Page 112 of Enthrall
“What did you do to him?” I said, still haunted by what Tara had told me about Cameron whipping Richard until he bled.
“Can you be more specific?”
I sucked in a sob. “You re-wired his brain.”
He frowned at me.
I felt self-conscious that Tara may hear. “Richard told me he doesn’t feel any emotions. At all.
“Ah.” Cameron slid his mug to the side.
“I think you might have beaten all the life out of him.” I braced myself for his reaction.
“That’s why you’ve been crying?” he said calmly. “You had an argument with him?”
“A discussion. He told me what kind of hold you have on him.”
“He used those words?”
“No, he made it sound like you’re friends.”
“We are friends, Mia. We know each other very well. I’d never hurt him.”
“Did you beat him until he bled?”
Cameron reached for his mug.
Tara reappeared and made her way toward us. She’d not taken that shower. She sat on the barstool beside mine and said, “I told you that in confidence.”
Cameron rolled his eyes at her.
“So you admit it?” I snapped at him.
“Don’t you have milk in your coffee?” he said.
“What?” I shook myself out of my revelatory trance.
Cameron rose and rounded the counter, opening the fridge and removing a carton of skimmed milk. It seemed pretty empty in there other than that. He poured it into my drink. I hated him for dragging out this tension. His way of hoping to wriggle out of his guilt, no doubt.
“Tell her, Cameron,” said Tara.
He raised his hand. “I’m handling this.”
“No, I won’t have her accuse you of this,” she said. “When Richard came to L.A. he was drowning in grief—”
“Tara.” Cameron pointed to the door. “Now.”
She glared at me. “You don’t know anything. You’re putting pieces of the puzzle together and getting it all wrong.”
“Of course I could always sling you over my shoulder, Tara,” he said. “And carry you out.”
Cameron and I were alone again.
His voice sounded calm, controlled. “Firstly, I never divulge personal information about clients, friends, or acquaintances. In fact, this conversation we’re having now is private. What I will tell you is Richard and I are very close. We have a great deal of love and respect—”
“He told me he’s not capable of love.” I swiped away at my tears. “He told me he’s dead inside.”
“What else did he tell you?”
