“Brianna gets up early. She ate already and has returned to her room. She doesn’t like being out here by herself.”
“But you’re here…” Camila replied taking the seat next to him.
A maid came in and set a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and fried potatoes down in front of her, then poured her a cup of coffee.
Once the maid was gone, Samuel said, “I think part of it is habit from when Adrien was here, and part of it is she wished to give us some privacy.” He smiled and gripped Camila’s hand.
Camila blushed. She picked up her fork and began to eat. Once she’d consumed a small portion of her food, she asked, “Are we going to the station?”
Samuel set his coffee cup down and nodded. “Yes. You are going to press charges, aren’t you?”
Camila looked up at Samuel, but his expression was calm, almost blank. Frowning she tried to read what he was thinking in his face, but he was making it difficult. She had to wonder if this was what his business associates felt like. She didn’t doubt that he had an opinion on what she was going to do, but she knew he wouldn’t press it on her. He would likely be behind her a hundred percent no matter what she decided.
“Yes, I’m going to press charges,” she said.
Samuel nodded and returned to drinking his coffee. “Good.”
After eating, Camila went upstairs to get her purse. “Should you tell Brianna where we are going?”
“I will,” Samuel left her at her room, and continued down the hall. After a few minutes, he met her at the top of the stairs.
“Will Brianna be okay on her own?” Camila asked as they descended.
“We won’t be gone long, and Adrien is currently cooling his heels in a cell, so she should be fine,” he commented, opening the front door.
His car was already pulled up and waiting for them, so he opened the passenger door for her and then went around to his side. In the car, Camila felt calm. It wasn’t until she walked into the police station that her emotions from yesterday came back. Not quite as strong, but she felt distraught suddenly, and she stood in place, gasping as her eyes blurred with tears.
Adrien actually came to my place with a gun. What was he doing with it?
That was what she was mainly stuck on. What would have happened if Samuel hadn't made it when he did? Would she have been murdered in her own home? A part of her didn’t want to think Adrien was crazy enough to do that, but then, she didn’t really know a thing about him, did she?
“I know this is hard,” Samuel said soothingly, rubbing comforting circles on her back. “But it’s going to be a quick process and I’ll be by your side the whole way, okay? You need to do this or they could release him.”
Release him? No way.Camila wanted him to pay in some way for her suffering. And to keep him locked up where he couldn’t get anywhere near her.
Camila blinked the tears out of her eyes and reined in her emotions, and with Samuel by her side, she walked forward. She needed to do this. For herself.
Samuel’s words were true. It really was a quick process and he was right there the entire time, she held his hand until everything was over, and she felt dazed as he took her out of the station and back to his house.
It wasn’t until she saw Brianna that she became a bit livelier. It’s all over, finally, she thought.
She didn’t know how long Adrien would be in for yet, but he had a lot of charges against him. He’d been stalking her, had gone against a legal no contact order and had threatened her with a gun, that Samuel confirmed was unlicensed on top of everything else.
They didn’t have to worry about Adrien. At least, not for a long while.
“Why don’t we have a feast to celebrate?” Samuel offered as the three of them sat in Brianna’s room. “Camila, would you like to stay here again, or do you need to get back home?”
She pursed her lips. “Well, when I texted Mom, all she said was everything was fine there. She was a little worried about me, but she knows I feel safe with you. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if I stayed an extra night.”
“All right. Why don’t you send her another text and let her know the plan. I don’t want her to have the wrong impression of me and think I’m using you.” Samuel chuckled, giving her a smile that made her stomach flip.
“She wouldn’t think that,” Camila said confidently, “she couldn’t. I wouldn’t let her.”
Just as promised, they had a small feast. Samuel had the servants set it up in the back parlor, which was more like a den or small family room. Both Brianna and Samuel opened up, and Camila allowed herself to feel relieved, and even a little happy. They had a great time together, and Camila hadn't thought she would be able to laugh this soon after having her life threatened by a crazy person.
It was all possible because of the two Kane siblings sitting with her. If only she had never met Adrien in the first place, then her life would be almost perfect.
“I win!” Camila crowed as she moved her last man into home.