Page 41 of Abel

“Are you okay in there?” Cam’s worried voice breaks through the barriers of the door as he jiggles the knob. “Iv, open the door! What’s going on in there?”

Groaning, “Go away,” as I rest my head back across the toilet where I’ve been for the past ten minutes.

“I willnotgo away.” He says.

A few moments later, he’s waltzing inside.

Lifting my head up, I see him standing there, “How did you get in here?”

He answers, “I picked the lock,” very nonchalantly. “Actually, I used a butter knife to slip in between the latch on the door and gave it a little push. Now, what is wrong with you?”

“I think I have a stomach bug.” I groan again as another wave of vomit pushes past my lips, just making it in the toilet.

“Oh, you poor baby.” Cam says, leaving for a minute before he’s sitting beside me with a red cup. “Here, drink this, but only tiny, little sips.” He instructs.

Eyeballing the cup suspiciously, I ask, “What is it?” But before he has time to answer, I take a little sip. “Wholly shit.”

“It’s salt water.”

“Clearly.” I gag. “Why did you put so much salt in there?”

“Are we gonna sit here and talk about how much salt is or is not in there, or are we gonna go to urgent care to see what’s wrong with you?” He asks.

“No, I’ll be fine. Like I said, it’s just a stomach bug or something.” I say, attempting to get up. “Will you help me get in bed?”

“I don’t think you should go lay down, you need to go get checked out.” He urges, coming up behind me. Effortlessly lifting me up, he carries me out of the bathroom. “Now, don’t get mad, I did try to get rid of him, but his dusty, trifling ass wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Camden, what are you talking about?” I ask, laying my head on his chest as he walks me to my room.

“Your ex-boyfriend had the audacity to come here to ‘drop off’ some stuff he thought you’d like to have.” He scoffs, “I told him to shove it up his ass.”

“You did not.” I say, throwing my head back laughing.

“You better believe I did. It was about to get real ugly when I heard you throwing up your life in here and had to come investigate.”

“You’re being dramatic again, and it’s not a good look on you.”

“You’re a horrible liar. Everything looks good on me.” He flips his imaginary hair off his shoulders before taking a detour.

“You are seriously deranged.” I say, noticing the frown on his face. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt your feelings?”

Very carefully, he puts me down on my feet in the hallway before we get to the living room. “No, I just, are you mad because I didn’t immediately toss him out?”

“Camden, I would never get mad at you for making a decision you thought was the best. This is your home and if you want to allow him to come in, I’m totally okay with that.” I smile, caressing his face. “I love you with every fiber of my being. Just tell me you have money to put on my books after I murder him.” I smirk, trying to hold in my laughter.

“Shit, she’s finally done it. She’s cracked up.” He laughs, backing away from me.

“Nah, not yet. I’ve made peace with what he did to me, because at the time… It was exactly what I needed to hear to get me where I am now.”

“Where’s that?”

“Knowing my worth.” I say, watching his eyes gloss over before his bottom lip begins to quiver. “Don’t you dare start crying.”

“I won’t, it’s just… I love you.” He says, pulling me flush against his chest and wrapping his arms around me in a tight bear hug.

“I love you, too. Now, let’s go in there and see what he wants.”

“You still look pretty sick but more beautiful than you ever have.” He sniffs. “I hope he sees that.”

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