Page 11 of Devil's Betrayal

I turn my head away in embarrassment because this was happening right under my nose and I had no clue. I’m not surewhat to say or to think and I question whether or not I should believe Micah’s revelations. At the same time, why would he lie to me? He’s always been truthful with me no matter how raw that truth is. I have no one else to blame but myself. Never questioning the things that didn’t seem to add up even when I felt in my gut that something wasn’t right. Franklin had no reason to ever betray me but he for sure took advantage of my naivete causing irreparable damage to our lives all under the guise of perfection. As I grapple with this swirling tide of emotions, my mind searches for answers. I yearn to retreat into my own sanctuary, free from the piercing scrutiny of Micah's gaze, where I can try to make sense of this chaos without feeling like a fool incapable of distinguishing reality from fiction. In truth, I long for solitude within my own musings as I confront the relentless onslaught of this emotional vortex. Franklin betrayed and manipulated me, exploiting my deep love for our family. It was a web of deception, and everything I believed was a mere illusion. “Cami, please say something,” Micah urges. The desperation in his voice conflicts with my flight response because all I want to do is escape. What could I possibly say right now? Nothing could have prepared me for this conversation and if Franklin were here would he deny everything or tell me the truth? Micah didn’t hold back anything knowing that it would hurt me and for that, he deserves a bit of grace from me. I left him all those years ago for greener pastures only to be deceived and manipulated by weeds that decimated any hope I had for Franklin’s redemption. Killing himself was truly the coward’s way out. Gideon confronted him while I stood there wanting answers and instead of owning his shit, he shot himself.

“I’m not sure what to say, Micah. With a few words you’ve upended my entire world and I’m feeling several different emotions right now. Honestly, I would rather crawl into a hole and not think,” I reply with a shaky voice.

“It’s my fault for not telling you all of this years ago but there never seemed to be an appropriate time. There is finally some peace between the Devils and the Rebels but you kept avoiding me. It seemed pointless to tell you something when you weren’t willing to be in the same space as me but, I’m tired of not having you in my life, so I needed to come clean with everything. I’m not proud of the things I’ve done in my life,” he admits as he adverts his gaze. “But a real man confesses his sins to the woman he loves, praying that she forgives him. We’ve been apart long enough Cami and I’m not willing to let you go without a fight. Please tell me that you’re willing to give us a chance?”

“How can I be certain you won’t hurt me? How do I know that you’re not deceiving me the way Franklin did, and this isn’t some scheme to hurt Gideon?” I question, feeling my control slip away. His declaration of love threatens to unravel me and shred my resolve because, if I’m being honest with myself, I’m still in love with him. My feelings for Micah Nelson have never waned. When I married Franklin, I believed that immersing myself in our new life would help me fall out of love with the man who owned my heart. At some point, I managed to convince myself that those emotions were merely a young girl's crush—out of sight, out of mind. However, Micah's return rekindled those buried feelings, rising like a phoenix from the ashes.

I’m so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed that one, Micah hasn’t answered my questions, and two, he cleared the food from the blanket and is now in my personal space. He’s so close that I can feel the heat from his body penetrating mine. The last sliver of my insanity breaks when instead of answering me, he whispers,

“Let me show you that I would never do anything to hurt you, Cami,” he whispers as he searches my eyes, penetrating their depths seeking any hint of hesitation and finding none. My resistance falters, and if I'm truly honest with myself, I no longerdesire to resist this. Embracing him without objection, I envelop him in my arms, welcoming his love. The pressure of his body against mine feels like heaven and I crave more. Realization dawns on me that once I cross this bridge, there’s no going back.

I’m not sure how Gideon will handle this, and at the moment, I really don’t care. What’s happening between me and Micah is ours to share, navigate, and nurture. His lips brush and stroke effortlessly over mine like a man that knows what he wants. Leading and guiding me because he knows I’m still a little unsure. Even with the luminescent moon and brilliant stars, I’m thankful for the dark of night because it keeps the myriad of emotions swimming in my eyes hidden. They would divulge my longing for him and I’m not sure I’m ready to reveal it.

Fire fueled by lust licks at my veins in quick succession, making it difficult to catch my breath. Throwing caution to the wind, I run my hands along his sides, gliding over his ass to draw him closer to me. The enticing sensation of his jeans rubbing against my core intensifies driving me to the brink of madness as he presses into me. A primal moan escapes his lips igniting a desperation within and just to affirm that my passion matches his, I murmur,

“Micah, please fuck me.” It’s all I want, in this moment, so that for a brief span of time I can forget the shit show that was my life.

“Are you sure you want this, Cami?” He inquires as he lifts slightly off of me. This is one of the reasons that I love this man. He wants to give me an out but I want all in, right here, right now.

“Yes, Micah, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” I whisper as I slowly lift my shirt over my head and reach for the front snap of my bra. From what I remember, Micah was always a generous lover and I used to open up for him in ways that I find embarrassing now. Panic threatens to grip me andruin this moment but when I hear his breath hitch from touching my skin, my anxiety dissipates. His calloused thumb grazes the delicate skin of my nipple causing my back to arch as he takes my mouth in a slow sensual kiss. It’s languid, seductive, and full of pure lust. I’m not sure if I want him to rush this or take it slow because it’s been years since a man has touched me this way. Part of me wants him to fuck me so fast and hard that I forget the ugliness of our past. The other part of me wants him to make love to me for hours so that I can envision a beautiful future for the two of us. A sense of peace settles over me when I decide to give in and let this night be whatever we make it.

I moan as his warm lips skim along my neck, teasing me and setting me on fire. His beard is sweet torture against my sensitive flesh as he dips his head lower to lick and lightly bite my nipple. Taking my other breast in his hand, he tweaks and pulls my nipple sending shockwaves of pleasures to my core. My clit achingly pulses as I close my eyes and revel in his touch. It’s pure torment as tension builds slowly within, dragging me to the cusp of what I know will be an explosive release …and I want it. Reaching down, I unfasten my jeans and start to push them down my thighs when he stills my hands.

“Let me do that for you Cami,” he commands, shifting down the blanket and grasping the sides of my jeans. In the most slow, delicious way, he removes my pants and panties as I lift my hips, captivated by his every move. The cool air brushes across my heated skin but it fails to extinguish the lust burning within me. Discarding my clothes to the side, Micah stands to remove his clothing and the stars provide just enough light for me to see the contours of his body leaving me breathless. Joining me once again on the blanket, he gently spreads my legs, tracing kisses along my thighs and a fresh wave of warmth envelopes me. Beneath the full moon, in this moment, there's no place I'drather be than here with Micah, surrendering to the love we both rightfully deserve.

11

Micah

Revealing the truth about Jake turned out to be surprisingly liberating, a stark departure from the burden of guilt I had been carrying. Exhausted by the weight of secrecy, I made the decision to lay all the cards on the table, allowing Cami to decide the course of our relationship from this point onward. It was a risk I was prepared to take, and I'm grateful that I did. Now, unburdened, we can rediscover one another at our own pace, embracing the freedom that honesty has afforded us. Despite the inner certainty that Cami desired me, her conflicted emotions had become a barrier, an excuse to keep her distance. The prospect of facing her feelings loomed large whenever we contemplated spending time alone. Underneath the branches of the very tree where we first declared our love, we find ourselves once again, reclaiming the love that slipped away all those years ago.

One of the many things I love about Cami is that she has never judged me, and even in my confessions to her tonight she’sable to see and feel that I’m telling her the truth. She’s never quick to count me out and she believes I can be rescued from the demons that still haunt me. The emotions hitting me all at once have my head spinning but being here with the woman I love makes this all worth it. I’m doing my best not to rush this because I’ve waited so long for her to give us another chance, but when she raises her hips and grinds her pussy against my mouth, I relentlessly devour her as she tightly grips my hair. I wanted to tease and taste her, make this last a little while but her movements are demanding. Grabbing her thighs, I spread them wide as her soft whimpers fill the air.

My name on her lips drives me to give her the climax she unabashedly chases. Her arousal permeates the space as her body begins to vibrate and pulse with her impending orgasm. This is the Cami I remember, the one who chants my name when she’s close and beautifully embraces the power of her release. Digging into her hips, I keep her in place, allowing her to ride the lingering pleasure of this intense climax. Soft pants bellow in the night as she comes down from what was by far an intense orgasm. The need to be inside of her overwhelms me as I line myself up with her entrance and drive all the way to the hilt. Her nails score my skin as I pump my hips hard and fast, chasing my own release.

Her skin is just as soft as I remember, and feeling her legs wrapped tightly around my waist feels like my soul is finally at peace. The tight wet heat of her pussy makes me dizzy as we mumble each other’s name, overwhelmed by the significance of this moment. We’ve crossed a line that has no path back to us living separate lives. I’m staking my claim because there is no way I’m letting her go after tonight. This is what pure ecstasy feels like where lust and love clash making you lose your fucking mind. She moves under me in desperation as if she can’t get enough and it causes my ego to soar. Just by her stoic natureand stiff demeanor, I always knew that she wasn’t herself with Franklin. Her persona matched his in several ways and he was a self-righteous prick. He wanted a Stepford Wife and that’s what he created. For me, I love her fire and the way she used to challenge me or question my morals when I did some shady shit because she needed to understand me. That was my Cami.

Her inner walls tighten around my cock as another orgasm rips through her body and sends me over the edge. Over and over, I drive harder into her as I take her mouth, making this more intimate than some casual fuck. She needs to know that this isn’t just sex for me. This is an unspoken promise that I will never leave her side again and I will fight for us this time. I would never give her an ultimatum to choose between me and Gideon because, in my eyes, there’s only one choice, her happiness. As much as it would gut me, if she can’t do this because of Gideon, I won’t pressure her to change her mind. My love for her is so deep that I’m willing to give her up if she can’t handle the rocky path we’re about to take. My hope is that she has the strength to endure the fight and that Gideon will see through his anger and allow his mother to have the happiness she deserves.

We spend the rest of the evening reminiscing about our time together before she left for college. Although I hated when she chose Franklin, I’m thankful for the growing pains I’ve experienced over the years. The most important was patience followed by humility. Cami wouldn’t have survived being with me and I believe if she had stayed behind because of her love for me, she would be a hollow shell of the woman she is now. There were things I needed to see before I could truly appreciate the type of woman that Cami is because she loves me beyond my faults and she deserves only the best from me. I’m finally ready to give her the life she envisioned for us when we would lay in bed and dream about our future.

“I should get going,” she hesitantly says as she gathers her clothes. As much as I don’t want this night to end, I don’t want to rush things and jinx us.

“You’re probably right,” I agree, glancing at my phone to find multiple missed calls from Hammer. I deliberately silenced my phone to show Cami that she had my undivided attention, assuring her that I'd be present to address any questions. Unlocking my phone, I notice several texts from Hammer containing the preview of Ezra's name, which means the shit is about to hit the fan. Not wanting to disrupt this perfect evening, I lie when Cami asks if everything is okay. She more than likely senses my irritation from the exasperated breath I release, but I dismiss it as being disappointed about our evening ending.

“If it’s alright with you, I’m going to follow you home until you’re safely inside.”

“That’s not necessary but I know you won’t take no for an answer,” she mocks as I playfully slap her on the ass. Her eyes flash with lust as she reaches out and runs the back of her hand down my face.

“Do that again and we’ll never leave off of this mountain,” she teases as I wrap her in my arms. Her lips are soft as she initiatesa kiss that has me wanting to stay in this moment forever but I really need to get going to see why Hammer is blowing up my phone. Reluctantly I break the kiss and say,

“As tempting as that sounds, there’s something I need to take care of but I’ll take a rain check if that’s possible.”

"I think we can make that happen, but in all seriousness, I intend to schedule lunch or dinner with Gideon in the coming weeks to share the news about us. There's no reason to keep this a secret, and I'm tired of prioritizing everyone else's happiness over my own. You've asked me numerous times to spend the rest of my life with you, and I'm finally prepared to do just that… if the offer still stands?"

I’m unable to contain my excitement as I lift her in my arms and twirl her around. Despite any potential objections from Gideon, I'm confident that Cami won't let anything hinder us. Tonight marked a breakthrough, a rediscovery of each other, and nothing will separate us now. Gideon needs to come to terms with and respect his mother's choices; he must trust my love for her, knowing that I would never intentionally cause her harm. We still have a lot to discuss and navigate, so we decide to take things slow and date for a little while. Now that I know she wants to spend the rest of her life with me, I can breathe and enjoy the process of getting to know her again. Setting her feet back on the ground, I say,

“We’ll face some obstacles that will try to get in the way of our happiness but as long as we are together we can overcome anything or anyone that tries to stand in our way. Are you ready to stand by me and fight for us?” She responds with confidence,

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