Wow! Thank you all SO MUCH for your reviews and adds. Hopefully, I responded to you all and if I missed you: THANK YOU. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I had written the first half in pretty short order, but the second half was a little harder for me to get to come out right. Let me know what you guys think, and thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight.
Chapter Eleven
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Travis asked as he looked at Camilla and Camilla's posture stiffened as she stepped a little to the right, taking the door with her so she couldn't see so far into the house.
"What are you doing here, Travis?" she asked, proud that her voice didn't shake with the uncertainty that she was feeling as she looked at him. He sighed as he raised his right hand and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair before he let his hand fall to his side.
"I just want to talk," he said, his blue eyes settling on her green.
"You made it perfectly clear to me almost a year ago that you wanted nothing to do with me or my baby," Camilla said. That five word sentence of his had struck a nerve for the young woman, and a spark of anger rose to the surface as she looked at him with narrowed eyes. "What makes you think that after all of that, that you can just show up on my porch steps wanting to talk?"
"Look, Cam, I know I was an ass," he started but Camilla interrupted.
"You were more than an ass, Travis," she said quickly as she shook her head and narrowed her eyes.
"Okay, I was more than an ass," he said with a scoff. "Can I just come inside, please? It's cold out here." Camilla rolled her eyes as she took a deep breath. She wanted to slam the door in his face after telling him to get lost, but he was Avery's father and if he had flown all the way to Washington, maybe he was going to make an effort to be there for Avery. Camilla wasn't entirely convinced that that was his intention, but she was going to be the bigger person and give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Fine," she said tightly, as she stepped aside and opened the door further.
"Thanks," he said as he walked into the house and took a deep breath. "Something smells good."
"I'm making lunch for a friend of mine and my boyfriend," Camilla said as she closed the door. Travis had started taking off his jacket, and paused at the word 'boyfriend' before he looked at her.
"Boyfriend?" he asked and Camilla sighed quietly as she brushed her bangs from her eyes.
"It's been a year, Travis. Did you expect to find me sitting her pining for you or something?" she asked.
"No," he said as he finished taking off his jacket and Camilla hung it up in the closet. "I just wasn't expecting you to have a boyfriend." Camilla didn't say anything in response as she closed the closet door and turned back around to look at him. He looked less than pleased, but Camilla didn't really care right then. "How long have the two of you been together?"
"Officially, two weeks," she said evenly and he raised an eyebrow.
"Officially?" he asked, but she didn't answer the question as she ran her hand through her hair.
"If you take off your boots, you can take a seat in the living room," she said as she looked down at his biker boots and then up at his face once more. "I'll be back in a minute." She turned on the balls of her bare feet and walked towards the kitchen, taking a deep breath as she went.
Avery was now playing with the small light grey and pink stuffed elephant Seth had given her, but she was now lying on her back and gnawing on the poor elephant's front leg. Camilla smiled at her daughter for a moment before she moved over to the stove. She put a lid on the simmering pot and turned off the burner before she went over to the playpen.
"Come on, pretty girl," Camilla whispered as she settled Avery on her left hip and the little girl giggled as she looked at her mother, the elephant's foot still in her mouth. She had dressed Avery in a lavender onesie with black writing that read 'Mommy's Little Star' with a bright yellow star underneath the words. It was warm in the house, so, Avery's legs were bare but Camilla had covered Avery's feet with purple socks that had tiny smiley faces on them.
After smoothing out Avery's dark hair, Camilla walked into the foyer and then into the living room where Travis had settled on the sofa. He was sitting with his elbows resting on his thighs and his hands clenched in between his knees as he stared at his hands, a smalls scowl on his face. He looked up from his hands and at Camilla before his eyes went to Avery and he sat up in surprise. Avery was too enamored with her elephant to pay him much attention just then, but Camilla was watching him like a hawk. He stood up from the sofa then and turned so his body was facing Camilla while his eyes were still on Avery.
"A girl?" he asked, more for confirmation given the soft purple color the baby was wearing. His eyes moved to Camilla for his answer and she nodded her head curtly. "She's bigger than I was expecting."
"She's almost five months old, Travis," Camilla said. "They don't stay tiny for very long." Travis sighed heavily at her sharp tone before he put his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
"What's her name?" Travis asked.
"Avery Jade," Camilla said as she looked at Avery and the baby looked at her mother. She now had the elephant's ear in her mouth and Camilla laughed lightly, a little bit of the stress leaving her body as she looked at her daughter before she kissed her forehead. However, the small bit of peace she felt didn't last long because Travis' voice cut through the quiet that had settled between them for a few beats.
"Avery Jade Rockwell?" he asked and Camilla's eyes narrowed as she met his gaze.
"Avery Jade Monroe," she said firmly and Travis raised an eyebrow as he pulled his hands out of the pockets of his jeans.
"You didn't give her my name?" he asked and Camilla shook her head negatively as she once again rolled her eyes.
"You wanted nothing to do with her, Travis," she said. "Why would I give her your name?
"Well, I always figured my kid would have my last name," he said. Camilla opened her mouth to retort when a stiff and hard knock sounded at the front door. Sighing she turned away from Travis and went to the front door, where she knew Paul and Seth were waiting on the front porch. She opened the door, a stress filled smile on her face as she looked up at the pair she had originally been expecting.
"Hi," she said as she stepped aside to let them in.
"Hey," Paul said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek as he smoothed his right hand over Avery's head, making the little girl giggle as she looked up at him and held out her elephant to him. Paul smiled at her as she pulled it back and started gnawing on it once more. "Whose car is out front?" he asked as he turned his eyes to hers and Seth closed the door behind him.
"It's my rental," came Travis' terse voice and Paul looked over his right shoulder. Seth moved to stand on Camilla's left side and looked at the sandy haired young man with a frown on his face. Paul stiffened as he turned around to face Travis, with a frown that matched Seth's marring his face. Travis looked between Seth and Paul before his eyes settled on Paul since he had been the one to kiss Camilla when he walked in. "You must be the boyfriend," Travis said with a scoffed laugh before he turned his eyes to Camilla. "Jesus, Camilla, you like the steroid look now?" he asked with a smirk on his lips and Camilla heard Paul growl quietly while Seth shuffled his feet and stood closer to Camilla and Avery as if he was ready to move them out of the way if need be.
"Travis," Camilla chided as she looked at her ex-boyfriend, but he only chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Travis?" Paul asked as he looked at Camilla and then back at the young man standing in the living room of Camilla's family's home. "You're Camilla's ex?" Travis' smirk remained on his face as he looked at Paul.
"Yeah," Travis said smugly, "and the father of little Avery over there."
"Now you claim her?" Paul asked his trembling fists clenching at his sides.
"Paul, please," Camilla said quickly as she stepped beside him and he tore his eyes away from Travis to look down at her. "Don't fight with him. He's not worth it," she whispered as she looked back up at him, knowing only Paul and probably Seth since he was so close could hear her. Paul took a deep breath before he nodded curtly and looked at Travis with hard eyes.
"What do you want?" Paul asked and Travis shook his head.
"My business isn't with you, man, it's with Cam," Travis said.
"She is my business," Paul said evenly as he took a few steps into the living room. Internally panicking, Camilla didn't want Avery around should the men start fully arguing but she was too afraid to leave in case she needed to step in. Turning around to Seth, she didn't even have to say anything. Her eyes spoke volumes to her friend. Seth glanced at Avery and then nodded his head as he looked back at Camilla before he took hold of the baby girl.
"Unless I scream, stay up there with her," she whispered and he nodded before he took Avery upstairs to her nursery where he closed the door. Free of her child and knowing that Avery was in good hands with Seth; Camilla smoothed her t-shirt down before she turned back to other two. Thankfully, they were just staring each other down at the moment, and to her it looked like Paul was winning. Moving quickly to his side, Camilla wrapped both her hands around Paul's fisted and trembling left hand, which quickly unclenched before he encased her right hand in his left, holding it tight.
"Whatever you want to talk to me about, Travis, can be talked about in front of Paul," Camilla said and Travis looked from Paul to Camilla, his glare still in place before he sighed and uncrossed his arms over his chest before he ran his hand through his hair once again.
"I'm going to be in town for a little while," Travis said and Camilla raised an eyebrow. "I figured we could meet with a mediator and work out some sort of arrangement when it comes to the kid."
"'The kid' has a name, and her name is Avery," Paul said and Travis' glare was back as he looked at Paul.
"Yeah, and you have no say in anything that concerns her. She's mine, not yours," Travis said and Paul's hand started trembling again as he growled lowly, his eyes darkening and turning deadly. Camilla was sure that if looks could kill, Travis would be dead and about sixty feet underground by the look Pau was giving him. Travis actually took a half step back, and Camilla bit back her smile at the fact that Travis was scared of Paul.
"What kind of arrangements do you want to try and work out, Travis?" Camilla asked. "You live in New York; you can't exactly see her every weekend or have her every other week."
Like she would even let him be alone with Avery for a second; he wasn't exactly patient and if Avery started to fuss or cry Camilla wouldn't put it past him to hurt her in some way. She didn't believe he would intentionally hurt her, but Travis got annoyed easily by some of the littlest things and she didn't want to chance it; especially after all the things 'wrong' with kids that he listed off when she told him she was pregnant.
"I don't know," Travis said sharply. "That's what the mediator's for, and who knows? I might relocate."
"Why are you doing this?" Camilla asked as she pried her hand away from Paul's and took a few steps closer to her ex.
"She's my kid," Travis said.
"I know, but after the way you reacted when I told you I was pregnant and everything you said to me . . . what made you change your mind?" Camilla asked.
"I've had time to think," Travis said.
"I'll say," Paul growled out and Travis looked over Camilla's head with a glare.
"Time to think about what, Travis?" she asked to get his attention back on her and it worked, but he didn't answer her. "If you're worried about me coming after you for support, you don't have to. I don't want or need anything from you to take care of her." Camilla may not have had a job herself, but her family was well off. They weren't rich or anything, but they were able to live comfortably without ever really having to worry for anything.
"I'm not worried about that, Cam," Travis said sharply.
"Then why are you here?" she asked with a frown for what felt like the millionth time and Travis looked at Paul with a steely gaze. It was then that Camilla realized she wasn't going to get anywhere with Travis as long as Paul was in the living room with them. Camilla sighed quietly before she turned around and looked at Paul. Once again, she didn't have to say anything because Paul already knew what she was thinking.
"I'm not leaving you alone down here with him," Paul said and she walked over to him.
"He's not going to hurt me, Paul," she whispered softly.
"Maybe not physically," he said just as quietly as his dark eyes held hers. He wasn't going to leave, that much was clear to Camilla and she could understand why. Travis wasn't her favorite person either, and in truth she really didn't want to be alone with him.
"Are you two done with your little love fest over there?" Travis asked, his voice tight, before Camilla turned around to face him. Travis was glaring daggers at Paul, and if she wasn't convinced before, she was now certain that Travis hated Paul as much as Paul hated him at that moment. After a beat Travis turned his eyes back to Camilla, a storm still brewing in his eyes and his mouth in a thin line before he opened it to speak. "I'm staying at a motel in Port Angeles since this Podunk town doesn't have one. Maybe tomorrow we can have an actual civilized conversation without Sasquatch hovering."
"Travis, let's just talk now," Camilla said tiredly, but Travis ignored her as he walked by her and then Paul, however, he intentionally tried to check Paul's shoulder, but Paul was quick to react, seemingly knowing what the other man was going to do simply by reading his body language. Paul reached up with his left hand and shoved Travis back roughly.
Camilla gasped as she saw Travis stumble back and catch his footing before he moved into a fighting stance. Camilla knew that whatever was about to transpire between the two men was not going to end well. Paul could easily kill Travis without much effort because he had about six inches of height and about thirty to forty pounds of pure muscle on him.
"Whatever you want to talk about with her, you talk about it now," Paul said, his voice taking on a dangerous tone. Her eyes turned to him and she swore his muscles were literally rippling under his skin. "There's no way in hell she's meeting you anywhere tomorrow."
"You don't own her, she can do whatever the fuck she wants," Travis said.
"And if you think she wants anything to do with you, you're insane," Paul said.
"She wanted me enough to keep the baby I gave her. Are you threatened by that Sasquatch?" Travis asked with a smirk. Camilla felt a little sick at his words, especially since she clearly remembered the night that Avery was conceived and it hadn't exactly been a pleasant night for her. She had loved Travis and had forgiven him for that night and moved on, at least until she found out she was pregnant. However, she'd never forgotten that night and doubted she ever would.
"Hardly, pipsqueak," Paul sneered and Camilla had no idea what to do as she looked between the two of them.
"Guys, please, just stop this," Camilla said, but her words went ignored.
"You sure about that? I doubt that she's given it up to you yet," Travis said. "I think you're afraid I might get another piece of what you haven't tasted yet. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised; plus, I never really took 'no' for an answer before."
Camilla gasped at what was basically a confession for what happened the night Camilla ended up pregnant. She'd never told anyone, not even her parents what happened that night, and had vowed to take to her grave because she had wanted Avery to grow up thinking she was conceived in a moment of love. She didn't want Avery to ever find out she had been conceived in a moment of violence and fear. Her eyes went to Paul and it was obvious that he understood the meaning behind Travis' words. Before she could say and/or do anything Paul let out a growl and shoved Travis so hard he literally was thrown back about four feet before he crashed onto the coffee table, breaking the pressed wood into pieces.
"Paul, stop," she said as she quickly put herself in his path as he stalked towards a sprawled out Travis. She was scared, but she knew that Paul wouldn't lay a hand on her, especially when he froze in his tracks, his still trembling and ripping body looking like it was about to explode in front of her as his deadly eyes were focused on Travis.
"That all you got you pussy?" Travis drawled as he stood and Camilla looked over her shoulder at him. "Are you going to let your bitch order you around?" Camilla knew Travis was antagonizing Paul, trying to bait him, and it was working. She turned around to face Travis only for him to grab her by the upper arms before she shoved her out of the way, sending her stumbling into her family's entertainment center.
Her head hit the corner of the entertainment center before she went crumpling to the floor, her head on her forehead and blood seeping from a small wound at her hairline. With Paul distracted by Camilla's injury, Travis reared back with his right hand with a right hook to Paul's face. His fist connected with Paul's left cheek but his head barely moved while Travis grasped his right wrist as he cried out. Camilla, in dazed state, had heard crunching before Travis' yell and since Paul's face looked unaffected she knew Travis had to have broken at least one bone in his hand.
"Seth! Call Charlie! Now!" Paul yelled as he walked by Travis who had fallen to his knees and over to Camilla, helping her sit up and pressing his warm hand over her right hand that was pressed to her bleeding forehead.
His body was still trembling and his hands shaking slightly, but he was proud of himself for not phasing in the middle of Camilla's living room. He'd been on the verge of doing just that a handful of times, but thankfully he had kept control surprising himself on a variety of levels; especially after what he had learned during his 'conversation' with Travis. He still wanted to rip the bastard to shreds, and if given the opportunity, he wouldn't pass it up; but right then he had Camilla to worry about.
"Camilla," he said softly and she turned her eyes to his face. Her green eyes were full of pain, but he saw the fear in her eyes as she looked at him. Since she didn't pull away from him, he figured she wasn't afraid of him, but he didn't like seeing the fear in her eyes.
"I'm okay," she assured him, her voice barely audible as she blinked a few times to focus her eyes. Without really thinking, Paul leaned down and kissed her lips chastely before he turned his eyes to Travis. Travis was still on his knees and whimpering as he held his hand to his chest and Paul swore the prick was crying. Seth came downstairs then, Avery nowhere in sight, so, Paul figured he had left the little girl up in her crib so she was safe.
"What the hell happened?" Seth asked, with wide brown eyes.
"Did you call Charlie?" Paul asked and Seth nodded.
"He'll be here any minute," Seth said.
"Get me a towel for her head," Paul said and it was then that Seth saw the blood on Paul's hand and the slightly dizzy look on Camilla's face. His eyes widened even more before he turned around and ran back upstairs while the faint sounds of Charlie's cruiser echoed in the distance and growing closer.