THE REVENGE

Chapter 6

For a moment there, I assume that Brent is coming out of the closet.

I actually have enough faith in him to believe he has the balls to admit that he's been living a lie.

That would ruin my revenge plan, but watching his mom's face would be totally worth it. My hatred for her is stronger than my thirst for vengeance.

I mean, you should hate her too. She's blackmailing her only child for nothing but vanity. Children always run to their moms when they're going through something, but in this case, the mom is the villain in her son's story.

She doesn't deserve the light of the day.

I keep my eyes on Brent's face when he struggles to speak.

"Come on." I whisper under my breath. He's seated right beside me, so no one else hears me pushing him to admit the truth.

"I can't." He shakes his head. "I can't."

"Brent, what are you doing?" Max butts in. "You should go outside and get some air."

I pass him a hateful glance. I can't believe that he kept the truth from me, and that he's trying to hide it some more.

"What makes you think that Brent needs your opinion right now?" I ask him. "I don't remember him asking for it."

"Do you even know what he wants to say?"

I play dumb.

"No. That's exactly why I'm waiting for him to talk."

"Camille, I'm trying to stop an impending war. Stay out of this."

"No, you stay out of this. Brent should do whatever the hell he wants. Why is everyone trying to control him?"

"You're controlling him right now." Tori points out. "Stop clinging to him like a lovestruck puppy, and let him make his own decisions. What does he have to say anyway? You seem to be rather excited about it."

"Victoria, please get the dessert." Ryder says between his teeth.

"No. I want to hear what he has to say first. Come on, Brenty boy. Spill."

"Tori, can you stop talking for like a second?"

She grins at me.

"Only if you help me get the dessert."

"I don't like you."

"And yet here we are. Come on, Cami. Sulking won't get you anywhere. We have lots of bonding to do."

"She means no harm. Go with her."

I shake my head at my Dad.

"No."

"Cami, she's your only sister."

"That means nothing to me. I'm too old to be getting new siblings, and I liked being the only girl."

Tori laughs.

"Are you jealous about not being the only girl anymore, or about me being engaged to Max?"

My blood boils. My dear sister here is spitting facts, and everyone is turning to stare at me.

Everyone including Ryder himself.

Brent's near confession is almost forgotten. He is also looking at me, and slowly, he withdraws his hand from mine.

Then he pulls his chair back, and he walks out of the dining area.

Suddenly, i feel like I'm on the hot seat. Everyone is waiting for me to speak, but there's nothing to say, so I push my chair back and stand up.

"I'll get the dessert." I say to no one in particular.

And I literally bolt to the kitchen.

**

My hands are shaking as I retrieve the chocolate cake from the fridge.

Tori seems to be sweet, but I know that she'd easily ruin me with a smile on her face.

She's that type of woman.

She subtly insinuated that I feel something for Max, and now my parents, my husband and my in-laws need explanations.

I should have remained calm when she told me that she was getting married to Max. My dramatic reaction sold me out.

"I was hoping we'd have something light for dessert. A cake is a tadbit too dramatic, don't you think?"

I turn to look at Tori who's leaning against the doorway.

"I'm dramatic, in case you haven't already noticed."

"I'm supposed to be the dramatic one. Just remain to be little old Cami who was so naive that it hurt to look at her. I liked that version of you better."

"You literally told everyone that I'm jealous over you and Ryder, so I'm assuming you are up to something. What do you want?"

"I just want you to cross over to my side. I'm trying to win you over. Be my side kick, and let's ruin Brent together."

"I don't need help with that."

"So you're indeed trying to ruin him?"

"That's none of your business."

"Everything about Brent is my business, and that means his wife is my business too, especially now that she's my sister. Let's do sister stuff together and make Brent pay for everything he's done to you."

"What makes you think that Brent has done something to me?"

"When I first met you, you were the prettiest girl I knew. I remember looking at you and wanting to fire you because I didn't want you anywhere near Max. I only decided to keep you when I found out who your husband was. You wouldn't talk back to me when I treated you like s**t, and you were always scared of me. Right now, your face looks like a reptile's, and you grow thin everyday. Your hair is almost falling off your head and your eyes are sinking from lack of sleep. Tonight, you had the audacity to confront your mother in law. You've changed, Cami. Only pain can change a woman so much and so drastically."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You've been in a foul mood ever since you stepped into this house. You are so irritable, and the body language between you and your dear husband is so strained. He did something to you, and you're playing nice to him for nothing but decorum. Admit it, Cami. You got married to the wrong guy, and he's slowly sucking the life out of you. I can help you get away from him if you want."

I want her off my face, so I force a smile.

"I love my husband and he's good to me. Whatever you imagined is going on in my marriage is just that; an imagination. Stop sticking your nose in my business because you're going to get hurt."

"And who's going to hurt me? You? Or will you ask Max to do the dirty job for you like always? He wouldn't say no to you, would he now?"

"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about. Max is my husband's friend. That's all."

"And Gabriel?"

I roll my eyes.

"Previously on minding your own business. Did you miss that? Step away. I have a cake to take to the dining area, and I believe you have a fiancé to go back to."

She shrugs before she steps away.

*

I feel like my butt is on fire.

I just don't want to be in this room.

Brent is not back yet, and for some weird reason, I feel exposed when I'm seated all alone in a room full of people who are looking at me. Despite everything, I have developed a soft spot for him over the course of our horrible marriage.

"So, Cami, what was Victoria saying about you and Ryder?" Brent's Mom asks me as she digs into the moist cake.

"Why don't you ask her? She's seated right there."

"Victoria?"

Tori shakes her head.

"It was a regular sister squabble. Max and I are getting married next week. You're all welcome."

I refuse to catch Ryder's eyes. I feel like a bucket of cold water has been thrown in my face.

"Congratulations you two!" Brent's mom beams.

"Cami? Are you okay?"

I glance at my Mom.

"I'm fine."

"You're crying."

"It's... It's the onions."

_What onions?_

"Camille, can we talk? Alone?"

I lift my eyes to stare at Ryder when he asks that. I want to hold back, but emotions are running through me, and I feel like I'll go crazy if I don't let it all out.

"Don't Camille me." I yell at him. "This woman made my life a living hell, and yet you want to get married to her. You're engaged to her! You're f*****g getting married to her. You made so many promises to me and you're breaking them for her?"

"Why are you crying?" He asks gently.

"When were you going to tell me that I was going to be your wife's maid of honour? What the hell has she done to you? Marriage was not part of whatever sick deal you had with her. You know what, y'all concentrate on your dinner. I have errands to run."

"Cami-" at least three voices call at once, but I don't bother.

I push my chair back, then I storm out of the dining area.

**

I didn't expect Ryder to come after me, so I'm genuinely surprised when he grabs my arm just as I get into Brent's car.

I turn to look at him, not bothering to wipe the stupid tears rolling down my face, and I do nothing when new tears spill over my cheeks.

He's so mysterious standing in the moonlight. His face is silhouetted so I can't see his eyes, but I know how exactly they'd look in the night.

Dark, beautiful, stone cold.

"Camille." He whispers as he makes a single step, and the movement ensures that I'm trapped between him and the car.

My heartbeat soars.

"I'm sorry. I'm a mess." I whisper back.

"I don't care."

"It's the pregnancy hormones. I swear. I didn't intend to cause a scene because of you and Tori. I don't care who you get married to."

"I do."

His fingers cup my face, and his thumbs flick away the tear drops, I let my eyes flutter closed.

He's so close.

And he smells so good.

I can't even remember why I was mad at him to begin with.

That's dangerous.

He places his forehead against mine, and he slowly moves in until his chest is pressed into mine.

"I don't like Victoria." His fresh, warm breath tickles my nostrils. "I never did, and you know that."

"You're getting married to her."

"I didn't think it'd bother you this much."

"I didn't think it'd bother me this much either. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you. I'll call off the damn wedding if you want me to."

"We both know you'd do anything to get the company. You wouldn't make such a sacrifice."

"You'd be surprised at the things I'd do for you."

I look up at him, and I swallow when a new tear rolls down my cheek.

"Don't say such things when your actions are always the exact opposite. Go ahead and get married to her. See if I care."

He hastily wraps an arm around my waist when I make to step away, and he easily pulls me closer to him.

He slips his warm hands underneath my T-shirt, and he cuddles my non existent baby bump between his palms. I almost shed tears from the excitement that courses through me when he makes contact with my skin. Intense feelings are flowing through me, and for the first time in two months, I'm so alive.

"You'll make a great Mom." He whispers against my nose.

"I'll make a mess. I can barely hold myself together."

"A lot is going on in your life. You're vulnerable, and that's why you feel like the world is caving in on your shoulders. You'll be just fine. I promise."

"Don't make promises. You never keep them."

His thumb trails lazily over my navel.

"I'll make one promise that I know I'll keep."

"And that is?"

"I'll never say no to you. I don't care what you ask for. You'll always get it."

I blink, the intensity of his words sinking in.

"I guess it's really crucial that you get married to Tori?"

He nods.

"It's matter of life and death. Literally."

"Then I won't ask you you call off the wedding. I trust you."

"We shouldn't be doing this." He whispers, his arm encircling my waist from inside my T-shirt. His palm splays over the small of my back, and I ignore the red flags being raised in my head as I let my eyes flutter closed.

I intentionally angle my nose, and I sigh into his mouth when our lips lock in a fierce kiss.