Panic streaks through me when I open my eyes to a pitch black. I sit up abruptly, blinking many times and let my eyes adjust to the dark room.
A soft humming of the air condition makes me hug my knees tighter to my body as the goosebumps crawl on my skin. It smells old and dusty. The tiled-floor is cold underneath my bare feet, making my toes curl.
This is not my room.
Where am I?
A clicking of bolt indicates someone is unlocking the door from the outside. My body stiffens. The door creaks open, a yellow light slowly illuminates inside. My heart pounds in my chest when a woman’s silhouette reveals.
“You’re finally awake, sweetheart. You must be hungry,” says the petite woman. She has the softest voice I’ve ever heard, but there is something in her voice that makes me shiver.
“Where am I? Who are you?” I ask in a wary tone.
“Our home. We’re finally together, Camila,” says the woman, takes a step inside, and closes the door behind her. The room goes black again.
I freeze in my place as fear takes over me. I squirm, hugging myself tighter, lowering my face on my knees, and waiting for what comes next. My limbs shake the moment I sense her nearness.
“Sweetheart, don’t I get a welcome hug?” her shrilling voice that makes me shudder.
“No!”
“Babe, Camila.” Strong hands are gripping my wrists that jolt me awake.
“Babe, it’s me,” Pyke whispers, wrapping his arms around me tightly. His fingers run through my tangled hair, and I find it soothing.
“Pyke,” I mumble, still panting, My forehead is dampened with sweat. I swallow hard my emotions and try to control my sob.
I had dreams about my mother for over a week now. The first night, it was in the same dark room, her face was the old version of me, her voice was sweet, but her hand was cold as ice. The other night, her face was younger as she smiled at me.
Auntie assured me that she can never come and hurt me, that’s how I fell back to sleep. She even suggested that I should see a doctor every time she saw me screaming and soaking in my own sweat at night. But I don’t get why she suddenly appears in my dreams.
It started when I googled my mother’s name and watched her videos on YouTube. There aren’t many compared to my father. Cameron has a Wikipedia and a website of his company. My anger toward my mother gets stronger every time I look at her pictures and videos.
I pull myself away from him before I get too carried away. I won’t deny the fact that he still has the same effect on me, but did he forget how he treated me on New Year’s Eve?
“Thank God, Babe. You’re awake,” Pyke says as he cups my face and softly caresses my cheeks. His brows meet, a small smile spread across his face.
“I’m fine, Pyke. Thanks, you may go now,” I say dismissively and look away. I know I will be fooled again if I will meet those blue-gray eyes.
“I’m staying here with you until the doctor will discharge you. Mom and your aunt left an hour ago. Bianca went home with Kyland. I give your PA an off until you need her. And I have good news-”
“Pyke, you can’t just tell Gemma to have her off like that. I told you to go. I don’t need you here anymore, and I survived without you,” I lied.
I barely survive this morning. My world spun the moment I saw Athena in my office.
“I know I’m a huge ass that night, I said those words while my heart was bleeding, Camila, but now I’m back because I’ve no more to worry about those people who will use you against me. I want to start with you, and this time I want it to be right.”
I jerk my hands off away from him. “No, Pyke. Like what you’ve said you’re an asshole and we’re bad together. And there is no us to start with.”
Pyke swallows hard, lowering his head as he rubs his face with his palms. He shakes his head slowly. “You know, the more you push me away, the more I take two steps closer to you, Camila. I will never give up on us-”
“There is no us! We just had good fucking and messing around. That’s it, and since you don’t fuck the same woman again, there are no reasons for us to be fuck buddies.” A painful tightens in my throat as I voice out the last two words. I know I’m hurting him, but giving him another chance will only hurt me more.
“You know, I want you more than just a fuck buddy. And you know from the very beginning how good we are together, not just on sex, but everything, you made me happy, you changed me into a better person.” His jaw clenches as he releases a huge breath through his nose.
“Well, I turned myself into evil, Pyke.”
“That’s not true, you are the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. You get the best of me.”
“Just go.”
“I’ll go, but not because I give up on us. I’m doing this for you, to give you enough time you need. Think about it, Babe.” He stands up and sighs, then walks toward the door at a low pace, shoulders droop, then he stops. He looks at me one last time-our gazes collide. His eyes are liquid pools of sadness, but he manages to give me a tight smile that barely curves on his lips.
I break our eye contact and fix my gaze on the plain blue wall and swallow the guilt inside me. I know I lie to him, and he knows it. A single tear finally falls down my cheek. I can hear the beeping of my heartbeat accelerates on the monitor, indicating that Pyke has still the same effect on me.
“Why did he not tell me?” I ask Meg as soon as I get out of the shower room. Well, you didn’t give him a chance.
“Well, now you know it,” she answers, giving me privacy after offering me my clothes to wear.
Twenty minutes later, I walk to the living room. The curtains are drape open to both sides. Everyone is already settling on the glossy cream leather couches I chose myself.
My apartment is the same size as Pyke’s but with modern interior design. I like the idea of moving out for the sake of Kyland and Bianca since they’re going to have a baby.
She already asked me if I could be a godmother. I rolled my eyes and said that I would cry a river if they would not choose me, as lame as it sounds, I’m excited for them.
Paul is sitting on a chair with a phone pressed against his ear, mumbling something I can’t quite hear.
Meg follows, taking a seat beside Auntie. I sit in my red lounge chair with a knot on my stomach.
“You heard the news, sweetheart?” Paul starts.
I nod slowly. “Yes, I’m glad someone has put him behind bars.”
“I’m glad, too, Cam. At least Pyke can finally breathe, he’s been working hard, helping the detective finding loopholes on Gray. There is enough evidence for him to spend a lifetime in jail. What’s shown on TV is only what the viewers can stomach.” he explains.
Pyke is helping the detective all this time?
“What do you mean?” I ask in disbelief.
“There is underground in Gray’s building where he and his gang held women. Eighteen young women-aged eighteen to twenty-three. Some were high on drugs, some were barely breathing. I can’t imagine what they did to those women. Gray is mentally sick.” Paul shakes his head in disbelief. His face contorts with pain.
“Now I get it why that woman came to my office. She threatened my mother if I will not let his brother out of jail. She said Pyke and I were the reasons why her brother is locked up. I’ve no idea what she was talking about that day. Then my mother showed up out of the blue-” I wipe my tears as the event flashes back to me.
For the first time in my life, I saw her in front of me-not in my nightmare, not on the internet, but sadly, in circumstances like that.
“Honey, you don’t have to say anything,” Auntie says with concern.
I startle in my seat when the doorbell suddenly rings. Meg stands up and walks toward the door. Moments later I hear Pyke’s voice.
“Are you sure this is a good idea? I can still go back while she hasn’t seen me yet,” he’s keeping his voice low for me not to notice his presence, but too late for that.
“She can hear you, you know. It’s okay, come here. Your left cheek deserves another mark to make it fair.” Megan giggles.
“Not funny.”
I still don’t turn to face them, but I can hear everything. God will punish me for eavesdropping a lot.
Pyke fakes a cough and says, “Sorry, I’m late.”
I lift my gaze to him. Jesus, he’s hotter than ever in his unzipped slim-fit red leather jacket showing his button-down white shirt. He has days-old scruff on his face that makes him look more masculine and handsome.
“Take a seat, Pyke,” Auntie tells him.
“Thanks, Issa.”
“Hi, Cam,” he mumbles, taking a seat on the love seat to my left.
“Hi. My voice is barely audible. I bite my lip that trembles. Why do I feel like someone stabs my chest when he calls me Cam? Is that mean he gives up?
“Are you okay?” He sounds worried.
My gaze shifts to him. A single tear falls on my cheek at the same time. I nod, blinking to clearly see his gorgeous eyes that I missed since he left me at the hospital two days ago.
“What did you all tell her? Why is she crying?” His tone is accusing, raking his gaze at everyone while patiently waiting for their answer.
“Why did you not tell me you were helping them captured Aaron Gray?”
“You didn’t give me a chance to tell you, Cam?”
“Why are you calling me Cam now?”