“I think so,” she says warily. “Why?”
“Maybe I should go with you. I can be your secretary,” I offer. “I just know I can’t stay here if Dom doesn’t want me.”
Sienna stands but moves shoulder-to-shoulder with Ford. “You can always go with me. But you need to think about that, Cam. Your life is here.”
I gaze back across the lawn again. “Not if he’s not with me.”
Dominic
“Sienna brought me an idea she had for the back of the bar,” Nate says, attempting to distract me again. Attempt number eighty million. Fail number eighty million. “Wanna see?”
“No.”
“Come on,” he sighs, tossing the papers on the coffee table. “At least answer her calls.”
I look at the phone and see another missed call from Cam. It’s midnight. She’s usually in bed by now and I wonder what’s keeping her up. I could call her. I could answer hers. But I don’t because I’m a dick.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, changing tactics.
“Hurt as fuck.”
“Your ribs or heart?’
“Fuck you.”
“Good answer,” he laughs. “You’re right about one thing—you’re a dick.”
“That’s what I was just thinking.”
We watch the television, some show about giant fish that scares the beejesus out of Ryder. But he’s asleep so we can watch it without worry.
I don’t even like this show. It must’ve come on after whatever I was watching before it. A show I couldn’t place if my life depended on it.
“Why are you doing this, Dominic? I know you’re irritated at her, but she’s a good girl.”
“Because she’s a good girl. It’s better this way.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah,” I glower. “It is.”
“You know what I think? I think you need to get over your fucking self.”
“If I wasn’t broken in half, I’d get up and beat the shit out of you.”
“No, you wouldn’t. Because you know, somewhere in that thick skull, I’m right.”
“This will end sooner or later, Nate. I’ll fail her. I’ll get her hurt or blacklisted or something. I can’t even take care of her. I’m dead weight.”
He sits all nonchalantly out of reach, fiddling with the remote in his hands. “What have you ever failed at? You’re a hell of a fighter. The best brother a guy could want. A great uncle, you take care of everyone, work your ass off. How do you justify yourself?”
“Last night.”
“Oh, when you were too hard-headed to even allow her to be a part of it? That’s on you, asshole. Had you just seen her for what she was trying to do, we could’ve managed that. But, no, let’s be all stupid about it and let it get out of control.”
I breathe as deeply as I can without coughing, my temples pulsing. “We’re lucky it’s me in this shape and not her. It could’ve been her. Why was she there? Why couldn’t she have been . . . in Paris,” I whisper, feeling my heart sink. “I can’t give her what she’s used to. I can’t begin to give her a life like she deserves.”
“Are you talking monetary shit? Because she’s got that covered,” he laughs. I don’t. “People are perfect for each other for different reasons, Dom. It’s one person’s weakness supplemented by the other’s strengths and vice versa. She doesn’t need money. She needs . . . you.”
I imagine her face and miss her so much I could cry. I look at the massive catfish on the television and force a swallow. “What are you? A therapist?’
“A bartender. So, yeah, basically.”
My phone rings. I look at Nate.
“Answer it,” he insists. “I’ll be in my room. Yell if you need help to the car.”
“To the car?”
“To go see her,” he smiles.
On the third ring, I can’t take it and scoop it up. It’s not her number and I can’t deny that it disappoints me. “Hello?” I ask.
“Dominic?”
“Yeah. Who’s this?”
“Hey, this is Ford Landry,” he says, sounding surprised.
“Is Cam okay?”
He laughs. “She’s fine. She doesn’t know I’m calling. I don’t sleep a lot, so I was just going to drop you a message for morning.”
“I don’t sleep either.” I struggle to sit up in my chair. “Look, I’m guessing you heard about the fight.”
“I did, but I’m not calling about that.”
“You aren’t?” I ask, surprised.
“No. Mike, a security guy for Landry Security, quit tonight. He’s moving back to Utah or someplace and I’m down a guy. I know you’re injured at the moment and don’t expect an answer right away, but I really think you’d be a great fit.”
My mouth drops and I almost drop the phone. “Did Cam put you up to this?”
He laughs again. “No. She doesn’t know I’m even thinking about it, actually. According to Sienna, she’s been crying for the last twenty-four hours or so.”
“That’s my fault.”
“Then you better fix it.”
“The best solution might not be the answer she wants to hear.”
“As long as you do what’s best for her, that’s all I ask, man. And I have a feeling you will.”
There’s a long silence, both of us letting this conversation sink in. Finally, Ford speaks. “If you aren’t interested, that’s fine. But if you are and think you and Camilla are going to split, I can assure you that my business and Cam are separate. There wouldn’t be an issue.” He clears his throat. “She’s thinking of moving to Illinois with Sienna anyway.”
“She what?” I burst.
“That’s what she said. If she can’t work it out with you, she’s just going to leave.”
I shake my head, trying to lift the fog. She’s leaving? She can’t leave. She can’t leave me.
“Let me ask you a question,” I say.
“Yeah, sure. Shoot.”
“Why do you want to hire me?”
“You’re smart. You’re fearless. I know you’re dependable and a hard worker because I might’ve checked some references. You’re loyal.” He takes a deep breath. “I was there last night, Dominic.”
“What?” I must’ve misheard him. “What did you say? You were where last night?”
“Graham and I slipped in the back and watched the fight. We knew Cam was going.”
“How did you know?”
“Because that’s what we do. She’s a Landry. If she loves you, she’ll stand behind you one hundred percent. So when we found out you were fighting, there was no doubt she’d go. And we wanted to see what you were made of, to be honest. You’re impressive. Very, very impressive.”
“You saw what happened?”
“Of course I did. I couldn’t imagine being you in there and having Ellie up in the stands like that. I would’ve died.”
“I feel like I did,” I wince, getting situated again.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I almost died,” I chuckle, which causes a stabbing sensation to rip through me.
“Get some rest. Think about my offer. Call me when and if you’re ready.”
“I will. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Camilla
“THAT WAS AMAZING, VIVIAN,” ELLIE says, rubbing her stomach. “It’s safe to say the baby likes your roasted chicken.”
“I’m not pregnant and my stomach likes it too,” Danielle laughs, giving Ryan a bottle.