Cameron's Control (4 page)

I looked over at the couple. “Okay, wow, gorgeous and smart too.”

Their snide expressions were gone.

More stares found us and we were meant to be keeping a low profile. I hurried Mia through the patio doors and out into the landscaped garden. A burst of fresh air and the scent of lavender caught on the breeze.  

To the left was a modest swimming pool and a few guests who’d strayed from the house sat around it. To our right was a carp pond into which a small waterfall fell. Beyond the garden was that dramatic view.

I turned away briefly to accept two glasses of champagne offered from the waiter who’d ventured out here. I gave one to Mia.

We were left alone again.  

Careful not to spill champagne, I shrugged out of my jacket and rested it over Mia’s shoulders. She fell against me and we both stared out over the sprawling vista. Hugging, it felt like all that had gone before no longer hurt—all the trials, all the confusion, all the denials of love melted into the past.

This
, this was different.

A splash pulled our attention toward the pool. A woman had stripped to her underwear and was swimming. She was bathed in blue soft light. Another partygoer removed his clothes and dived in.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Came Richard’s incredulous tone.

I beamed back. “Happy New Year to you too, Richard.”

He stood a few feet away, holding a bottle of Miller Light. “Thought you’d be at Chrysalis?”

“We chose this instead.”

“You know Andrea Buckingham?” 

A shake of my head told him I didn’t.

He took a swig. “When you asked me what I was doing tonight I didn’t think you’d gate crash.”

Stepping toward him, I said, “Booth, we haven’t spent a New Year’s Eve apart in years. It didn’t feel right.”

Richard patted my back. “Have to admit it didn’t.” He looked over at Mia. “Pretty dress.” His gaze lowered to her shoes and he arched a brow.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He wore ripped jeans and a black J. Crew sweater. His hair was ruffled in his usual
don’t give a fuck
style, oozing privilege—the edgy bad boy kind.

It was good to see he was still talking to me.

“I’ll get us some hors d’oeuvres,” said Mia, removing my jacket and handing it back.

“It’s good to see you, Mia,” said Richard warmly.

She looked relieved and wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a big hug. He closed his eyes and leaned into her. “I knew Cameron was visiting the beach house,” he told her. “When I dropped you off.”

She raised her eyes to look at him.

“It’s okay. I need you to know I wouldn’t have left you alone otherwise.”

Her nod of understanding appeared to comfort him.  

This morning now seemed like a lifetime away. Richard and Mia had been on their way to Palm Springs. Only their brief stop at the jewelers to pick up a broken bracelet had changed the course of history.  

I’d given it to Mia when I’d trained her and hadn’t considered that secret engraving would be discovered. It had been my private declaration of love.  

Mia threw me a smile and headed into the house.

Richard stepped up to join me. “Quite the view.”

“Richard, I’m so sorry.” Words weren’t enough.

“Right to the point.”

“I fucked up—”

“That bracelet told me everything I needed to know. I suspected you’d fallen hard for her but that proved it beyond all doubt.”

“You weren’t meant to see what was inscribed on it. No one was.”

“Yeah, well, I did.”

“You gave her up for me?”

“Nothing’s changed, Cam. I’ll always love her. Always love you too, you stupid bastard.” He took a swig. “That doesn’t stop me from wanting to shove my fist through your devilishly handsome face.”

“Can’t blame you.”

“Halfway through her training, I realized how she felt about you. The way she looked at you. And you her. That time I’d snuck into Chrysalis to visit her, the chemistry between you both was off the charts. I hoped it was temporary.”

“This was not my intention.”

“Promise me you’ll take care of her. Don’t hurt her, Cam.”

“Of course not. Mia’s my priority now. Over everything.”

His gaze stayed on mine. “She really broke through to you, didn’t she?”

Turning to stare through that glass wall, my gaze found Mia nibbling on a bite of food, her expression full of intrigue as she took in the crowd.

God, she was so beautiful.

“You can’t tame her, Cam. You know that, right?” he whispered.

“It’s fun trying.”

“She’s so infuriating.” Richard followed my line of sight. “Which means she’s perfect for you.”

I tried to shake off this sense of unease over letting Mia wander around alone.

“She’ll be fine,” he said.

I gave a nod. “How about you, buddy? How are you doing?”

“Well, wouldn’t mind a session with you. Help me dig out this excruciating pain in my heart.”

“Richard, I—”

He patted my back. “Have you ever considered I want you happy too? That despite all this confusion, there’s actually a good outcome.”

“I’ll make it up to you.”

“Just stop interfering in my life, okay?”

“I really did mean for this to work. For you and Mia…” It hurt to say it.

“You’re an arrogant fuck.”

I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and he relented and leaned back into me and patted my back firmly.  

I’d always been his rock, his guide out of the dark, and here I was causing him pain. But I loved Mia too and protecting her felt primal, a need so raw that being apart felt wrong.

A jolt of uncertainty hit me when I could no longer see her. She’d left the kitchen.  

Richard turned and looked out. “Nice house.”  

“How did you pull off an invite?”  

“I was packing my stuff for a jump and debating whether to use a parachute,” —he gave a crooked grin – “when I got a call from Andrea Buckingham’s personal assistant inviting me here tonight.” 

“Just like that? Out of the blue?”

“Yeah, we met briefly at a charity event I attended with Hope. We were introduced, but Andrea had an entourage and we didn’t talk for long. Didn’t think she’d remember me.”

“You’re very memorable.”

His eyebrows rose in that devilish way. “Not sure how they got my number. I was too surprised to ask. Andrea’s around here somewhere. I’ll introduce you. Tell her you’re my plus one so you don’t get kicked out.” He chuckled. “Might just drink Andrea’s beer and take a dip in her pool. No doubt Mia will be in there by the end of the night.”

“Where’s our host now?”

He shrugged. “Andrea summoned me into her office to talk privately.”

“About?”

He grinned. “She wants to research BDSM for a role.”

I shook my head, amused. “And how did she find out you’re connected to Enthrall?”

“Through a friend of a friend apparently. I’ll find out who and ban them.”  

“What did you tell her?”

“For a woman who’s used to getting whatever she wants, I left her shell-shocked. Her assistant Sienna’s more my type. Pure sub material.”

“Sounds intriguing.”

We both stared back at the house.

“Mia will be fine,” I said. “She can look after herself.”

“Sure.”

I took a sip of champagne.

Richard slapped my arm with the back of his hand. “Let’s go find her.”

“Probably a good idea.”

He shook his head in amusement.

We made our way in and nudged through the crowd. I set my glass down on a side table. There were the usual players. The suited up agents and managers. The industry types who even here couldn’t be separated from their phones. A landscape of people, the screens of their phones glaring back. Perhaps some were tweeting about being at the party. A few took selfies. Others knocked back drinks and laughed in what looked like the joy of reuniting with old friends.

After a few minutes of scouring the house and not finding Mia, I pulled out my phone and texted her: “Where are you?”

Mia’s icon blinked away on my phone. She was writing a text. It stopped. She didn’t send it.

Richard peered over my shoulder. “Something wrong?”

With three quick scrolls on my phone, I watched the small red dot beating Mia’s location.

Richard rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”

“Don’t judge me.” I waved the phone. “Comes in handy for moments like this.”

The blinking light led us up the staircase and we walked along the hallway following the signal.

A knock at a closed door went unanswered.

I pushed it open and went in, looking around at the sparse furniture of this spare bedroom.

Richard followed me in. “Is that thing right?”  

I yanked open the closet door.

And let out the breath I’d been holding since I’d lost her.

“Cameron.” Mia’s arms were folded across her chest. “Did you stick a bug up my ass when I was sleeping?”

Richard burst out laughing.

“Please be more selective with your choice of words,” I scolded, tucking my phone away.

“Then how did you find me?”

I glanced down at her Louboutins. “Why are you in here?”

She really did look harried.

“Mia,” I said. “Don’t let these people intimidate you.”

“I’m not intimidated.”  

“Good.” I glanced over at Richard, who was enjoying this.

“Mia, he’s not handing you back to me,” he said.

She lowered her gaze. “Where’s the bug, Cameron?”  

“It’s the magic of love. I felt your presence and—”

“Cameron,” she snapped.

“Enough of this.”

She balled her fists on her hips. “I knew it.”

“Mia, trust me, a man in my position—”

“Is it in my shoe?”

I glared at her. “One more word and I’ll forbid you to speak for the rest of the evening.”

“Seriously Mia,” said Richard, “we were looking forward to the hors d’oeuvres you went to get us.”

“She who cannot be named is here,” Mia blurted. “I needed a moment.”

I blinked my reaction.  

“McKenzie Carlton?” said Richard.

Mia watched my reaction, which I was currently trying to hide, not least because I’d refused to tell Mia my ex- fiancé’s name.

“She must have seen us arrive,” said Mia. “Because McKenzie took me aside and told me who she was.”

My thoughts ran off trying to work out what Zie was doing in Los Angeles. She’d always moved in these circles but this was uncanny.

“Mia,” I said, “you two talked?”

“Yes.”

“What about?” asked Richard.

Mia’s gaze rested on me.

“Out of there,” I snapped. “Now.”

She hurried out and stood by my side, her eyes wide and full of caution.

“Let’s go find Zie,” said Richard, earning himself a glare from me. He shrugged it off. “Or not.”

“How about this?” I said, “Let’s see the new year in somewhere more…”

“Your place then?” said Richard.

I agreed with a nod.

“I’d like that,” said Mia, her cheeks flushed.

Taking her hand firmly in mine, I led her out.

We navigated the guests who sat on the stairs. The party was in full swing. The music grew louder. People were pulling poppers already. Annoying screams of delight sliced through my head. Knowing Zie was here tainted the mood.  

The front door was in our sights and we headed toward it.  

A tug on the back of my jacket.

That familiar scent of amber wafted; Hermes.

Zie hadn’t aged at all and I put that down to an easy life full of privilege and luxury brands that held back the years. Her pale blue chiffon halter dress brought out her feminine curves and emphasized her tall, lean frame. Shiny auburn locks spiraled over naked shoulders. Zie’s timeless beauty and razor-sharp cheekbones had always placed her firmly in the spotlight. Her green iris’s sparkled with mischief.

The last time we’d been this close we’d been arguing. It had been ugly. Until I met Mia, I’d not loved anyone as much as I’d loved her.

Though my affection for Mia felt different—pure, untainted. The advantage of a new relationship. No cruel history to haunt us.

Zie forced a grin. “Nice to see you too, Cam.” She flashed a glance over my shoulder. “Hello again, Mia. I so enjoyed our little chat. Very informative.” She gave a crooked pout.

The same one I’d once found endearing, only now it oozed bitchy.  

Zie’s allure had always been her demure sexuality, her ability to use those overly rouged lips to get whatever she wanted. Whoever she wanted. Whenever she wanted. Zie ran her tongue along her lips to moisten them and rested the tip in the corner of her mouth suggestively. That used to be her way of getting my cock’s attention.

Trying to push away thoughts of what this woman was capable of in the bedroom, I peered over her shoulder, pretending to scour the other guests.

I reached back and grabbed Mia’s hand to reassure her.

“Richard,” said Zie. “You still working at
that
place.”

His back stiffened. “Yes, if you’re referring to Enthrall.” He didn’t care who heard. “How’s the upper east side? All the happier for you not being there, I imagine.”

“We were just leaving,” I said.

Zie’s eyelids lowered. “Congrats on your engagement.”

Yeah, great, my family suspected Mia was now my fiancé, as did the Board of Psychiatry, after that debacle of a hearing to ascertain if I’d mistreated a patient. Only Mia had never been a patient, merely a sub in training. That detail was no one’s business.

A polite smile was called for.

 “Willow broke the news.” Confusion marred Zie’s face. “We had coffee last week.”

I regretted coming here now.

“Your sister didn’t mention seeing me?” she said.

“No, we haven’t spoken recently.”  

“I’d heard on the grapevine that Mia was your submissive, Richard.”

“How do you know Andrea?” asked Richard, changing the subject.  

“Through Megan Banks. She’s Andrea’s publicist. Megan and I were in the same sorority.”

Zie’s days at Yale were legendary, not least because she excelled in her chosen field of art and had been hailed by the Huffington Post as a young Picasso.