Stefan dries his hair after finishing his shower and strolls into the kitchen to have breakfast before he heads to the St. James residence.
Linda, his cook, smiles. "Good morning Mr. Steel. I hope you have a appetite after your morning workout, I made your favorites."
"Good morning, Linda. Thank you, yes I do." He replies as he reaches for the fridge, takes out a water bottle, unscrews the cap and takes several gulps before turning back to the island kitchen. Taking his cell phone out of his pocket he places it on the counter, seating himself on one of the several lined bar stools.
Linda places his steaming plate of eggs, toast and oatmeal on the placemat in front of him. Another plate full of foreign cheeses with a loaf of French bread, perfectly sliced scoots beside the hot plate. After a few minutes he wipes his mouth with a napkin and reaches for the newspaper laying beside him on the counter.
"Would you like a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, sir, or maybe a hot cup of tea?" She asks from behind the newspaper.
Stefan lowers it slightly. "I'll take tea, thanks Linda."
"My pleasure."
Stefan continues to nibble on his food as he reads the paper when a rattling noise vibrates against the polished granite. It was his phone. Lowering the paper he notices the caller ID—it's Julien. The image of Camelia floods his mind for the several hundredth time that morning.
It was becoming more and more difficult to keep his thoughts of her PG. After the kiss last night he's thought of nothing else but kissing every inch of her body. Even during his workout, the forbidden images of her sprawled on his bed kept flooding his brain. It was difficult to concentrate. The hard-on in his pants was a constant reminder all morning and not even a cold shower helped.
Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he shifts in his seat and answers the call. "Julien, good morning."
"Good morning Stefan. Are you available to speak freely?" Julien's deep voice replies.
"Yes." Stefan's voice hardened, his posture was erect. The under current rolling off of Julien was evident through the line. "What's wrong? Is it Camelia?"
"No, no she is fine and well this morning but she came to me asking for you."
Stefan's hand tighten around his phone, at a loss for words. It was the first time she would ask for him. Ever. Did she remember the kiss? He was almost positive she was too drunk to recall.
"Stefan? Are you still there?" Julien inquires after his pause.
"Yes, yes I'm still here. Did she say what she needed?" He asks snapping out of his tense stance.
Julien clears his throat. "She asked for you specifically. Not Kent."
A whoosh leaves his mouth. Linda notices his odd reaction and frowns slightly in concern as she places a steaming cup of tea before him. Instead of continuing to sit, he stands abruptly and strides down the hallway to his den for privacy.
Finally allowing the relief to spread through him, he closes his eyes and seats himself in his chair before his black polished desk. He was now curious as to why she would ask for him.
"I'm all ears. Please continue." He responds taping his fingers impatiently on his desk.
"Well, she came to me this morning requesting your number to thank you for the flowers you sent for her birthday." Julien explains. "I must admit I was slightly surprised by her request especially with the current situation but I see no harm if that's all right with you. I was thinking to supply her with your home number since she has your personal cell. But again, I wanted to make sure you were fine with the idea."
A smile lightened his features. A genuine smile that stretched clear across his features. He tilts his head back and closes his eyes in pleasure. I was more than fine. Whatever she wanted he could never deny her. Anything she wanted he would give her, unbeknown to her.
"Of course, that will be fine." Stefan replies, adjusting his voice to keep the smile from being heard through the line. He hadn't felt such a rush of happiness twice in a row in such a long time.
Slowly. The black void was decreasing. More and more with each passing day. There was hope at the end of the tunnel. Things were clearing as the fog around him lifted.
"I will inform her after she completes her breakfast. I expect she'll phone you shortly. Once Camelia is determined on a task she does not stop nor wait until it's done." Julien informs him.
"I'll be looking forward to it. Thank you for informing me ahead of time."
Stefan deposits his cell on the desk, leans back in his chair clasping his fingers together, deep in thought. He had to remind himself to act like he hadn't met her in ten years. He needed to pretend he didn't know every expression, every tone, every word he learned over the span of short two months.
It was Stefan talking to Camelia. Not Kent. Although he disliked fooling her, aloofness will be required.
*********
It was his house number.
Camelia holds the post-it with shaking hands and slowly climbs the stairs while staring at it in fear. Entering her room once again she sits on the edge of the mattress and sticks the note on the table beside her bed. Still staring. The sounds of her heart pounding in her ears.
Don't get too emotional, she chides herself. You're only thanking him for his thoughtfulness after all these years.
What would he say?
How should she start?
Would he be home?
Camelia exhales once and taps his number before her nerves fail her.
It rings twice.
"Hello, this is the Stefan Steel residence, how may I help you?" A female answers the call and Camelia almost falters as her heart stops. The urge to press end was overwhelming. Was she his girlfriend? But the tone of her lady's voice was professional and detached. She couldn't be his girlfriend as she first suspected.
"Hi, my name is Camelia St. James and I'm calling to speak with Stefan." She explains clearly, proud at how her voice sounded calm and controlled. There was no uncertainty or nervousness.
"One moment please, I'll inform Mr. Steel."
Camelia's heart rate picked up at how formal she made him sound. Mr. Steel. Even his name sounded authoritative and sexy to her ears. The image of him plastered on the front cover of the magazine she spotted weeks ago enters her mind.
Her knees begin trembling, biting her lip in anticipation. She was scared and giddy at the same time, fearful she may sound like a blubbering idiot. Shuffling and murmurs went through the line. It was impossible to hear their exchange of words.
Camelia's palms began to sweat as she paced infront of her bed. She took labored breaths through her nose and forced her nerves to calm.
"Hello?"
A shudder wracks her body, rippling over her skin.
His voice was raw, deep and powerful. Just his 'hello' was dominating and so very masculine. Camelia face palms her forehead with one hand and stares into space before finding her voice. The grip she had on her phone tightens.
"Hi, Stefan, this is Camelia." She rushes out. It came out a bit shy but rather even.
"Camelia! How are you? It's been too long..." He began pleasantly if not a bit surprised. She could hear the smile through his words and relief spread through her.
"I'm well, thank you." She replies timidly and smiles. "Yes, it's been a long time." She clears her throat and continues. "How have you been?"
"I am doing very well..." He pauses for a moment. "I've been extremely busy as of late especially after my grandfather's passing." The slight sadness in his voice broke her heart.
"I am very sorry for your loss. He was a great man and will be missed dearly." Camelia replies sincerely, stopping her pacing and sitting on the edge of her bed once more. "I attended the funeral, I saw how difficult it was. My heart goes out to you. It's brave to be able to move forward and take on new responsibilities after such a devastating ordeal."
There was a pause. It was long. Camelia bit her lip. Maybe she said the wrong thing. All she did was probably open old wounds.
"Stefan I'm sorry if I–"
"No, no it's not you. It's been hard. It still is, but it's what he would have wanted. Taking on his responsibilities, his legacy, is a honor for me after all that he'd given me growing up. He was my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister and above all, one of the best grandfathers anyone could ask for. Without him, I wouldn't be the man I am today."
"I agree. He really was one of a kind. I'm sure you will surpass his success and he's watching you proudly as a angel in heaven." Camelia swallowed the lump in her throat, paused for but a moment and continued. "I called to thank you for the beautiful flowers, balloons and the big bear you had delivered....and for all the cards you sent over the years. I know I'm late in my thanks, especially for all the cards but..."
I grew the nerves to speak to you now after all this time.
Stefan laughed and it was music to her ears. It was rich and deep as she heard the rumble come deeply from his chest. The biggest of smiles stretches over her face. His carefree laugh caused the strings of her heart to expand.
"No thanks necessary. It was my pleasure. As long as you remembered me every time you read them that's all the thanks I need...hearing your sweet voice is enough for me." He said, the pitch in his tone changes. It held complete tenderness.
Camelia blushes hotly from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes. He's a charmer. A complete and utter charmer. She sighs and places a hand over her heart which was about to explode in happiness.
"I did remember you. Always. How could I ever forget....my knight."
Camelia heard his sharp inhale in response to her words. She knew all along her love for him was not misplaced as she bit her fist from squealing as though she was a teenager receiving her first car.
"It's my honor to be of service, your highness. My princess."
Her heart thumped unusually fast like a galloping race horse. The more he said the more she felt like putty in his hands. Pulling her to him like a force of gravity. A frozen block of ice she was before, and here he was bright as the sun, melting all the layers she'd worked on building around herself in order to protect the heart she fought to never give him the opportunity to hurt again. Every time she felt she'd moved on, taking a few steps forward, his gestures, his presence disrupts her closure, taking her ten steps back.
There was a million reasons she should let him go.
But nothing stopped the warmth seeping into her bones. Nothing so right fit perfectly in her head than Stefan by her side. The hope residing within her out weighted the disappointment she'd felt from him on countless times. Her feelings were pointless to fight.
Somewhere from deep inside, her soul resided and whenever the image of him pops in her mind, her soul rose from it's hiding place. She had been in denial for a long time but now after hearing his voice and listening to the things he was saying brought her back to life. It was the same as the strings of a harp creating a harmonic melody.
What she felt for Kivanc and Kent blurred out into the distance. For there was no comparison, no weight value for the feelings she held for Stefan–He owned her heart and soul. Recently discovering the heart was a contrary organ, it never allowed her to forget. It refused to obey the commands of her brain. It kept a place for Stefan despite her protests.
It was as if Cupid himself was hiding in a corner with a bow in his hands and heart shaped arrows strapped to his back. Whenever she forgets he strikes her with one of his love arrows reminding her of the love she felt for him.
The only thing she could do about her dilemma was accept the fact she could love him and not expect anything in return. But it didn't mean she needed to eliminate him from her life. She would love him from afar without his knowledge. A secret she would die living with.
But her mind and heart waged a war within her. Her heart wanted her to confess and her brain instructed her to not say anything.
"Stefan...I-I..."
The declaration was on the tip of her tongue. I love you.
"I don't know what to say but thank you for everything you gave me. You made my childhood memorable, a-and I will never forget you no matter what happens...."
To me.
Camelia almost said it.
Almost.
Lately, the current events of her life had her questioning if she would live to see the next year. It was a sure possibility she may be dead. Nathan Diam was not going to stop until he got her. It was the gut feeling she was sure of. It never disappointed her.
Why try running from the truth?
It nearly made her cry in agony as she clutched her phone desperately against her ear which she was sure was turing red. She wanted nothing more than to confide in him her fears and doubts. To cry and hear his words of reassurance and love.
"I was happy to be apart of it. It's hard to imagine you all grown up and twenty-one already. You make me feel like a old man." He chuckles lightly to himself. "I'm sure we will see one another soon. Take care and be safe."
It's not what she wanted to hear. She expected more. Camelia closes her eyes at his polite, civil dismissal. The bottom of her lip began to quiver and she pursed her lips hard to keep control.
He pierced her heart with a arrow.
"Goodbye Stefan." She replies quickly before he can remark on the broken tone of her voice and disconnects the line.
"I love you." She says to the blank screen and throws her phone clear across the wall, listening to the sounds of the screen shattering in a hundred different directions, reflecting the pain coursing through her veins. She was broken, lost and unwanted, hating her life and hating how vulnerable she felt.
What did you expect? Did you think he'd declare his love for you when he barely knew you? He had a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend.
Her composure shattered.
Crawling towards the center of her bed, Camelia slips off her shoes, grabs the box of tissues placed on the side, wrapping her body with the thick blanket and curls into a fetal position. She was cold and shivering as the burning tears she fought to keep behind her eyelids free flowed down her cheeks and soaked the pillow. The sobs wracked her body and the blue veins underneath the skin of her face stood out from the pressure she was exerting on herself.
She cried for her losses, cried for what she was going to lose in the near future. She cried because she was alone, lost in a world she thought she knew, feeling alien in a world she grew up in. She cried for the life that got turned upside down. She cried because she loved two men and those two men wanted nothing to do with her making her feel dejected.
It was an hour that passed by or several, until her tears subsided and she had nothing left to cry for. All she understood was feeling the depression sinking into her. The disinterest in everything penetrating her core. The gloom hovering like a dark cloud, following her while it rained.
Whoever happened to see her would know she had been crying. She was sure her eyes were blood red and puffy. Sitting upright, and stretching her stiff limbs she climbs out of bed weakly and goes straight to her bathroom, splashing cold water against her face. Over the sink she stayed hovered with the water running, wasting down the pipe and Camelia watching it unseeingly until her elbows protested against the granite counter.
Lifelessly she turns the knobs off and reaches for the white hand towel blotting her face, happening to glance at her reflection. In her eyes she was already dead on the inside. A shell. A live person, breathing air but not really living.
She could add to her current events the passing of her date of birth. Turning twenty-one by far was the worst milestone yet. It didn't look any better for the passing months either.
Her life was being ruled for her. Dependent on other to live, to survive. Feeling like a little bird in too small of a cage, Camelia wished she could fly away and never look back. To start anew, change her identity, seek solitude and be alone for the rest of her days.
A storm of emotions passes in her eyes. The light of Camelia's spirits faded, growing dimmer and dimmer.
The good girl that strived to please died.
******
"What the hell did I just do?"
Stefan got up and stood for a second then paced away from the chair crossing his arms over his chest and glanced back at the phone, the guilt spreading in his body. He meant to end the conversation differently. For reasons he could not explain, it left him feeling as though he disappointed her and himself.
The hope in her voice felt like a soft caress to his ears. Never could he recall her having ever spoken to Kent the way she did to Stefan. The familiarity in her tone, simply made him feel loved. She was open like a flower whereas with Kent, he sensed the attraction but she was emotionally still holding back.
As their conversation progressed Stefan knew things were no different for him. He wanted to rekindle the bond they formed years ago and charm his way deeper into her heart but....
It made no difference weather he was Kent or Stefan.
He had nothing to offer with his hands tied up.
He was in no position to make promises.
The lies needed to stop.
And Nathan Diam needed to be caught sooner rather than later.
Damn you to hell Nathan Diam. Damn you.
Keeping a respectful distance was his only choice. He didn't like it. No, he hated it.
Stefan reached for his cell.
Different reinforcement needed to be called in to help aid with the search. They were people who didn't care about anything but getting the job done. People who were under the radar. Who Stefan was thinking of weren't the typical men who abide by the laws. These men did whatever it took.
Bounty hunters. Only these bounty hunters brought a twist to the name. That's what he needed.
His only hope is it wasn't too late for him and Camelia, because for some unknown reason he felt as though everything changed and not for the better.
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks for reading.
Next week's update is Sammy's Halloween Party.
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-Shaz