Chapter4
1618 Words
CAMILLE’S POV
I walked into Bri’s apartment and headed straight for the kitchen. Sabrina came out a second later, hair half-curled, red dress clinging to her body.
The moment she saw my face, her smile dropped.
“What happened now?”
I tossed Kate’s hospital receipt onto the counter and buried my face in my hands.
She picked it up lazily at first.
Then froze.
“Wait…” Her eyes widened. “Kate’s bills got paid?”
I nodded slowly.
Bri blinked at me. “Cami… this receipt says fifteen grand.”
“I know.”
Silence.
“Okay hold on,” she said, putting the paper down. “You definitely don’t have that kind of money and didn’t pay for this. So who the hell did?”
“That psycho billionaire.”
“The one from Valeria?”
“Yes.”
Bri stared at me like I’d lost my mind.
“How does he even know about Kate?”
“I don’t know.”
“And he just… paid her hospital bills?”
I nodded again.
She let out a slow breath and dropped into the chair opposite me.
“Jesus Christ.” Then she pointed at me. “No seriously, what does this man want from you?”
“A one-night stand.”
Bri choked on air.
“You’ve either got magical p***y or a fairy godmother with severe psychological issues.”
I glared at her tiredly. “Fairy godmothers don’t usually want to f**k Cinderella.”
“True.”
She leaned back, thinking.
“Wait… if he paid Kate’s bills, does that mean you got your jobs back?”
“No.” I groaned. “I think this was his way of proving he can ruin me whenever he wants.”
Bri went quiet after that.
Then softly, almost reluctantly, she asked,
“Do you think maybe… you should just do it?”
I looked at her in disbelief.
“What?”
Bri shrugged. “Cami, listen to me.” She leaned forward. “The man basically handed you a blank check, paid Kate’s bills without blinking, and he’s still offering more money. You lost almost every job you had in less than twenty-four hours.”
I stayed silent.
“And as much as I love you,” she continued carefully, “you can’t stay here forever. Then there’s your joblessness—we both know you can’t stay unemployed forever. I don’t think we have a choice here, Cami.”
I remained silent, and she hugged me. “I can’t believe we're even thinking about this,” she whispered into my neck.
I started crying again. My life was filled with shitty men—first my dad, then Alex, and now this Gambino guy.
“I don’t even know who he is,” I whispered.
“He’s definitely important,” Bri said, wiping under her eyes. “Men with that many guards and that much power? That’s not normal rich people behavior.”
I let out a humorless laugh.
“You think?”
Bri grabbed my hands.
“Life’s a b***h, Cami. Sometimes you survive first and feel guilty later.”
I frowned. “Bri… this is basically prostitution.”
She rolled her eyes immediately.
“It’s one night, not a lifelong career choice.” She shrugged. “And honestly? Women have done worse for free.”
“That is not helping.”
“I’m serious.” She pointed at me. “Use him the same way he’s trying to use you. if you got fired because of him, then he must be a very important customer to Valeria. What if we use him to get you promoted? Get money. Get back on your feet. Then disappear.”
I stared at the floor for a long moment.
I needed money.
Desperately.
And Romeo Gambino clearly had too much of it.
Finally, I nodded once.
Bri exhaled. “Okay. Then we do this smart.”
*****************************
That evening, I went back to Valeria.
Zeke called me into his office almost immediately.
“I thought you understood the cogs of this work, or better still, I’d assumed Cassidy explained how to treat important guests Summers,” he said lazily, shuffling papers on his desk. “Clearly, I overestimated you.”
I crossed my arms.
“You’re firing me.”
“I’m protecting this hotel.” He slid an envelope across the table. “Pack up your s**t and leave.”
No shock there.
I grabbed the envelope and walked out before he could say anything else.
Honestly? Begging wouldn’t change a thing.
I headed toward the lounge, hoping Romeo was there so I wouldn’t have to call the number on his card.
Of course he was.
He sat at a corner table like he owned the entire building, casually sipping whiskey while men in suits stood around him.
His eyes found mine instantly.
And that stupid smirk appeared.
“There she is.”
I hated how calm he always looked.
I walked over slowly and sat across from him.
“Drink?” he offered, his dark gray eyes locking onto mine. I couldn’t deny he was hot—Netflix boss hot.
“No.”
He ignored me and snapped his fingers anyway.
A waiter placed some bright blue cocktail in front of me.
I didn’t touch it.
Romeo leaned back lazily. “So. How was your day?”
I stared at him.
“You already know.”
A small grin tugged at his lips.
“Maybe I just wanted to hear you say it.”
“Do you expect me to thank you for paying my sisters bill? Or for blacklisting me because I rejected you? Honestly, what's your deal?”
He chuckled “My deal?”
“You’re some big hotshot who obviously has a lot of money to throw around, Why? Why me?”
“Maybe I like your attitude.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
I hated how unfairly attractive he was. Dark eyes. Expensive suit. The kind of face women ruined their lives over.
Then he caught me staring.
“Checking me out, princess?”
Damn it.
I rolled my eyes. “You look like someone who could get literally any woman he wants. heck girls would probably pay to f**k you. So why me?” I asked again.
His fingers brushed mine across the table.
I pulled my hand back immediately.
That only made him grin. “hmm, maybe I’m sick in the head or Maybe I enjoy a challenge.”
“You need therapy.”
“Probably.”
I inhaled slowly.
“And if I agree to this…” I hated the words coming out of my mouth. “Do I still get paid? Or was covering my sisters bills your version of foreplay?”
Romeo laughed quietly.
He nodded, “Whatever you want. Name it.”
I swallowed hard.
“Fifty grand.”
I expected hesitation.
Instead, he smirked.
“I would’ve asked for a million.”
He motioned toward one of his men.
A second later, my phone buzzed.
I checked my account and nearly stopped breathing.
Fifty thousand dollars.
Just sitting there.
“What the hell— how did you even—”
“Be ready tomorrow by seven,” he cut in smoothly. “My men will pick you up.”
“Wait.” I sat forward quickly. “That’s not all.”
One dark brow lifted.
“Didn’t peg you as a gold digger, princess. What else do you want?”
“It’s my body,” I said flatly. “I want Zeke’s job.”
He raised a perfect brow in confusion, clearly he didn't know who he was.
“He’s the manager here.” I crossed my arms. “I want his job.”
Romeo stared at me for a second, then a slow grin spread across his face.
“Done,”
I was speechless so I just nodded. He stood from his seat and walked to my side leaning down to whisper in my ear “Don’t try any games with me Camille, 7pm tomorrow.
A chill crawled down my spine.
“Don’t make me hunt you down.” He pulled back just enough for our eyes to meet, a dangerous smile tugging at his lips. “I enjoy a good hunt.”
***********
Bri nearly passed out when I showed her the transfer notification.
“Fifty thousand dollars?!” she shrieked. “Cami, that’s actual insane-person money!”
I immediately paid an advance in the hospital before I could overthink it.
I bought Kate new clothes. New blankets. Better toiletries.
For the first time in forever, swiping my card didn’t make me panic.
And honestly?
That scared me a little.
By four o’clock, my nerves were a complete mess.
I changed into jeans and a fitted top while Bri hovered around me dramatically.
“You look like you’re about to throw up,” she said.
“I might.”
She handed me a condom.
“Take this.”
I looked down at it awkwardly.
We hadn’t exactly discussed rules. Or protection. Or literally anything normal people discussed before sleeping together.
“What if he says no?”
“Then he can go f**k himself,” Bri replied instantly. “No condom, no s*x. Don’t be stupid.”
I nodded slowly and shoved it into my bag.
My phone buzzed.
HE’S HERE.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, showing Bri the message.
She grabbed my shoulders immediately.
“Breathe, Cami. I have your location. If anything feels wrong, you call me immediately, okay?”
I nodded.
Then took one shaky breath after another before heading outside.
- Writer
