shayna’s comment, and Devin started the car with a smile. All he needed was to hear Camille’s voice, to have her by his side. Shayna was being problematic, and he wasn’t yet quite sure how much power she really had over Camille.

  But for now he didn’t care, he was just happy to see Camille again. He drove, asking her questions about her day. Shayna sat in the back silently as they drove towards the art gallery, while Camille chatted away,
looking over to him from time to time.

  She was laughing more tonight, smiling a lot and he wondered if she was as happy to see him as he was to see her. He wanted to ask if she had been thinking about him, but he couldn’t because Devin Rock had never been this needy for a woman before. He had never been this desperate for one woman’s attention. But Camille Griffin was something else; she was like nobody he had ever met before.

  ***

  Devin walked around to open the door for Camille once they had reached the art gallery and parked the car. She gave him her hand when she stepped out. He had held the door open for Shayna as well, and she stepped out behind them.

  “Your friend is having a show at Evangeline Fox’s Art Gallery?” Shayna commented, looking at the lit up gallery across the road. The streets were jam-packed with expensive cars, and paparazzi cameras blocked the entrance. Miami’s best and foremost were arriving.

  “Devin? This is a surprise. I don’t think I’m dressed for the occasion,” Camille whispered in his ear. Devin turned to her and smiled. Her hand was small in his, and he gripped it tightly as he led her across the street. Shayna had already crossed and was on the other side.

  “Your friend must be very talented to be able to hold an exhibition here,” Camille added as they walked together. Her arm was entwined with his and Devin’s heart was racing. He couldn’t stop himself from constantly turning to look at her.

  “Yes, she is very talented. She is a photographer. And, you look lovely, Camille, you will be the best dressed in the whole place.” Devin placed a gentle forefinger under her chin. Camille’s eyes widened, and she blushed again; her heels were clicking loudly on the street.

  Some cameras turned towards them as they entered, with Shayna leading the way in. Now, even she looked excited, her former bitterness gone.

  With Camille on his arm, they entered the gallery and found that it was crowded to the brink with Miami’s glitterati. The photographs were all up on the walls, and people had thronged around them.

  “Devin!” He heard Camille cry when her eyes fell on the photographs. He wasn’t sure what her reaction would be. He could sense people walking towards them in a hurry, people who had been waiting for him to arrive. People who now couldn’t wait to talk to him.

  “These are all photographs of you!” It was Shayna who spoke up, turning to both of them, and Devin turned his face to look at Camille. She wasn’t looking at him; she was looking at the photographs on the walls. Her grip on his arm had loosened. She was too distracted by what she was seeing to focus on him anymore.

  “They are not all me,” Devin said, and Camille whipped around to look at him. He couldn’t tell what she was feeling. “This is a photo series of my biker club. The photographer wanted to shoot us, and she did, over the course of six months,” he explained, and both the girls looked around them dazed.

  Even Devin had to admit that the photographs had come out great. They were mostly in black and white, and most of the ones of him were shirtless, or nude from the back. Some raw, honest moments had been captured by the camera.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Camille asked.

  “I wanted it to be a surprise.” Devin smiled, and she tried to smile, but couldn’t. It was apparently all too overwhelming for her.

  “They all seem to love it,” Camille said, looking deep into his eyes.

  “Apparently this is art.” He reached for her face and grazed the side of her cheek with his finger.

  “It is art. These shots are beautiful. You look handsome.” Camille’s voice had gone shy. Shayna had drifted away from them, and finally, Devin felt like he could have some time alone with Camille.

  “This will probably make me more money than my business,” he said gruffly, pulling Camille to him by her waist. She placed her hands flat on his chest and looked up at him, with her sparkling blue eyes. Her lips looked luscious, like dark rich velvet. He wanted to kiss her there, rip her clothes off… but he knew all eyes were on them. Cameras too.

  “I hope this is a good surprise, Camille,” he said, and she took her time to respond, but nodded.

  “You’re a part of the art. And who is the photographer?” Camille asked, drawing closer to him so that he could hear her over the loud chatter in the gallery.

  “It’s actually Evangeline,” Devin replied and watched as Camille’s eyes grew wide again.

  “Evangeline Fox?” Camille’s brows went up. “You are friends with Evangeline Fox?”

  Devin nodded. “Yeah, Evangeline is an old friend. She wanted to do this project, and we agreed.” Devin released his grip on Camille’s waist when he saw a reporter approaching them. He was aware that an art show like this, of nearly naked biker boys, would create a buzz. Evangeline had warned him of that… but this was not the scale of buzz he had been expecting.

  “Camille, will you excuse me, please? I should probably go and mingle. I’ll find you soon,” he said, taking a few steps away from her.

  Camille looked disheartened for a few moments but then seemed to force a smile and nodded her understanding. “Of course, go. You’re the star tonight,” she replied and gestured for him to leave.

  The male reporter had been waiting to the side and now took the opportunity to step in between the couple.

  “Hi, Mr. Rock. I’m Marcus Wise from The Evening Gazette. I was wondering if we could have a quick word?” The reporter had already taken his notepad out.

  Devin licked his lips and turned from Camille to the reporter and smiled. Evangeline had given him strict instructions to be friendly with all the reporters. Her success with the project depended on it.

  When he looked up again, Camille was gone. She had dissolved into the crowd of people, and he missed her already.

  Chapter Nine

  Camille

  Camille wanted to touch the photographs hanging on the walls but knew that she couldn’t. The ones that were getting the most attention from people attending the art show were of Devin. He had a deep, intense stare as he peered directly down the lens of the camera.

  In all the photographs he was shirtless on his bike or at the breakfast table with scruffy hair, his jeans low on his groin, and the elastic band of his underwear sticking out. His torso, his washboard abs, the light dusting of dark hair on his chest, the tattoos on his back, his large masculine hands, his muscles… they were all making Camille’s head spin. Everywhere she looked, women were pointing at the photograph - laughing, giggling, and ogling.

  Camille knew she had no right to feel jealous. Who was she to Devin? They had been on one date together and had sex… but so what? Camille wanted to leave, she had a terrible feeling that she wouldn’t be able to bear to be around the photographs for too much longer.

  Shayna was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Devin. The gallery was stuffed with people carrying champagne glasses in beautiful expensive-looking dresses, and Camille felt out of place. She didn’t feel worthy to be there. Then she caught sight of Devin again. He was standing underneath one of the framed photographs and shaking hands with a few people dressed in tuxedos. She smiled because suddenly she realized that he looked as out of place as she felt.

  He hadn’t traded in his usual attire for a suit. He was still in a pair of dark jeans, with a plain white t-shirt, black leather jacket, and muddy boots. Even his hair looked the same. Devin had put in no extra effort for the art show despite it being held in his honor.

  He caught Camille’s eye as she stood in the corner with a smile on her face. When he started walking towards her, she bit down on her lip.

  “Sorry I had to go away, I hope you’re not bored,” Devin said when he finally approached her. She could see that everyone was turning to look at them, they all wanted to see who this handsome hunk of a model had come to the gallery with.

  “No, I’m not bored at all. This is lovely,” Camille replied. Devin smiled and stared into her eyes. Whenever he did that, it always made her feel uncomfortable because it reminded her of their naked bodies pre
ssed together on the beach. He’d looked at her the same way he had that night when she bounced on his lap.

  “This would be a great place to hold an art exhibition,” Devin added, interrupting her thoughts and Camille’s brows crossed. She didn’t know what he was trying to say.

  “Yes, it is good.”

  “You’re an artist, don’t you have some art to show?” Devin took a few steps closer to her.

  Camille felt her cheeks flush. She couldn’t believe that he would even suggest a thing like that.

  “My art at Evangeline Fox’s gallery? Don’t be ridiculous.” Camille rolled her eyes, but Devin was still staring at her, with an encouraging smile on his face.

  “I told you I’m friends with her, and I know she is always on the lookout for new talent. I’m sure she’ll be open to at least seeing your work,” Devin said, catching her embarrassed gaze. Camille tried to smile; this man was something else! And he didn’t even know the truth yet about her comics.