No Holds Barred (In The Heart Of A Valentine Book 1)

by Stephanie Nicole Norris

  “I just didn’t want to disturb you should you be getting some shut-eye.”

  Corinne turned around in her seat and eyed the time. “At noon on a Sunday? Try again.”

  “Well I don’t know what you and Xavier got into, so I was just being cautious.”

  “Mmhmm, yeah. You would’ve known what happened between Xavier and I had you decided to come home yesterday. You know, anytime during the full 24 hours allotted to us by the Most High.”

  Camilla stuck her lips out. “You’ve made your point.” She strolled down the hallway with Corinne quickly following behind her.

  “So, what’s the word?” Corinne asked.

  Camilla dropped her heels at her bedroom entrance and turned to face her friend. Folding her arms across her chest, Camilla’s serious expression developed into a full-blown grin.

  “He asked me to be his girlfriend.”

  Corinne’s eyes popped, and she reached out and shoved Camilla. “Shut up!”

  Camilla glanced down at her shoulder with a frown then back to Corinne. “Assault much?”

  Corinne squealed and shoved her again, and Camilla couldn’t help but laugh.

  “You get on my nerves,” Camilla said, pivoting and skipping to her bed. She fell down in the middle of the mattress with her arms stretched wide.

  “It was so unexpected,” Camilla said dreamily. “I don’t even know why I’m this excited.”

  “I do.”

  Corinne crawled on to the bed and folded her legs beneath her. Camilla glanced up at her.

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re being proved wrong. The image you have of him in your head; you know that playboy, unattainable bad idea image. Yeah, as the days past, he proved that he just might be a caring, understanding, one-woman man who most women hope an alpha male like him could be. And his eyes are on you.”

  Camilla pondered Corinne’s words. She was right, but there was something else. With that excitement was real fear. How long would Hunter’s eye be on her? Was she the only one, or would she be naïve to believe he wouldn’t date anyone else while they were together.

  “I said yes so quickly. What if it is a bad idea?”

  “Then you’ll learn from it. It’s too late now, you’re in it to win it.”

  “Gee thanks.” Camilla continued to ponder. “He wants me to meet his mother.” Camilla glanced over at Corinne just in time to see her eyes lurch again.

  Corinne placed a hand on her chest, shook into silence.

  “Don’t stop giving me your almighty advice now.”

  “This is more serious than I thought,” Corinne said.

  “I’m nervous as hell, and I can’t seem to tell him no. It’s becoming an addiction. Maybe Hunter is bad for my health.”

  A jiggling laugh began in Corinne’s belly and chuckled up her throat.

  “Damn, girl, you are scared, huh.”

  Camilla squeezed her eyes closed tight.

  “Come on, Corinne. I’ve known him all of what a week and a half. We just decided to be a couple and that was a decision made in the throes of…”

  Corinne leaned back with an arch in her brow. “Oh no, don’t stop on my behalf. In the throes of what?”

  With her eyes closed, images of Hunter’s tenacious undertaking sailed to the forefront. The tight clasp his manly hands had on her as his fingers dug into her skin. The rocking of his hips as he thrust calamitous strokes into her core. The saccharine way his tongue tasted; heated, wet, and euphoric. Camilla bit down on her lip and squirmed.

  “Dayum!” Corinne shouted.

  Camilla opened her eyes sharply. “What happened,” she said, rising to her elbows to look around the room.

  “You do know you were just rocking your hips and biting down on your lip, right?”

  “Oh my God,” Camilla said, exasperated as she fell back into the mattress.

  “Ooou, girl, I aspire to feel the level of ecstasy that you feel right now.”

  “He said she’ll love me.”

  Corinne blinked. “Who, his mom?”

  “Yeah. He said, and I quote, “She will love you.”

  Camilla turned her head up to look at Corinne again.

  “Look, here’s my advice even though you didn’t ask for it,” Corinne began. “If it makes you feel uncomfortable to meet his parents, then tell him. It’s too early in your relationship, and you think you both should what until you’ve dated for a while.”

  Camilla repeated Corinne’s statement. “It’s too early in our relationship, and we should both wait until we’ve dated for a while.”

  “Yeah, see, you’ve got it.”

  Camilla’s phone rang, and she’d rose from the bed and skipped over to it. Upon seeing Steven’s number, Camilla frowned. “You would think he’d give up by now.”

  “That must be Steven.”

  Camilla tossed her phone and trod back to her bed. With them both deciding to ignore Steven, they changed the subject.

  “Okay, since we missed a whole day together, let’s go out for happy hour.” Corinne glanced at her watch. “I still have a few hours before my flight, and I can tell you all about my time with Xavier.”

  Camilla smiled and nodded. “Let me get ready.”

  “Fast, times a ticking!” Corinne said at Camilla’s retreating back.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “It’s too early in our relationship, and we should both wait until we’ve dated for a while.”

  Camilla exited WTZB, repeating the statement Corinne had come up with the day before. Hunter was picking her up from work today, they would have dinner then head home, but during their meal Camilla planned to tell him that meeting his parents would have to come at a later date. She had a mind to ask if all the women he dated met his parents. If so she could breathe easy that meeting them wasn’t a big deal. But somehow, Camilla knew that not to be true, and the last thing she wanted was to insult him.

  She was wrapped in her musing so tightly that she padded down the steps without watching her surroundings. It was when a tall figure cut her path short by standing in front of her that Camilla froze, and the blood in her face drained like she’d seen a ghost.

  “So, you plan to just keep ignoring my calls?”

  Her shock turned into anger so quick Camilla didn’t recognize herself.

  “What the hell, Steven!”

  Steven lingered over her in a double-breasted beige coat with shades strewn across his eyes.

  “What are you doing here!?” Camilla glanced around then grabbed Steven’s hand and pulled him to the side of the building.

  “I wouldn’t have popped up on you like this if you had taken one of my calls.”

  Frustrated, Camilla massaged her temples.

  “How could you just up and leave everything we had behind and move to Chicago? I had to find out from a clip on CNN that you’re working for this news station.”

  “Steven, I don’t give a damn how you found out. There is nothing to hold on to back in Florida. No me, and no you. I can’t believe you just showed up like this.”

  “What is a desperate man to do when his wife won’t answer the phone.”

  Camilla waved her hand in the air. “Oh, Steven, just stop it!”

  Steven let out a frustrated breath. “Baby, you know me. Every now and then, I need to be put in check, but you know I’m not going anywhere.” He stepped closer to her. “I love you.”

  Camilla thought she was going to be sick. Steven thought love was breaking off their engagement whenever he supposedly needed to be put in check, and even worse, he actually expected Camilla to deal with it.

  Camilla reined in her sanity and spoke with a clear concise voice, “Look, I really don’t want to argue with you about this, especially not here.”

  Camilla glanced back at WTZB to see if anyone lingered at the entrance, but no one did.

  “Then let’s go back home. I have a flight with both of our names on it.” Steven glanced down at his watch. “If we leave now,
we can make it. If not, we’ll have to take anoth—”

  “Stop it! Just!” Camilla let out a deep breath. She couldn’t deal with him. Steven would just keep acting like everything was okay. “You don’t get it,” she said, feeling defeated.

  Steven stepped even closer to her; so close she could smell his Old Spice cologne. He grabbed her by the waist and leaned closer to her face. But Steven wasn’t expecting her rejection, and when she pushed off his chest, his calm nature turned cold.

  “Get your ass over here,” he said, reaching again to grab hold of her.

  In a blur, Camilla scurried around Steven, but was yanked back when he grabbed her arm.

  “Get off me, Steven!” Camilla jerked her arm free and stared at him in disbelief. “What the hell is wrong with you!?”

  “You are what’s wrong with me, and if I have to tell you again—” Steven’s words were cut short, and he glared at something over Camilla’s shoulder. “What the hell are you looking at?”

  Camilla rotated on her heels and was confronted by a menacing, brooding Hunter Valentine that sent daggers with his gaze over at Steven. Camilla opened her mouth for an explanation of why Steven was there, and what was going on, but the death stare Hunter fixed on Steven was so ominous it made Camilla think of retreating. When his eyes traveled to hers, instantly his gaze thawed, and the warmth that she’d always recognized returned.

  “Are you okay,” he asked.

  Camilla swallowed thickly since her tongue felt like sandpaper.

  “Yes.” She paused. “I can explain.” Her voice was just beyond a whisper, but at the moment, Hunter wasn’t interested in her explanation. He lifted her arm and looked it over, then with effortless ease, removed her from his front to hide her behind his back.

  His gaze darkened again, and Camilla tugged at his bicep. “Please, Hunter, don’t.”

  “Who do you think you are?” Steven asked.

  “Steven, is it?” Hunter said. “The only reason you walk away today with your face intact is because my Camilla works here. So, consider yourself lucky. The stars are aligned in your favor. But understand something. If you ever put your hands on her again, I’ll rip your motherfucking shoulder off. Am I clear?”

  Steven was partly pissed, but mostly anxious trying to figure out if Hunter was serious. He made a bad decision to test out the theory.

  “Your Camilla?” Steven stepped to Hunter. “That’s where you’re mistaken, my man. Camilla is my wife, she belongs to me!” Steven attempted to reach around Hunter in an effort to get hands on Camilla. Hunter sent one fast blow to Steven’s chest, and Steven flew back a foot and tilted on his heels as he fought to recover the oxygen that had just been bullied from his body.

  “Oh my God!” Camilla shouted.

  Hunter stepped to Steven again, but smartly, Steven recoiled while still taking a massive effort to refill his lungs with air.

  “Please, Hunter, let’s go!”

  Camilla tugged at his arm again, and Hunter thought better of killing the man in the parking lot. He turned toward Camilla, and without another word started toward his Maserati Quattro Porte. With Camilla at his side, the two hustled to get into his vehicle, and when Hunter slipped into the driver’s seat the madness he felt radiated from him.

  Hunter checked his rearview mirror then sent a glare back across the parking lot. He didn’t say a word, and in the next instance, they were riding down the boulevard. Camilla shut her eyes. What a disaster that had been. But it could’ve been worse, and she was grateful that Hunter could control himself. Peering over at him, Hunter drove stoically, with no expression to reveal how he currently felt. But Camilla didn’t need a psychic to know, if the way he avoided eye contact with her was any indication.

  “I can explain,” Camilla began.

  “Is he your husband?”

  Hunter’s voice matched his expression, posing the question with no emotion.

  “No!” she huffed. “Of course not, what kind of woman do you think I am?”

  Hunter chose not to answer that question.

  “Steven’s my ex.”

  “Ex-husband?”

  “No!”

  “Then why did he say it? Is he delusional? Did he escape from an insane asylum?”

  “Is that a joke?”

  “I’m not laughing,” Hunter said. “A man comes out of nowhere and calls you his wife with no rebuttal on your part.”

  “How much did you hear?”

  “Does it matter?”

  Hunter made eye contact with her. Some of that iciness she’d seen back at WTZB was there, but it was fighting with another emotion; one that Camilla was certain she misread. Despair. But why would Hunter feel such a thing unless he loved her, and the thought of her being Steven’s wife distressed him.

  He pulled to the side of the road but didn’t cut the engine.

  “Look, I know our relationship is young, but you trust me at least, don’t you?” She asked.

  Hunter bit down on his jaw then blew out a deep breath.

  “Tell me about him,” he said, sitting against the seat.

  Camilla gave Hunter a rundown about being engaged to Steven twice and the shenanigans he’d pulled.

  “But he doesn’t believe it’s over. That’s my fault. I shouldn’t have taken him back the first time.”

  Hunter scoured her face. “Do you still love him?”

  “In the sense that I don’t want him to have a fatal accident, yes.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Then no,” she said plainly.

  The vehicle became quiet as they watched one another.

  “Take out a restraining order on him. I’ll call Chief Fletcher and make sure it’s adequately implemented.”

  “Let me talk to him first.”

  Hunter frowned. “To say what?”

  “Just to let him know I mean business, and if he ever comes around again, I’m putting an order of protection out on him.”

  “That’s not going to fly.”

  “Why not?”

  “Do you think I care to sit back and wait for him to come around and manhandle you again? What happens if I’m not there, and he hurts you?”

  There it was again. Despair. Camilla reached out and caressed his face.

  “You really do care about me, don’t you?”

  “More than it makes sense.”

  Camilla’s heart rocked against her chest, and a smile covered her lips. Hunter reached for her chin, and without much effort lured Camilla in for an impromptu kiss. When they parted, both hovered before drawing away completely.

  “I’ll make a deal with you,” Hunter said.

  “Okay.”

  “Take out the restraining order today, and I won’t murder him the next time he shows up.”

  Camilla gasped. “Hunter!”

  “What?”

  “What kind of deal is that?”

  “I thought it was a pretty good one.”

  Camilla huffed.

  “So, what do you say?”

  Camilla’s stomach growled, and they both heard it. Hunter put the car in drive and pulled away from the corner. They headed in the direction of Louie’s Steakhouse and Grill with Camilla never agreeing to Hunter’s deal.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The week went on without another word from Steven. But Camilla knew she hadn’t heard the last of him. The thing that made her more uncomfortable was now Steven knew she was dating Hunter, and his outburst at WTZB earlier that week was a bit disturbing. Steven was used to getting his way, so Camilla had never seen his ugly side, but Camilla replayed the way he yanked her, demanding she come with him. Or else what? That was the part that had Camilla checking corners every time she left her job and even at times when she was at the grocery store.

  It was tiresome, and on top of that, she hadn’t expressed these feelings to Hunter. Her reasoning was plain and simple. Hunter was not the type of man to sit idly by while his woman feared for her safety. He would most li
kely put Steven out of his misery. Do you believe Hunter would really kill Steven? Her first response was to say no, but she couldn’t be sure. Camilla sat inside her car that was parked in her assigned space at The Regency.

  Tomorrow was Friday and she was going to meet Hunter’s parents. She’d decided not to tell him they should wait, partly because of being distracted by her surroundings and relatively because a part of her wanted to meet Mr. and Mrs. Valentine. But still, Camilla sat in the parking lot, with her cell in hand thinking about sending Hunter a bland text about needing to postpone. Camilla bit down on her lip. Maybe she was just nervous. Instead of sending him that text, she sent him another.

  Hey you. Do you mind if I bring along a friend to lunch tomorrow?

  She hit send then waited patiently as her mind ran around the idea she had. It didn’t take long for Hunter to respond. When her phone beeped, it brought an exhilarating smile to her face.

  Just the woman I was thinking of. Is this friend Corinne?

  The smile journeyed further.

  No. You met her at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. My assignment editor, Allison Sullivan.

  Send.

  I don’t see why not. Where are you?

  Camilla texted back hurriedly.

  Home.

  Send.

  When do you suppose I’ll get to see this home you say you have? I’m starting to believe you don’t really live at The Regency, and you’re a foreign spy sent to gain the heart of a wealthy bachelor in order to find out our governments secrets.

  Camilla giggled and responded to his text.

  I didn’t know you had government secrets, but now that I do, you must tell me what they are since I’ve won your heart.

  Camilla was only joking, but when her phone beeped again, the message took her breath away.

  Damn it. I’ve always known a woman would be the end of me. I’m glad it was you, Angel.

  She reread his words several times, and her heart rate increased. Could it be possible? That Camilla had stolen his heart? She reminisced back over the conversations they’d had throughout the week. Particularly the one during lunch on Wednesday.