Facing Me, page 8
“Hunter knows what this means for us. We’re all invested in the end result here.” I toss at her, a little more harshly than I intended.
She nods, “Fine.” Turning to Henry, she smiles. “Big Man, if you would please go tell Abby and her lawyer that we’re ready to get this signed. I’ve got to get back to my hotel before I’m left to fend for my own dinner.” She laughs, making my heart leap in my chest at the sound. Hang the hell on a minute? Who is waiting for her?
I sit through the longest fucking signing of papers in history, trying to keep up with what Abby and everyone says, but I can’t. My mind is stuck on Cam. She isn’t even ten feet from me, making jokes with Abby, all while commanding the entire room of people. Asking all the right questions and making amazing points that I am pissed at myself for not thinking of. Not a single word comes out of my mouth, I simply stare at her. Obsessing about every move of her hands while she talks, or the way her lips curl around a word as she speaks.
“Okay, now if you don’t have any questions, we’re done here.” The woman, who Abby introduced as her lawyer, says. I’m focused on Cam right now so I couldn’t tell you if that chick was even wearing clothes, let alone what her name is. My main thought is to press Cam against the wall and bury myself in her, to quench the fire blazing in my gut.
“No, we’re good with everything. Thank you, Payton.” Cam says standing with her.
Abby turns to us and smiles, “Welcome to Ironsound. Now, go make some music!” She laughs. “You’ve got some time before the ‘Rock For A Cure Festival.’ We’ll get you in the studio if you’ve got some stuff ready now.” Abby offers, snapping me from my trance long enough to nod and tell her I’ve been working on a few that are good to go. “Good. I’ll call you with the details later, ladies.” She replies then leaves the room.
The room is thick with tension; the classic will they, won’t they. Except, this isn’t a fucking ‘Lifetime Movie Monday’ is it? There will be no jumping into my arms the moment everything is forgiven. Shit, we can’t even look each other in the eye, without all the air getting sucked out of the room and everyone watching us like a couple of caged animals. Real life doesn’t work that way. Everyone looks back and forth, between us. Whether they expect us to make up or throw shit, I have no clue. Cam doesn’t look worse for the wear, that’s for damn sure. Nothing like the hell I went through; guess Daisy was wrong. Hell, as great as she looks, she is probably glad to be rid of my worthless ass. She will thank me for telling her to move on.
Her gaze meets mine. Instantly, I’m frozen. Pinned by her stare, I am helpless while she analyzes me. “Can I have a minute with Aiden?” She says, calmly, without taking her eyes off me.
Everyone in the room scatters without a word, the door slamming behind them all with a resounding thud. All the words I want to say to her are lodged in my throat. I’m speechless. Me! The one who commands everything, is unable to say a single word as Camaron closes the distance between us. My mind runs through possibilities of what to say, what to do. Nervous as hell, my fingers thump against my thighs in perfect 6/8 beat when she stops in front of me.
Cam’s eyes move down my body, inch by inch, stopping at my rapidly moving fingers. A wicked grin spreads across her face, eyes snapping back up to meet mine. “Does my being here make you nervous?” She asks, even though, fuck me, she already knows the answer. “Why? Aiden, you know I won’t bite.” The temptress says, fucking winking at me. “If I make you so uncomfortable…” Cam starts, leaning into me so that her lips are inches from mine. “...then just tell me to leave.”
It would take nothing to wrap my arms around her and show her just what I’m feeling: fuck her right there on that table. That’s. What. I. Want. Instead, I shake my head, “No. I’m glad you’re here, Cam. Everyone’s missed you.” I answer shakily, making her giggle.
The woman standing before me is stronger. I can’t help wondering how she got to this place, and regret fills me that I wasn’t there to see it. By pushing her away, I had hoped it would help her find her way back to me. All I wanted was for Cam to see herself and all that she deserved. In doing that, I may have lost her. Just by looking at her, I see love all over her face.
Baby, have you replaced me already?
Just the thought of it grips me by the balls, making me wish I could go back to Minnesota and tell that stupid fucker not to say those words. Nothing has been right since she left me. I have no doubt that, unless I can get her back, I may never be right again.
Her eyes widen, just barely. “Did they?” I nod, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "I've missed everyone too." She replies; then walks out of the room.
I slam my hands on the table with a violent BANG. Grabbing my shit, I walk out the door, heading straight for Daisy. “We gotta talk. Now.” I bite out, yanking her arm. Gray’s eyes snap to mine, letting me know that I better watch my ass. “You have some explaining to do. Then you can tell me who the fuck that is because it sure isn’t the same woman I’ve had haunting me all this time.” Henry hits the button on the elevator at the end of the hall to take Cam downstairs. “I want this Cam even more.” I grin, my eyes lock on her until the elevator closes. When I meet Daisy’s eyes, she is smiling.
“Welcome back, Aiden, I’ve missed you too.” She says, kissing my cheek. “You’ve been fucked up in that head of yours way too long. Glad to see you’ve finally got you’re shit figured out.”
You have no idea Daisy; now, if only Cam would see it and give me another shot.
After talking everything out with Daisy, she assures me that she has a plan. Yeah…heard that one before. Unfortunately, I have nothing better in mind. For the first time in my life, I’m willing to let Daisy have control of this situation. Surprising isn’t it? Here I am, slumped into a booth at a fucking nightclub, nursing my beer, while my woman is dancing with Chase’s fucking brother. “Who the hell invited this fuckin’ cum-twat?” I ask Gray, irritably.
“Daisy invited Chase and Camaron for you two pricks. The guy, Luke, did my ink in Vegas. He’s alright.” Gray shrugs, his eyes never leave Daisy who is dancing with Chase. Sure, he’s alright Gray. He isn’t trying to fucking steal the woman who holds your heart.
Hunter slams his glass on the table, “Well, if Tiger Lily isn’t puttin’ out, I’m goin’ to go see about a pussy.” He says, when his eye catches something on the far side of the room. “Time to bury my buzzard.”
I roll my eyes, while my brother struts across the room toward a cluster of people at a corner table. “One of these days, his buzzard is gonna get him in a shit load of trouble.” I mumble; Gray nods in agreement. My eyes lock on Cam dancing; her hips moving in time with the cum-twat while he looks around the bar. His arms possessively wrapped around her waist, though, he watches other chicks dance around them. Literally flirting with bitches when they dance around them; all while dancing with Cam. My Cam.
My blood is damn near boiling when he leans into her ear, whispering something. Cam nods and watches the joker walk over and begin dancing with some redhead that has nothing on Cam. This dude is absolutely brainless. Who would leave Cam’s side for some second rate whore? This bitch has no shame either; grinding all over his junk, Cam laughs and walks down the hall to the bathroom.
This is my chance.
“I gotta piss.” I blurt, jumping to my feet.
“I bet.” Gray teases.
When I reach the outside of the bathroom door, I lean against the wall and wait. I shove my hands in my pockets, debating my next move. Camaron was never that flamboyant with me. She liked keeping herself hidden; although I disagreed, I let her have that. Until it came to her leaving me; just to avoid the chance of the spotlight catching her. Her twisted thinking about herself crushed me more than anything, until I pushed her out of my life. If I had thought I was broken before, this put a whole new meaning to the word. Well, this time if I have to pry Luke off of her, okay. So be it; she’s mine. I just need to remind her, and I will. Today in the office, she fucked with me, I know it. Toying with me. The thought makes me smile. Playful bitch. I can’t wait to see what she is capable of now that she’s pulled her head out of her ass and sees a fraction of how fucking amazing she is.
The door opens, giving me a full view of Cam when her eyes hit mine. I wait for her to say something, but she doesn’t speak. The damn vixen winks at me then starts up the hall. “Cam…” I start, desperate for her to say anything. She is going back to him. Back to the dance floor, so he can rub all over her, after he has eye fucked every bitch in this place. The sudden urge to shock her, to argue with her, to do anything to keep her here with me, is clawing at my fucking chest. I don’t want to let her go. Ever. “Why in the hell do you let him treat you like shit? If he’s fuckin’ you, the least he can do is not smell like a cheap bitch’s perfume when he does.”
Just as predicted, she meets my eyes, but I instantly regret my words. Almost. The look on her face is pure rage; her heels click across the hall until she meets me toe to toe. “Careful, Aiden, you lost the right to care about who I fuck, remember?” She bites out, shoving me.
Angry Camaron, doesn’t piss me off. She turns me on. Grabbing her by the arms, I push her against the wall, making her gasp. “Baby, the only real fuck you’ve ever had is me.” Leaning in, my lips nearly graze hers. Her breathing just as ragged as mine, letting me know that she’s just as turned on right now as I am. My right hand caresses her cheek, my thumb stroking across her jaw. “Just answer me this, baby… When you’re fuckin’ him, do you clench at all the right times and moan so that he thinks it’s good for you?” Her eyes snap to mine furiously, “Does he know that you close your eyes and pretend it’s me so that you can really get off?”
Her free hand connects with my face so hard that it rattles my teeth. “Fuck you, Aiden.” She spits angrily. “I came here to help the band, not to explain my relationship with Luke to you, or anyone for that matter. If you think, for one minute, that I’m weak and going to hide; then you’ve got a rude awakening comin’.”
My hand slides into her blonde layers, her breath hitches. Cam may not be weak anymore, but she still wants to give everything to me, which is something else entirely; something, I desperately want. Even if she wants to rip my balls off right now, her body is mine. Even she can sense the shift happening between us now. “Oh, I know you’re not, baby. I can’t wait until the new, strong Cam submits to me and begs me to fuck her.” I run my lips along her throat, my tongue tasting where her pulse beats wildly. Rolling my hips, I push my straining cock into her hip, fighting the need to take her here in the hall. Her breaths come out in ragged pants; my heart feels like it is beating again for the first time since she left. Swallowing hard, I utter the words that I need to say so that she knows I want it too. “We know each other’s’ limits, everything that the other craves, baby. Have you talked to Luke about what you need, baby? What you ache for? That bastard will never be man enough to quench the fire I lit in you that first night, Camaron. We both know that, it’s about goddamn time someone tells him that too.”
Those stunning blue eyes widen, telling me all I need to know. Pressing flush against her, I slam my lips to hers. Taking her mouth, just as I’ve wanted to do since she walked into that office earlier today. She dives into the kiss, biting my lip, battling with my tongue, and letting me know she will not come quietly. I. FUCKING. HOPE. NOT. My hands slide down, cupping her ass through her dress when she yanks her mouth from mine. “No.” She says, shoving away from me. I stand there in shock while she fixes her skirt, wondering what the hell just happened.
“No?” I ask, still thinking I heard her wrong.
She nods, “No, Aiden. I’m not jumping you in a hallway or anywhere else for that matter.” Cam pants as her breath regulates. “What if someone sees us?” She asks, but all I hear is ‘What if that fucker has to piss and sees you tryin’ to fuck me in the hall.’ Because I know that is what she really means.
“More worried about what he would see, aren’t you?” My hands squeeze into fists at my sides, I wait for her answer. There is no way he is claiming what already belongs to me. “Well, let me go have a heart to heart with him. It’s time he knows where he stands in all this. I’ll buy him a beer and hold him while he cries in it.” I say proudly, walking toward the dance floor, ignoring her calls for me to stop. It’s time that fucker, Luke, knows that he doesn’t belong here. He has no claim on Camaron, never has. It’s time I give him his walking papers so he can get out of my way once and for all. As soon as he’s gone, I’ll stamp my name on her luscious ass with sweet red welts while she screams my name.
*Camaron*
Someone tell me what the hell just happened here? One minute I coming out of the bathroom, the next minute I am being wedged against the wall by Aiden while we go at it like horny kids at the prom. Now he is going to dismiss Luke like he’s an employee? Oh shit! “Aiden!” I scream, but he walks away, ignoring me. Forcing my feet to move, I chase after him. My heels click as I try to run after him. “Aiden, get your ass back here!” I shout, but I’m too late. As if you thought commanding him would do anything other than piss him off more…
“Time for you to be checkin’ out, pretty boy.” Aiden says to Luke, who was dancing with the girl I was trying to force on him. She kept staring at him while we were dancing; I excused myself to see if maybe he could get lucky for the night. Looks like Aiden is putting the brakes on that one. “I’ll make sure you get a nice first class ticket to leave my fuckin’ woman alone.”
Luke chuckles, “She’s yours? We seem to remember differently. I was there in Minnesota, I remember everything.” He shouts, shoving Aiden. “I also have a nice memory of watchin’ her put herself back together for months. Refresh my memory here and tell me where the hell you were again fuck-star?” Not waiting for Aiden’s answer he continues. “That’s right you were busy not being there for your girl. Guess what, motherfucker, I was there.”
It all seems like slow motion, as the train wreck explodes before me. Aiden dives onto Luke, both of them falling to the dance floor while women run screaming. Aiden isn’t as big as Luke but with all the beating he does on his kit, his arms and legs are strong as hell. They roll and twist, each trying to get the upper hand. Punches are traded while both spit blood from their mouths. Aiden has a huge gash over his left eye near his piercing and Luke takes more than a few knee jabs to the ribs. Shoving my way through the crowd, I desperately try to find Henry or Hunter. Where the hell is everyone? “Aiden! Luke! Stop!” I scream; of course, no one hears me over the music.
Aiden rolls on top of Luke again; grabbing him by the hair, he slams his head against the floor. “Fucker! Camaron’s mine. Always been mine and always will be!” He shouts at Luke.
Diving through the crowd, Gray shoves Aiden, knocking him to the ground. “That’s enough, dumbass,” Gray shouts. Aiden jumps up looking like he’s going to charge Gray next. “You need to go back to the hotel and cool the fuck off. We have to record tomorrow morning, there’s no way you can do that all fucked up after a bar fight.”
My hands are shaking, my feet frozen to the floor. Luke scrambles to his feet, headed straight for me. He cups my jaw so that I am forced to meet his eyes. “Are you okay Cammie?” All I can do is nod. “Let me take you back to the hotel. We can pack and leave right now if you want to. I know what you want, but sometimes we can’t always have it.” Luke suggests, his breathing still ragged from his fight with Aiden. The adrenaline pours off of him in waves, the anger at Aiden in his eyes; yet, his protectiveness of me wins out. Blood is streaked across his face, but in this moment his focus is solely on me. Just the thought of walking away from Aiden right now makes me ache. The unsettled feeling in my gut makes me pull away from Luke. I know now there is no way I can just walk away from Aiden again without destroying myself completely.
“Luke, I’ve never fought for anything. Not one damn thing in my entire life.” I clarify, meeting his gaze once I’ve put some space between us. “I’ll never be able to thank you for being there when I needed you. You’re one of the best friends that I’ve ever had, but I can’t stop fighting for Aiden and me.” My eyes land on Aiden, who is huddled against the wall by Gray and Daisy. His eyes possessively staking claim on me from across the room as I talk to Luke. The look of desire for me, even now, makes my knees weak. I shake my head, more determined than ever to fight for him…to fight for us. Aiden is losing it and, if anything, I may be able to love him enough to bring him back from it. I don’t know if it will work, but I do know that I love him more than enough to try. I remember Daisy telling me about his reaction to me leaving in Vegas; but this is something different. “I can’t leave him like this.” After explaining what happened in the hallway, Luke sighs.
“He’s unstable Cammie. You can’t be alone with him? What if he hurts you?”
“That’s one thing I do know Luke… Aiden would never hurt me that way.” I bite out, trying to remind myself that this is Luke and he is just worried about me. He isn’t trying to say anything bad about Aiden; he just doesn’t know him like I do. Whatever lies in Aiden, that dark shit he won’t talk about, makes him the lover, not the fighter. Until tonight. I’ve never seen him hit anyone that I can remember, except Landon, but he deserved it. “Listen, go hang out. Have a few beers or go back to our room at the hotel. I’m going to get Aiden back to his room and make sure he calms down before they hit the studio tomorrow.”
Luke kisses my forehead. “I hope you’re right about this. You call me if you need me, Cammie. I don’t care what time.” He says and walks away from me.
Taking a shaky breath, I turn and run smack into Abby Irons. Oh shit! “Hi, Abby…I...” I stammer out, trying to figure out what to say about the fight she clearly saw. “I have it all under control. I’m sorry they got out of hand, it’s my fault.”
She nods, but her eyes are focused on something across the room. “Aiden got into a fight backstage the other night before the show. I’m not convinced that it’s entirely your fault, but it’s up to you to fix it; perks of the job. So, I’ll leave you to it, this isn’t the only shit going on here tonight. See you tomorrow.” Abby says, walking toward the other side of the room where I can barely see Hunter and Henry talking to a woman.
