Page 40 of Pomegranate Kiss

“Sorry, sweetheart,” she said, removing her hand from the woman’s. “I’m shit company tonight. You’d be better off finding someone else.”

The blonde frowned, following her gaze to the door. Her dark eyes clarified as she put the pieces together. “Your loss.” She strode toward the dance floor this time, losing herself amidst the crowd. Meanwhile, Mitch’s attention remained front and forward on her friend who did the usual curl and twirl with her hair.

No, Lex had chased her loss right out the door. She slumped forward against the bar and drained the rest of her drink dry. Her restraint had been tested in the past, but it paled in comparison to this onslaught from Cam. After tonight though, she’d scared her away for good.

That was what she’d been trying to do to protect herself, to heal.

However, all it felt like was devastation.

Chapter Twenty

Christmas had already arrived, which brought Cam back to Savannah for a spell. She’d been dreading the return the moment she got into her car to drive back on Christmas Eve for the normal family festivities. Christmas Day they celebrated with their friends in the area and occasionally an auntie or uncle, since most of their extended family still lived in Bangladesh. But Christmas Eve was just her and her parents, a more intimate dinner.

Cam’s stomach churned like she came down with food poisoning the second she stepped out of her car.

Truly, she’d been feeling ill ever since she’d made her exit from Notes Nightclub. Lex hadn’t said yes to the blonde’s proposition, but Cam didn’t want to be there if she did. Cam was determined to take this step, and watching Lex walk off to fuck another girl in the bathroom would be the sort of pain that would scare her away.

And she’d been living scared long enough.

Cam tugged at the sleeves of the button-down sweater she wore, her palms breaking into a sweat. The cooler breezes of winter caressed her cheeks as she headed up the driveway toward her parents’ house. Her chest sank when she caught sight of another car in the drive, the gunmetal Porsche that belonged to Mom and Dad’s favorite new friend.

Of course, they hadn’t given up. They were determined to marry her off to Nazir, and no matter her winces or dismissals, her parents came on even stronger with countless arguments to sway her opinion of him. Pointing out her fast-vanishing years of marriageability, emphasizing how much money Nazir made—all the comments made her want to scrub her skin. What should’ve been a quiet Christmas Eve, the perfect opportunity to have the conversation with her parents, was now ruined by the betrothed she’d never agreed upon.

Cam steeled her expression to hide the irritation coursing through her veins. She cracked open the door, the scents of turkey and stuffing wafting her way. While her mother cooked Bangladeshi recipes most days of the week, on Christmas Eve she always treated the family to a Western meal. Cam had been in charge of bringing the pie, a cherry one she carried in her arm.

Not like she’d be able to stomach a bite. She was nervous to begin with, and the fact Nazir already arrived spiked her anxiety to eleven. However, Lex’s words had imprinted on her. Cam had talked to Danny a ton over the break. While her friend never asked her anything directly, she mentioned a lot about how Lex had settled down and taken the job at Inkspirations, working there full time now.

She and Lex might’ve each lied to themselves, but one thing they’d never done was lie to each other. She withheld news Lex needed to know out of fear, but she was done letting that hold her back.

Still, easier thought than done.

“Mom? Dad?” Cam called from the doorway. “I’m home.”

Her mother bustled to the door, a huge smile on her face and her eyes alight with pure joy. Cam’s stomach twisted, unable to help feeling like she’d been ambushed again.

“You’re finally here,” she gushed. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Yeah, that couldn’t mean anything good. Before she could say anything, her father appeared, smile lines crinkling his warm eyes as he strode forward with his hand on Nazir’s shoulder.

Even after she’d given Nazir minimal responses, refused to sleep with him, or even kiss him, she hadn’t missed the hungry way he scanned over her. It didn’t help that he took all her avoidance and disinterest as a sign she was some demure, meek thing. Little did he know a week ago she’d come harder than she had in months when Lex fucked her to completion. Even if she’d lost the chance with Lex Dukas, the past few weeks turned on a light in a lost room inside her that had been dark for years.

“Noyoner moni,” her father started, and she knew she was in trouble. If he busted out endearments, something in this arrangement must have changed, something to make both of her parents light up like that. Something she would undoubtedly despise. “Nazir has come to us with wonderful news today, and we can’t wait to share it with you.”

Nazir stepped forward, out of her father’s grasp, and approached her. He reached to clasp her hands in his, and Cam wanted to tug hers away. He smelled like expensive cologne that made her gag, and the way he talked was too oil slick, how he stared at her too possessive.

“I thought it would be appropriate for the holiday celebrations,” Nazir started. Her palms sweated harder, but with the way he gripped them tight she couldn’t pull away to wipe them down. “Today I asked your parents for your hand inmarriage, and they accepted. You’re beautiful, Camilla, talented, and you’ll make the perfect wife.”

Oh fuck no.

She was going to vomit.

The panic descended a moment later. Her parents stared at her, genuine joy plastered on their faces, and Nazir beamed. All of them expected her to acquiesce, that they could rewrite her life without her permission. Repulsed was the only way to describe this combination of rage and illness warring inside her. Repulsed and betrayed.

She’d always been the obedient daughter. She didn’t get into trouble in high school and had ignored her own wants and needs for years, catering to the whims of her parents. It hadn’t been until her time with Lex that she’d awakened to needs of her own, to desires that made her feel at home in her own skin.

In the wake of the discovery, these people staring back at her were strangers.

“Camilla,” her mother said, casting a careful look to her. “I know this is a surprise. Aren’t you going to say anything?”

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