The Beautiful and the Faultless | Cami O'Connell

Chapter 24

"I want to, Cami," she insisted. "Please. It would make me feel a whole lot better about this."

"Okay," she whispered. "But if they say no, it's okay. My landlord is nice, she doesn't charge me too much."

Ingrid leaned over, kissing her firmly. She pulled away only to press her forehead against Cami's, drawing a deep breath. "I don't deserve for you to care about me this much. Thank you."

"Always," whispered Cami.

Ingrid went back to the Compound looking as innocent as she could. She talked to Freya loudly for half an hour about how she and Cami were ready to take the next step in their relationship and move in together. Though Freya thought it was a bit soon, she didn't suspect there was an underlying reason for it. Irene had been excited to know they were going to a bigger place where she'd have more room to run around.

She started to pack immediately, and when she took a break from that, she went online to get Lucien's email, to contact him about their plans for Thanksgiving. He sent her his number, and then once she'd texted him, he let her know that all she and Cami needed to bring (if they wanted) was wine, because he was going to compel a chef to make his favorite meal.

"Where are you off to in such a rush?" asked Klaus when Ingrid was going downstairs with a large box in her hands, planning to stack them by the entrance hall for when Vincent came by to help her move. "I wasn't aware you were abandoning us."

"I am not abandoning you," she said, making a face. "I'm moving in with Cami."

He seemed to think this was because of something he did, because he made a face as if to ask, 'Did I offend you in some way?'

"It's my decision," she said. "Cami offered and I think it would be nice."

"You two have been dating for three months."

"And we've known each other longer than that. It would make us both feel safer."

He was more suspicious than Freya, but he didn't seem keen on voicing it. "Well, you ought to come around at some point next week," he said. "I plan to have Aurora over for dinner."

She raised a brow. "So you two are getting pretty serious, hmm?"

"Not at all. I don't trust her. Something is... different. I don't quite know what it is but it makes me doubt her intentions."

"But you seem to want things to be as they were."

"Ideally, that would be... pleasant," he murmured. "However, I have Hope. And Aurora does not strike me as someone who will be able to cope with the moments when I must pay my daughter more attention. Though I nearly loathe Jackson, he is a natural father figure and... though grudgingly I admit... has been a..." he didn't seem to want to say 'good' so he said, "decent influence on Hope. I never knew Aurora to like children and I certainly don't know how I feel about the two of them, together. She hasn't asked me about her, not once."

"That's weird," said Ingrid. "She knows you're a dad, how can she not ask you about your daughter?"

"Then, there is the lingering issue of Tristan. I don't trust him."

"I don't think anyone does." She saw the look in his eyes and held up her finger. "No, no, you're not going to tell me to chat with him."

Klaus smirked. "I was merely going to ask why Lucien asked me for permission to have you over at his penthouse for Thanksgiving."

"He asked you for permission? After he'd already invited me?!"

"Apparently so. Formalities, I'm sure. Are you and Camille going?"