“Maybe I changed,” I said, again defying Gene’s advice to keep quiet and let him do the talking.
Predictably, Gene said, “Trey.” When I glanced at him, he shook his head infinitesimally. Gene’s displeasure was obvious in his scowl, and panic was obvious in Camilla’s wide-eyed expression. My eyes cut to Leila’s, who seemed to be the only person to appreciate my claim.
“I don’t know how many times I need to say that I’m not looking for a golden opportunity to trap him financially,” Camilla quipped, but before Gene could voice his rebuttal, she rushed on to say, “Nor am I looking to ruin his life. In fact, I want the opposite of both those scenarios. With his signature, I’ll leave as quickly as I came.” She raised her chin again, a gesture I now knew meant she wasn’t at all intimidated. I had to give her credit. Anyone else easily could have been, walking into a room with three famous rock stars and their lawyer, ready to shred her apart. Well, two of them were ready. Leila looked like she wanted to invite Camilla to dinner.
“Miss Deron,” Gene interrupted. “Based on what little information we have at this time, in addition to needing to schedule a paternity test as soon as possible, I feel it best to meet again at a later date.” In other words—I need to talk to my dumbass client.
Fuck that. I needed to talk to her now and understand why she’d appeared from nowhere. Waiting wasn’t an option, especially for someone like me whose days seemed to be three times longer than a normal person’s. Knowing my lawyer would shit himself, regardless I blurted out, “Camilla, can I buy you lunch?” When Gene’s jaw dropped open, I almost chuckled out loud.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Gene argued.
“I want to speak to her alone.”
But when Gene refused to budge, I directed my plea to my friends. “Guys?”
Leila and Jack exchanged a look before they stood. “It was nice meeting you, Camilla,” Leila said before Jack voiced the same. They left the room, and once alone Camilla and I focused on Gene.
Maybe it was the look in our eyes, or maybe my lawyer realized there wasn’t a need to continue waving his sword in hopes of winning a battle. Whatever it was had Gene sighing with a resolute nod. “We’ll be in touch, Miss. Deron.”
Camilla reciprocated with a nod of her own. And in the long seconds that passed until Gene closed the door with a resounding click, I wondered what the hell I’d say to this woman.
Chapter 5
Camilla
As Trey and I sat facing each other, with our takeout lunches waiting to be eaten, his security guard sat just outside the conference room.
It’d been seven years since our one night together, but the way he’d affected me made it seem like no time had passed. Sure, there’d been physical changes to the man whom I’d had a massive crush on after we’d had sex. His physique seemed more muscular than it was back then. Longer hair that had been pulled back in a short ponytail was now cut short and neatly styled. And I spotted a few more tattoos on his arms that may not have been there before.
But there were two things that hadn’t changed—he still sported that smug smirk on his handsome face, and his eyes were still just as mesmerizing.
When all eyes trained on me after I arrived, I’d had to suppress an eye roll. I expected him to have an entourage present, but seriously? Did they think I was about to stab him with a plastic fork?
The posh decor of the studio was also something I’d expected. Just as my stomach fluttered that night long ago when I’d partied with the rock stars who had recorded their music in those halls, being there with a few of them in a small room brought the same case of nerves.
What surprised me was how down to earth Jack and Leila seemed. Jack said nothing at all, but it wasn’t disdain I saw in his eyes and instead compassion. His wife was no different, and through the small smiles she offered, I had a feeling my news wasn’t all that upsetting to her.
I’d like to say that brought comfort, but what I felt was just the opposite. What I knew about my daughter’s father came directly from the headlines. And until this meeting, I had no doubt the man an entire female population lusted for would run from responsibility that came with fatherhood.
With the few comments he’d made so far, I no longer could assume that was still the case. Regardless, I needed to stick to my agenda and not have him intimidate me. Just because he unknowingly donated sperm didn’t mean he was a father. I was well aware it wasn’t his fault I kept Alivia from him, but as far as I was concerned, I’d saved my daughter, and myself, from years of rejection.
“Do you actually have something to talk to me about?” I asked when he still had yet to speak. “Because I could have saved you the cost of an overpriced turkey club.”
Trey smirked at my feistiness. “Do you have somewhere you need to be?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the rush?” After releasing a sigh, I ignored the amusement in his expression. “How did you get my address?” he asked.
“I knew you were playing a charity concert a few weeks ago. I waited outside until it was over and followed your driver home.” I didn’t admit that was the third time I had tried.
“Well that’s a bit creepy,” he said, brows raised in amusement. “You said you’ve been here since childhood. Where is here?”
“Queens. I told you that when you asked if I lived in your building.”
“Are you always this irritable?” When I refused to answer that question, he nodded. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He paused and rolled his eyes. “Look. I’m just trying to have a conversation with you.”
“Why don’t you just say what you need to without sugarcoating it?”
“Fine. I want to meet Alivia.” Like a magic trick, his admission had the cockiness slipping off my face. “Now that I know she could be mine I want the opportunity to get to know her.”
“Why?”
His eyes widened before he said, “I thought that would be obvious. I deserve to meet my daughter.” When I continued to silently stare at him, he added, “You don’t agree?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Why?” he mimicked.
“Because, meeting her means opening a door you have no intention of keeping opened… and that’s a recipe for disaster. It’ll be hard enough to explain who you are and for her six-year-old mind to process what that means.”
“You came to me,” he said, reminding me of something I regretted. “Why now? Why did you choose yesterday to tell me?”
The longer I paused, the more he drilled his ice-blue eyes into mine.
“Once Victor learned Alivia wasn’t his daughter, he became irate. He demanded to know who I cheated with. Technically, I hadn’t cheated on him. We were broken up when I had sex with you, but only by days. Regardless, I refused to tell him. I don’t trust him. And…”
“And?”
“Playing mind games was always his thing. He’s moody. I worried if he woke up one day resenting me and feeling spiteful decided to have some spiteful fun. I know it’s a longshot but based on his personality, I don’t want to constantly worry he’ll have something over me. If anything, my paranoia forced me to do something I’d been dreading to do.”