29. Camille

Chapter 29

Camille

“ S o,” Kage said when he came back later that afternoon and stopped by my room where I'd been sketching a portrait of Ty, Kage and Dante. I quickly shut the sketch pad and smiled at him. “How did the art project go?" he asked.

"Better than I thought it would," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

Kage raised one eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes at his playful smirk, knowing exactly where his mind had gone. “Nothing like that,” I said, though I felt the heat creeping up my neck. “I just meant Ty was actually pleasant, for a change.”

“Pleasant?” Kage chuckled, his deep voice filling the room as he leaned against the doorframe. “What are you, sixty? Who even uses that word nowadays?”

“Me, I guess. But it was fine. We were civil, and we got some good work done. He did an amazing job. It was strange, though. There were moments... moments where it felt like I was talking to the old Ty again.”

Kage’s teasing demeanor faltered, his smile fading as something more serious crossed his face. “The one you were in love with?”

I froze. The words hit like a sharp slap to the gut, the air thickening between us. My cheeks burned under the weight of his gaze, and I cursed my body for betraying me so easily.

Kage caught my flush and laughed, but there was also an undercurrent of something else in the sound. As much as Kage said he was okay sharing me, I knew he was having to fight his inherent nature to do it.

“It’s okay, Rebel," he said. "We all have pasts. I know you and Ty have history, and there will probably always be some kind of connection between the two of you, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

I swallowed hard, my heart thudding louder than I wanted it to. “We might have history, but things will never be the same between us,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt.

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” he said, pushing off the doorframe and moving closer. His presence filled the small space, the scent of leather and rain clinging to him. “People change. Life goes on. The only thing you can do is go with it and see where it takes you.”

I looked up at him, the weight of his words sinking deep into my chest. Kage was right—Ty and I were different people now, shaped by our choices, our mistakes, and the scars we both carried. I couldn’t change the past, and part of me knew that the person I’d become—stronger, more guarded—was because of what Ty and I had gone through. But I still had something hanging over me, something I hadn’t yet told Kage.

"Kage," I started, shifting nervously on the bed. "There’s something I need to tell you."

"Sounds serious."

I bit my lip, uncertainty knotting my stomach. “Okay, just listen to everything I have to say first. Don't jump to conclusions."

"Shit." He clenched his jaw. "Go ahead."

"The night Ava died... I haven’t told you the whole story,” I began, my heart beating a little faster.

Kage looked at me, his eyes serious as he waited for me to continue. I told him about waking up and finding Ty trying to save Ava. Kage listened but instead of exploding and accusing Ty of having anything to do with Ava's death, he pulled me in for a hug, his strong arms encasing me.

“I don’t like that it took you this long to tell me, but I understand why you kept it from me,” Kage said. “Ty didn’t have anything to do with Ava’s death, but back then, I wasn’t in the best frame of mind to be reasonable.”

“So, you’re not mad at me?”

"No." His fingers trailed down my neck, his gaze filling with lust. “But I think it’s only fair that there should be consequences for your little secret…”

“What did you have in mind?” I whispered, desire coiling through my body like a snake waiting to strike.

“You can make it up to me by letting me go down on you."

Oh yum. I squirmed at the thought of his tongue anywhere near my pussy. I so badly wanted to say yes but he was still recovering from his wound. "Don't you need to rest?"

His lips twisted into a smile. “I will be resting, because I’ve thought of the perfect way to get you off without overexerting myself.”

“Really?” I deadpanned. “And how do you plan to manage that?”

His amber eyes gleamed as he smiled at me. “You’re going to sit on my face.”

I gasped and stared at him in shock, sure I’d heard him wrong.

He grinned, enjoying my reaction. “Come on, baby, imagine it. You, on my face. My tongue buried deep in your sweet little pussy.” He glanced down at the obvious bulge in his pants. “See how fucking hard you make me just thinking about getting you off?”

My cheeks heated. I was turned on, too. More than he could ever know. The thought of him fucking me with his tongue while I sat on his face sent me into a tailspin, yet I'd never done that before, and fear that I'd do something wrong--hell, maybe even smother him—held me back.

“Ty is in his room,” I pointed out.

“Then you’ll be quiet,” Kage reasoned. “Or you won’t. It’s either this, or I go down on you the normal way, probably tear open my stitches and end up back in hospital. Ma will probably ask questions?—”

I gave him a shove. “Fine,” I said.

I stripped off my pants.

"Take everything off. I want to see your whole body while my tongue is inside you.”

Oh, God.

I did as he said. Kage’s eyes hooded over as he watched me strip, then he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him. Nerves fluttered in my stomach at the thought of what he was about to do to me and how vulnerable I'd feel.

“Come on, baby,” he chuckled at my hesitation. “I’m in withdrawal over here. Let me taste that pussy.”