49. Camille

Chapter 49

Camille

“ R ebel, wake up.”

I rolled over, burrowing deeper into the cocoon of warmth beneath the covers. My half-hearted mumbling was swallowed by the plush pillow that I had yanked over my head. Kage’s laughter cut through the haze of sleep, vibrant and unrestrained. He grabbed the pillow with a firm grip, pulling it away with an exaggerated flourish. The sudden exposure to the cool morning air sent a shiver down my spine, and I let out a small squeal as I tried to cover my face with the blanket. Kage’s laughter only grew louder, a rich, infectious sound that filled the room.

“Is this what I have to look forward to for the next eighty years?” he teased, his voice laced with amusement.

“Unless I murder you earlier for disturbing my sleep,” I muttered, peeking out from beneath the sheets with narrowed eyes.

“Come on, time to get up. You’re missing out on the best part of the day.”

Before I could respond, the blankets were yanked away with such force that I squealed again, the cold air instantly enveloping me. Kage stood at the end of the bed, his stance wide, a playful glint in his eyes.

“Give them back!” I demanded, my voice a mix of irritation and reluctant amusement. The room felt too large and too empty without the warmth of the blankets.

“Only if you promise to get up without making a fuss.”

“Fine,” I finally conceded, rubbing a hand over my sleep-crusted eyes as I reluctantly swung my legs over the side of the bed. “I’m up. But I’m not forgiving you till you make me coffee.”

“Already waiting, Rebel.” Kage sauntered out of the room, his footsteps light and carefree. I grumbled under my breath as I dragged myself from the warmth of the bed, the cool morning air brushing against my skin, causing me to shiver involuntarily. I padded after him, the wooden floorboards cold beneath my feet. As I entered the kitchen, I was greeted by the rich, heady aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air.

Kage was already at the coffee machine, his fingers deftly maneuvering around the coffee pot with an almost ritualistic precision. The smell of the dark, roasted beans filled the room, mingling with the faint scent of citrus from a bowl of oranges on the counter.

"Here," he said, handing me a steaming mug. His thumb brushed lightly over my knuckles as I took the mug, the warmth seeping through the ceramic and spreading to my fingers. I took a cautious sip, letting the rich, bold flavor unfurl across my taste buds.

"Okay, you're lucky this is good," I admitted, cradling the mug between my hands and savoring the comforting heat. The kitchen was bathed in soft, golden light from the morning sun filtering through the windows, casting a warm glow over the polished countertops and gleaming appliances.

I finished my coffee and began to get ready while Kage sat on the sink and watched me. I still couldn’t believe he’d called his mother and told her he wasn’t marrying Daniella. Because of me.

“Um…your mom must not have been happy when you called her last night.”

“Don’t worry about that. She’ll get over it.”

“I doubt it. Because the last time I saw her, she slapped me and then dropped the bomb about?—”

“What the fuck did you just say?” he asked, his voice turning deadly.

Oh shit. I cleared my throat. “Nothing, never mind.”

“Like hell. My mother slapped you while I was out of it in the hospital?”

I winced and nodded. “But she was upset that you were hurt. Frantic.”

“I don’t give a fuck what she was. She doesn’t put a goddamn hand on you. No one does.”

I pressed my hand against his chest. “Okay. She’ll get that now.”

A vein in his temple throbbed. “Oh, you better believe she will.”

He jumped off the counter, pulled out his phone and started dialing.

“Kage—”

“You hit Camille? You fucking slapped her in the hospital?”

I heard the murmur of Moira’s voice on the other line.

“You’re dead to me until you apologize. Until you prove to Camille that she has no reason to fear you or doubt that you will support me being with her one hundred and fifty percent. Even then, I don’t know how long it will be until I can look you in the face again.”

He hung up, and I stared at him, unable to believe he’d acted so swiftly to lay down the law with his mother.

He pointed at me. “She won’t touch you again. And Rebel, if anyone lays a finger on you—and I mean anyone—I want to know about it immediately. You should have told me she hit you a long time ago.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Sorry. I was a little preoccupied after finding out you were engaged.”

“Since that’s no longer the case…”

“Oh, did you actually tell Daniella that?” I shot back.

He smirked, then dialed his phone again.

“Wait, are you?—”

“Daniella, I’m breaking off our engagement... Yes, I know what this means… Don’t worry about your father. We’ll come to an understanding. I plan to make it clear that despite not marrying you, I have a lot to offer your family. Things that they won’t want to turn down.”

He ended the call.

I was getting emotional whiplash from how abruptly he was making changes in his life for me. “What things will you be offering?”

“A lot. More than my father ever would have. Money. Territory. Manpower. We’ll come to an understanding.”

“What if… what if your family, your men, don’t like the understanding you come to?”

“They won’t have a choice but to accept it.”

I sighed and crossed my arms over my stomach. “I don’t want you endangering yourself.”

“I already told you, the greatest danger for me comes from losing you.”

I wanted to keep pushing until I was assured that Kage wasn’t making decisions that he would later resent me for or that would endanger his life, but the look he was giving me told me not to go there.

When we headed out, the drive through the city was punctuated by Kage’s occasional comments about the traffic or the weather, but for the most part, the Lamborghini was filled with a companionable silence. The cityscape outside the window blurred into a mix of busy streets and towering buildings, the sunlight casting long shadows as we navigated through the urban sprawl.

Eventually, we pulled into the parking lot of a luxury car dealership. The building was sleek and modern, its glass facade reflecting the morning sun in brilliant streaks of light. I narrowed my eyes, suspicion creeping in as I took in the high-end cars lined up in the lot.

“This better not be you trying to buy me a car, Kage. We’re not married yet—you haven’t even proposed!”

“Of course not. When it happens, it’s going to be epic.”

I couldn’t help it. I grinned, both at the certainty in his voice and in anticipation of the proposal. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that Kage had pledged himself to me forever and that marriage was even on the table. He could ask me to marry him while we were watching TV and I’d be over the moon.

But as for buying me a car right now…

“Kage…”

“Relax, I’m buying myself a car. But you can drive it, so I want it to be something that suits you. That’s not the SUV, and while the lambo would do, I’m going to want to drive that. Now come on, let’s at least look.”

I hesitated, knowing that if he bought a car it would absolutely be for me. But heck, it was his birthday, and I did plan on spending the rest of my life with the guy. “Fine. We can look,” I said, though the gleam in his eye told me he was walking out of here with a new set of keys.

We stepped into the dealership, the pristine interior illuminated by bright, overhead lights that highlighted the gleaming finishes of the cars on display. The air was filled with the crisp scent of new leather and polished metal, mingling with the faint aroma of fresh coffee from the dealership’s lounge.

As we wandered through the showroom, I was immediately drawn to a stunning Alfa Romeo parked prominently in one of the display bays. Its pale blue exterior was like a Tiffany box, glossy and shimmering under the lights. I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by its elegance.

"Wow," I murmured, my eyes widening as I took in the car’s sleek lines and the way it seemed to glow with an almost ethereal quality.

Kage’s grin widened, clearly pleased. “I thought you’d like that one,” he said, his voice tinged with satisfaction.

"You think you know me that well, huh?" I teased.

"I know enough," he replied, stepping closer. His voice was a low, intimate murmur, his gaze steady and sincere. "And I know you’d look damn good driving this."

We continued our search, but the allure of the Alfa Romeo remained unmatched. Each new model we inspected failed to capture my imagination as strongly as that one had. Finally, after a thorough exploration, it was clear that the Alfa Romeo was the one that called to me.

“Are you sure, Kage?” I said after he announced it was the one.

He cupped my face. “As sure as I am that I’m in love with you, Rebel, and I’m never letting you go.”

I sucked in a breath, my knees almost going out from under me.

As the dealer began to handle the paperwork, I turned to Kage. “Thank you for this,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck. His embrace was warm and reassuring, a silent promise of everything to come.

Kage’s arms tightened around my waist, pulling me closer.

“But I hope you know I’d love you even if you were broke and living out of a cardboard box,” I said.

“That wouldn’t be nearly as fun,” he said. “Because then I couldn’t spoil you like this.”

“I don’t care about being spoiled,” I argued, my gaze locked onto his. “It’s you I love, not your money.”

Kage’s expression softened, his gaze intense and unwavering. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and tilted my head back, kissing me with such fervor that my lips tingled.

“Money is part of me, just like being from a mafia family is. There’s good and bad in everyone. To love someone means accepting all sides of them.” Kage’s voice was steady, his eyes searching mine for understanding. “Just like with Dante.”