Page 156 of Enthrall Climax

Cameron stood beneath the foyer’s crystal chandelier. Two long red ribbons tumbled down behind him. Shards of light reflected off his face, and I wondered if he truly knew the profound effect his presence had on me. His face wore that familiar unreadable expression.

“How was your flight?” He shoved his hands into his pockets.

I ignored the question. “It seems I’ve been summoned.”

“Ah.”

“I refuse to talk about the weather, if that’s your next question.”

“How about the traffic?”

Cam always knew how to make me smile. He was being kind, but I wanted this over with. “Where is everyone?”

“We’re alone.”

“You still have influence, then?”

“Apparently.” He lowered his gaze. “I wanted us to be able to talk freely.”

“I’m sorry, Cameron.” I was sorry for everything…misunderstanding him, doubting him, and especially for not trusting him enough to believe we’d been perfect for each other.

“No apology needed.” He rested his palm on his chest. “Except from me.” He raised his hand in protest. “Please, listen.”

I braced myself for what he had to say.

“I wanted to bring you back to where it all started.”

“It started at Enthrall.”

“For me, it started here.” He gestured in the direction of his old office. “This was where Tara showed me your photograph.”

“Very dramatic.”

“What I have to say deserves this.” He gave me an endearing smile and pointed a finger at the chandelier above.

Opulent lights sparkled down upon him.

“Danton taught me how precious life is,” he began. “And yet my affection for him pales next to what I feel for you. Mia, I chose you for Richard because you were beautiful and loving and, most of all, forgiving.” He shook his head. “I didn’t believe I was the one for you because I’d given up on love for me. Then you came into our lives and I fell hard.

“My love for you has never been in question. My devotion to Richard meant that I had to give you up to him. When you finally became mine I had to grapple with the fact it was now my job to keep you safe.” He gestured with open palms. “I failed.”

“No, Cameron.”

“Please.” He held up a hand to quiet me. “I created Chrysalis because I believed this house could help people. Save them even. I, in turn, used pain to leverage out my past. Each crack of the whip, each strike by my hand, each prolonged agony soothed my soul, just as I saw it doing for others.” He took a step forward. “But men change. Sometimes they have no other choice but to evolve. What I am or what I am not can’t be defined by those around me…only by me alone. Ask me what changed in my life and I will say you, Mia. It was you.

“I no longer need pain to forget my past. Neither do you. We are whole. Complete because we found each other. Moving forward we must no longer suppress our pain but use it as a catalyst to do profound good in this world.

“I have a plan. Henry will take over as CEO. It’s what he wants and what he deserves. This was his destiny and I won’t deny it to him.

“I will champion the philanthropic endeavors of Cole Tea. I’ll bring more water to Africa, more hospitals to India, I’ll go to the most dangerous regions of the world because I refuse to live in fear. That’s what I learned from Hillenbrand, that you and I have what it takes to survive. No matter what we endure.

“There’s only one more question in all of this.” He held out his hand to me. “Do you want to be by my side, Mia? Will you share a future with me, no matter what it brings?”

I hurried to close the gap between us, reaching for his hand. “I’ve grown so much since I met you. Because of you, I have the kind of friends who love me enough to come rescue me when things go bad. You were willing to risk your own reputation and Cole Tea itself. I look back at my time here and at Enthrall, and even the months we spent in New York, with no regrets…only pride.”

Cameron pulled me close and pressed his lips to mine, hard and passionate, our tongues lashing furiously. Then the mood changed and we kissed gently, slowly, savoring each other, feeling the trust between us, him leading me in this final dance of persuasion.

We pulled apart, finally, and I brought his hand to my lips and kissed his fingers. His other palm rested tenderly against my cheek.