Sometime later, she looked up as the door opened and Samuel walked inside, closing and locking it behind him. He moved to sit down beside her on the couch and pulled her into his side. She buried her face in his shoulder, moving her clawing hands from her legs to his shirt, and closed her eyes as she trembled.
She wanted to cry, but she felt too exhausted to.
Chapter Three
Adrian was in jail. It was the best news Camila had heard in a while.
After the whole fiasco, Camila left home with Samuel so she could stay with him. She loved her mother, but she didn’t think she would feel safe at home if she was left alone. There was no guarantee her mom would be coming back that night, either. She hadn’t heard from her and knew she could come home past midnight or the next morning, and Camilla didn’t want to be alone until then. She also knew Samuel wouldn’t be comfortable with spending the night with her when he’d left Brianna at home.
“I’ll go pack a bag,” she murmured quietly. Her feet felt slow, even though she wanted to rush. She wanted nothing more than to be out of there. In a matter of moments, she’d managed to pack a quick overnight bag, and return to the living room.
“Ready?” Samuel asked.
Camila nodded and let Samuel lead her down to his car.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, holding the door to his car for her. “Your mom might come back and hear about the commotion. She’ll be worried, won’t she?”
“I’ll just text her. It’ll be fine,” she reassured him then climbed in the car.
Her throat hurt when she spoke, so she tried to keep her words to a minimum. She rubbed her hand over her throat, which caught Samuel’s attention.
“Do you need some water?” he asked.
“Please.” Camila nodded.
Samuel taking her keys, ran back up to her apartment and returned a moment later with a bottle. Handing it to her, he made sure she was securely in before closing the door, then circled around and climbed in the driver’s seat. He drove her back to his place.
When they reached his home, he helped her into the house, leaving the bags at the bottom of the stairs to be brought up later by one of his staff. “Are you hungry?” he asked. “I can have some soup made for you.”
Camila shook her head. “I-I just wanna sleep and forget this all happened,” she whispered softly.
“Okay.” Samuel sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist as he escorted her up the stairs to a guest room.
A maid followed them in with her bag and she set them inside the door.
“There’s a bathroom through there,” Samuel pointed to a door on the left of the room, “why don’t I let you get settled and if you need anything, you can come find me. My room is down the hall on the right. I’ll leave my door open. I’ll be downstairs until about eleven.”
Camila nodded. Really she just wanted to sleep.
Giving her a kiss on the temple, Samuel let her go and backed out of the room, pulling the door closed.
Camila looked around the room, taking in the plush bedding and luxurious furnishings. She walked over to the bed and sat down, sinking into the cushy softness. Pulling off her shoes, she set them on the floor at the corner of the bed. She slipped out of her clothes and then climbed beneath the silk sheets, not bothering to put on her pajamas. She was asleep before she could even register the softness of the pillow.
The next morning, she was feeling tired and sluggish. She stretched in the luxurious sheets as her mind drifted into consciousness, she didn’t want to get up. She was way too comfortable. Instead, she snuggled further under the covers and sighed. She might have even fallen right back asleep, if she hadn't felt a weight dipping one side of the bed.
Suddenly on high alert, she pushed the covers off her face and turned around. She blinked her eyes open, and saw a small, pale face with a tentative smile watching her.
“Brianna,” she said, her voice hoarse, but her mind waking up properly. “You startled me.” Camila gulped some air, slowing her heart.
Brianna bit her lip and looked sad.
Camila attempted a smile. “It’s okay, I just didn’t hear you come in.” She reached for Brianna’s hand and smiled bigger, this time a genuine smile. “I suppose it’s time to get up, huh?”
Brianna nodded quickly and jumped lightly on the bed to shake it a little.
It was enough to make Camila quirk another tiny smile, even though she was far from a smiling mood. “I got it. Let Samuel know that I’ll be out soon, okay?”
Brianna nodded and moved off the bed. She waved as she left the room.
Camila got up to get herself ready. She went into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower, washing her hair with the shampoo and conditioner that had stood on the counter. She wondered if they kept every bathroom so well stocked or if one of the maids had brought it in sometime while she’d slept. After her shower, she dried off and then dug through her bag looking for suitable clothes to go to the police station in. She had to go file her statement, not that she was looking forward to it.
Once she was ready, she left her room, making her way down the staircase to the great hall. She found Samuel in the dining room, waiting for her. “Where’s Brianna?” she asked.
“Brianna gets up early. She ate already and has returned to her room. She doesn’t like being out here by herself.”
“But you’re here…” Camila replied taking the seat next to him.
A maid came in and set a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and fried potatoes down in front of her, then poured her a cup of coffee.
Once the maid was gone, Samuel said, “I think part of it is habit from when Adrien was here, and part of it is she wished to give us some privacy.” He smiled and gripped Camila’s hand.
Camila blushed. She picked up her fork and began to eat. Once she’d consumed a small portion of her food, she asked, “Are we going to the station?”
Samuel set his coffee cup down and nodded. “Yes. You are going to press charges, aren’t you?”
Camila looked up at Samuel, but his expression was calm, almost blank. Frowning she tried to read what he was thinking in his face, but he was making it difficult. She had to wonder if this was what his business associates felt like. She didn’t doubt that he had an opinion on what she was going to do, but she knew he wouldn’t press it on her. He would likely be behind her a hundred percent no matter what she decided.
“Yes, I’m going to press charges,” she said.
Samuel nodded and returned to drinking his coffee. “Good.”
After eating, Camila went upstairs to get her purse. “Should you tell Brianna where we are going?”
“I will,” Samuel left her at her room, and continued down the hall. After a few minutes, he met her at the top of the stairs.
“Will Brianna be okay on her own?” Camila asked as they descended.
“We won’t be gone long, and Adrien is currently cooling his heels in a cell, so she should be fine,” he commented, opening the front door.
His car was already pulled up and waiting for them, so he opened the passenger door for her and then went around to his side. In the car, Camila felt calm. It wasn’t until she walked into the police station that her emotions from yesterday came back. Not quite as strong, but she felt distraught suddenly, and she stood in place, gasping as her eyes blurred with tears.
Adrien actually came to my place with a gun. What was he doing with it?
That was what she was mainly stuck on. What would have happened if Samuel hadn't made it when he did? Would she have been murdered in her own home? A part of her didn’t want to think Adrien was crazy enough to do that, but then, she didn’t really know a thing about him, did she?
“I know this is hard,” Samuel said soothingly, rubbing comforting circles on her back. “But it’s going to be a quick process and I’ll be by your side the whole way, okay? You need to do this or they could release him.”
Release him? No way. Camila wanted him to pay in some way
for her suffering. And to keep him locked up where he couldn’t get anywhere near her.
Camila blinked the tears out of her eyes and reined in her emotions, and with Samuel by her side, she walked forward. She needed to do this. For herself.
Samuel’s words were true. It really was a quick process and he was right there the entire time, she held his hand until everything was over, and she felt dazed as he took her out of the station and back to his house.
It wasn’t until she saw Brianna that she became a bit livelier. It’s all over, finally, she thought.
She didn’t know how long Adrien would be in for yet, but he had a lot of charges against him. He’d been stalking her, had gone against a legal no contact order and had threatened her with a gun, that Samuel confirmed was unlicensed on top of everything else.
They didn’t have to worry about Adrien. At least, not for a long while.
“Why don’t we have a feast to celebrate?” Samuel offered as the three of them sat in Brianna’s room. “Camila, would you like to stay here again, or do you need to get back home?”
She pursed her lips. “Well, when I texted Mom, all she said was everything was fine there. She was a little worried about me, but she knows I feel safe with you. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if I stayed an extra night.”
“All right. Why don’t you send her another text and let her know the plan. I don’t want her to have the wrong impression of me and think I’m using you.” Samuel chuckled, giving her a smile that made her stomach flip.
“She wouldn’t think that,” Camila said confidently, “she couldn’t. I wouldn’t let her.”
Just as promised, they had a small feast. Samuel had the servants set it up in the back parlor, which was more like a den or small family room. Both Brianna and Samuel opened up, and Camila allowed herself to feel relieved, and even a little happy. They had a great time together, and Camila hadn't thought she would be able to laugh this soon after having her life threatened by a crazy person.
It was all possible because of the two Kane siblings sitting with her. If only she had never met Adrien in the first place, then her life would be almost perfect.
“I win!” Camila crowed as she moved her last man into home.
Samuel chuckled. “So you do. I had no idea you were such a strategist, beautiful.”
Camila blushed, but her grin didn’t waiver. “Well, now you know.” Her grin deepened. “Shall we play again?”
Samuel looked up at the clock on the wall. “Fraid not, it’s Bri’s bedtime.”
Brianna pouted and held up a finger and then put her hands together and stuck her lower lip out.
“Bri, you know it’s time. You have to take your medication and you’ll be out five minutes after. We don’t have time for another game. We’ll do this again, promise.”
Sighing, Brianna nodded. She jumped up and gave Camila a huge hug, wrapping her arms around her and lifting her out of her chair.
Camila giggled, returning the hug. “Goodnight, Bri,” she said, smiling as she picked up the game pieces.
Brianna left the room on her own, but Camila thought Samuel would accompany her. She thought she’d clean up as he did, but he didn’t seem like he was going to move. She replaced the game box on the shelf and then turned to gather up their glasses.
“Camila.”
She startled at the call of her name, and tilted her head at his serious expression. “Yes?” she prompted, a small frown on her face as she wondered if something was wrong.
It was quickly wiped away as Samuel slowly moved to stand in front of her. Camila could only watch him, but as he got closer and closer, her eyes started to widen. When they were practically toe to toe, he took her face between his big, warm hands. He watched her intently, his gaze never wavering from hers.
Camila blinked, but she understood quickly what he wanted. When she saw his head leaning forward, she closed her eyes and felt her body relax, as she tilted her own face up to meet his kiss. Slow, soft, but passionate. His arms slowly went around her and she mirrored his actions, thinking that she wouldn’t mind just kissing him for hours.
Chapter Four
That night, they didn’t do more than kiss. But it still helped bring them a lot closer, especially now that Adrien wasn’t there to interfere. For Camila, Adrien was an excellent example of her bad decisions. She’d even slept with him, and now she was going out with his brother. Could she be any more screwed up?
There were times when she didn’t think she deserved to have Samuel treating her so gently. But she wasn’t about to tell him to stop, either.
Camila had work, and as much as she would have preferred to stay with the Kane siblings, she couldn’t just abandon her mother, who she hadn't even given a complete explanation to for what was going on.
Samuel dropped her off at her apartment then went to his office, and she went inside to be confronted by her mother. Sure enough, she was waiting to ambush her the moment she walked into the house.
“Tell me what happened,” she demanded, getting close enough for it to be uncomfortable with her hands on her hips. “The neighbors have all been by asking if you were alright!”
Camila sighed. “I’ll tell you, okay? But can I at least go sit down, first?”
She conceded long enough for Camila to put her overnight bag in her room, then sat with her mom on the couch. Slowly, she explained everything from the moment Adrien showed up on her doorstep, up until Samuel took her away from the station after she’d given her statement to the police and agreed to go ahead with pressing charges.
Camila saw the complicated expressions on her mom’s face, and sighed as she leaned forward to hug her.
“It was horrible, but it’s all over now,” she said to soothe her mother. “I’m happy now, so let’s forget all this ever happened, okay?”
She didn’t wait for her mother’s response, before she went to her room to sleep. She had been too giddy last night after Samuel walked her to the guest room to get enough sleep.
As soon as she woke up, she checked her phone.
She smiled, seeing there was a message from Samuel and another from her boss. She checked Samuel’s first.
Hey, beautiful. Can we meet up this afternoon?
Smiling, she answered back, I would love to, where and when?
Switching to her boss’ message she read it.
Cami, got a project for you, get in here pronto.
Sighing she realized she’d have to get back to work. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy her work, just that she’d been off for a while and going back in was both a relief and a disappointment. But with renewed vigor, she realized she was ready to get her normal life back, with a few perks added.
She texted her boss back. Be there asap.
* * *
As she got back into the groove of things, her work went as well as it usually did. When she was needed to join a reporter to take pictures, they always came out outstanding. She did her best to improve her writing ability, but even though she never felt it was quite good enough, she had never been that terrible at it. She knew it had to be at least decent because no one would have made her write it if it wasn’t. That would have been counterproductive.
Her relationship with Samuel only got better without Adrien bothering them.
Whenever they had the free time, they would meet up for a date. Either he would pick her up and follow her to her usual haunts, they went out to one of his favorite places, or he took her to his home.
At one point, Samuel had asked, “Are you sure this isn’t boring? I don’t like crowds much more than Brianna does. I can put up with them, but going out to fancy restaurants and clubs was never something I enjoyed.”
“I take you to restaurants and crowded places all the time, though,” Camila pointed out. “And you take me to museums, and the zoo and other places and they are crowded at times.”
They were chatting on the phone, so she couldn’t see him, but she did hear him chuckle and it made her heart t
ighten up and beat harder at the same time.
“That’s because the places you take me to, there are no expectations. I can be myself and no one would bother me or look at me. And those other places, anyone can be anonymous there. I figured the people around those places we go to don’t read your blog or they might have recognized me. Should I count that as a good or bad thing?”
Camila grumbled at that, but he just laughed again. She did understand what he was worried about, though. Samuel Kane was like a celebrity, not to mention one of the richest men in New York. Of course there would be eyes on him wherever he went. And it wasn’t so much that those people didn’t read her blog, though there was no way for her to find out whether they did or not. It was more likely that they didn’t expect a celebrity to be mingling with them, so even if someone did recognize him, they’d just think he was a guy that looked really similar.
More importantly, with Adrien gone, Samuel could relax. Camila had seen him produce a smile several times since they met. And not just a tiny quirk of the lips like that one time, but a real smile. It practically lit up his whole face, turning it from something stern to something tender when he looked at her. The only other person who got to see that expression besides her, was Brianna. He was still a public figure and she did occasionally see him on the news, and his expression was as stern as always. To her, the him on TV and in the media seemed like a whole different person now.
She had seen, in the time since Adrien was incarcerated, many examples of how kind Samuel could be once he really let his guard down. She had seen it before, of course, with how he took care of his sister, but he really shone when she didn’t have as much to worry about. She hadn't thought it could get any better, but it did, and it contrasted greatly with her initial impression of him.
Now that things were back to normal, her mom kept hounding her again, until finally, one day when he’d invited her to his place for a private dinner, she broke down and told him.
Tangled Obsession: Book 2 of the Obsession Trilogy Page 2
