Oh, that so wasn't good, she thought with a groan, and buried her face in her pillow, wishing the action could make her forget the fact that she'd given Cameron so much of herself last night, a telling glimpse into her painful past. The tears that had showed him just how vulnerable she was beneath her normal I-don't-give-a-damn facade. And the trust she'd never given to any other man she'd dated.
But worse than that, she feared she'd given him something she'd never be able to reclaim as her own-a huge piece of her heart. That notion scared her more than anything she had ever faced, because it set her up for heartache, for loss and failure, and for the kind of pain she'd spent a lifetime making certain she'd never experience again.
Chapter Fourteen
MIA headed down the pathway to her apartment after work Tuesday evening, her mind already on the stained-glass design she planned to work on tonight. She realized she'd become somewhat of a homebody, and though she felt her place was too quiet and lonely sometimes, she had to admit she didn't miss going out to bars and nightclubs and the other places she used to frequent in the evenings after work.
Now she had a distinct reason for staying home, and that was to work on her stained-glass art. Amy had scheduled Mia's first showing with the gallery for the end of the month, and Mia wanted to be able to present as many new pieces of the erotic art as possible. Especially because the current silent auction Amy had begun on the pieces she'd left at the gallery had generated not only an amazing amount of bids, but also a flurry of interest in her work. That auction would end the night of the show, and Amy was confident the final bid was going to exceed both of their expectations.
It was an exhilarating feeling, a high that gave her an incredible boost of energy and excitement that transferred over to her designs and actual artwork. And while a part of her couldn't wait for the gallery show, she had to admit there was one issue she still hadn't yet resolved-how to tell her family about her "unveiling." She knew she'd invite her family, but she didn't think she had the nerve to tell them what to expect beforehand. Scott and her father had rejected her attempt at making something of her normal stained-glass designs, so a huge part of her was nervous and cautious about her family's reaction when they realized that some of her art wasn't as innocent as it seemed.
Working on her designs and artwork every spare minute she found available also kept Mia's mind off of that huge revelation she'd come to about her feelings for Cameron a few mornings ago. She'd at least managed to convince herself that she'd been in a very vulnerable state after telling him about her past, and that had led to her overwhelming and too emotional thoughts.
But now, with a few days between them and that night, she was able to be more objective about the situation-and her affair with Cameron, which didn't allow room for emotional sentiments that would only complicate matters. They made great lovers, and Lord knew she'd grown to care for him beyond anything she could have imagined, but she knew deep in her heart that she wasn't the kind of woman Cameron needed or wanted in his life on a long-term basis. She was also smart enough to recognize her inability to sustain a lasting relationship with any man-her past history had taught her that-and she wasn't about to hurt Cameron in the long run.
With a sigh, she turned the corner toward her apartment and buried those thoughts in the deepest recesses of her heart. Instead, she refocused on the stained-glass design awaiting her tonight. This one was a collage of bright, vibrant butterflies, with an image of an erotically entwined couple silhouetted where the multi-colored wings overlapped. It was an intricate piece and very challenging, but those were the pieces that excited her the most.
She arrived at her place, and just as she lifted her keys to unlock the door, she heard the scuff of footsteps. She glanced over her shoulder and sucked in a quick breath when she found Ray standing directly behind her. His unexpected presence startled her so badly her keys slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground.
Her guard immediately went up, and she spun around so she didn't have her back to him. She'd been foolish for not paying better attention to her surroundings considering someone was currently stalking her-possibly even this man who'd seemingly snuck up on her when she'd least expected it.
Her stomach clenched in apprehension, and she thought about the keys on the ground, which was her only way to get into the safety of her apartment-but she refused to bend down to pick them up and give him any kind of advantage over her. Instead, she tried to recall every defense tactic her brothers had ever taught her, just in case she needed to use them on Ray. He wasn't a big man, but he was solid and obviously knew how to hurt and dominate women.
"If you're looking for Gina, she's still at work," she said with as much calm and directness as she could manage. "She doesn't get off until seven tonight."
"I'm not here to see Gina. I'm here to see you." He stepped closer, invading her personal space and leaving her no where to retreat. "It seems you've been putting ideas in her head that I don't appreciate."
A chill slithered down her spine, and she recognized the sensation as fear. Refusing to let any kind of weakness show or allow him to intimidate her in any way, she boldly met his gaze. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
The corners of his mouth curved into a smile that was more sinister than pleasant "She's got it in her head that she needs to leave me, and I'm thinking you put those thoughts there."
Finally, Gina was standing up for herself! Mia felt a rush of relief that Gina was at least trying to get away from Ray. Judging by her boyfriend's ominous expression, though, he wasn't happy about her attempts, and he wasn't about to make it easy on Gina, either.
"Gina's a big girl who can make up her own mind about you and your relationship," she said with a shrug. "And if she wants to break up with you, there's probably a reason for it."
His gaze narrowed on her, and her heart raced in her chest as he clenched his fists at his sides. "Well, I suggest you stay out of it, unless a slut like you would rather take her place. You're putting out for that guy you picked up at The Electric Blue, and I certainly don't mind sharing."
Slut. The familiar word reverberated in her head, a slur that had been scrawled across those pictures someone had sent her. Her mind spun, and she had struggled to keep her thoughts focused on her response to Ray.
"I'm sure Gina would mind sharing." You deranged freak.
His eyes slid down to the V of her blouse and then back up again, his gaze heating with a depraved kind of lust. "Gina wouldn't have to know."
Her stomach churned. "You're sick," she spat, though she was trembling deep inside.
Finished with the conversation, she tried to move around him but instead found herself trapped between the door and Ray. He braced his hands next to her shoulders, and though he wasn't physically touching her in any way, her skin still crawled. She mentally prepared herself to fight back if that's what it came down to-ready to drive her knee as hard as she could against his balls and slam the heel of her palm against the base of his nose.
"I suggest you back off right now," she said, hating the slight quiver in her voice. "Or I'm calling the police."
"And tell them what?" he sneered, looking ugly and mean. "Nobody has seen me here, I didn't touch you, and as far as I'm concerned, I was never here."
Her heart beat so frantically she feared it would burst from her chest. "Back off," she said angrily, her final warning before she hit him where it hurt the most and crippled him.
As if sensing she meant business, he shoved away from her and then pointed a finger at her. "Keep your nose out of Gina's business," he said and turned and walked away.
Quickly, Mia scooped up her keys, but her fingers were trembling so badly it took her a few tries to get the door unlocked. Once she managed the feat, she bolted into the apartment, secured herself inside, and slumped against the nearest wall.
She forced herself to breathe deeply, to try and calm the racing of her heart and the adrenaline that was making her entire body shake. As
soon as she could walk steadily, she went to the phone in the living room and immediately called Cameron's cell number.
As soon as he answered the phone, she didn't waste any time in telling him what had happened. "Ray was just here," she said, her voice raw and raspy.
"With Gina?" he asked, and she heard the confusion in his tone.
She lowered herself to the sofa and swallowed to ease the dryness in her throat. "No. He was alone, and he caught me right outside the apartment by myself. He confronted me about telling Gina to leave him and threatened me to stay out of it." She left the more crude parts of their conversation to herself.
"I'm going to fucking kill the bastard," Cameron growled into the phone, his fury nearly tangible.
As much as she'd enjoy seeing Cameron beat the crap out of Ray, she knew they had to be more level-headed about the situation. "Look, I'm okay physically," she reassured him. "He never touched me, and he didn't hurt me in any way. And if you go after him, chances are he'll take it out on Gina, and I just don't want to take that chance, okay?"
Cameron was breathing hard into the phone, a testament to just how pissed off he was.
"Promise me you won't do anything," she said, practically begging him. Not only for Gina's sake, but for his own welfare, too. "You don't know what Ray is capable of doing, and until you find out more about him, or something you can use against him, we can't risk setting him off."
"Fine," he said tightly, though she knew he wasn't happy about the decision.
She dragged her fingers through her hair, feeling weary and sapped of energy. But there was something she knew she had to do tonight, no matter how unpleasant the task. "I'm going to tell Gina what happened with Ray when she gets home from work."
"Good. She needs to know just what kind of unstable psychopath she's dealing with," he bit out angrily. "Do you want me to be there when you talk to her? I'll leave this surveillance I'm on right now if you want me there."
"No, it's okay." She appreciated the offer, but there was no sense in overwhelming Gina with Cameron's presence. "I can handle it on my own. I'm guessing by what Ray said to me that Gina wants out of the relationship, so hopefully what I have to tell her will prompt her to end it for good."
"We can hope." He exhaled a long, harsh breath, as if that helped to release his pent-up tension and frustration. "Call me if you need anything at all."
"I will." Feeling so much calmer now, she smiled into the phone. "Thanks. I'll talk to you later."
Mia disconnected the phone and then went into her bedroom to change out of her work outfit and into a pair of comfortable drawstring pants and a cotton top. She didn't expect Gina home from her job as a clothing store manager for at least a half an hour, and during that time she welcomed the distraction of working on her latest stained-glass design. Finally, just a few minutes before seven, she heard the front door open and close, and she made her way out to the front of the apartment.
She found Gina in the kitchen, where she was grabbing a small bottle of iced tea from the refrigerator. "Hey, Gina," Mia said in greeting. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
Her friend's expression immediately turned wary, but much to Mia's surprise, Gina didn't try to evade the conversation like she would have in the recent past. "Sure. What's up?"
Mia didn't beat around the bush and got right to the point. "Ray came by to see me today."
"You?" Gina's eyes widened in startled surprise. "Why?"
Leaning casually against the counter, Mia crossed her arms over her chest. "Because he said you want to leave him, and he's certain I'm the one who's encouraging it."
"Oh, God, Mia. I'm so sorry." Gina's voice was choked with remorse. "I never meant to drag you into all this."
"First of all, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for," Mia said, reassuring her friend. "There is nothing I want more than to see you out of your relationship with Ray, and I've never made a secret of that fact."
Gina hung her head as she set her iced tea aside. "I know," she said quietly.
"So is it true what Ray said?" Mia persisted gently, needing answers. "That you want to end things?"
"Yes," Gina nodded and met her gaze. "I finally realized I can't keep going on like this."
"Good for you, Gina." A huge wave of relief swept over Mia. Getting Gina to admit there was a problem was half the battle. The other half came in the form of a very volatile, abusive man.
"You tried to tell me, and I kept denying that anything bad was happening. I made excuses for Ray's actions and behavior because I was blaming myself for making Ray angry." A sense of despair etched her expression. "But Saturday night he started yelling at me because I'd burnt the roast I'd made for dinner, and I just realized I'd had enough, I wasn't happy, and I knew I never would be. So I tried to break things off, but he went crazy."
Gina's hand fluttered up to her throat, and she swallowed hard, her eyes haunted. "He shoved me up against the wall and put his hand around my neck. And it really, really scared me, to the point that I left his place when he was using the bathroom."
Mia recalled that past Saturday night when she and Cameron had come across Gina in the kitchen, clutching her robe tight and her eyes red and puffy from crying. Now, it all made sense.
Crossing the distance separating her from Gina, Mia grabbed her friend's hands and squeezed them tight. "Honey, you did the right thing. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do." A smile wavered on her lips. "Of course he's called me since then, telling me how sorry he is, that it would never happen again. But I don't believe him anymore, not when I have so many bruises to show for his abuse."
For the past few weeks Gina had been wearing long-sleeved blouses to work, and as she pushed up the sleeve of her current top, Mia understood why. She'd been covering up bruises on her arms where Ray had obviously grabbed her very roughly. Some of the marks were faded; others were barely beginning to heal.
Gina glanced back up at Mia, her eyes filled with genuine fear. "I'm afraid to be with him, and I'm even more afraid to leave him."
"He's threatened to really hurt you if you leave him, hasn't he?"
Gina drew a shuddering breath that was tinged with dread. "Yes."
Fury rose within Mia, immediate and swift. "You're doing the right thing, you know that, don't you?"
"Yes," Gina said, clearly having come to her senses about Ray. "I know I have to end things once and for all. I just can't stay in this emotionally and physically abusive relationship any longer."
"And you shouldn't have to," Mia insisted. "If you want me or Cameron to be there with you when you tell Ray, for backup or support, just say the word."
"No, I need to do this on my own," Gina said with a shake of her head. "It might be the coward's way out, but I'm going to end things with Ray on the phone."
Mia was glad to hear that. "That's not cowardly, Gina. It's smart. He can't hurt you that way, and once that's done you can have a restraining order issued against him so he can't come near you."
"That's what I'd planned to do." She straightened with a determination that made Mia proud. "I'm supposed to see him on Thursday evening, but I'm going to call him instead and tell him we're through. For good. And then because I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off, I'm going to go and stay with my sister so I'm not around. That will hopefully give Ray time to cool off."
Mia couldn't have thought of a better arrangement herself, because there was no doubt in her mind Ray would do everything in his power to try and contact or see Gina after she ended the relationship. But that also meant Mia shouldn't be alone this weekend either, because Ray would be looking for any excuse to unleash his wrath on anyone who stood in his way of getting in touch with Gina.
@"WHO is Ray Wilkins?"
Cameron glanced from the information on his computer screen he was perusing to Steve, who'd entered his office and was crossing the room to his desk. He'd anticipated something like this would happen at some point, and although Steve seemed only mildly
curious at the moment, Cameron didn't expect his friend's calm to last once he explained Ray to him.
"Why do you ask?"
"Wes was doing some trace work on this guy while you were gone earlier," Steve replied. "He said it was for you, but I can't find a case file, so I was curious who he is and if he's a client of ours."
Cameron knew he could tell Steve it was personal and he'd immediately let it go and that would be the end of their discussion. But as partners, and friends, Cameron didn't want lies between himself and Steve. Especially if Steve found out the truth later-that his cousin, Mia, was being stalked and Ray Wilkins was a prime suspect. Even though Cameron had promised Mia he wouldn't involve her family in any way, he trusted Steve to be discreet, and that was what ultimately swayed his decision to tell his partner everything.
Cameron waved a hand toward the chair in front of his desk. "Why don't you sit down. There's something I need to tell you."
Steve lifted a dark brow as he settled his large frame in the seat. "Sounds serious."
"It involves Mia," Cameron said flat out.
"Mia?" Steve looked completely taken aback and then he smirked. "Did you find out she's seeing this guy, and you've got it so bad for her that you're running a background check to scrutinize his credentials?"
Cameron laughed, because it was amusing to think Steve believed he'd be jealous enough to secretly investigate someone Mia might be dating. But there was nothing remotely humorous about the actual situation and the reasons why he was trying to trace Ray and his past. And those answers were about to reveal his own relationship with Mia.
Sighing in resignation, Cameron tossed his pen onto his desk and leaned back in his chair. "Ray is a suspect in a personal case I'm pursuing, which also involves Mia."
Steve's entire demeanor took on a guarded edge. "In what way?"
Too Wilde to Tame Page 22
