31. Thirty-One Cam
Thirty-One: Cam
G arlic and onions wafted through our apartment. I sprawled on the couch, one arm dangling off the side, fingers brushing against an empty beer bottle. Lakey lounged beside me, her legs draped over mine, her blue eyes fixed on Rose bustling around our cramped kitchen.
"Who knew our little science experiment could cook?" I mused, tilting my head to catch Lakey's reaction.
She smirked; her eyes alight as she regarded me. "I told you she would adjust."
I snorted but couldn't help a smile as I watched Rose. The kid moved with a nervous energy, but she was a definite improvement from where she was a week or so ago.
"Face it, you like her, Cam," Lakey murmured, reading my thoughts as usual.
I scoffed, giving her leg a playful shove. "In your dreams, sweetheart. I'm still the same cold-hearted bastard you fell for."
"Mhmm," she hummed, unconvinced. "That's why you've been teaching her to defend herself, right? Out of the goodness of your black little heart?"
I opened my mouth to retort, but Rose's voice cut through our banter.
"Um, dinner's ready... If you guys want to eat?"
Lakey sprang up with surprising grace for someone who'd been lazing around all day. "Perfect timing, Rosie! But first, how about we work up an appetite?"
Rose's eyes widened, excitement on her face. She’d really taken to the self-defence we’d been going over the last few days. Almost a natural. "More fighting?"
"You got it, kid," I chimed in, hauling myself off the couch. "Can't have you being a liability out there."
We cleared some space in the living room, shoving our ratty furniture aside. Lakey took center stage, demonstrating a basic stance while Rose watched intently.
"Alright, sunshine," Lakey chirped, loosening her shoulders and cracking her neck. "Let's see you try to take me down. Just remember, in the real world, your attacker probably won't be wearing such a cute top."
I couldn't help but chuckle as Rose lunged forward, her movements clumsy but determined. Lakey dodged effortlessly, tapping Rose on the back of the head.
"Too slow, buttercup. You gotta be quicker than that if you want to survive."
Rose's face scrunched up in concentration, her next attempt marginally better. I found myself actually rooting for the kid, even as Lakey continued to dance circles around her.
"Not bad," I offered, when she managed to clip Lakes on the shoulder. "You might actually last five seconds in a real fight now."
Rose beamed at the praise, and I felt that weird twinge again. Fuck. Maybe Lakey was right. Maybe I should just admit that I like all this homey house shit.
It struck me as I watched them spar, Lakey's laughter mingling with Rose's determined grunts. This was some type of family. It felt more like home than anything I'd known before. And with our expanding family, came more responsibility. More people to protect. When it was just me and Lakes, it was easy. She could take care of herself, but I was never far. Rose added in a wildcard that I wasn’t sure I knew how to handle.
I stepped out onto the balcony, lighting up a cigarette and taking a long drag. The nicotine hit my system, but it didn't do shit to calm my nerves. My eyes scanned the street below, same routine I'd been following for days now.
And there it was. That fucking all-black car, parked in the exact same spot it had been occupying for the past week. My jaw clenched, paranoia creeping up my spine.
"I see you, you piece of shit," I muttered, watching for any sign of movement. Nothing. Just the same lifeless hunk of metal, sitting there like a damn tumor on our crack-addled little street.
I took another drag, my mind racing. Were we being watched? Had someone finally caught up to us? The thought of anyone threatening what we'd built here — this unhinged, beautiful thing with my girls — it made my blood boil.
I heard Lakey's laughter floating out from the living room, followed by a thud and Rose's muffled "oof." Despite everything, I felt the corner of my mouth twitch upward.
"Alright," I growled to myself, crushing the cigarette on the railing. "Playtime's over."
I strode back inside, greeted by the sight of Rose sprawled on the floor, Lakey grinning down at her like a cat that got the canary.
"Having fun, ladies?" I drawled, leaning against the doorframe.
Lakey's eyes lit up at my presence. "Just teaching our little Rose some valuable life skills. Like, how never to let me get the upper hand.”
I snorted, eyeing Rose as she picked herself up off the floor. "Yeah, she has been improving. Well, how about we teach her something else while we’re at it? Like, I don't know, hotwiring a car?"
Lakey's grin widened, and it was like the sun had just come out. "Oh, Cam," she said. "What a positively wicked idea. I love it."
Rose looked between us, apprehension on her face. I felt that weird protective instinct flare up again, but I squashed it down. Kid needed to learn, after all.
"What do you say, Rosie?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Ready for your first lesson in grand theft auto?"
Rose hesitated, and for a moment, I thought she'd balk. But then she straightened her shoulders and gave us a shaky smile. "I'm in," she said, her voice strong and steady.
"That's the spirit," Lakes said, cocking her head to the side. “But first, we eat.”
She disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared a few moments later with grilled cheese piled high on a plate, setting it on the table before grabbing a couple bowls and going back for one more. "Rose made us grilled cheese and fancy tomato soup," she had a proud smile on her face as we all took our seats. "Remember when we used to steal this stuff all the time, Cam? From that diner down the way? Shit, feels like so long ago."
I nodded, taking a seat across the table from her. The smell of warm bread and melted cheese wafted up, making my stomach growl. We sat down at the table together, my thoughts drifting back to those simpler times when we'd had each other and nothing else. Life was easier back then, or maybe we just didn't care as much about what we were doing wrong.
We ate in comfortable silence, lost in our own thoughts until Rose broke it by asking if either of us had ever tried to escape from here. It was an innocent question, but something about it made me angry.
Lakey laughed softly. "We tried once but found ourselves right back here. Seems like there’s a reason we were never able to leave. Running away only brings more trouble than it’s worth." She glanced at me before adding under her breath, "Unless you’re running towards someone worth dying for."
"So..." Rose began hesitantly. "These dreams...they're getting weird lately." Her voice trailed off for a moment as she looked between us with a frown on her face. "They feel real sometimes... Like flashbacks almost. Except they're not really memories.”
Her gaze darted around the room nervously before landing back on Lakey who didn’t seem bothered by her admission in the least. "And sometimes there's this burning sensation at the back of my neck...like… I don’t know how to explain it." She shrugged uncomfortably before taking another sip of soup. "I dunno, maybe it’s just paranoia or PTSD rearing its ugly head."
The two of us exchanged a look over her head. I reached for my grilled cheese, taking a big bite and swallowing. "It's probably just that," I said, my voice carefully neutral. "Trauma can do strange things to the mind, you know?"
Lakey nodded in agreement. "You're just adjusting to everything that's happened, that's all. Give it time, you'll be fine," she said, her voice soothing but her eyes never leaving mine.
I stood abruptly, pushing my chair back and pretending not to notice Rose's startled expression. If I knew anything, it was that trauma could manifest in dreams. Which meant that she was reliving something and Lakey hadn’t even thought to tell me about it. Trauma responses made me dangerous. Unpredictable. How the fuck am I supposed to protect the two people I care about when I don’t even know what is going on inside their minds? "Right, well... I think it's about time we get started on those lessons. Lakes, let’s go grab the kit, Rose, if you’d be so kind as to clear the table, we can have the rest for leftovers."
"Cam?" Rose asked, confusion clear in her tone as she watched Lakey stand and follow me down the hall.
"What the hell is going on?" I hissed at Lakey once I was sure we were alone. "Why didn't you tell me that these dreams were still going on?"
“The fuck Cam. I didn’t know. What the fuck do you want from me? How am I supposed to mind read? You’ve been so hot and cold about her, I didn’t think you’d wanna know about some petty ass dreams she’s having.” She gave me a hard glare. “Besides, what does it matter? They’re just dreams.”
“They might not be, that’s the thing. They could be shit she’s gone through. I’m concerned that her head is burning. I know that there’s certain compounds that could cause that. Lakey, it could be dangerous.”
She laughed, “Like a bomb in her head, Cam? Really? I think you’re watching too many movies.”
I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "Fine, you're right. I'm being paranoid." I said through gritted teeth. “I’ve just seen someone outside the building for the last few days and it’s tripping me out.”
Her face lost its smirk. “Yeah, and you wanted to get pissed at me for not being honest about something I didn’t know about? You didn’t tell me we’re being stalked? What the actual hell.”
“I didn’t tell you because I thought it was nothing but now…” I trailed off, not finishing the thought.
“Now, what? Do you think they know about Rose?” Lakey asked, concern causing the blood to drain from her face. “Are they coming for us?”
I shook my head. "I don't know Lakes, but we need to be careful, okay? Both of us."
She nodded once in agreement before turning on her heel and walking back into the main room, leaving me standing there alone with my thoughts.
Grabbing the kit, I headed back out, ready to give Rose her first lesson in stealing a car.
We decided to let her try on the piece I stole a while ago. The girls followed me out to the abandoned gas station where I was stashing it. We sat inside and I popped boards open, gesturing for Rose to come closer.
"Alright, kiddo," I said. "Pay attention. This might save your ass one day."
Rose leaned in, her eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and nervousness. Lakey perched on a nearby bench, swinging her legs like a kid at a carnival.
"First thing's first," I began, reaching under the dash. "You gotta expose the ignition wires. Like this."
I yanked, and a tangle of colorful wires spilled out. Rose's brow furrowed in concentration.
"Now, the tricky part," I continued, feeling a strange sense of pride at her attentiveness. "You gotta find the right wires to spark. Come, you figure it out."
Rose reached in hesitantly, her fingers fumbling with the wires. I couldn't help but chuckle as she tangled herself up, looking more like she was trying to knit a sweater than hotwire a car.
"Easy there, butterfingers," I teased, guiding her hands. "Red to yellow, then touch the brown. Like this."
The engine sputtered to life, and Rose's face lit up like a damn Christmas tree. I felt my chest tighten in a way I wasn't used to.
"Holy shit!" she exclaimed. "I did it!"
Lakey's laughter rang out, as she rushed over to clap Rose on the back. "Look at you, little Rose. A regular criminal mastermind in the making."
“Good. Again.” I made her do it over and over, until she could almost do it blindfolded.
As we headed back to the apartment, I couldn't help but notice the spring in Rose's step. She was chattering away, hands gesticulating wildly as she recounted her triumph over and over. I had to admit that she got the hang of that pretty fast. Much faster than I thought she would. A natural.
"Did you see how fast I got it started?" Rose gushed. "I mean, after the whole wire-spaghetti situation."
I snorted, ruffling her hair. "Yeah, yeah, don't get cocky, kid. You've still got a lot to learn."
The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across our living room. I sprawled on the couch, one arm draped lazily over Lakey's shoulders. She was curled up against me, running her fingers over my chest and into the stubble growing across my chin, before trailing them downwards again. I loved the way it felt over my skin, giving me goosebumps as she went.
"So, what's next, my little psycho?" I murmured, my hands tangling in her hair. "Time to raise some hell?"
Her blue eyes met mine, a mix of mischief and hesitation swirling in their depths. "Can't we just... enjoy this for a bit longer? It's nice, playing house."
I snorted. "Playing house? Christ, Lakey, we're not exactly the Brundy Bunch."
"No shit, Sherlock. Also, I don’t think that’s their name. Brundy sounds fucking weird," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "But it's... different. Peaceful."
I felt a twinge of restlessness crawl under my skin. "Peace is overrated, babe. We've got work to do."
Before Lakey could respond, Rose shuffled into the room, looking like she'd seen a ghost. Her eyes were wide, darting between us nervously.
"Hey, um... can I talk to you guys?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I sat up straighter, curiosity piqued. "Shoot, kid. What's eating you?"
Rose perched on the edge of the armchair, wringing her hands. "It's like... it's burning. Right here. I can feel it even when I'm awake. It’s getting worse. It’s really bad right now and I… I feel like there’s ants crawling up and down my spine."
Lakey leaned forward, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. "What do you mean, burning?"
Rose's eyes welled up with tears. "Like there's something inside, trying to get out. I'm scared. What if they did something to me?"
I felt my jaw clench. "Hey, it's okay," I said, surprising myself with the softness in my voice. "We'll figure this out, alright?" Yeah, what if it is a fucking bomb. Take that Lakey. Don’t sound so stupid now, does it?
As Rose nodded, sniffling, I caught my girl’s eye. Didn’t even need words. Our little vacation was over. Whatever was going on with Rose, we had to get to the bottom of it. And fast. If it was a bomb, she’d take us down when she exploded, and I wouldn’t want her near enough for that to happen.
I stood, stretching my long frame. "Alright, let's take a look at that neck of yours, Rose."
She hesitated, her eyes darting to Lakey. I caught the slight nod before Rose turned, pulling her hair aside.
I leaned in, examining the skin closely. Nothing looked out of the ordinary - no scars, no redness, no signs of any kind of implant. But something in my gut twisted. Call it instinct or paranoia, but I couldn't shake the feeling that we were missing something.
"Well, kid, I don't see anything weird," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "Could be something they had you on, working it’s way out. Or I dunno, something else. Shit’s a bitch like that."
Rose's shoulders slumped, relief and disappointment warring on her face. "So... you think I'm okay?"
I sighed and fought the urge to throw up my hands. How the fuck was I supposed to know if she was okay or not? Goddamn. "Yeah, you're okay. We've got your back, remember?"
As Rose headed off to bed, I caught Lakey's eye. The tension in her jaw told me she was thinking the same thing I was. This wasn't over.
I flopped back onto the couch, draping an arm around Lakey. "So, about the car… I want a new one. Figured we could go out and jack a better one. Maybe one that doesn’t sputter like it’s in end stages cancer whenever I turn it on."
I felt her body tense against mine. Her light blue eyes, usually so playful, were now sharp with concern. “Yeah. Maybe. I dunno, Cam, shouldn’t we figure out what’s going on with her head?”
"We should turn in," I said, not wanting to have that discussion again. "Big day of car-watching tomorrow."
Lakey grunted, but I could see the frown lines around her eyes. "Yeah. Okay."
We made our way to the bedroom, Rose already curled up on her new makeshift bed in the corner. Needed to move her out of the living room since it was always super busy in there. At least this way she got some privacy. Sort of. Poor kid was twitching in her sleep, probably caught in another nightmare.
Now that she had moved into our room, we got no time alone and my cock was aching with the need to drive into Lakey’s perfect pussy.
“Oh, babe? I think we should go shop for Rose. She probably would like some clothes that aren’t yours.”
She tensed. “Damn, I didn’t even think of that. You’d be a good dad, Cam. Always filling in the spots that I miss.”
“And vice-versa, baby doll.”
As we climbed into bed, Lakey's hand found mine in the darkness. We didn't need words; the slight tremor in her fingers said it all. There was something off. Something wrong. We just didn’t fucking know what it was.
I stared at the ceiling, sleep eluding me. My mind raced with possibilities, each more fucked up than the last. What if Rose's dreams weren't just dreams? What if that burning wasn't just paranoia?
"Cam?" Lakey's whisper cut through the silence.
"Yeah, babe?"
"We're in deep shit, aren't we?"
I chuckled darkly. "When aren't we?"
She shifted closer, her head on my chest. I could feel her heartbeat, quick and steady against my side. It grounded me, reminded me why we did all this crazy shit in the first place.
"Whatever comes," I murmured, "we face it together. You, me, and the kid."
Her grip tightened on my hand. It wasn’t often my girl needed me to be her backbone but tonight was one of the few. And like always, I’d cradle her heart in my hands until she was able to take it back and lock it back into the cage she’d forged around it. I didn’t say anything else, just kissed the top of her head and listened to her fall asleep.
As dawn broke, I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake the girls. I padded to the window, peering through the blinds.
There it was. That damn car, still sitting there like a black beetle, patient and menacing.
I felt my lips curl into a grin. Whoever was watching us had no idea what they were in for.
Game on, fuckers.