He leant forward and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Good morning, Kitten. Please don’t lick your lips like that. Otherwise, I swear to God, I will not be responsible for my actions.”
I blushed and smiled at him. I was actually amazed he was being so polite and hadn’t kicked me out on my arse, considering my performance the night before.
“Thank you for my coffee.”
He shrugged. “You’re welcome. I didn’t know how you took it.” He smirked at the double entendre and then carried on. “So I made it the same way as mine, strong, a dash of milk, and a little sugar.”
“Perfect,” I replied.
“Gee, thanks, you’re not so bad yourself, Kitten.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh and wonder what it was exactly that my family thought was so scary about this man.
“So, I best make the walk of shame and get home.”
He threw his head back, and I knew I was going to be treated to his big booming laugh. He didn’t disappoint.
When his eyes met mine, he said, “Fuck, Kitten, if we had been doing anything shameful here, you wouldn’t be capable of walking anywhere. I’d make sure of that.”
“Oh, you are so sure of yourself.”
He shrugged his big shoulders, making my eyes flick from his face, down to his chest, and back again.
“What can I say, I’ve never had any complaints, and they always come back begging for more from The Love King.”
For a split second, jealousy flashed through me, but I kicked its arse till it left my head. “‘The, Love King’? You seriously just called yourself, ‘The Love King’? That’s almost as creepy as fancying twelve-year-old boys.”
He shook his head. “You’re never gonna let me forget that one, are you?”
I smiled and shook my head. “Hmmm, I’ll keep quiet, as long as you’re nice to me.”
He looked at me for a few seconds without saying a word. He reached up and brushed his fingers gently over my left cheek. Then he leant in and kissed me very softly on the lips. I closed my eyes and kept them closed, even after he’d taken his mouth from mine.
“I want to be more than nice to you, Kitten, but we’ll get there.”
I opened my eyes slowly as he spoke.
“Are you going to work today?” he asked.
“No, my mum’s banned me from work till at least Monday. I was gonna get some washing done.”
“Wow, life on the edge. D’ya fancy living dangerously and coming out for lunch with me? I want to drive out to a pub in Horndon. They get great reviews for their food, and I want to see what all the fuss is about.”
* * *
We had a lovely lunch together. Benny drove us in an old car, which I found out was a Jag XJ something, something. It was all leather and walnut inside and very old and manish. I kept this thought to myself, seeing as he seemed to be a bit touchy about his age, or my age. Or was it the ten-year age difference between us? I wasn’t really sure. Our lunch was delicious, and we shared a couple of bottles of wine. At no stage during the day did Cam mention my escapades of the night before. We discussed countries we’d visited and countries we’d like to visit. I learnt that both his parents were dead. He lost his dad when he was eighteen and his mum when he was twenty-five. This reminded me of what I’d been told about his wife and child, but he didn’t mention them, and I didn’t pry. He was eloquent and articulate, but with a cockney accent. He was well travelled and seemed to be well educated. He was sexy, so fucking handsome, and I enjoyed every minute of his company and all of this terrified me. The thought that I might finally have been able to move forward with my life had my heart galloping like a racehorse. I wasn’t saying that I’d fallen in love with Cam, or anything remotely like that, but finally, I’d found someone who had stirred an interest. Someone I wanted to spend time with. He set my skin on fire with just his words, and I almost combusted each time he touched me. Finally, I’d met someone I wanted to have sex with for all the right reasons, but I knew I had to be very sure of that fact. I’d spent the last six months being a serial user and abuser of men, and I’d slept with them for all the wrong reasons. Yet, with Cam, when it happened, I wanted to make sure that it was for all the right ones.
I had no idea where Benny waited while we enjoyed our lunch, but the second Cam went to use the gents, he was at my side.
“We need to get him out of here as soon as possible. Get your coat on and be ready to leave the minute he gets back out.”
I frowned as I looked at him, and my heart rate picked up when I noticed the beads of sweat on his top lip. “Why, what’s wrong Ben?”
“Just do it, please, Georgia. There’s a crowd just walked in here that we really don’t want him bumping into. Believe me!” He walked back out to the bar at the front of the pub, sat down on a stool, and turned to look at me. He gestured behind me with his chin, and I assumed that Cam was heading back. I stood and started to put on my jacket.
“You in a hurry to get back and wash all those dirty knickers of yours, Georgia? I was gonna suggest having a drink at the bar before we leave,” he spoke into my neck, and the sensation of his breath made me shudder. I remained facing away from him. I was a shit liar, and I didn’t want him guessing that was exactly what I was doing when I replied.
“I’m absolutely stuffed, Cam. I couldn’t eat or drink another thing, but thank you, the food was amazing. You really should think about poaching the Chef for Kings.”
He turned me around to look at him. He had a frown on his face, which caused a little curve on his forehead just above his eyebrows—almost like a smiley mouth. I wanted to reach out and touch it, but something in his eyes told me that he was not impressed with my last comment. “What the fuck is wrong with, Gino, my chef? He has a reputation for being the best in the southeast. It was the menu I came here to try, not the standard of the cooking.”
Jesus, competitive much?
“It was a joke, Cam, ‘poaching’ the chef… Geddit?”
He closed his eyes for a second, gave his customary headshake, and let out a long sigh. “That’s a terrible joke, Georgia.”
“No it’s not, it’s fucking hilarious. You’re just too old to get my humour.”
Shit, the wine had kicked in and my brain was no longer communicating with my mouth.
“Are you trying to really piss me off now, Kitten? Coz I’ll tell you what, it's working.” He kissed me, a little too hard on the mouth, grabbed my hand, and led me out to the bar where Benny was waiting.
As we reached Benny, he stood up and sort of walked sideways, as if he were shepherding us towards the door. He stepped in front of Cam and held the door open for us. I just started to step outside when I heard someone call out.
“Oi, King, there’s no need to leave on our account. Stay and have a beer, we owe you at least that. mate.”
His hand instantly squeezed mine so hard it was painful, and he stopped dead in his tracks.
“Cam, leave it,” I heard Benny growl.
I turned and looked at Cam. There was a nerve twitching in his jaw, he was looking down at me, but he wasn’t seeing me. It was like he was looking straight through me, and I suddenly felt scared. Instinct told me we needed to get out of there.
“Let’s go, Tiger. You can come and help me wash my knickers.”
My voice sounds high pitched, not like my own.
He didn’t flinch. I watched as an older man approached from the other side of the bar. He was maybe in his fifties with grey hair that was pushed right back off his face, which was craggy and had a huge scar running down the right side of it. He was wearing an expensive suit, which somehow didn’t match his face or the earring in his ear. He had a cigar in his mouth but still managed a sneer on his lip.
“Get her in the car,” he said from between gritted teeth.
“Cam, please…” I started to say.
“Do as you’re fucking told and get in the car, Kitten. Else, I swear to God, I will drag you out there.”
/> “Cam, Robbie and Josh are on their way. Let’s just go. We can deal with this when we’ve got the numbers, but not like this. Not on your own.”
He didn’t move his head. He just shifted his eyes towards Ben’s.
“Get her the fuck out of here.”
I knew I wasn’t going to win. The grey-haired man slapped Cam on the back.
“Cam, what are you doing in this neck of the woods? Not your usual stomping ground.”
“Get your fuckin’ hands off me, Terry.”
“Well, that’s nice! Not seen ya in—”
He didn’t get to finish. Cam’s hands were suddenly around his throat. He picked him up off his feet and pushed past me and Ben as he carried him outside to where the Jag was waiting. He kept hold of the man’s throat as he leant him back against the bonnet of the car and pinned him with just one hand. All the while, the man used both his hands to try to pry Cam’s fingers from his throat. I stood and watched in shock as Cam pulled a gun from the back of his jeans and forced it into the man’s mouth.
A gun.
He owns a gun.
He carries a gun.
A fucking gun.
I knew my mouth was hanging open. I couldn’t believe what was unfolding right in front of me. Two other men flew out the door of the pub, and Benny spread out his arm to form a barrier, blocking their way.
“You really don’t want to get yourselves involved boys, believe me.”
My eyes locked with Benny’s.
Surely, he is going to do something?
Surely, Cam won’t shoot him?
He was talking into the man’s ear, his teeth were still gritted, and he had froth at the corner of his mouth. He suddenly pulled the gun from the man’s mouth, lifted him once again by the throat, and threw him onto the concrete of the car park.
Then he shot him twice, once in each knee.
He shot him.
I was frozen to the spot. Benny unlocked the car, and Cam guided me into the back seat. We roared off at high speed. I realised that I was going to be sick.
“Stop the car. Stop the car, Ben.”
“Keep driving, Ben. She ain’t getting out.”
“I’m gonna—”
Too late, my lunch came up all over the leather seat and all over the floor.
“Shit!” I heard Benny say.
“Keep driving, Ben. We’ll deal with it when we’re back on our manor. I’m not stopping here.”
I backed myself away to the farthest corner of the car, away from my own spew and away from him.
What the fuck did I just witness back there, and how did he think he was going to get away with shooting someone in broad daylight?
He was mad, insane and he had just involved me in a crime.
Was this what my dad did? Was this what being an entrepreneur involved?
If this was his usual behaviour, it was no wonder Bailey, and my mum said he was dangerous.
What if they heard about it? What if my dad and Bailey found out what Cam did and that I was there?
My stomach roiled again, and I couldn’t hold it down, but this time I couldn’t stop the cry that came from me, either. I’d just watched someone get shot, fucking shot, right in front of me.
Cam went to slide across the seat to get closer to me, but I put out my hands.
“No, no, don’t touch me. Don’t you dare touch me!”
I was amazed at how calm I was when I spoke. I didn’t feel calm. I could barely breathe, and I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. We drove in silence the rest of the way home, making a quick stop at a petrol station to get me some chewing gum so I could attempt to rid my mouth of the taste of vomit.
Benny pulled around the back of the shop so I could go straight up the stairs to my flat. I didn’t wait for him to open the car door. I was desperate to be out of there, away from him. I ran to the stairs that led to my front door as fast as I could. Ben and Cam were both out of the car. I turned to Benny, about to apologise for the mess I’d created in the car when I saw Cam handing the gun over to him. I turned back and shoved my hand in my bag, looking for my keys. As I pulled them out, Cam snatched them from me.
“Give them back, you’re not coming in.”
He totally ignored me, unlocked the front door, and pulled me inside by my hand. Then he unlocked the second door and pushed me into my living room. I launched myself at him.
“Get out! Get out of my fuckin’ house. How dare you involve me in that?”
I screamed and scratched and kicked at him. He grabbed my arms and pinned them to my sides before dragging me through to my bedroom, throwing me onto the bed, and then laying on top of me with my arms still pinned to my sides. He looked straight into my eyes.
“You can scratch and snarl all you like, Kitten, but I’m not letting you go, and I’m not leaving here until we talk, or at least I talk and you listen.”
He looked down at me, his eyes darting all over my face. I focused on his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed hard. I started to feel calmer, but then I remembered that he’d just shot someone, I couldn’t get the image out of my head. And by the way he did it, so casually, he’d obviously done it before.
He was carrying a gun. Does he always carry a gun? Why?
“I’m so sorry you had to witness that today. I should’ve walked away. I should’ve taken your safety into consideration, and I should never have put you in danger like that. It was probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But when you’re calm, and when you’re ready to listen, I want to tell you why. I want to explain the reasons I reacted the way I did. I am sorry.” He rested his forehead on mine. “Please don’t be scared of me, Kitten. I’d fuckin’ hate that.”
I wasn’t actually scared of him. I never thought for a second, not a single one, that he would hurt me. I never even thought about the fact that I might be in danger at all. We laid in silence for a while. I could feel his heart beating against my chest, and it comforted me. I loved that he was that close. I would’ve been a mess if he had left me on my own that afternoon.
Does that make me a bad person? Is it wrong to want to be in this man’s company after what I witnessed him do?
“If I let go of your arms, are you gonna scratch my eyes out?”
“No… but if you don’t let go and get off me, I might just piss everywhere. I seriously need to whaz.”
“Georgia! That is so unladylike.”
“Oh, sorry, Tiger. I didn’t realise that sticking a gun in a bloke’s mouth and then kneecapping him with two bullets in a pub car park was so fuckin’ gentlemanly.”
“You have such a smart mouth, Kitten. It’ll get you into trouble one of these days.”
Before I had a chance to reply, he ground himself into me.
“Especially with me, because for some reason, that mouth of yours makes me so fuckin’ hard.”
I don’t know why I did it, but I kissed him very gently on the left corner of his mouth. His eyes fluttered closed and then opened, locking onto mine.
“Kitten,” he whispered, and it sounded so unbelievably sexy, that without hesitation, I ground my hips into him. Then I kissed the right side of his mouth and then right in the middle where I knew his perfect cupids bow was hiding underneath the dark stubble covering his top lip and jaw. He hadn’t shaved that morning, and two days’ worth of growth looked just about perfect. So perfect, that I wanted to run my tongue over it.
Very gently, he kissed me back. His tongue ran along the seam of my joined lips, gently at first, then with a little more force, encouraging me to open and allow him access to my mouth. And when I did, oh God, I spent the next five minutes being kissed like I’d never been kissed before. He let go of my arms, and my hands flew to his hair. I wrapped my legs around his hips, and he ground harder against me. His hands ran up and down the sides of my body, from my armpits, down to my hips, and around to my arse cheeks, lifting them, forcing me against him.
“Georgia, if you’re gonna tell me to stop, then t
ell me now, because I won’t be able to in a few more seconds.”
“I don’t want you to stop,” I panted.
I don’t, do I? Am I really going to do this?
Well, shit, I think I am!
“Cam?”
“Yes, Kitten?”
“I really need a wee.”
He chuckled and rested his forehead back on mine for a second before rolling off me. “Go, have a wee, but don’t be surprised if there’s nothing but a big pile of spunk when you get back here because I will fuckin’ explode if I’m not inside you soon. I swear.”
“Ewww, Cam, that’s gross.”
He was lying beside me on the bed staring up at the ceiling.
“Go to the toilet, Georgia, and hurry up.”
I climbed off the bed and headed to the en-suite bathroom to use the toilet. Then I had a quick freshen up and cleaned my teeth. I’d let him kiss me when I had vomit breath. God knows how bad it must’ve been after throwing up like I did. Then I decided that since I was wearing nice undies—I am my mother’s daughter after all—I would go back to the bedroom without my clothes on. I looked at myself in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed, and I looked the healthiest I had since my little meltdown last Sunday.
Fuck, that was all I seemed to have had that week, meltdown after meltdown. I tipped my head upside down. My hair was due for a perm, but I was trying to leave it until as close to the wedding as possible. It was more wavy than curly and because the curls were loose, it hung farther down my back and over my boobs. I positioned it to hide them and headed out to the bedroom, wearing just my bra and knickers.
He’d turned one of the bedside lamps on and drawn the curtains. He’d taken off all his clothing except for his boxers and was lying back on my bed, leaning on his elbows. I could’ve probably stood right there and with a few rubs in the right spot, made myself come just by looking at him. He was just so big and manly, and sexy and bloody hell, just… my brain couldn’t think of a word. It couldn’t think of anything, not even how to put one foot in front of the other as it would seem I’d now come to a complete standstill.
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