CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - ROSE

I opened my door and saw Camillo standing in front of me. I took in his disheveled appearance, digesting what he looked like for the very first time. I’d never seen him this way, with his clothing rumpled and his beard amiss. His eyes were tired and his hands were trembling, making it clear he had been up all night.

I stepped aside without saying a word, letting him into my kitchen while everyone else slept. I’d called Kevin out of school and Ana out of daycare. Then I’d called out of work and told them the entire family had come down with the flu. I wasn’t too scared of losing my job just yet, seeing as I never took time off when my boss asked me to. But that still didn’t mean I could just run off with this disheveled man that had taken a seat at our kitchen table.

No matter how much trouble we were in because of him.

I shut the door and no sooner had the door latched than my back was against it. Camillo’s lips were on mine, pressing feverishly into me as my hands immediately clung to his wrinkled shirt. His tongue forced its way between my lips, pulling a groan from my throat while his pelvis ground against mine. I could feel his cock rising, pulsing against me with its massive girth as his knee pinned itself between my legs.

But I had to push him away, even though his tongue tasted like honey and his lips swelled perfectly against mine.

“The kids are here,” I said. “We can’t.”

He grunted, hesitantly pulling away from me. I could see the disappointment in his eyes and I had to admit that I was disappointed, too. Even with the danger looming over our heads and even with so many unanswered questions, there was a part of him that commanded everything about me. The way he looked at me with his stern, icy eyes. The way his rough hands traveled along my body, punishing me but never truly hurting me. The way the warmth of his body tugged at mine and the way his cock pried my body open and brought me to heights of pleasure I could’ve never dreamed existed.

But I had to face the facts, even when my body didn’t want to.

“Have you packed?” he asked.

“No,” I said plainly.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because I can’t just run off with you on some vacation. The kids have school. Ana has daycare. Cassie and I’ve got work. That’s not how it works. Not in the world we live in.”

“Those things aren’t important when your safety’s at risk.”

“And again, whose fault is that?”

“At this point, fault isn’t what matters,” he said. “Getting my family safe is what matters to me.”

“I have to work, Camillo. Don’t you get it? If I don’t work, none of this gets paid for.”

“That’s the thing,” he said as he grabbed my arms. “You don’t ever have to work again. Not with me. I have enough money to keep us in luxury for the rest of our lives.”

“What?” I asked.

“You’ll never want for anything again, Rose. Not with me. And school? It’s almost winter break. The kids can spend the holidays in the tropics. What would be better than a family vacation someplace warm?”

“This isn’t some kind of paradise, Camillo,” I said as I shrugged him off. “This isn’t a luxury vacation. We’d be on the run. From trouble you brought with you.”

I dipped my head toward the floor and squeezed my eyes shut. I wanted all of this to go away. I wanted to rewind back two days. Back to when Camillo was whispering salacious promises in my ear and using my body for his own pleasure. Back to when we were in the darkness of his cabin and he was teaching me how to please him.

I wanted those times back. Not these.

I felt his finger crook underneath my chin and pull my gaze to meet his. My eyes fluttered open, my weakness dripping down my face in the form of tears. I could see the hurt behind his eyes while he studied me, his intense gaze slowly slipping into one of regret.

That was when I realized he understood what he’d brought into our lives and just how badly he felt because of it.

“I’ll do my best to make it a vacation,” he said. “To give you a break from working so hard. To give you a break from struggling to support your family. I’ll deal with this problem behind closed doors while we give this family the vacation they deserve—the vacation you deserve—and after it’s all said and done, we can talk about where we go from there.”

I felt myself weakening for him, even as I continued to shake my head no.

“I’ll still want you to stay, even when the danger is no more, Rose. I need you to hear that.”

His grip on my chin tightened, commanding my attention as his stern gaze slowly settled back onto my face.

“I’ll still want you,” he said darkly.

“You’re still acting like this is just a little problem,” I said breathlessly. “It’s a death threat, Camillo. Against our daughter.”

But then, I saw something switch behind his eyes.

He released my chin and stepped behind me before he threw the door open. I followed him into the living room as he stood at the bottom of the stairs, his voice barreling up to the second floor as he yelled for everyone to get up.

“Kevin! Junior! Get up! Pack your things! We’re going on a vacation!”

“Camillo, stop,” I said.

“Mrs. Barker! You’ve got some time off! Take it through the holidays! I’ll call you later!”

“Camillo!” I exclaimed.

“Cassie! You, too! Get up and pack! I’m sending you on a fun vacation!”

I threw my hands up as I stormed away from Camillo. I heard everyone rising up from their beds, and the boys ran around throwing their things into bags. I heard Camillo stomp up the stairs as Cassie came stumbling down, her eyes wild and her hair matted to her face as she found me in the kitchen.

My cellphone rang just as she opened her mouth to ask questions and I held up my hand to her while I answered the phone.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Hello there, bestie,” Crystal said.

“Hey there,” I said breathlessly.

“Well, don’t sound so excited. Listen, I’ve got Rockette tickets. I want you guys to come in next week so we can go.”

“Wait, what?” I asked.

“Yep,” she said. “All of you. Cassie, Kevin, Ana, and you. It’s gonna be so much fun. We’ll see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and we’ll skate on the ice outside. We’ll walk around town in the snow, drinking hot chocolate and listen to the carolers on every corner. Come on, Rose. It’s time you took a vacation.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna be possible,” I said.

“And why not?” she asked.

“Because I think we’re going out of town.”

Cassie’s eyes widened as the boys stumbled into the kitchen. Kevin had a small suitcase packed and Camillo assured Junior that his bag was already in the truck. Camillo was holding Ana, her own bag packed full of her things while I clocked all the stuff Camillo missed. I saw him whisper something to the boys before they ran outside and jumped in his truck and realised I’d been defeated.

“Rose, what’s going on?” she asked.

“So much,” I said as tears welled in my eyes. “So much, Crystal.”

“Then take a deep breath and talk to me. Is Ana okay? Is something wrong with Kevin?”

“No, nothing like that,” I said.

“Then start from the beginning.”

I sighed heavily as I turned my tired eyes toward Cassie.

“What if Cassie came to see you?” I asked.

I watched as Cassie’s eyes lit up with happiness.

“Cassie’s always welcome. That girl can throw back some tequila.”

“Interested in spending the holidays with Crystal and the Rockettes?” I asked her.

“Uh, of course,” Cassie said. “Tell Crystal I’m packing my things now.”

“Now, why is Cassie coming and not you?” Crystal asked.

“Because Ana’s father’s in town and a lot has happened since then.”

Silence descended upon the phone and I could feel her shock through the receiver. I looked over at Camillo, his eyes filled with relief as I rolled mine at him. I walked through the house and started up the steps to go pack my own bag and it wasn’t until I started folding my clothes that Crystal finally spoke.

“The dark prince is back,” she said.

“His name’s Camillo and yes. He’s apparently moved into town with his nephew, living the simple life despite the fact that he’s rich.”

“Holy fuck,” Crystal said.

“Yeah. And those rumors about being tied to the mob?”

“Yeah?” she asked.

“Also, true.”

“Wait, what? Are you guys okay? Have you guys been threatened?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure what I can tell you and what I can’t. All I know is that we’re packing up to go on a vacation, even though we’re actually kind of running.”

“Holy shit,” she said. “Yes, Cassie can come here. Ana and Kevin going with you?”

“Yep, but I still don’t know if it’s a good idea.”

“A good idea to what?”

“To go with Camillo,” I said.

“Why not? He being a dick or something?”

“You mean, besides bringing all this trouble into our lives?” I asked. “No.”

“Oh, I know that tone of voice. The chemistry’s still there, isn’t it?”

I zipped up my bag as memories of our night in the cabin came flooding back to my memory.

They flooded back so quickly, in fact, that my nipples rose to painful peaks behind the three-day-old bra I was wearing.

“Yes,” I said breathlessly.

“Honestly, I can’t believe you told him that Ana was his,” she said. “How did he react?”

“Well, it’s kind of unmistakable. Ana looks just like him.”

“So, when are you guys supposed to leave?” she asked.

“Wait, wait, wait. I tell you that some rich-ass mobster that fathered my child is back in town, and the only thing you want to know is when I’m leaving with him?”

“Look, I don’t know all the details of what’s going on. Clearly, I need to call you more since you never pick up the phone to call me. We’ll talk about that later. What I’m saying is, if you guys are actually in danger, then Camillo’s the only one that can protect you.”

I turned my gaze toward the door and saw Camillo looming in it. His eyes were focused on my packing and the way my fingers danced across the zipper of the suitcase while I tried to jam all my toiletries in the front pocket.

“I guess,” I said.

“I mean, he’s not tossing you in a basement somewhere, right?” she asked.

“No. He’s apparently taking us somewhere tropical for the holidays.”

“So, what you’re telling me is some hot, rich man wants to whisk you off to a tropical island or something for the holidays and you’re bitching about it?”

“Because we’re in trouble?” I asked.

“Semantics. Is he a good father?”

“What?”

“Does he treat Ana well?” she asked.

“He treats her… perfectly,” I said breathlessly.

I saw a grin cross Camillo’s cheeks as he walked in and picked my suitcase off the bed.

“Then go. Stay by his side. Let him protect you and keep you safe. See what happens. Girl, he’s a sexy billionaire who wants to take you away to paradise for a little while. Fucking go, you idiot.”

“Fine, fine. I hear you, okay?”

There was a pause as I walked into Ana’s room, picking up the last few things she would need and stuffing them into her diaper bag.

“I can hear you screaming in your head,” Crystal said.

“I’m nervous,” I said. “Crystal, we’re in trouble. Real trouble. There was a phone call and Camillo was so mad. He shattered his phone and threatened to do all these terrible things.”

“Was he violent toward you?” she asked.

“No, but he was just so… so angry. I’d never seen him that angry. That out of control.”

“Rose, listen to me. If you think for one second he’s gonna get violent with you, don’t go. Call the police. Run as fast as you can. Do you hear me?”

“I don’t believe that. I don’t believe he’ll hurt me or Ana. But his rage, Crystal...”

“Was turned onto someone else. Someone he viewed as a threat to his family. Do you feel safe with him?”

I realized I did. I did feel safe with Camillo. I knew he would never turn his anger on us or take it out on us in any form. I knew he would fight to defend us until his very last breath, just like I’d do for him.

Holy hell, I’d fight until my last breath for him.

“I do,” I said.

“Then go, Rose. Tell Cassie I’ve already purchased her flight to LaGuardia. It leaves in three hours.”

“I’ll let her know,” I said.

“And Rose?”

“Yes?”

“Call me the moment you guys are safe,” she said. “Don’t jeopardize anything. I’ll take care of Cassie. You just take care of your family.”

“I’ll come into the city soon so we can have a legitimate conversation about all this,” I said.

“Oh, trust me. You’ll give me an entire week of your time so we can unpack all this. But for now, enjoy what part of this you can.”

“I will. I promise.”

I hung up the phone with Crystal and looked at it in my hand. I could feel Camillo’s presence outside the door, his body fighting between curiosity and giving me my privacy. I tossed my cellphone into Ana’s bed, leaving it behind as I stepped out into the hallway. Camillo took her diaper bag from my hand.

“I’m glad you feel that way,” he said.

“Feel what way?” I asked.

“That you’re safe with me.”

The intensity behind his eyes was no longer stern, but filled with something else. Something I couldn’t quite identify.

Something that seemed familiar, but still different.

“I do,” I said, nodding.

“Come with me,” he said as he held out his hand. “It’s time to go.”

“Can I at least know where we’re going?” I asked as I took his hand.

“In time,” he said.

I was just going to have to get used to his cryptic ways. Especially if I wanted his protection.