Chapter 226: They Crossed The Line
Chapter 226: They Crossed The Line
Camilla
"Okay but seriously, what the hell were you thinking pulling something like that?" Jacob asked as he moved to sit beside me, keeping a comfortable amount of space between us.
My head rolled to the side against the wall as I raised my eyebrows at him, gauging whether his seriousness was real or not right now. Based on the way his gaze never wavered on me as he waited for me to speak, I was a little shocked to realize it was. I still don't know about anything that happened from this side from the time I left to the time an entire church blew up with a bullet but I can imagine he was pissed to realize I had tricked him either way.
"I needed to see if he was alive myself." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders to mask the fact that the thought of Domenico being close dead had left me terrified.
Obviously that wasn't the only reason that I snuck out, but finding that shred of proof was definitely a factor.
"That is what I meant." He shook his head as he stretched his one leg out in front of him, his elbow resting on his opposite bent knee.
"We both knew what they pulled was a ploy to get you back and even if you want to admit it, I think a part of you wishes they had succeeded." He said, raising his hand when I went to deny it.
Maybe in the moment, I thought about what would happen if I stopped fighting but that was all just imaginary thoughts. What Adriano and likely the other two did to me was too cruel to give myself over when all of the proof had been laid out before my eyes. So why did I fear Jacob was right anyways?
Why was disappointment the first thing I felt when I saw that I was waking up here instead of…. anywhere else?
"Spare your lies, Ranger." He dismissed as his right hand reached out towards me, gently grabbing my elbow and pulling it forward to reveal the bandage around my bicep.
Surprisingly, I let him as the two of us looked down at my arm, a small exhausted sigh escaping my lips. This thumb gently passed over the spot where the shot hit, that seemed to be the only thing he could think as he spoke.
"Why did you take a bullet when you hate everything your father stands for?"
He shouldn't be asking things like that, things he shouldn't want to know the answer to.
"He is family and the leader of…."
"What did I just say?" He cut off, dropping my arm and grabbing my chin instead.
I tried to jerk away but I still wasn't strong enough to fight him as he looked at me with a seriousness I have never seen before.
"Do you realize the hell you could have caused if you truly were injured?"
I lifted my good arm to shove his hand away but he wouldn't budge his eyes darting towards the door as though he was worried someone would walk through. When I moved to actually hit him, my hand was grabbed and pressed to my side.
"Camilla, your father….The Camorra Family, it is not strong enough to take on the composed three families even with the Italian Mafia on their side. The biggest bargaining chip here is you and if you don't learn how to at least pretend to be happy here, they are going to lock up for real."
"Stop acting like you care, asshole." I square my shoulders, lifting my knees to put some distance between my body and his chest.
I felt like I was going to be sick again as a wave of emotion passed over me and I didn't like the fact that it was pain I experienced instead of numbness.
"They crossed the line and if you don't get your shit together, you are going to be tied up right along with her."
"Along with who?" I asked exasperatingly, my head spinning with confusion but he was moving up and off me within a blink of an eye. I stared at him and noticed the heavy rise and fall of his chest and I can't understand why.
"Why did you take the bullet, Camilla?" He asked, his words final and I don't know why I chose to answer him but I did.
It was almost like I had to say something or risk falling over again. My admission felt like a punch to my gut but I still opened my mouth as I whispered.
"Because if my father dies, I am going to be left alone in this world all over again."
He didn't do anything but nodded as I remained on the ground, leaving soon afterwards as though he had gotten what he was looking for. By the time I was strong enough to actually get myself up, he was long gone and I was on my own. I wasn't surprised when the overwhelming urge to break down came over me but there were too many things I had to do to allow that to happen right now, starting with tying off the bandage bag at my side. Definitely not one of my finest moments.
It was only after I had managed to shower and brush all of the knots out of my hair that I felt a little better but there was a heavy weight on my chest now that just wouldn't go away. I knew exactly what was causing it too and it made me feel more sick than the anesthesia I was given earlier.
Seeing Stella wasn't an option right now and I don't know what I would do if I ran into my father with my emotions running so high. So for the first time in a long time, I was happy to remain in the confinement of my room. Nobody bothered me as I tried to lose myself within the pages of a book, even as I skipped lunch and then again dinner tonight. I read until my eyes strained and then some thinking I was actually going to get away without seeing people until a knock sounded at my door.
I knew who it was the second I see the handle twisting before my response even came. Only one person was stupid enough to try and pull that here.
"Marbel?" I said in acknowledgement to my stepmother, if I could even call her that.
Her dark hair was pinned up in a low bun, my spine straightening in response to the way she gave me a quick glance over in assessment. While I was readying for bed, she looked as though she planned to be up for hours to come, a controlled look on her face. She wanted something and based on the curling smile forming on her lips, I knew it was nothing good.
"Come with me, dear. I have something to show you that I am afraid cannot wait."
I don't really have a choice of saying no as she spun on her heel, walking out of the room with the basic assumption that I would follow. Slipping out of the bed, despite the pajamas, I strode down the hall after her, shutting my door behind me at the last minute. She was silent as she led me to goodness knows where but when we walked straight past my father's close door of his office, I genuinely had no clue where she was taking me.
When she finally slowed her pace so I could catch up, I realized it barely contained the excitement she was experiencing and that told me something was really bad.
"Do I even want to know what you are doing right now?" I caved and asked, brushing some of my hair behind my shoulders before one hand dropped to my left hip.
When I realized what I was unconsciously doing, I moved my hand away entirely.
"You have shown your loyalty to The Camorra Mafia for the last year now." She began and my stomach churned at where I suspected this would be going.
There was no way in hell I would be getting their tattoo behind my ear if that is what I was here for.
"But what you did yesterday, saving your father like that, we all saw the rage you had for what they did to you and that is the exact kind of passion we need right now."
I forced my face into a mask of neutrality instantly at her words, not letting myself show a sign of the fact that it was less about Adriano shooting me and more about the fact that he was attempting to take the only family I had left away from me to begin with after promising to leave him unharmed. I guess that promise expired over the course of this year. Instead of voicing this out, I simply respond to her.
"Thank you," forcing myself to be as sincere as I could fathom.
Those two words earned me a true smile from the woman at my side and when we finally stopped before a door about fine minutes away from my room, I knew whatever was behind it was something I didn't want to see.
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