Page 61 of Southie
I had my back to the door, so the click of it opening and shutting forced a breath from my lungs. I closed my eyes and my head dropped. “Daddy, let’s just talk tomorrow when I get home.”
“Oh, so you going to hang with that white boy?” Damian scoffed.
“Not a good time, Damian. I got shit to do, and it doesn’t include sitting here and discussing my private life with you.” I grabbed my stuff and walked toward the door.
When I passed him, he grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me closer to him. “You too good to talk to me? That white boy got your pussy on lock now?”
His grip tightened when I tried to pull my wrist from him his grasp.
“You have one second to take your hands off of me before I scream.”
I kept eye contact to show him I was unfazed by his aggressiveness although my heart pounded against my chest, and the pain in my wrist shot up my arm.
“So, it’s like that now, Camilla?”
“Take it however you want to, Damian. I’ve told you time and again, I don’t want to go out with you.”
“But you said you’d consider it. Now this dude comes up all in your face like I ain’t been trying to get with you for a minute. Like I haven’t been a good damn friend to you.”
“Listen, I won’t lie to you. I’ve enjoyed the time we spent together hanging out around campus. I said I’d consider it and I have. The answer is still no. So, please do us both a favor and move on to the next girl you hope to get in your bed. It sure as hell won’t be me.” I snatched out of his hold and walked toward the door.
“Camilla, he ain’t gon’ do nothing but get what he wants and leave you high and dry.”
A humorless laugh spewed from me. “It’s funny to me you’re judging another man for the same thing you’d do, Damian. You don’t know Liam.”
“And you do?” he asked, a little louder than necessary.
“Whether I do or not isn’t your concern! I’m not your sister, I’m not your daughter, and I sure as hell ain’t your girl. What I do and who I do it with is no concern to you. So, if I were you, I’d drop it!”
“You’re making a big mistake Camilla,” Damian yelled.
“It’s my mistake to make, Damian,” I shouted, walking out of my father’s office as quickly as I could, slamming the door behind me.
My mother’s words replayed in my mind as I made my way quickly to Liam. They were my triumphs to experience, regardless of the path I took, and my failures to learn from if things didn’t work out as I hoped.
My path was with Liam. If this relationship failed, then it’d be a failure I’d learn from.
Chapter 11
Liam
The last few hours had been surreal.
I tried to keep my mind from conjuring negative thoughts while I waited to pick Camilla up from the corner down from the gym. Giddy as a teenage boy getting ready to get his first piece of pussy, excitement consumed me. She was at least willing to talk about what the future held for us as a couple. Although nagging thoughts that she would run away again were present, I tried my best to push those to the back of my mind. Camilla was it for me, and I wouldn’t let negative doubts impede what I wanted.
I only parked one block over from the gym, so it wouldn’t take too long to get to her. It still made me uncomfortable that she walked alone in the neighborhood for any reason because Southie was still set in its ways. Not only was she a beautiful woman, the predominantly Irish American neighborhood had its issues with race.
Before going to the gym today for my training session with Roland, I’d pray to run into Camilla, but I didn’t get my hopes up. Every other day, for the past month, I’d wished to see her, but it never panned out. When her father shouted her name while I was packing my things in the locker room to leave, my heart pounded against my chest. The need to see her had become all-consuming, and I’d hoped she’d at least hear me out.
I’d rushed out of the locker room and searched the open area where all the fighters were training, but she’d been nowhere in sight.
Even though I hadn’t seen her, the irritation on her father’s face confirmed she’d been somewhere in the building. We fucked more than talked the first night we were together, but I’d still learned a lot about Camilla and her father’s strained relationship.
They loved one another, but he’d been hard on her and very controlling ever since her failed relationship with that douchebag Franklin Scott. When it came to Camilla, Roland Jennings kept a permanent scowl on his face regardless of how many accomplishments she’d achieved after her abusive relationship ended.
I’d noticed one fighter I’d been introduced to in passing slip away from the other fighters and into her father’s office, so I’d assumed Camilla must’ve been in there. I couldn’t remember the guy’s name, and I couldn't have cared less who he was and what he wanted with Camilla. My primary concern had been getting to her so we could continue what we’d started a month earlier or finally go our separate ways.
When I walked through the door and broke up their conversation, the guy wasn’t happy, and, I didn’t give a fuck. I hadn’t seen or heard from her in more than a month, and it was time I laid all my cards on the table, which meant it was time for him to go. Whatever they had to discuss wasn’t important. Not as important as what we needed to talk about. It had been time for her to stop running and make a decision about us because I wouldn’t chase her anymore.
