the conversation word for word.
*
Nine months ago
“What the fuck was your plan?” I bark.
Silence.
“Start talking before I start smashing.” My jaw clenches painfully.
“Only…to help Fallon get out of here,” she stutters and avoids my furious face.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I look down at her. Cam, this elusive woman who has me questioning my sanity. “You’ve put yourself in danger now, and you’ve put me in an impossible situation. This was a really stupid move. How long have you been sitting on this master plan of yours?”
“What do you mean?” Some of her adrenaline and fear from the attempted escape is fading, and I can clearly she see’s pondering what to say.
I make a scoffing sound. Not a peep about Damian. “When did you come up with the plan to help her escape?”
“Right before I did it,” she lies; I’m certain.
“I don’t believe you.”
“What have you been doing these last few days? There’s a captive woman in this house! And you all act like it’s the most normal thing.” Defiance wells in the moisture in her eyes.
“I told you what you needed to know. That was for her, but also your, protection! Now you’ve put yourself in the middle, and I don’t know what Luca will do. Or what James will do when he finds out. You’re messing with dangerous men.”
She’s wringing her hands together in her lap.
“Do you think Damian will protect you?” I snap in the quiet room.
She jumps at my harsh tone as I sneer at her lips, her tainted lips. “When did you kiss him?” She has kissed another man twice in one month. She planned to seduce Damian, conniving thing. I test Cam and give her one chance to tell me the truth. If she’s honest, she’ll say either yesterday or before. If she’s playing me, she’ll say today.
“I don’t know, fifty minutes ago.”
Well, that’s strangely specific. She’s being very calculated; I can see it in how her hands are now planted on her hips, preparing for a clash.
I take a handful of her hair, so she’s forced to look up at me. “I warned you about lying to me.”
Distress colors her eyes. “Is that a threat?”
“Yes,” I answer, and she gasps in fear, so I release her hair.
She stumbles back on the bed.
Rubbing my hands over my jaw, I groan in agitation. I’m so infuriated. I just can’t handle this now.
It’s true that I have no idea if Luca will let this go and keep it from James. I think he will, but I need to talk to him to confirm. He’ll probably protect Fallon and will want to cover up their escape attempt too.
I charge out the door, not knowing how to control my emotions. Since yesterday, I’ve been on edge, and she’s inciting me more.
I feel the need to fuck up Damian. To fuck up her for kissing another. I inhale a deep breath to control my need to throw my fist into the wall. I still can’t handle myself well enough to talk about this with Cam. I might hurt her when I’m this manic.
Striding to the bar, I fish a cigarette and my lighter from my pocket. I let the smoke burn down my throat and lean forward with both hands bracing the counter.
Her uncertain footsteps come closer, stopping next to me. I take another drag and look ahead, not facing her. “You need to leave and be careful. I need to think, so we’ll talk tomorrow.”
“You’re just letting me go?” she asks, surprised.
“No. I’m firing you. Beyond that, I don’t know yet.” Tipping the ash from the end of the cigarette into the metallic ashtray, I turn my face toward her and say in a low voice I don’t recognize, “I can’t discuss what happened with you now. I’m too angry with you.”
Her hand comes up as if to touch my cheek, but she hesitates and lowers her arm. “Adriano—”
“Go to the room and stay there. I’m taking you home in the morning. We’ll discuss your mess then.” I raise my brows, ordering her to go without words.
Her eyes dart away and then back. And she tries again.
*
Nine months ago
“What the fuck was your plan?” I bark.
Silence.
“Start talking before I start smashing.” My jaw clenches painfully.
“Only…to help Fallon get out of here,” she stutters and avoids my furious face.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I look down at her. Cam, this elusive woman who has me questioning my sanity. “You’ve put yourself in danger now, and you’ve put me in an impossible situation. This was a really stupid move. How long have you been sitting on this master plan of yours?”
“What do you mean?” Some of her adrenaline and fear from the attempted escape is fading, and I can clearly she see’s pondering what to say.
I make a scoffing sound. Not a peep about Damian. “When did you come up with the plan to help her escape?”
“Right before I did it,” she lies; I’m certain.
“I don’t believe you.”
“What have you been doing these last few days? There’s a captive woman in this house! And you all act like it’s the most normal thing.” Defiance wells in the moisture in her eyes.
“I told you what you needed to know. That was for her, but also your, protection! Now you’ve put yourself in the middle, and I don’t know what Luca will do. Or what James will do when he finds out. You’re messing with dangerous men.”
She’s wringing her hands together in her lap.
“Do you think Damian will protect you?” I snap in the quiet room.
She jumps at my harsh tone as I sneer at her lips, her tainted lips. “When did you kiss him?” She has kissed another man twice in one month. She planned to seduce Damian, conniving thing. I test Cam and give her one chance to tell me the truth. If she’s honest, she’ll say either yesterday or before. If she’s playing me, she’ll say today.
“I don’t know, fifty minutes ago.”
Well, that’s strangely specific. She’s being very calculated; I can see it in how her hands are now planted on her hips, preparing for a clash.
I take a handful of her hair, so she’s forced to look up at me. “I warned you about lying to me.”
Distress colors her eyes. “Is that a threat?”
“Yes,” I answer, and she gasps in fear, so I release her hair.
She stumbles back on the bed.
Rubbing my hands over my jaw, I groan in agitation. I’m so infuriated. I just can’t handle this now.
It’s true that I have no idea if Luca will let this go and keep it from James. I think he will, but I need to talk to him to confirm. He’ll probably protect Fallon and will want to cover up their escape attempt too.
I charge out the door, not knowing how to control my emotions. Since yesterday, I’ve been on edge, and she’s inciting me more.
I feel the need to fuck up Damian. To fuck up her for kissing another. I inhale a deep breath to control my need to throw my fist into the wall. I still can’t handle myself well enough to talk about this with Cam. I might hurt her when I’m this manic.
Striding to the bar, I fish a cigarette and my lighter from my pocket. I let the smoke burn down my throat and lean forward with both hands bracing the counter.
Her uncertain footsteps come closer, stopping next to me. I take another drag and look ahead, not facing her. “You need to leave and be careful. I need to think, so we’ll talk tomorrow.”
“You’re just letting me go?” she asks, surprised.
“No. I’m firing you. Beyond that, I don’t know yet.” Tipping the ash from the end of the cigarette into the metallic ashtray, I turn my face toward her and say in a low voice I don’t recognize, “I can’t discuss what happened with you now. I’m too angry with you.”
Her hand comes up as if to touch my cheek, but she hesitates and lowers her arm. “Adriano—”
“Go to the room and stay there. I’m taking you home in the morning. We’ll discuss your mess then.” I raise my brows, ordering her to go without words.
Her eyes dart away and then back. And she tries again.
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