Josiah
It had been two years since I last saw Camille.
Two years since she ripped out my heart and placed it in her purse to keep.
I sounded overdramatic, but it was how I felt. Ever since she left I just haven't been myself. I tried to bury myself in my work but I couldn't even focus on that. With the mob work and the business related work it was all getting to be too much. That was why I decided to pass the torch down to Charlie to continue for me. I kept my regular businesses, but I no longer wanted to be involved with the gang related affairs. In a way they just reminded me of what drove Camille away.
Charlie now owns the club, since the club is the prime headquarters for my illegal activities. I was still a businessman and that was all I wanted to deal with. Over time I had realized it wasn't what I wanted to be involved in anymore. I knew when we were together that I wasn't as interested in it. I was growing soft like Charlie had said. She had changed me for the better, but now she was gone.
I was in my home office when I heard a knock on the door. "Enter."
Charlie walks in with a large stain on his suit jacket. "Didn't you just buy that?" I ask. He nods, "Yes and now I need to borrow one of yours for my meeting in 30 minutes. Do you mind?"
I shrug, "As you wish, just not the blue Armani." He nods as he enters the next room. He returns minutes later with a new suit jacket on. "I'm going now."
I wave him off as he exits the room once again. Before leaving he turns to me, "Do you have plans for Saturday?" He asks. I shake my head, "Why do you ask?"
"Let's meet at the club office Saturday evening. I have some things I want to discuss." He leaves immediately not waiting for my response and I chuckle. He's fitting into his new position perfectly. Charlie is the only person I could imagine to succeed me. I can't imagine anyone better.
When Saturday evening finally came I took it as any other day. I got dressed up in my regular clothes and headed to the club. "Good evening Mr. Wells." One of the club workers greeted me as I entered the building. I dropped the name Big Jo, hoping to cut ties with the gang related work.
I head up to the main office and greet Charlie upon entry. "So what is it you wanted to discuss?" I ask.
"You, you're miserable man."
I let out a deep sigh, "This is what you dragged me down here for? There is nothing to discuss."
"I don't like seeing you like this, you need to learn to enjoy life again somewhat. Here let me go get us some drinks and we'll talk okay?" He gets up from his seat before I can protest. "I'll be right back."
I shake my head as he exits the room. There really wasn't anything to discuss. So what if I was unhappy? There wasn't anything I could do about it. She wants nothing to do with me. I tried to reach out to her after she left and I was rejected. She was probably somewhere living it up with some man. Hell maybe she was engaged by now or something? I clenched my fists at the thought of her with another man. I really needed to just let go, why was it so hard?
Suddenly I hear voices outside the door and it opens. My eyes widen as her beautiful smile drops once she lays her eyes on me. "Josiah?"
"Whats going on here Charlie?" I ask calmly, not once taking my eyes off her. She was stunning, more beautiful than ever. Her full curly locks sat at her shoulders as she clutched her purse. She looked like she'd had been doing just fine without me, I was sure I looked like a depressed pile of shit. I hadn't shaved and I wasn't even wearing my good suit!
"You two have some catching up to do. I'm locking the door okay?" Before either of us could protest he shut the door behind him and left. I suddenly felt very anxious, the love of my life was right here, standing in front of me.
I decided to speak first, "That's Charlie for you, hasn't changed at all." She nods, "Seems so."
The tension was thick and the atmosphere was awkward. I had so many things I wanted to say to her, but nothing was ready to come out. Jeez Charlie couldn't have given me some kind of warning?
"So how've you been?" She asks awkwardly.
I shrug, "I'm alive I guess. How are things for you?"
"Things are cool." She looks away.
The room is silent for a moment as we both attempt to avoid eye contact.
"So I hear you're stepping down?" She asks suddenly.
I nod, "I couldn't do it anymore."
"What made you decide to stop?"
I look up at her, trying to meet her eyes from across the room. "You did Camille."
She remained silent so I spoke again, "I still love you."
Her eyes finally met mine, "I don't know what you want me to say Josiah." My name sounded so good from her mouth, even if she was crushing my heart again.
"You don't have to say anything. Now that I have you here I would just like you to hear me out for a moment." She nods her head in agreement.
"I know you think I'm this monster because of what you saw two years ago. But what you haven't seen is how much I've changed because of you. You make me a better person Camille. I don't want to be the monster you saw."
I walk closer to her and grab her hands as she looks away. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't miss me and don't want to us try again. I promise I'll never contact you again if that's the case."
A tear falls from her eye as she attempts to look at me. She looks away again abruptly before bursting into tears. I pull her into a hug and it felt so good to embrace her again. I wasn't sure if I had received an answer, but I was going to enjoy this moment while I could.
"I'm sorry Josiah." I hear her mumble into my chest. "I miss you but I'm scared."
"Scared of what?" I ask.
She wipes her tears, "Of us getting back together. What will be different this time?"
I wipe some of her tears as well, "I left the business, it can be different this time. We can do things differently. No leaving for days, no coming back with stab wounds, no random kidnappings. None of it, Charlie has been in command for a while now. I only have my few clean businesses."
She still looked doubtful, I got on my knee and looked up at her. "Camille I know you're scared, I'm scared too. You're the first person I've really loved and I'm willing to do absolutely anything for you. I know I've given you reasons to question how I feel about you before, but I'm telling you right now how I feel. Please give me another chance to make this right. Will you be my girlfriend for real this time?"
She looked into my eyes and let out a small smile. "Okay." She whispered. I smiled as I rose up from the floor and pressed my lips against hers. I felt her smile into the kiss as she threw her arms around my neck and mine around her waist. I embraced her tightly as we kissed passionately. Once her lips finally left mine her eyes stared into mine. "I still love you too."
I smile at her words and continued to embrace her. The door suddenly opens and Charlie walks on with a smile on his face. "See was that so hard?"
"Were you listening this whole time?" Camille asks. He shrugs, "Just in the end. I can't help it, I'm a romantic myself at heart." I let out a chuckle, "No you're just nosy."
Camille laughs and I hold her tighter from behind. I've missed her so much.
"So you two are gonna get out of here now right? I have work to catch up on."
"Don't worry we'll get out of your hair Charlie." Camille let's go of me and walks over to him. "Thank you for this." Charlie smiles before patting her head, "Of course, just don't break his heart again. He's such a handful." I playfully glare at him as we wave each other off.
I follow Camille downstairs toward the clubs exit. "So where are we headed?" I ask. "Just follow me." She says as she guides me through the parking lot. A car beeps in front of us and she opens the drivers seat door. "And I'm driving!" I chuckle before getting into the passenger seat next to her.
We drive onto the freeway for not too long before getting off and arriving at an apartment complex. "This is my new place." She announces as we stop inside. I looked around the small apartment, it was nicely decorated and felt very homelike. "I realized when we were together before we never hung out at my place, only yours. So since we're doing things differently I thought this would be a great start."
I look at her with an admiring gaze. "I see." She smiles up at me. "So what would you like to do first?" I ask as I kiss her forehead. Suddenly a grumbling noise can be heard in the room and she blushes. "I kind of haven't eaten."
I smile at her, "Then we shall eat."
After trying to decide where to order from we finally settled on pizza. When the pizza arrived we ended up putting on a movie while talking the entire time. We caught each other up on our lives and discussed what we had been up to.
"I missed you so much." I suddenly said as she was grabbed her third slice of pizza.
"I missed you too. I'm sorry for how I ended things."
I shake my head, "Let's not dwell in the past. And you have nothing to be sorry for."
She nods as she lays her head on my shoulder. She puts her slice of pizza down and wipes her hands with a napkin. "Are you tired?" She asks.
I smirk, "A bit, is this an invitation to spend the night?"
"I wasn't going to let you leave anyway." She winks.
After the movie finishes we clean up and she introduces me to her bedroom. The bed took up a majority of the room but it was very doable. "I'm going to freshen up for bed. There's another bathroom in the living room but I'm fine with you coming in here if you want. I mean like I'm not trying to seduce you or anything I'm just washing my face and stuff. But like it's completely- "
I cut her off mid sentence with my lips against hers to prevent her nervous rambling from continuing. When out lips departed her face looked completely flustered. "Do I still make you nervous Camille?" I smirk as I toss one of her curls from the front of her face.
"I am not nervous! Don't get a big head." She turns around and enters the bathroom as I let out a laugh. I stripped myself of my shirt and brushed my teeth before joining Camille in bed. The room was dark and I held her in silence as we enjoyed each other's presence. I heard her mumble a good night into my chest. "Good night Camille."
"I love you."
I kissed the top of her bonnet.
"I love you too."
It felt right, everything finally felt right.
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GASP THE ENDDD. Thank you sooo much for actually reading my story this far! I will go back to do some editing on this book. AND there will be an epilogue. Stay tuned! Also, I am currently writing another story. Just another college romance teehee. I'm trying to think of a better title. Currently I don't really like the title. It's an enemies with benefits type love story. It's not published yet since the title is still undecided. But anyway love you all sincerely and thank you again for bearing with me all these years. Muah muah muah!
- AuggiePooh_