Page 17 of Only If You Dare

“You must be Desiree,” she said.

“I’m sorry to say I don’t know who you are,” I was already feeling my gut tighten.

“I’m Gina. Could you tell our boyfriend to stop ignoring my calls? I need money to go shopping for our son.”

My eyes widened. “Our boyfriend? Your son?”

“That’s what I said.” She’d put her hand to her lips. “Oh, you didn’t know? We’re having a boy.” Tangela rubbed her protruding belly and bile rose in my throat. Before I had a chance to say anything, Cameron swung open the door storming out like a raging bull.

“You are crazy as hell coming to my house like this!”

“I told you I would, and you tried me. There’s no use keeping us a secret any longer. We’ve got a love child on the way, and I expect to be taken care of throughout the next eighteen years, Cameron!”

Their heated words and harsh expletives shot back and forth. As for me, I’d left this world, on a plane to the next galaxy. My life shattered, and I was seconds from a breakdown. I whipped around on Cameron, laying a firm palm across his face. Needless to say, he followed me all the way to the car, trying to explain and prove his innocence. But I knew it in my heart. Cameron was a lying, cheating, filthy excuse for a man, and even knowing all of this, I still stood there staring at him, wondering what our life would’ve been if that had never happened.

“A sour note is putting it mildly don’t you think,” I said.

“You never gave me the chance to defend myself.”

“Did you sleep with her?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then what’s there to defend?”

“Desiree,” he moved in closer and my arms tightened across my chest. “It was a mistake. It only happened once. She was never pregnant by me. Her tactics were just a lousy way to get you to leave me and get me to be with her.”

“Worked like a charm,” I said. I glanced at my watch. “I’ve gotta go, have a nice life, Cameron.”

I turned. “Desiree, wait.” A warm hand touched my shoulder halting my advancement. I kept my back to him as he spoke.

“Please, just give me a chance.” His arms circled my waist pulling me in slowly. “I miss you,” he said.

I shut my eyes and let out a breath. It was true; I missed him, too; more than I probably should. Could you fault a girl?

“Have dinner with me.”

My rebuttal wasn’t coming fast enough. I opened my eyes. “Why?”

He turned me to look at him. “I meant everything I said about wanting you in my life forever. That hasn’t changed. Your absence, if anything, has made me a better man. I don’t want to be without you girl. I don’t—”

I moved while I still had any ounce of willpower. “I’ve gotta go.” His grip tightened, and this time I turned to glare at him. His fingers loosened, and I tugged to free myself of his remaining latch. My legs felt like they were sinking as I closed the short distance to my car. With the door still open, I held on to it needing to support myself and get a grip. I cast another glance in the distance only to find an empty sidewalk and parking meter. The image of the familiar face I’d seen minutes before was gone. With my back to Cameron, I slid inside reaching out to close the door.

“I still love you.”

Instantly, I froze, my hand closed around my door handle. Cameron thought his words were pleasant. But they pulled every emotion I’d ever felt with him to the forefront. A flurry of happiness, love, sadness, and pain ricocheted through me. I dropped my hand and sat forward. Getting back out of the car, I marched back to him nostrils flaring.

“What do you want from me, Cameron?” His eyes softened, and he moved towards me. “Don’t touch me, okay!” I held my hands up. “You don’t get to walk back into my life after everything you put me through!”

“Baby,” he reached out, and I smacked him. I pivoted practically running back to my car. This time when I got in, I buckled my seatbelt and pulled off without sparing a look back.

Tears created a cloud in my vision. I shot down the street trying to get as far away from him as possible.

Focus.

Pulling out my cell, I scrolled through for Julian’s number and hit send. I wiped my eyes and thought about what I needed to do. It was time to end this assignment and look forward to what my future held.

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