ELIZABETHYou would think that after the conversation we had and after the kiss we shared, that Jason and I would be on level ground with whatever was going on between us… well you thought wrong.After the conversation with Jason, the next day he decided to resume work. According to him, he had a lot on his plate and could not continue to wallow while more work piled on for him. It was just a ploy to get away from the house and me because the next day, he was looking everywhere else but at me and even when I had tried to engage him in a conversation, he had barely added two words before going to his work area.It was as though he was embarrassed about sharing what he did with me last night and he did not want a recap of it or for us to get any closer. I was hurt and told Mara about the whole everything.“you might be overreading meaning into his actions. I am sure he does have a lot of work to do.” She said, reassuring me.“I know he does Mar but I cannot help but feel that he is runn
JASONThe sight of Elizabeth was driving me crazy… hell the mere thought of her was enough to send blood rushing to my lower region, I was a gentleman but not where she was concerned. She had me stuck in the eye of a needle but was blissfully unaware and ignorant of it, which did nothing placate my aches.I had tried avoiding her for these past few days by staying at the office till it was late and even visiting the club to check on their progress, something I delegated to Caleb, my assistant but even her scent lingered everywhere in the house.She must have noticed my ever grumpy mood and always kept her distance most of the time. Today was no exception, I was thinking of her and barely concentrating on the report in front of me. It was like a disease that I wanted to rid myself of but every time I would imagine some scenario in my head and think of what she would say too.“Jason Rodrigues, you are going crazy” I muttered to myself, shaking my head repeatedly.“it is quite obvious yo
ELIZABETHMara was true to her word and came over with a bag of clothes, she had gone shopping without me but that was fine, I did not think I exactly had it in me for the walking and trying out clothes. She bought me a red and extremely short dress while she got herself a black number, matching pair of panties and heels so long, I could barely walk in them.“I invited some of my friends over so we can all go to the club together.” She told me.“what friends?” I groaned struggling with the shoes.“Hermes and his girlfriend Athena; weird names, right? Apparently, their parents thought it fitting to name them after Greek gods or something. Anyways, Hermes has a car and is going to be driving us to the club and then from there to any other place we would like to go. Tonight, we party.” She squealed.I wished I shared her optimism, it was quite true that I had been bored out of my mind these past few days and hours ago, I could do anything to get out of this house but right now, I just wa
JASONIt was almost noon time and I could hardly wait to be done with work and go to the club for some relaxation, the plan was for Lucien to meet me there but I was going to call him and confirm his availability, I did not want to drink alone. I got up and walked to the window of my office and looked out, I had a very great view of everyone and everywhere bustling with activity. I could see a woman trying to calm a wailing toddler down and a man standing far apart from them but watching, he was no doubt the father and did not want that sort of drama. She was saying something to the child who suddenly stopped crying and then she brought out a dollar bill from her purse and handed it to him, he bounded away to the nearest candy shop, smiling like he had not just been crying some minutes ago.There was another couple too, holding hands and I wondered immediately why I could see myself and Elizabeth, walking side by side and hand in hand like that one day… it happened suddenly though, on
ELIZABETHI needed a damn drink and I told Mara so, ever since we had gotten into the club, my eyes had been darting around, searching for any sign of Jason. I was filled with dread that he might walk in one minute and our eyes would meet across the floor, going out did not feel much like a good idea at that moment because I was still in his grasp.“you need to loosen up and have fun, Liz. That is the reason we are here today and I have just heard from a very reliable source that Jason barely comes to the club except for important matters.” Mara told me, she must have seen me wiggling my fingers.“what if today is the day he decided that there is something important he has to do at the club” I wailed.“then let him, you are a grown woman that has the right to go out and club with friends and not be tied down because of a contract. Why are you the only one that has to stay home and away? He should too”She was right, I was a grown woman and should be allowed to do whatever I pleased wi
JASONthe infuriating woman was getting herself drunk at my club, I fumed as I put on a shirt.I was going to strangle her for having me worried like that, I thought she had probably been kidnapped or something but she had just turned off her damned phone.Leave me alone, Jason, her words echoed in my head.Like hell…She had to be joking if she thought that I would leave her to go clubbing in my own club where I knew anything could happen to her.“damn woman” I muttered.“she should hear you cursing at her, then maybe she would know that you actually care about her.” Lucien said from the doorway. He was in a fresh shirt and pants and observing me with keen interest.“shut up, Lucien. Do not add to the rage I am already feeling.” I said, grabbing my keys.“maybe you should leave her alone, just for tonight. The lord knows if I was in her shoes, I would run and never return to your grumpy ass.” He said, following me.“like hell, I will leave her alone for some grubby, hot in the pants
ELIZABETHThe harsh rays of the early morning sun filtered through the curtains and I was forced to open my eyes to its glare. I could feel my head throbbing in parts I had no idea originally existed and I groaned audibly, my hands flying up to hold my hair.“you are up, I see”My eyes cleared immediately as I looked at Jason, a shirtless Jason sitting beside me and operating a laptop, he had a useless grin on his face.What had happened last night? I thought, my head still throbbing“what are you doing in my room?” I asked working my mouth, I could not feel my legs at the moment.“your room? look around you, Elizabeth.” He said, smirking in a way you would to an overly disobedient child.My eyes moved lazily around the room and widened in realizationI was in his room!“what am I doing here, in your room. what happened last night” I struggled, slipping a hand to touch my body underneath the duvet. I was still wearing my dress but what was the point, my breasts were literally out of t
JASONI was been an asshole because only an asshole would tell a girl he liked her one minute and then the next that she was too innocent. It was infuriating to not be able to properly express how I felt about her and the fear that if I did something too forward, she would bolt and never come back.I groaned brushing the errant locks of my hair from my eyes, I knew I had to apologize to her immediately and so I made my way to her room. the door was slightly ajar and I could hear laughter filtering through and then a name that stopped me in my tracks.Michael…Who the hell was Michael, I thought with my hand still suspended in the art of knocking.“I’m sorry, I can’t see you today or tomorrow. I would have to get back to you on that, is that alright?” she was saying and then she laughed.I should have left but the sound of her laughing about or with another man just seconds after we had shared…What had we shared? And did it mean so much to just meI turned around and with my back to h
CAMILLAAfter the previous day encounter and the kiss… I wasn’t sure I wanted to be on the same team with Nathan.In all honesty, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted.My lips still tingled from the memory of Nathan’s kiss, and yet, the feeling did NOT settle in the way I expected. It wasn’t the passionate rush of desire or the warmth of something more. No, it was an unsettled ache, a reminder that whatever this was between us was anything but simple.I stared at the ceiling, my mind spinning in a hundred different directions. My thoughts kept circling back to that kiss.Why had he gone and kissed me?The last thing I needed was to get caught up in Nathan’s mess, in whatever internal struggle he was going through. I could not afford to lose myself in him. Not again. He had kissed me, and now I had to decide whether to let it go or pull back before things went any further.I dragged myself out of bed, staring at the clock—7:00 AM. My meeting with Nathan was at 9:00, but I had a hundred t
NATHANI was stalling.Her apartment had grown quiet except for the rhythmic ticking of a clock on the wall, but I stayed seated at her table, watching her stack dishes in the sink. My car was fixed. My excuse to linger here was gone. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to leave.She moved with a confidence that was uniquely Camilla. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone…least of all me…but damn, she did. I traced the curve of her spine with my eyes as she walked back into the living room, her bare feet soft against the floorboards.I should have been thinking about Eleanor. About Trish. About Alicent. About the cold-blooded satisfaction I would feel when the truth about Eleanor’s death finally saw the light of day. But all I could think about was how Camilla and how I should be apologizing to her.“You’re awfully quiet,” she said, sitting across from me, tilting her head to study me.“I have been accused of worse.”She rolled her eyes. “You are always like this. Mysterious and brooding. You wou
CAMILLA “Good morning.” I started at him, unsure of exactly what I was looking at. Then it hit me: the smell. Warm and savory, the scent of something cooking drifted through the air…eggs, maybe toast. It was so out of place… he was out of place here. I moved, the motion sending a fresh wave of pain through my skull and a queasiness to my stomach. I groaned again, slower this time, trying to steady myself. “Morning,” I mumbled hoarsely, my voice barely more than a croak. He was standing by the stove, his back to me, a pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. His shirt was untucked, the fabric clinging to his broad shoulders in a way that made him seem even larger than usual. In my tiny kitchen, he looked impossibly big, like he didn’t belong there, yet somehow…he fit. “What are you doing?” I asked, my voice weak but laced with confusion. Nathan glanced over his shoulder, his profile catching the morning light. His hair was a little messy, like he hadn’t bothered t
CAMILLAIt was useless feeling sorry for myself, I thought.The lighting in the club was low as I stepped in with my friend, Bella.“Not bad” I murmured.“Told you” She responded triumphantly. “This is what you need to get over him. Nathan Clark is an asshole and should dump him in the dust where he belongs”I wanted to correct her that he wasn’t an asshole, he was merely disturbed but I did not.I was not here to sympathize with him or even think about him. I was here to have fun and that is what I am going to do.I was putting on a red dress and it complimented my eyes way more than I thought it would.“Come on, we should get a drink” Bella pulled me to the bar.The bartender winked at both of us and then asked what we would likeIt was at the tip of my tongue to say nothing but I was at a club, wasn’t I?“Sex on the beach” I announced.Bella turned to me, surprise in her eyes. I was pretty sure she thought she would have to force me to drink.“I would have the same” She told the ma
NATHANThere was nothing to say as I dropped Camilla off at her home.I waited until I was sure she had gotten in before I headed in the direction of my mother in law’s house.I pushed in Christian’s number, my teeth gritting as it rang.I was furious.I did not want to admit I was more furious at myself than anything.“How did your date go?” Christian’s asked as soon as the phone line clicked.“Send me the name of the witness” I grunted.“What is wrong?”“Send the name, dammit”“You need to calm down, Nathan. Where are you going?”“To settle this once and for all” I told him. “Now send the damned number to me”I hung up before he had the chance to say anything or convince me to back away because I would not.I drove way above the speed limit, stopping only when I had gotten to the mansion’s gate.It brought back memories of family dinners where I had to defend Eleanor over and over again. Where snide remarks about the reason I was with her reached my ears and she said nothing about
CAMILLA“I did not think I was ever going to see you again, Camilla” Sarah smiled as soon as I entered the restaurant.She wagged a finger in Nathan’s direction, shaking her head at him.“With the kind of food you sell? I will be coming in here for a very long time” I smiled back.Nathan and I took our seats and waited.She had a queue as usual and I could not help the smile as I glanced around.“You would have watched your father kill me” Nathan commented.“I admit that would have made me feel better for a bit” I told him.He appeared shocked but I could tell from the way his eyes twinkled with delight that he thought it hilarious.I had not expected he would go over to my parent’s house especially seeing as I wasn’t there in the first place.My father however had called me when he arrived with a gun to his head and asked if I wanted to see him. I had hesitated just for the fun of it“I deserved that”“Yes you did” I agreed.“Thank you for coming here with me”I nodded once.Sarah dr
NATHANI was pacing like a fucking clown.I was expecting Camilla at the office today to discuss the project that we were involved in together and I could not help the restlessness coursing through my body.I wasn’t one to be this nervous about anything.“Deep breaths” I told myself, trying to go along with my instructions but to no avail.So much so that when my receptionist announced her presence, I had worked myself into a frenzy.My breath caught in my throat as she walked in, her eyes taking the room before settling on me with stark clarity.What had I been thinking? I thought.Starved of attention?Who was the blithering idiot now?“You look well” She commented, taking the seat in front of me.“You look beautiful” I murmured.She paused, her eyes meeting mine.Sparks flew, that was for sure.“How do you feel?” She asked instead.“Much better. Thank you for attending to me yesterday. For even accepting the phone call from me”“Of course, I am not a demon even though I do hate you
CAMILLAI stared at my ringing phone with Nathan displayed boldly as the callers ID.What the fuck did he want?I however put it to my ear, my heart jumping at the sound of his voice“Camilla, I know you can hear me” He rasped“What do you want?” I asked.“To talk” He answered.His voice appeared tortured… like there was something wrong with him and for a minute I was concerned before my head overrode my stupidity.“Concerning the project-” I began“Not concerning the-” He sighed, his voice trailing off.“I need you” He muttered softly that if I had not been paying attention, I would have missed that simple statement.“Mr Clark” I stopped when I heard his labored breathing.“Is something wrong with you?”“No, its nothing… I just need to speak with you”“Nathan, what is the matter? You sound distressed”He chuckled and then I heard him cough in the background“You are not concerned about me now, are you?”“This is not a joke, what is wrong with you?” I asked again, feeling panicky.He
CAMILLAMy father drove us straight to the house and I did not argue nor say anything when we arrived and my mother enveloped me in a hug.“Oh baby” She crooned.“I am okay” I reassured her“Come on in”I inhaled the familiar scent of home, my muscles relaxing.“I am going to bed” I announced.Their words fell over themselves as they agreed immediately to my request.My eyes closed as soon as I fell on the bed. I did not want to think of anything, I did not want to begin to analyze the anger in my heart directed at one person in particular.When I finally opened my eyes, it was noon.I made my way downstairs and was met with the searching eyes of both my parents.“Are you okay, baby?” My mother asked.I took a seat beside them.“I am not some fragile child you have to be worried about always, mother” I said.“You are my child and I have every reason to be worried about you” she countered.“I am going to be fine” I told her.My father said nothing but I turned to him anyways.“I have d