[Kendall]
I know that I have to keep my distance from Camden. He doesn’t want me. He wants to be part of the baby’s life, but he doesn’t want to be a part of my life, and I have to learn to deal with that.
I have to be a part of his life for the next eighteen years but without him actually being part of my life. He’s not willing to change his lifestyle. He’s not willing to let himself fall in love.
Not that I’m a prize or anything, but I’m worthy of love in my life. I’m worthy a man who will put me first, and that’s clearly not Camden.
It hurts like hell, but there’s nothing I can do about it. All I can do is keep myself protected, keep my heart safe. Or at least as safe as a broken heart can be. I have to at least keep it from shattering completely.
I have to keep a little bit of it, so that I may in time heal and have something to give of myself when the right man comes. Because above all, I have to hope that the right man is out there and will come eventually, since it can’t be Camden.
It’s a long drive back to Dante’s mansion, and after about twenty minutes, Camden gives me a sideways glance. “You’re not talking to me now?”
I shrug. “Nothing to say.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks, frowning.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” I huff. I don’t want to have this conversation. It’s not like anything will change.
“Principessa,” he starts, and I look away from him, staring out the window. That name hurts more than he’ll ever know.
“I just want to get some rest,” I say quietly, and Camden sighs but he doesn’t say anything more.
I lean my head against the window and close my eyes, but I know that I won’t sleep. My heart aches and my stomach is churning, thinking about what will happen when we get back to Dante’s.
Camden will go back to his womanizing ways and I’ll just be sitting at home, pregnant.
This is not how I wanted things to go between us.
I always imagined having children, one boy and one girl, being happy with my husband. But now, I’m pregnant out of wedlock and by a man who doesn’t want me.
I do manage to drift off, because the next thing I know, Camden stops at a diner about half way back to Dante’s.
“I thought we could get a bite,” he says softly, shaking my shoulder.
I blink the sleep out of my eyes, yawning, and get out of the car, walking into the diner ahead of him.
Camden follows, seeming sullen. He’s sulking, I guess, but I can’t bring myself to care. Not after the fight we had. If this break needs to happen, the sooner, the better, and we both need to come to terms with it.
Camden orders a burger and fries and I follow suit, looking down at the table instead of at him.
“Are you going to be mad at me forever?” he asks, trying to catch my gaze.
I won’t look at him. “Who says I’m mad?”
Camden scoffs. “You’re clearly mad.”
“There’s nothing to be mad about,” I insist. “This has just run its course.”
“What do you mean?” Camden tilts his head.
“It’s over, right? You don’t want to be with me. So, it’s done. It was fun while it lasted.”
Camden frowns. “I don’t know why it has to be over just because-”
“Just because you don’t want to commit to me?”
“Listen, Kendall, it’s not like I planned this,” he says, sounding exasperated.
“I didn’t plan it either!” I snap. “I’m sure you’ve done this with lots of women, right? Had a fling and moved on? What makes me any different?”
“You’re pregnant with my child,” he says firmly. “That makes it a lot different, principessa.”
“Don’t call me that,” I mumble.
Camden sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. “It doesn’t have to be over just because we’re not exclusive,” he starts, and I snort.
“You think I haven’t tried to stop wanting you? That I haven’t tried to stay away?”
He steps closer, eyes darkening as he runs a finger down my arm.
“But every time you walk in, every time you do much as look at me…all I can think about is how good it would feel to pin you against that wall and take what’s been mine since the first time I saw you.”
This man…
How can he make my heart melt and still break it all at the same time?
My breath hitches, I steel myself and look away.
“I’m not interested in being anyone’s second or third choice, Camden. If you’re seeing other women, I don’t want to be with you.”
Camden’s quiet for a momentlooking all vulnerable and sad eyed.
“What about the baby?”