Camille
"I wonder why Boss is keeping her all nice and pretty if he's just going to kill her? Might as well rough her up a bit right?" One of the guards chuckle as they enter the room.
"I know right? All he's done is cut her hair big whoop, and with all the time boss is taking Big Jo will be here any day. I say we rough her up for him." The other guard says. I hear footsteps approach the table as it's turned around to face them. "How the hell are we supposed to rough her up if she's strapped down like that?"
The other pulls a lever, "Like this." And suddenly I'm released. I drop to the floor and quickly try to pick myself up but I'm pulled up by my hair. "You're not going anywhere sweetie." They both smile at me with missing teeth. I use my cast to try to hit one of them and kick my feet at them. Suddenly I'm thrown against a table like I'm drag doll and I hit my back against it hard.
I try to get myself up and run out, but the men are already ahead of me. They were huge men with huge feet, so when I feel a blow to my stomach it's hard for me to try to get back up again. But I still do and I'm pulled by the hair again, "You just won't give up will you?"
I claw into his arm with my nails and he yells, "Ow you stupid bitch! You're gonna get it now." All I remember after that was saying no, no..
-
"Camille you're okay now, it's okay." A voice says. I open my eyes to face Josiah and notice my cheeks are already wet with tears. "You're okay." He whispers again. I shake my head and bury my face into his chest as I begin to cry again.
"It was only two days, but so much happened in those two days." I sob. All he does is hold me and rock me back and forth. "You can talk about it when you're ready." I nod and continue crying.
After crying I got up and took a shower before heading downstairs to meet Josiah. When he sees me come down the stairs he immediately walks up to me and gives me a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "I'm okay." I tell him. He shushes me and just continues to hold me.
After breakfast it was still quiet between us, we just watched tv on the couch until I spoke. "His guards beat me." I whispered. His jaw clenched, "That's where the bruises are from." I tell him
"They did it several times a day when Lancing left." He keeps quiet and continues listening. "Some times I'd try to fight back, but it just made them angrier."
"I keep seeing them when I close my eyes. I'm afraid they'll come back."
"Nobody will ever lay a hand on you again." Josiah says. I shake my head, "You can't be sure of that."
He nods, "I can, stay here with me Camille. It's the only place you're safe."
"I will, for now." He stays quiet and we just enjoy each other's company. "What happened to Tyler?" I ask.
"Dead." Is all he says. I freeze in my spot at his words and he notices, "You..killed him?"
He sighs, "Camille I-" I quickly get up, "I keep forgetting, you're just like them. All of them."
"Camille this was different, he would've killed me first. I know you once had feelings for him but he wanted you dead."
"Just let me be alone for a little while." I whisper before leaving the room. Thankfully he doesn't follow me and I enter the room. I should be happy Tyler's out of the way but I thought he'd be in prison or something, not dead in a ditch somewhere.
It's just weird because I knew him, or at least I thought I did. And he was my friend, and someone I spent a lot of time with. It's just crazy to suddenly find out he's dead just like that, and at Josiah's hands too. It was just all too much, my kidnapping, Tyler's betrayal, the beatings and torture, Tyler's death. I could handle Lancing's death, but Tyler's was different.
I wasn't mourning or anything, it was hard to explain. "Camille?" I heard Josiah say behind the door before entering.
"I asked to be alone."
"I know." He takes a seat next to me and I sigh. "Can't you just leave me alone?"
He shakes his head, "Tyler was no better than me."
"Josiah I don't want to talk about this. I just need time to process this okay? Just please let me be alone." He sighs before getting up and nodding his head. He gives me a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.
I wasn't mad at Josiah, at first I was but now I do understand. I just needed time alone to process it, there was a lot going through my mind. It always slipped my mind how dangerous Josiah was, how easily he killed, as if it was nothing.
But I couldn't keep myself away from him anymore, he was where I felt most safe now. There was no more running from him.
After a lot of thinking I got up and headed back downstairs. I saw Josiah and gave him a hug, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" He asks.
"I just am." He shakes his head, "Well don't be. You haven't done anything." I look up at him, "I'm going to go call my friends on your house phone, they should know I'm okay."
"I already let them know, but you can still call." I nod and head toward the house phone and dial the girls. "Hello?" Rosa answers.
"Hey Rosa."
She gasps, "Camille oh my God, it's so good to hear from you. Josiah told us what happened but he told us you were safe now. How are you?"
"I'm coping I guess, where's Mitchie?"
"I'm right here! I was in the bathroom, are you okay?"
I chuckle, "As okay as I can be. How are you guys."
"We're fine we just miss you."
"I miss you guys too, I'll try to see you soon."
"Are you coming back home? Or staying there for good now?" Mitchie asks.
I sigh, "I kind of want to go home, but I also want to stay here. I just feel really safe here, but at the same time I want to be alone. I'll just wait it out and see how I feel, but I'll still come see you guys."
We continue talking for a little over an hour before I tell them good bye and hang up. I head back over to the couch and lay down on it while staring at the tv.
Josiah walks downstairs dressed all fancy in a suit and tie and heads toward me. "I hate to leave you but I have a quick meeting, I'll be back soon okay? I've doubled up on guards and Jane is on her way to keep you company." I nod at him as he takes a seat next to me and hold my chin. "You'll be okay right?"
"I'll try." He gives me a small smile before giving me a sweet kiss on the lips. "I'll see you soon." He pecks my forehead and stands up from the couch before walking away and out the door.
I hated the way I was feeling right now, seeing Josiah walk out of the door terrified me because right now I was alone in the house. Besides the guards outside, no one was here with me inside. I was scared and I didn't like feeling like I needed someone with me. I had always been so independent before, but now I was afraid of being alone in the house.
I tried to distract my self with some tv while I waited for Jane but I kept looking over my shoulder. I grabbed the phone to call one of the girls, "Hello again." Rosa greets.
"Hey Rosa, I know we just got off the phone but I'm home alone and it's driving me crazy."
"Josiah left you home alone? That asshole! After what just happened? I oughta-" I cut her off with a small laugh, "He had a meeting to go to, and he sent someone over to keep me company they just aren't here yet."
"Someone like who?" She asks.
"This lady named Jane who has been my nurse."
"Why didn't he just call us? We are your best friends and we haven't seen you in forever."
"He's very strict about who knows his address. It'd kinda be risky bringing you guys and having you know where he lives."
"Yeah I guess you're right, but it would've been way more fun if it was us instead of your nurse. Is she even any fun?"
I nod, "Yeah she's great to talk to. I like her."
"Well I'm glad you do." A voice says from behind. I quickly turn around to face Jane with a box of pizza in her hand. I smile, "Rosa I'll have to call you later, she just got here." We said our good byes and I went up to greet Jane.
"Hey sweetie, how you feeling?"
"I'm alright, how've you been?"
We chat till evening over pizza and sit down in front of the tv watching romantic comedies. "I hear you and Josiah have been well too. You're all he talks about." I quirk an eyebrow, "Really?"
"Yes honey, Camille this, Camille that, I don't even think he realizes how much he mentions you. He really cares about you." I look away and smile, "I care about him too."
"He blames himself for what happened to you too." I frown, "Well he shouldn't, it was my stupid decision to still hang out with Tyler. Everyone told me it didn't make sense but I didn't listen."
She shakes her head, "Its not your fault either. Lancing was a crazy man." I shrug, "I guess."
The front door opens and Josiah walks in with busted lip. I gasp, "Are you okay?" Jane quickly gets up and grabs the first aid kit. "Sit down."
He shakes his head, "I'm fine really." As he gets closer I notice blood seeping through his shirt at his side. I unbutton the shirt to see a nasty stabbing wound. Jane sighs, "What happened?"
He shrugs, "Business as usual, that's all." She doesn't ask further but I do, "That doesn't answer why someone would stab you." Jane continues cleaning the wound as I remove his shirt. "Camille don't worry about it. Things just got a little out of hand that's all."
I frown, "A little? You could have bled out!"
"But I didn't."
"But you-" Jane puts her arm on mine and gives me a look telling me to drop it. I frown and keep my mouth shut. After cleaning his wound, Jane says good bye to us and heads home. Josiah was seated on the couch eating some left over pizza. I took a seat next to him and he wraps an arm around me.
"Are you okay?" I ask him. He chuckles, "I'm fine, the question is are you okay?" I nod, "I'm fine."
He looks down at me and leans in for a kiss. I kiss him back gently before pulling away, "Doesn't your lip hurt?" I ask. He shakes his head before diving back down to my lips.
I smile into the kiss, it felt so loving and passionate. It made me feel fuzzy and good inside. He pulls away and smiles at me, "You wanna get to bed?"
I nod, "To sleep yeah." He chuckles, "Of course." He turns off the tv and suddenly I'm being lifted up into the air. "Josiah what are you doing! You're injured!"
"I've been stabbed several times, this one feels like a paper cut. Now let's get you to bed." He carries me up the stairs and into the bedroom where he tosses me on the bed.
I laugh, "I'm going to get changed."
"I haven't heard you laugh in a little while." He says. I look up at him with a small smile, "Well it's all thanks to you." I give him a peck on the cheek before going to grab some pajamas. I come back in a long sleeve t-shirt and pajama pants and get into bed with Josiah. "Good night." He pulls me right next to him away from where I was before and wraps his arms around my waist. "Good night." He whispers into my ear.