Legally Bound 3: His Law (11 page)

Chapter Sixteen

“
I
don’t know how you are doing it Camille,” Pam laughed. The girls had all come over for a girl’s night. “Throwing a baby shower for all four of us, if it was me these heifers would be out of luck.”

“You know you are so wrong,” Paige laughed and chucked a chip at her sister. 

“What girl, you know she has her work cut out for her,” Pam chuckled.

Camille gave Pamela a big smile. “It’s not a big deal. Besides, I haven’t been doing it all alone. Marie has been a great help and so have Minnie and Davina.”

“I don’t think I have been that much of a help,” Marie pouted. “Camille is like a machine.”

Paige laughed. “Yeah, she can be aggressive when she has an idea locked in her head.” Paige looked at her friend with warmth in her heart. Her smile faded a little as she watched something pass over Camille’s eyes.

“Well I appreciate it,” Rita said with a glowing smile on her face.

“I just want to thank you for including me,” Ellen said. “I mean it’s my second baby, all the other girls are having their first. You really didn’t have to include me.”

“How could I leave you out, Sweetie,” Camille said softly.

Paige’s focus really honed in on Cam now. Camille was always ready with an upbeat or sassy reply. It was one of the things that had drawn Paige to her. She reminded her of her sister. Something was up.

“You ladies have become really important to me. I never thought I would have so many great women in my life. Paige has been a great friend and now you guys all mean so much to me,” Camille choked out.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Paige said. “What’s going on Cam?”

Camille broke down into sobs. “It’s nothing. I don’t want to ruin the night,” Camille tried to turn off the waterworks, but she had been holding this all in for so long.

“Are you serious,” Ellen scowled. “Something hasn’t been right for a few weeks now. I’ve just been giving you time.”

Since returning from the island Camille and Ellen had become very close, even having play dates for Jess and Camille’s boys. Camille had intentionally been avoiding Paige lately because she knew she would sense something was wrong. She didn’t realize Ellen had learned her so well as well.

“She is right Cam, you are not hiding as well as you think you are,” Pamela said gently.

Camille took a deep breath. “Seth has filed for a divorce. It’s not like I didn’t know this would happen someday but … not like this. I always thought he would leave me for his secretary, but he showed us both. He has some other young girl on the side that he has gotten pregnant and she is insisting he divorce me and marry her to take care of his responsibilities.”

Camille released a bitter laugh. “Like my boys are nothing, as if they are not his responsibilities. You know I don’t care about me. It just rips my heart to pieces that he cares so little for our boys. I know I joke about not caring but those little boys are my world. You know,” Camille shrugged.

“He doesn’t even want any kind of custody,” Camille said just above a whisper. “But that’s not the worst of it all. My father already has list of eligible bachelors that he wants to marry me off to. I won’t do this again. I can’t.”

“Oh God Cam, why haven’t you said anything,” Paige asked first.

“I think I’ve been in shock. Seth doesn’t want the boys but he has threatened to take them and use my affiliation with club Desire to do it if I try to fight him for more than his piece of shit offer,” Camille said as a blush covered her face.

“Are you kidding me,” Paige raged. “That prick gave you the membership.”

“What is club Desire?” Pam asked looking confused.

Marie had the same confused look. It seemed they were the only two in the room that didn’t know. Paige didn’t miss that fact as her face too flamed with embarrassment.

“It’s a private sex club,” Ellen flipped her wrist dismissively.

Marie’s mouth popped open but it was Paige that asked what she was thinking. “And how do you know?”

“How do you think I met my husband,” Ellen said with a coy smile.

“Seriously,” Paige and Pam asked at the same time.

“Yup,” Ellen giggled. “We met in the LA chapter. Sam had brought a potential client along. He heard the guy was into that type of thing. I was there with a friend. I think it was love at first sight.”

“Ellen,” Marie gasped as her face turned red.

Rita throw her head back and laughed. “And this is why Jas should just give up,” Rita chuckled.

“Hush Rita,” Marie hissed as her face turned a deeper shade of red.

Camille sniffled and her face brightened. “Wait, this sounds like something juicy. Come on Marie help me forget my woes,” Camille chirped.

“Oh no, I think we can find something better to cheer you up,” Marie frantically shook her head.

“Oh no you don’t Cam, I know what you are trying to do,” Paige snapped. “I want you and whatever Seth’s lawyers have sent to you in my office first thing Monday morning.”

“And this is why I haven’t told you. This could get ugly and you need to spend your time relaxing not being stressed with my problems,” Camille sighed. “Daddy has his lawyers on it.”

“Oh please Cam, this is what I do. If you let your father’s lawyers handle this you will be married off to his first choice for you and he will use this divorce to insure you do it,” Paige folded her arms across her chest.

Camille bit her lip in thought then nodded, “Okay, okay,” she conceded. “Now back to Marie and Jasper. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. What’s up with that Chicca?”

“It’s nothing,” Marie said coyly as her cheeks started to pink all over again.

Just then Marie was saved by the bell. Pam huffed knowing that none of the guys were supposed to be coming by for a few more hours. Pushing out of her chair she started for the door. Her frustration grew as she heard the girls turn back to the subject of this club Desire.

She was curious and surprised her sister knew anything about it. Not so surprised that Camille would know about it and even less surprised that she was a member. However, Ellen definitely caused her to look a little closer at the seemingly reserved woman.

Pam opened the door bringing her attention back to the unexpected interruption. Standing on the other side was the woman from a week ago.
Vanessa was it
, Pam mused to herself.

“Hi Pam,” the woman bubbled. “I’m so sorry to disturb you but I wouldn’t let my friends throw me a house warming so they brought me all kinds of goodies, fruits and food and things. I just thought I’d share some so it doesn’t go to waste.”

Pam looked at Vanessa’s full hands and remembered she said she was pregnant. Reaching to give her a hand she stepped aside. “Come on in. We actually have plenty of food but there are also four pregnant women in here so I’m sure we can help you out,” Pam said with a smile.

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude. I know you said you like to keep to yourself,” Vanessa protested.

“Oh honey please, bring your tail in here already. Congratulations by the way. I had a look at that place myself it is gorgeous,” Pam said as she ushered Vanessa to where the other ladies were.

“Oh, did you just buy this place?” Vanessa asked.

“Oh no, this is actually my sister’s condo. I just moved in here a few months ago,” Pam said with a warm smile.

There was something sad in this woman’s eyes that made Pam feel sorry for her and want to befriend her. The look reminded her of how she felt when she first left to live overseas.

“This place is just as amazing as mine,” Vanessa said as she looked around.

“Thank you,” Paige said as she looked the new comer up and down. “Who do we have here?”

“This is Vanessa she just moved in next door,” Pam said giving her distrusting sister the stinky eye.

Pam continued to make introductions as Paige watched Vanessa closely. “And this is my twin Paige,” Pam said as she made it to her sister.

“Nice to meet you,” Paige said and held out her hand.

“Oh wow, you are the new Mrs. Bobby Mairettie aren’t you,” Vanessa said as she shook Paige’s hand.

Something in the way this woman said her husband’s name made Paige’s skin crawl. She narrowed her eyes and gave Vanessa a once over like she was on the witness stand and she was looking for a way to make her crack.

“The pictures in the papers were beautiful, but you are all so much prettier in person,” Vanessa said as she looked around at all the women.

Camille squinted at the woman. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she knew this woman from somewhere. Rita too narrowed her eyes on the woman that just entered what she now considered her brother’s home. She knew her brother was crazy about Pam and he would go ballistic if anything happened to her so this woman’s presence was not just okay with her.

“I’m sorry, you said your name is Vanessa….,” Rita asked, leaving pause for the woman to give her last name. Meaning full well to do a background check on her as soon as she could.

Just then Rita’s phone started ringing breaking her focus. She cursed under her breath and excused herself before hearing Vanessa’s answer to her question. Duty called as always.

~B
~

“Thank you so much for letting me join you and your family,” Vanessa said for the second time as Pam walked her out. Everyone else was getting ready for their men to come and pick them up and Vanessa insisted she should go.

Once Paige and Rita warmed up to Vanessa they actually had a good time. Vanessa found that none of the women were what she expected and she found herself being sucked into their warm banter and good humor. She’d tried to get close to Rita, but quickly saw that it was a bad idea. She and Paige made her nervous.

Overall Vanessa found herself for once in her life feeling like she had friends and like she belonged. She needed to leave, this was not her life. She had a reason for being here and if she wanted to be accepted by these women now was not the time to hang around it was too dangerous. Her life now depended on getting this all right.

“You are more than welcome. Let me know if you can make the baby shower,” Pam smiled.

“Oh, well is it unisex,” Vanessa asked. “I could see if my boyfriend would like to come.” She added the last part quickly as Pam’s brows furrowed.

“Oh sure, yeah he can come along all the guys will be there,” Pam shrugged.

“Oh okay, well thanks again and thanks for the number to your OB. I swear my doctor makes me wonder. I mean I would love a second opinion on why I am so small,” Vanessa said and started to chew her lip in thought.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Pam said patting Vanessa’s arm.

“Well thanks and good night,” Vanessa said and turned to leave.

Pam closed the door behind her and stood thinking for a minute. She liked the woman but there was something nagging at her brain. She’d just been ignoring it because of that sadness in Vanessa’s eyes.  Pam was so lost in thought as she slowly walked back to the living room she didn’t hear the door behind her.

Nate sneaked up behind her and wrapped his large arms around her. Pam yelped and turned as best as she could to face him. Nate dipped his head to capture her lips causing her to forget about everyone and everything else.

Nate pulled away and smiled down at her as Bobby, Marcus and Sam pushed pass them chuckling. Jasper brought up the rear with a sly smile on his face. Pam returned the sly smile because she knew he was who Marie had been texting all night.

“Did you miss me,” Nate whispered in her ear.

Pam would be lying if she said she didn’t. She had been pissed with him lately but her hormones weren’t in the mood for her to ignore them anymore. Pam bit her lip and looked up into his chocolate eyes and nodded her head.

Nate’s hand slid from her back to grab a hand full of her rear. “I want to hear you say it Baby,” Nate rasped next to her ear.

“Yes, I missed you,” Pam responded.

Nate backed her into the wall and nuzzled her neck. “Are you ready to show your man how much you love him,” Nate whispered.

Pam’s breath hitched and her eyes widened. A broad smile spread across Nate’s face. “What, you think I don’t know,” Nate lifted a brow.

“Or maybe you still don’t know,” Nate looked her in the eyes. “I love you, Pam and tonight I want to make love to my woman.”

Pam cursed at her hormones in her head as she felt the tears swimming in her eyes. She wasn’t sure where this was coming from but he was saying the words she had been holding onto so tightly and now that he released them she knew there was no hope for her heart. Not that there ever had been. Nate had started to worm his way into her heart from the first moment she met him.

“Is it okay if I’m not ready to say it,” Pam said in a small whisper.

Nate grabbed the hair at her nape tipping her head back and served her with a searing kiss. Pam released a whimper and Nate deepened the kiss. Pam only snapped out of the kiss because of the soft click of the door closing behind the last of their guests. Pam’s cheeks warmed as she realized how lost in Nate she had been.