Chapter 33 Camilla’s Pov.
"I need to talk to her, Àlvaro." I said quietly.
We had been sitting in his room and he was still holding me in his arms.
"How did you guys even meet?" He asked softly as he gave me a tight squeeze.
"She was there the night you took me. It was my birthday and they had just convinced me to go to this club..." I shook my head. I hated thinking about that night. "Please, I don't want her to die."
Chloe had always been the crazy one in our friendship circle but she was my first friend when I had moved to Miami. She introduced me to Angela and Lola, completing our small friendship circle. We had met at the library downtown. She was studying next to me and when she got up, one of her books fell and I rushed to give it to her. We've been friends ever since.
It broke my heart that she was willing to let me go because of money but I still wouldn't want her to die for that. We shared some pretty good memories.
"I know you want to talk to her but do you really know why I wanted her dead?"
I nodded. "I was there. I heard everything."
"Camilla, you need to understand that keeping her alive means that she has to stay here. I cannot risk sending her back alive."
I cocked my head to the side. "Is that really necessary? She hasn't seen anything incriminating."
He shook his head. "That's not how this works, chica."
"I have to talk to her."
He nodded in agreement as he lifted himself off the bed. He led me down the stairs and outside a locked room. Two familiar guards stood outside the room. They nodded to Àlvaro as he waved for them to open the door.
"It'll be just you two in there. Just knock when you're done talking to her. I'll be on the other side."
I nodded as I slipped into the room.
I was immediately attacked.
"CAMILLA!!!" Chloe screamed as she hugged me but my hands stayed limp by my side.
"Hi Chloe." I said softly.
She pulled back and raised a blonde eyebrow towards me. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Cam."
"You knew. The whole time. You all knew where I was and none of you said anything or even bothered to raise an alarm?”
Chloe flinched, her lips tightened but she said nothing.
I stepped closer. “You. Fucking. Knew.” My voice dropped, sharp and laced with venom.
“I didn't have a choice!” Chloe said, finally breaking. “You think we wanted to take their money?”
“Oh?” I blinked. “Did you take their money or not?”
“We were scared! They threatened us.”
“I was terrified!” I snapped. “I was locked up for months! All alone and scared I was going to die but you guys just danced around, pretending everything was fine. And you had the guts to even demand for more money. How could you, Chloe?"
“I'm sorry, Cami. I got myself into some trouble, I needed the money."
“I needed you guys and you abandoned me right when I needed you guys the most.”
Silence stretched between us. Chloe's eyes glistened. "I'm so sorry Camilla. If I could go back to change everything, I would. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." A tear fell down her cheek. "What did you say to him to get him not to kill me?"
"Well, you're going to have to stay here now because according to Àlvaro, the only way you'd ever leave this place is in a body bag."
"What?! I can't stay here. These people are monsters!"
"Careful Chloe. I live with these monsters now. You didn't seem to have a problem with that when you were paid handsomely to keep quiet." I said through gritted teeth.
"I didn't mean it like that, Cam. What about Angela and Lola? They'll be sure to look for me."
"I'm sure Àlvaro will take care of them the same way he did you guys when he took me. And listen Chloe, I begged Àlvaro not to kill you for old times sake. But if you're going to stay here, you really should know your place because I don't think of you as a friend when I look at you right know." I spat.
She didn't say anything.
I didn't know what Àlvaro planned on doing with her but I knew that she was safe for now at least.
Minutes later, she broke the silence. "You've changed, Camilla. Are you his whore now?"
I flinched as if she just slapped me across the cheek. "How dare you?"
"So you're saying you're still a virgin? He hasn't tried to force himself on you?"
"Àlvaro would never force himself on me." I spat but I no longer sounded confident.
"You didn't answer my first question but I think I have my answer now."
"You know, you're such a bitch Chloe."
"I know, Cam. I really don't know how else to tell you how sorry I am. I'm so grateful you talked Àlvaro into letting me live. I know I don't deserve it but you did it for me anyway despite everything you heard. If you give me a chance to be your friend again, I promise I'll be a better one than before. Please Camilla."
To my utmost surprise, she went on her knees. Call me dumb or stupid but my heart melted right there and then. There was no way I could stay mad at her any longer. Besides, I needed a friend in this den of lions!
I went down to give her a hug and we remained like that sobbing for several minutes. We finally pulled back and subconsciously sat on the ground. Wiping a smear of mascara from her face, she suddenly grinned at me.
"So, Àlvaro Castillo, huh? Is he as good in bed as he's good-looking?"
"Chloe, that man tried to kill you like an hour ago. He literally held a knife to your throat and beat the shit out of your face."
"So?" She shrugged. "I still can't deny that that man is sexy as hell and we both know I deserved that beating."
"You're insane."
She sighed. "Yup, personally, I think it's the blond hair. But seriously, Cami, spill."
I raised my hand. "What's there to spill?"
Chloe lowered her eyes. "Have y'all fucked?"
"Okay, two things. No one says y'all anymore and two, what does it matter?"
A grin pulled at her lips. "Two things, one, I'll say y'all if I want to because it's cool and I'm cool. And two, oh my God! You totally fucked him!"
"Chloe shut the fuck up! They can probably hear us through the door."
"So? Are you going to tell me about it? How was it? Did you like it? Did he eat you out? Did you cu–"
I held up my hand to silence her. Fuck! Even in the face of death, Chloe's eccentric personality will always prevail."
"It was...not bad." I said, suddenly shy to talk about it.
"Not bad?" Chloe said, obviously disappointed.
"Yes. And that's all you're going to get."
"Shit, Camilla. Don't tell me you're actually falling for him."
I frowned at her words. I still couldn't find or formulate the words in my mind to describe the way I felt about him. The only thing I knew was the fact that we hated each other.
"Fall for him? Are you out of your mind?" I laughed nervously.
Chloe nodded but her eyes told me that she didn't believe me. I stood up quickly before she could ask me any more embarrassing questions.
"He said he'd like to talk to you the moment we were done talking." I watched as Chloe struggled to stand.
"Well..." She sighed when she finally managed to stand. "Let's go see what the big bad wolf has to say."