“Bet that makes the sex better.”
“Oh, it definitely does.”
The door opened, and Camille walked inside, standing in her bikini with her sunglasses pushed back on her head. “I thought I should come in and say hello since you two were staring at me so hard through the window.” Her anger was sheathed, but only slightly.
Laurent exchanged a look with me before he extended his hand. “Laurent.”
She took it. “Camille.”
“I’m Cauldron’s cousin.”
“Really?” She shifted her gaze to me next. “Finally, something personal about this man.” She walked off, her heels tapping against the floor as she went.
Laurent stared at her ass the whole way. “She’s…not what I expected.”
“She’s got a mouth, that’s for sure.”
“And you like that?”
I took another drink. “It’s taken some getting used to.”
I was in my study when the phone rang.
It didn’t have a number. Wasn’t even blocked. It just didn’t have a source.
I knew exactly who it was.
I answered. “I knew this phone call was coming.”
There was a long stretch of silence. It was packed with rage, rage that he’d made the call, and rage that he knew I got under his skin.
“Yes?” I asked, being an asshole just for the fun of it.
“What do you want?” His voice was low, his anger barely controlled.
“You’re the one who called. You tell me.”
His jaw clenched. I could hear it over the phone. “I want Camille. Name your price.”
“She gave me the impression she doesn’t like you very much.”
Silence.
“There’s gotta be another whore out there for you.”
“I said, name your price.”
“I don’t have one—because she’s priceless.”
Silence.
“I always get everything, don’t I?” I smiled as I spoke, knowing it was ripping him apart, down to his core. “She says as long as I keep you away, she wants to stay forever. She’s earning her keep too, not just from fucking me—”
“I’ll kill you, motherfucker.”
This was too easy. “Then do it.”
Silence.
“Her beautiful neck sells my diamonds better than I ever could.” I waited for him to say something, but nothing was forthcoming. I savored the silence, enjoyed it with a sickness.
“She hates you. I can see it written all over her face.”
“But she hates me less than you—and that’s all that matters.” Bored with the conversation, I hung up.
FOURTEEN
CAMILLE
Days passed, and Cauldron and I hardly spoke.
He ran so hot and cold. He’d fuck me for days, and then pretend I didn’t exist for the next several days afterward. I suspected he got busy with work, because on those days, he spent most of his time in his study and then his bedroom. Sometimes he would leave the house, and of course, there was no explanation as to where he was going.
I wondered if Grave had contacted him, but I suspected I wouldn’t get an answer if I asked.
I was in my bedroom reading when the door opened.
There wasn’t a knock, and I knew there would never be.
I looked up from my closed book, seeing him stalk into the bedroom in just his sweatpants. It seemed like he’d recently showered because his hair was flatter than usual. His thick arms had veins running down to his wrists, and his shoulders were broad and rounded because of the muscles he had there. He looked down at me, the darkness in his eyes announcing the reason for his presence.
“Long time, no see.”
He sat beside me on the couch, his arms immediately stretching over the back. The stare he gave was authoritative, as if he’d just given an order and I missed it. “Ride me.”
I stared at his handsome face and felt a flood of contradictory emotions. He’d ignored me for days, and I found myself resentful, even fearful that he got bored with me. My nights started to feel lonely, and my body ached to be touched. But I also felt a deep loathing for this man, for his arrogance, for the way he spoke to me with such little regard, the way he tried to order me around like I was another member of his staff. I knew what position I had signed up for, but I was tired of being treated like an object rather than a person.
And then there was desire…because I would never forget the way he chased off Grave with just a look.
That was all it took—just a single stare.
He commanded every room he stepped into, chased away all the monsters because he was the king of the monsters.
As much as he might have aggravated me, his home had become my home. Other clients had struck me in the past because that was what they were into, but Cauldron didn’t have those dark desires. It was my job to please him, but he liked to be in control of everything, including the bedroom.
I never knew you could hate someone but want to fuck their brains out at the same time.