by Lena Skye
Then they finally brought him out in handcuffs. Tears flowed down my cheeks when our eyes connected. Seeing him in handcuffs had been one of my worst fears since we’d first began illegal activity. I never thought that I would be the reason that he ended up in them. My soul ached over the loss of the friend and lover that I once had. It was over between us for a while, but our connection was completely severed. He was going to hate me for the rest of his life, and he’d done a pretty good job of making me hate him.
Kyle put his arm around me and squeezed me to his side, “I love you,” he said into my ear.
I closed my eyes and allowed my body to melt into his body. I needed the comfort and the assurance that I’d made the right decision.
“I love you too,” I whispered.
“We don’t need to see anymore,” Kyle told his driver and we started back towards the loft.
I don’t know how I was able to contain so much guilt and joy within myself all at once. I was so relieved that Marcus wasn’t going to be able to make my life a living hell anymore. I was also getting ready to enjoy life with the man that I loved.
#Chapter10
“I am going to kill him.”
Kyle
It was early in the morning, and I missed Camille more than anything.
Spending the night without her had been exhausting; I wasn’t able to get any rest. I regretted asking her to leave as soon as she got onto the elevator. I wanted to call her and beg her to come back, but the space was for the best. I could use the time to think, make phone calls, and to get a firm handle on what had to happen so that we could move forward. She looked absolutely distraught, but I had to keep myself from comforting her for the moment. She needed to understand that what she did wasn’t okay.
I ignored my father’s phone calls for the remainder of the day. I didn’t want him to try to tell me what to do, and I didn’t want to hear him gloating. I was determined to make my own decisions and to let the chips fall where they may. I called my lawyer, and he and I had a long conversation and he agreed to come over today. He assured me that we could get out of everything and still come out smelling like roses. That was why I hired him, he was a shark and he did whatever it took to make me look good.
Bill showed up before 6 am to my loft, and I went over everything again as best as I could. Bill always came prepared, and so he went over the game plan that he’d worked on the previous day. I was liking his plan so far, and it seemed to go in the right direction.
“She’s going to have to wear a wire,” Bill said as he sat on my sofa.
I shook my head, “No, that’s too dangerous. If he finds out that she’s wearing a wire then we could put her into a lot of danger. I’m not going to put her in that position.”
“There is no way that he’s going to think she’s wearing a wire. They have a long history, and so it’s the last thing that he’ll expect,” he said making a valid point.
“I’m not sure if Camille will go along with something like this. She’s an extremely loyal woman,” I said.
She was also stubborn as a fucking mule, but I wasn’t going to vent to Bill about her, I’d done enough venting.
He shrugged, “Well if you two want to put all of this behind you, then this is the most direct way to do it. Her helping to get him off the streets will give the both of you a lot of great PR, and we can put all of it to rest.”
“I will see if she’ll be willing to do it, but the last thing I want is to put her in harms way” I said as I picked up my phone and texted Camille.
I hoped that she would be on board for our plan. If not, I wouldn’t leave her but everything would be a lot more difficult. I was going to eventually have to answer to my father, my family, and the rest of the world. Our relationship would face more scrutiny than she, or I was truly ready for.
Within the hour she sent me a message saying that she was on her way. She arrived at the loft while I was in the restroom. She was in the living area with Bill when I emerged. Before anything could be said I took her into my arms and hugged her to my chest. She’d been away from me for far too long, and I vowed to myself to never deal with another dispute by asking her to leave. That was just rude as hell, and I can’t deal with shit that way when we’re married, so I may as well get used to it now. I felt fortunate that she was still receptive towards me. I half expected her to slap me when I saw her again.
When she agreed to the plan I sighed in relief. She was on board with everything and that just solidified what I already knew about her. She was strong, she loved me and she was ready to move on, it was just hard for her to deal with that part of her past. I couldn’t even begin to fathom the kind of childhood that she experienced. She was a diamond that had been through intense pressure, and I loved her even more for it.
I was happy when Bill left the loft so that she and I had time to reconnect. Reconnecting with her was starting to get pretty old rather quickly. I wanted to be able to enjoy her time and company with breaks. Life was dropping a lot of drama at our doorstep, and I didn’t like it one bit. The sooner we got married the better. I knew that getting married wouldn’t keep problems at bay, but it would be something solid between us. I wanted her to know just how much I truly loved her and for her to never doubt if I was going to stay. I planned on dedicating the rest of my life to that purpose. She’d put up with enough of my indecisive bullshit.
I spent the next couple of days immersing myself in work and in Camille. She really didn’t have a clue about how intelligent she was. Her business instincts couldn’t be taught in a classroom. Her suggestions were usually spot on, and her questions showed that she was really trying to get to know the business. I couldn’t have chosen a better partner in this journey. She has come a long way from that nervous girl I first hired to be my PA. Many people say that you shouldn’t work with your spouse, but I was hell bent on proving them wrong. My father kept my mother out of his business, and they both seemed miserable.
My mother wasn’t happy, and she was usually very lonely. She busied herself with charity organizations and shopping. She’d done a ton of philanthropy work, but I’ve always thought that my father was missing out by not asking her about her opinions. Camille would never have to live her life that way. She would be at my side and never behind me.
Watching the officers attach the wires to Camille on the morning of “The Sting” had shattered my nerves. I hated the idea of sending her into the lion’s den alone. She assured me that she was safe, and I could only take her at her word. If anything happened I would never be able to forgive myself because she was only doing it for me.
“Are you sure that you want to do this?” I asked before we headed to our separate cars, “If you don’t want to do it anymore, we can call this entire thing off.”
She gave a brave shake of her head, “No, I’m going through with it. If we don’t end it now, there is no telling how long this will continue and I’m not going to put your family through that.”
I gave a laugh, “You’re thinking of my family right now?”
“And of us of course. I want you to trust me, and know that part of my life is over. Marcus made his choice when he blackmailed me. He brought this on himself,” she said.
I possessively grabbed the back of her neck and brought my lips to hers. I wanted to communicate how much I loved her through my kiss. She inhaled deeply as she eagerly returned it. For a moment I forgot that we were surrounded by a team of officers and my lawyer. I heard someone clear their throat.
“So we’re good to go?” One of the cops asked.
I hesitantly broke my hold on Camille and searched her face for the answer. She nodded at me to signal that we were still moving forward.
“Yes we’re good to go,” I echoed as I walked her to her car.
Driving behind her car as we headed to her ex’s house was a sobering experience. I’d been to that part of the city only a handful of times, but I was now looking at it through a different lens. My Camille, the woman that
I loved, grew up in that impoverished area. I was in awe of her, and I realized just how wonderful she was. I wasn’t sure if she was the exception because I didn’t know a lot of people from her walk of life, but I did know that she was special.
When we arrived to her ex’s home, I hated seeing her disappear into his house, and I began to rethink my decision. My heart was pounding against my ribcage as she engaged in conversation with him. He told her that he owned her and suggested that she was his whore, I almost lost it. My hand flew to my car door, and I was about to get out of the car and storm into the house to knock him the fuck out.
“I am going to kill him.” I yelled.
Bills hand tightly gripped my arm, “Do not do that, you’ll ruin everything. I know this is rough but don’t let it all be in vain.”
I gave him a look of contempt and steadied my breathing. We had everything that we needed, and I wanted her to leave as soon as possible. But she kept going, and that miscreant not only confessed to murder, but illegal drug activity as well. I realized that Camille was doing it purposefully, and I was proud. I also made a mental note to never get on her bad side.
I was overjoyed when she exited the house and got inside of the car. She was completely shaken up, and I could see the undercurrent of emotions that were taking place within her. I wanted to ease all of her fears and doubts. Watching his home get raided, and him being brought out in handcuffs felt like sweet justice. I didn’t feel sorry for him at all because of everything that he’d put Camille through. I didn’t understand how he could be so damned evil to a woman like her, she didn’t come a dime a dozen. I’d never felt as fortunate in my entire life as when we drove back to our loft.
#Chapter11
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Camille
My life with Kyle was finally back on track, and we picked up where we left off. Every day we worked diligently to get the businesses up and running. We had a staffing agency on board to do the hiring, and the properties were coming along really well. But nothing beat the feeling of waking up next to him in the mornings. The situation with Marcus had occurred a full week before and yet it seemed further away. As if a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders.
The way that Kyle treated me was different, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I just knew that I was going to have a lot of groveling to do after what I put him through, but it never happened. If anything I felt like he appreciated me a lot more, I enjoyed the reaction although I thought it was strange as hell. I’m not accustomed to people being so forgiving, and so I’ve had to work on accepting it. I hate always feeling like the other shoe is about to drop. We’ve been on such an emotional roller coaster that it can feel like a setup when we’re enjoying a great time.
But it was easy to ignore all of those feelings while his arms were wrapped about my body. I snuggled my naked backside against him and enjoyed the light as it came through the window. He kissed the hollow portion of my neck.
“Good morning babe,” he said gruffly.
“Good morning indeed,” I giggled as I wiggled against his hardening cock.
“Look at what you’re doing to me,” he said as his hand cupped my breast and gave my nipple a slight pinch.
I smiled contently as he explored my body. His phone buzzed on the night stand next to the bed, and we weren’t in the position to be able to ignore calls. He groaned as he separated our bodies, answered the phone and walked out of the room. I fought my sexual frustration and enjoyed the feeling of the Egyptian cotton against my skin. Shortly after my own phone began to buzz, and I reached under my pillow to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Now you answer the phone!” Cynthia said in mock frustration.
“I’m sorry girl, I’ve been so busy but I know that’s not a good enough excuse. I’m gonna do better.”
“I would appreciate that, I miss you.”
“I miss you too. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”
“Hell yeah,” she said, “So what in the hell is going on with you? I’ve been hearing a lot of rumors, but I would love to hear it directly from the source.”
I began to fill her in on everything that happened, and she let me know about what Sandy filled her in on.
“So what happens now? Is there going to be a trial?”
“Yes, there is going to be a trial. I know him, he’s going to plead not guilty and there is a huge chance that I’m going to have to testify against him.”
“Oh wow,” Cynthia said, “How do you feel about that?”
“I really don’t like it but he’s put me in this position. So I have to do what’s necessary.”
“Absolutely,” she said in an understanding tone, “Just be careful and don’t worry about anyone’s bullshit.”
“You’re right,” I said with a hint of sadness.
“I know how you are Camille, and so I know that it’s tearing you up inside. Just make sure that you’re honest with yourself and with the man that loves you. Don’t hold all of your frustration and sadness in. Kyle seems to love you a lot, and so you need to lean on him.”
Cynthia missed her calling as a life coach and psychic. She was right about my mixed feelings, and I was having a hard time opening up. I didn’t want Kyle to think that I was going to backtrack on anything and so I didn’t share my feelings about it. I would let him know that it hurt, but I didn’t let him know just how deeply it hurt. It just seemed to be a little ungrateful to me, but I was doing my relationship a disservice by hiding a part of myself from him.
“I’m going to try to be more open,” I conceded.
“I’m happy to hear it. I just wanted to check in with you before I headed to work. I love you,” she said.
“I love you too,” I said before I hung up.
I hated that my friends worked at that crappy diner every day. They were so much better than that place, and the management sucked. I was going to talk to Kyle about hiring my friends at our restaurants, the pay would be a whole lot better, and they could even get management positions. I also didn’t want them to live in that neighborhood anymore. I didn’t really have a family, and they’d become my family. There was no way that I could just sit back and continue to let them live in those conditions. I think Kyle's good nature is rubbing off on me.
Shortly after I got off of the phone, Kyle came back to the room with a huge grin on his face.
“What’s the good news?” I asked.
“Well my beauty, we no longer have to worry about the negative stories being printed in the major press,” he said.
I raised an eyebrow, “How in the hell did you pull that off?”
“I’ve got connections baby,” he said as he plopped onto the bed next to me.
I giggled, “What kinds of connections? Please don’t tell me that you’re dirty dealing.”
“Nope, not this time. I just know someone on the inside, and he’s taken care of it for us. Bill has been working with him, and we have an injunction against them. From now on the only stories they can print are positive ones.”
“That’s music to my ears. I think we’ve had enough negativity to last a lifetime,” I said.
“I also have some information for you, but I’m not sure if you’ll want to hear it,” He said soberly.
His expression turned serious, and I wasn’t sure how to take his sudden mood change. I wondered if I truly wanted to know the information that he had.
“How bad is it?” I asked cautiously.
“Honestly babe, it’s pretty fucked up. However, I think it is important you know the truth.” he said honestly.
I groaned, “Just tell me and get it over with.”
“I found out who sold the story about your past,” he said.
“It was Marcus right?” I said.
“Babe, no it wasn’t Marcus. I told you that they said it was female,” he said.
“Yeah, but I figured that it was someone that he had to do his dirty work for him.”
> “I don’t think that’s the case this time,” he said.
“Well who was it then?” I said in annoyance.
“You’re not going to like it,” He said.
I picked up the pillow and threw it at him, “Come on, and just say it.”
He looked at me in the eye, “It’s your mother.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I shrieked.
“I’m so sorry,” he said em-pathetically.
“That’s it,” I yelled as I hopped up from my bed to get dressed.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to find her, and then I’m going to kill her.”
“Calm down,” he said, “I don’t want you to go out there while you’re so upset.”
“I’m not going to kill her but I am going to speak to her. It’s long overdue, and I can’t take it anymore. My own mother sold me out!”
My blood was coursing with lightning speed through my veins. I was beyond pissed and extremely hurt. I knew that my mother was shady, but I had no idea that she would sink so low.
“You can’t go see her Camille, but you can call her,” he said in a concerned tone.
I gave him the evil eye and swallowed the impulse to tell him to fuck off. My temper was at an all-time high, and it may have been best if I didn’t see her in person. There was nothing that she could say that would have made me feel better. If she stood in my face and made excuses I probably would have completely gone nuts.
I snatched my phone off the bed and dialed my mom’s number.
“Wow I didn’t know that you had my number,” my mom said sarcastically as she picked up.
I realized how right Kyle was about calling her instead of seeing her. I probably would have slapped her. I know that it’s wrong to physically assault your parent, but I just felt like she was asking for it. I wanted to see if she was going to lie to me.
“Did you sell that story to the media?” I asked completely ignoring her.