by Soraya Naomi
CHAPTER 11
Camilla
Apparently, even an unbreakable bond can snap. It might not get completely severed, but it’s not immune to outside forces. I’m not truly worried about us until it goes from bad to worse, instead of better, after our talk, and our cease-fire doesn’t last long.
My instinct has been right. Serena Bartoli is up to something, and I truly get it when I pass Serena, who’s talking to one of her girls in the dance club, the following night.
“It was nice to see Sophia again.” Serena glances at me, but I pretend not to have heard her.
A sense of foreboding settles in my soul. Adriano acted contrite last night, and he even apologized, which rarely happens. Maybe he was feeling guilty because Serena and his mother have been spending time together?
When I first met his mother, Sophia, I thought she was a sweet woman. But she isn’t. Sophia’s clingy toward her children, and she obviously dislikes me because she thinks Adriano hasn’t been visiting her lately because of me. She believes he’s too involved with me.
After downing a bottle of water from behind the bar, I follow Serena out to the back entrance’s hallway.
“Are you looking for me, Camilla?” She awaits me in the hall in her hooker stilettos.
“You obviously have something to say to me. You keep throwing hints around when no one’s watching,” I snarl.
Her painted red lips tilt up. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t act all innocent.” I take one step forward. “I know it wasn’t a coincidence that you and a guard were just happening to watch my footage with Santino when Adriano walked in.”
Her face transforms into one of fake sympathy. “Did it cause trouble between you two? Is that why he took me to see his mother last night?”
I feel like I’ve been speared through the heart. He went to Friday night family dinner with Serena after he dismissed me? That’s why he acted so regretful!
Attempting to mask my total amazement, I steadily retort, “It would take a lot more than you to cause trouble between us.” I crowd her and her overconfident grin falters, so I smile sweetly and calmly turn around without saying another word.
Needing to talk to Adriano, I return to the club. Fallon’s at the bar, so I go over to her.
“Serena’s sneering at me every time no one’s looking. She’s devious. I just saw her, and she says Adriano took her to his parents’ last night?”
Shocked, Fallon defends him. “She must be lying. She’s trying to goad you.”
Serena returns too, which I think is strange because I thought she was leaving, and glowers at me.
“Did you see that?” I jerk Fallon’s arm, so she whips her head around.
“No. She’s good at hiding her displeasure with you, and you need to chill and talk to Adriano about what’s going on. I believe you, but with how professional she’s being and how impulsive you’ve been, you come off as paranoid. Be careful, Cam.”
“She’s really grating on my nerves. But you’re right. I need to talk to Adriano, but I’m afraid I already know the truth.”
“Why?”
“He acted very sorry last night. More so than usual. Something happened last night, something he didn’t tell me,” I reveal my concern.
“Don’t jump to conclusions. And Adriano’s not here, by the way,” she informs me.
I get my phone from my pocket and try to reach him, but he doesn’t answer. Upset, I decide to drive to our loft and wait for him there.
But I’m beside myself when it’s after three a.m. and Adriano hasn’t arrived home nor has he called or texted me to let me know where he is. Sleep is nonexistent while I wait on the sofa in the living room, and my annoyance increases with every passing minute. Anxiously biting my nails, I obsess over and over about whether or not he would lie to me about Serena.
Ultimately, I drift off to sleep and wake at six a.m., even more irate when I find that he still hasn’t returned home. He’s broken two promises in one night: to keep me updated more and to always sleep at home.
The front door unlocks, and I stand up, rubbing my eye with my phone dangling from my hand.
“Where were you?” I demand. Hours and hours of waiting have pushed any patience with this situation away.
“Why are you still up?” His gaze drops to my phone.
“Where. Were. You?” I purse my lips in anger, knowing he’s avoiding answering.
“At the club.”
“All night? Why didn’t you text or call me, or bother to come home!”
“We were short-staffed, and it was hectic. And my phone was in the office while I had to cover for Tez on the underground floor for a couple of hours. By the time I was able to get to it, it was so late that I didn’t want to wake you.”
“So you were in the sex club? With whom?” I rest my phone on the kitchen bar, next to the vase of flowers.
He cocks his head. “With Serena, but also with others.”
In an instant, I throw the vase at him, and he ducks. “Jesus Christ, Cam!”
The glass splinters into a million pieces, and Adriano charges at me, grabbing me by my shoulders and lifting me onto my tiptoes. “Calm the fuck down! We were only working. How often do I have to repeat that to you!”
He shoves me back onto the couch, but I jump up. “No! I take a lot of your shit, and I accept your overbearing personality, but I also expect you to keep your promises! You promised to keep me updated more, and the next night, you’re MIA. And then you didn’t even answer your phone. It’s a two-way street.”
“There was an incident in the club, and I didn’t have my phone at hand, Cam. You know that I always try to keep my promises,” he yells with bite.
“Not lately. You went with her to your parents’ last night? It’s true, isn’t it? She was all too happy to tell me about it. Now you tell me if I’m still seeing things that aren’t there.”
A vein on his forehead throbs as we’re stuck in a battle of wills.
“Tell me,” I shout.
“Lower your voice.” There’s such an undercurrent of irritation to his face. “It’s true, but my mother invited her.”
“So?” I raise my hands in the air. “In what universe do you think it’s acceptable for you to take an ex to your parents’ when your current girlfriend is waiting for you at home?!”
His mouth tightens, then he demands to know, “Did Serena tell you directly that she was at my parents’?”
“No, not at first,” I admit begrudgingly. “But she made sure I overheard her.”
“Godammit, Cam. This is all in your head. Serena hasn’t flirted with me once. My mother invited her, and Serena was even reluctant. You have got to trust me to handle her. I fucking love you.”
“I’m not doubting your love. It’s not about that. But I just want you to respect me enough to believe me when I tell you that she has an ulterior motive and you’re playing right into her hand. My word should mean more than her actions.”
Adriano scrubs his palm down his face. “We’re just going in circles. If you have evidence to support your theory, I’ll gladly kick her out. But for now, I need her clientele, and she was only there talking to my mother. I left after ten minutes because I missed you. And as my girlfriend, I expect you to trust and support me.”
“I did until you fucking lied to my face last night,” I scream.
“Camilla, this discussion is starting to piss me off!”
We’re both breathing heavily, but I’m puffing like a bull.
Angrily, Adriano grabs my face and steals a kiss, trying to seduce me. Usually, in situations like this, we argue, we fuck, and we make up. But this time, my fury is overpowering, so I wrench away from him.
“No, don’t try to seduce me,” I warn. “It won’t work. Don’t you see how she’s coming between us?”
“No, I don’t. This is all your paranoia. You need to stop this!” Adriano’s muscles ripple from annoyance.
“I’m not paranoid. I can’t beli
eve you still think this is all about jealousy. Serena has an agenda, and you’re helping her. I will not tolerate your not coming home because you’re too busy with the sex club. And with her. You can sleep on the fucking couch!” I trudge right past him.
Without the slightest warning, his fingers curl around my bicep and he twirls me so that I stumble back against his hard chest. Adriano’s black eyes glare down into mine. “I will not sleep on the couch, and you will stay here and talk to me!”
Shoving him back with all my power, I manage to startle him enough to release me. “No! Now, you can wait until I’m ready to talk to you again.” And I bound up the stairs.
“Camilla,” he shouts, but I ignore him and scramble into bed.
I hear Adriano chucking an item against the wall in defeat, and then it’s silent. However, he doesn’t come upstairs. Closing my eyes, I fight valiantly to keep my tears from falling while I wonder how unbreakable we truly are.
CHAPTER 12
Adriano
I sink down onto the sofa and lean forward with my elbows on my thighs and drop my head into my hands. I’ve completely lost my grip on Cam within the span of two weeks. I can pinpoint when it started: with Serena.
Apart from Cam’s distrust, which irks me, we’re miscommunicating constantly. I love her. Yet, in the meantime, I’m making her miserable. It’s affecting me in a way I’ve never encountered before. I should’ve called or texted; I’m not denying that, but she needs to handle the demands of my new position better, and so do I. And I warned her it would be difficult. During these times, she should be calming me, not riling me. I should be reassuring her, not adding to her suspicions by not returning her calls. I admit that this unendingly busy schedule is eating up too much of my time. But I honestly believe that her concerns are unfounded and feeding her resentment toward a situation that doesn’t even exist. And even if Serena does want more from me, I can resist her.
I furiously rake my hair back and eye her empty glass on the coffee table. In a rush of frustration, I hurl the glass against the window. The act doesn’t soothe my nerves whatsoever.
Without having any solution at hand, I stride up the floating staircase.
Cam’s in a restless sleep as I watch her through the glass wall of the adjacent bathroom while I get out of my clothes. After a hot shower, I don’t bother to trim my beard and dress in clean black trousers and a navy dress shirt.
Before I leave, I stand by the bed. Bending down, I place a featherlight kiss on her head. Today, I’ll give her some space while I cool off myself. But I’m not sure I’m able to give her what she wants right now. I must finish the work I’ve started. Meanwhile, I’ll instruct my soldiers who keep an eye on her to ensure she doesn’t spot them so that she feels that I trust her. I’ll not allow Cam to slip any further away from me.
With that resolve, I speed between high-rises to the club in the pouring rain that mirrors my mood perfectly.
***
Luca’s seated across from my desk, sipping his coffee while I attempt to repair any damage from what happened between us.
I inhale a deep breath, realizing that I need Luca as underboss back in my corner.
“What did you do yesterday?” I ask.
“I spent the day with Fallon. It was actually quite nice to have a day off.” His voice is even, not a trace of bitterness. “You?”
“Busy at the sex club. A minor altercation with one of the women, but Serena handled it. Look, Luca, I stand behind my statement that you were out of line, but I’m not dismissing you. What if the roles were reversed, and I had supported an idea of Fallon’s without your knowledge? What would your first reaction be? Forget that Cam’s stronger. Think of her just as my girlfriend. How would you feel if it had been Fallon?”
“I see your point, and you’re right,” he concedes. “But don’t forget that Cam was trained by James when he was boss, and she’s learned a lot from him. Sometimes, she has good suggestions and we should listen to her. Cam’s clever.”
“I realize that all too well, and it scares the fuck out of me. I feel like I’m constantly in a catch-22. As a Capo, she needs responsibilities, but as my girl, I want to lock her away. She’s uncontrollable. And while that was exciting at first, it’s fucking bothering me more every day.”
“Is that truly what’s bothering you? That she’s uncontrollable? Because I think that’s exactly what you love about her. Isn’t the actual problem that you don’t know how to protect her while you’re this busy? She has to adapt to this new situation, but so do you.” He sets his mug on the armrest of his chair.
“Perhaps...It’s so difficult to find that balance though.”
“Well, it’s difficult for Fallon and me as well, but you two also work together in this Syndicate. That makes it almost impossible to always keep it professional. But she’s become empowered since she’s been here. Taking her rank wasn’t the best idea.”
“I didn’t strip her rank. But I’m in the doghouse anyway because I might’ve done something stupid to feed her suspicion concerning Serena,” I confess.
His hand bringing up his coffee mug stops mid-air. “What did you do?”
“My mother asked to see Serena, and I took her to their apartment. Then I went home, and Cam apologized for her stunt. I didn’t want her to be upset about Serena after we finally talked it out, so I didn’t mention it. But she found out anyway.”
“How?”
“She says she overheard Serena mentioning it. I don’t know the details, but last night was just hectic, and I didn’t get home until six this morning. And she had waited up for me, completely enraged. She threw a vase at me.” I’m still slightly in shock that she did that. “I was kind of scared.”
Luca lets out a laugh. “I think you two are going to break a lot of items while living together. And then what?”
“We fought. Well, mostly, she yelled and told me to sleep on the couch, but I showered and came back to work.”
He grimaces. “Oh, that’s never good. But I have to say, I never thought there’d be a woman who you’d allow to boss you around in your own loft.”
I scoff and smile. “It’s our loft now. And I want her to simmer down before we talk. Regardless, she has to accept Serena because Serena has attracted a lot of high rollers to the sex club, and with her girls, our weekly revenue has tripled. And we sell a lot of drugs down there. I’m only overseeing so that everything is set up smoothly with all the other members, which will save me a lot of work in the future.”
“I think she understands that, and I do too, but I’d still advise you to act on Santino. In that regard, Cam’s right that having him here is too dangerous.”
“Wade’s working on getting intel now. Apart from that, Cam still needs to let go of this vendetta against Serena, because having her girls here actually saves you and me the dirty work of finding and hiring girls – I don’t think either Cam or Fallon wants that.”
“Um, no. But I don’t believe Cam would base her suspicion on nothing. However, neither I nor anyone else has seen Serena being anything but cordial to Cam – we even checked the camera feeds,” Luca explains.
“It’s not that I don’t believe Cam. I believe that she actually thinks there’s more; she’s convinced herself of that. I just don’t know how to pacify her and focus on my business and...love her.”
“Give her a little space. I agree that she doesn’t need to know everything. I protect Fallon however I see fit as well, and I won’t interfere between you two. In the end, Adriano, you can’t be without her. Both of you need to control your fears.”
His words are true. Acknowledging those words is easy. Acting on them is challenging though. “How?”
“Compromise.”
“Urgh, you sound like Fallon.”
He grins, shrugging. “I advise you out of experience, my friend. You also need to be careful because Cam’s not happy, and if she wanted to, she could get any other man.”
“What are you saying? That she’
d cheat? I’ll kill anyone who touches her.”
“She won’t cheat on you, and you know that. But she’s an intelligent, beautiful woman who’s one of the most powerful members of the Syndicate. You’ve seen how men flock to her. I’d say keep her happy, and from what Fallon’s told me, she isn’t too happy with you at the moment, amico.”
“Nope, she’s not.”
Within a ten-minute conversation, Luca and I manage to get past our differences. If only it was that easy with Cam, life would be perfect. But it’s not.
The rest of the day sucks. I’m constantly holding myself back from calling her. And I realize how much I’ve gotten used to speaking to her every couple of hours. I miss her terribly. I miss her naughty texts.
Mostly, it’s the first time that she hasn’t tried to contact me for an extended period of time, so I learn how deep her animosity with this situation runs. And I deliberate how to fix it because I can’t function without her devotion. I fucking miss it. I miss her all day with an intensity that shatters my soul.
She’s that deeply etched inside of me.
She’s part of me.
CHAPTER 13
Camilla
I haven’t spoken to Adriano all day after our fight this morning, but I’m meeting Fallon at the club because she wants to see Luca before we go out to a bar. When I arrive earlier than Fallon, I decide to confront Serena. I need to discover a way to expose her without disrupting business. Of course, I do understand Adriano’s busy schedule. Though I feel deep in my bones that she’s not to be trusted.
I seek Serena out in the sex club. And I’m entranced by the posh, erotic atmosphere. Dozens of beds are occupied by people in various stages of undress. Behind the sheer curtains of the bedframes, I can see shadows of couples fucking. Employees sashay around in glittering gold-colored lingerie. It’s thrilling, titillating. The sounds of soft moans and the scent of incense add to the subdued air. The girls are remarkable, and I only now understand the allure of Serena’s girls. It’s no wonder that the club is full at ten p.m.