Page 114 of Trade It All

Apparently the hint was not, in fact, taken.

She spots me and lights up like Christmas morning.

“Dean, dear!” she chirps, stepping toward me in some skin-tight red dress that suddenly feels visually offensive. “There you are. I’ve missed you.”

She reaches for my arm. I shift my body away before she can touch me. Her hand catches air.

Camille blinks but keeps smiling like this is all perfectly normal.

“I was asking Madison here where you were,” she says, with a dismissive little wave in Maddie’s direction. “I thought you would have picked me up like normal, but I figured meeting here would be best.”

My eye twitches. Picked her up like normal?

What in the delusional hell—

“I know I’ve been gone the last few months and haven’t been able to reach out—”

Gone. As if she took a vacation. Not as if I told her to leave and never come back. She just keeps talking. Talking like we are still together. Talking like I didn’t end whatever fantasy relationship she built in her own head.

“But of course Madison didn’t know where you were.” Camille gives Maddie a once-over dripping in condescension. “Doesn’t surprise me, really. How can I expect someone that just takes videos to know anything.”

Everything in me goes black.

I hear Addy say, “Excuse me, you bitch—”

But I’m already moving. I step directly between Camille and Maddie so fast Camille stumbles back half a step in surprise.

My shoulders block Maddie completely. My voice comes out low. Lethal.

“No one talks to my wife like that.”

Silence. Camille stares at the side of my face. Then blinks.

“Your… wife?”

I turn my head just enough to look at her. There is not one ounce of warmth left in me.

“Yes.”

She opens her mouth.

I cut her off before she can start whatever dramatic nonsense she has queued up.

“You need to leave.”

“Dean, I think there’s been some misunder—”

“No.” My tone sharpens enough that she physically flinches. “There is no misunderstanding. There has never been anything between us worth misunderstanding.”

Her face drains. Good.

“You do not speak to my wife.” I take one small step toward her. “You do not speak to any member of my staff. And you sure as hell do not walk into my events acting like I owe you my time.”

Camille looks around like maybe someone will rescue her. No one does. Addy looks ready to swing. Maddie is quiet behind me.

I point toward the ballroom entrance. “Leave.”

She hesitates. I don’t. I just stare until humiliation finally wins and she turns on her heel and stalks off down the hallway.