Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
“YOU’RE AUTHORIZED ON the security system, right?” Roxie asked as the car came to a stop outside Cam’s. She nudged her husband. “Check Ariella’s on the system so she can get in.”
“I’m on the system.” She slid forward in her seat. “Thank you for the ride.”
“There’s no chance of pictures, Ballard’s already secured the block. No paps here. We’re coming in, we’ll be right behind you.”
The married couple needed a minute and so did she. Though her seclusion only lasted from the car to the house, it gave her a window to just be for a second.
Opening the front door to such a raft of people wasn’t typical. The place was tidy, thank God, and the three guys dotted in amongst others were an appreciated sight.
She got a salute, a smile, a nod, no doubt they weren’t sure what to say. Had the Colliers filled in Cam’s trio of guys? That would be a discussion for later.
The one person she needed wasn’t there. Not up there anyway. No cause for concern, that wasn’t unusual for the time of day.
Without asking, she went downstairs. And why shouldn’t she? She may have only been a part of Cam’s life for a few weeks, but he’d eradicated restrictions and barriers. That home was safe. Welcoming. And she’d taken it for granted.
No sign of him working out on the gym equipment back in its places as though the party never happened.
Not a glimmer of the night’s festivities remained.
Everyone else had done their jobs, the cleaners, the movers, the “revert everything back to normal” fairies.
Not her. She’d neglected her responsibilities all day.
At this time, Cam would be up to his eyeballs with his latest project.
On a normal day at least. Today? Maybe not so much.
He didn’t deserve to have this landed on him.
Was her choice to go to him selfish? The last thing she wanted to do was distract him from the work he loved.
At the very least, this was as good a time as any to give her notice.
As quiet as possible, she crept into his office and closed the door behind her without making a sound. Cam didn’t like his concentration interrupted; it could be absolute. Most days.
Seated on a stool at his drafting table, he had a pencil in hand, but it wasn’t in contact with the paper. She knew the feeling. Staring into nothing, Cam’s focus was somewhere else. She’d done that to him, poured her BS into his head and shaken it up until it fizzed over.
A couple of feet away, he must’ve sensed her because he turned just as she peeked into his periphery.
He didn’t say anything; neither did she.
With him being seated, his height was just low enough for her to slide her palms onto his cheeks.
For a few seconds, they gazed into each other.
Words weren’t needed to reconnect their bond.
Her hands went through his hair before grasping her elbows.
His embrace closing around her was such a relief. She hadn’t thought much about what she’d face with him. Cam was Cam. That was what she needed. Could he feel the same way about her?
She could have stayed there for an hour, maybe a whole day, just holding him, but she owed him more than silence.
“Roxie came to my apartment,” she murmured, arms still around him.
“I told her to leave you alone.”
To protect her or himself? Best to get their position clarified.
“Is that what you want? Me across town, out of your life?” Easing back, she met his eye. Their arms were sure of their hold and didn’t release the tension. “I can go.”
“If whatever Roxie said got you over here, I’ll build her a damn palace for free. You talked it out? Told her about you and Spencer? Do you have a plan of action?”
One of those would be a good idea. She hadn’t thought much past this.
Her neck relaxed. “No. Roxie seems like a good person. A really good person. She cares about you and your family.”
“Because she is family. You can trust her.”
“I trust you. I didn’t talk it out with her. If I’m going to talk it out with anyone, shouldn’t it be the guy I spent the night with?”
“You can tell me anything but owe me nothing. I’ll support whatever you want to do and if that means we forget any of this ever happened, we’ll forget it.”
“Did you send Roxie to me?”
“No one sends Roxie anywhere. She’s a law unto herself.”
“It would be easier for everyone if I disappeared. Is that what you want?”
The plan was to fill him in. Yet all she’d done was ask questions. It wasn’t her style to be insecure, even a little bit, but the thought of losing him for good did something to her vulnerabilities.
“You know me better than that,” he said. “And there’s no pressure, I’m a patient guy.”
She laughed. “Yeah, restraint of steel, that was one of the first things I learned about you.”
His head bopped side to side. “In that way too. But I meant about the other stuff, your past.”
It had never occurred to her that someone might come into her life who she’d want to share any of the past with.
Since losing Spencer, it had become normal to be on her own, to think for herself.
The easiest way to do that was to keep going, one day at a time.
Mason hadn’t cared, he’d never asked. She didn’t think anyone ever would.
Cam was the kind of guy no woman could anticipate. That didn’t mean he was obligated to her in any way. This conversation was optional. No, she didn’t want to be without him, but if that was what he needed, she’d go.
“I asked Brooker for another assignment.”
His ease became a frown. “Is that why you’re here? To tell me you’re leaving? I don’t want you to go.”
What a guy. Not only was he patient, he was clear. Communication was one of his strong suits. Was that really a surprise given his family specialty?
“I know you’d never want to hurt me. I honestly had no idea you were one of those Colliers. If I’d known, I never would’ve…”
Taken the job? Kissed him? What step did she regret?
“I didn’t mean to deceive you. It’s not something I bring up or confess often. I’m not embarrassed of who I am, I’m just used to people knowing.” He narrowed one eye. “Is that really arrogant?”
She pulled herself a half-inch closer. “I already knew you were full of yourself, no big revelation there.” His smile almost tempted her to kiss him.
What a ridiculous thing to be thinking at a time like this.
Now wasn’t the time to indulge herself. That wasn’t why she’d come. “There was a lot neither of us shared.”
“Now I get why you were reluctant. You went through something… traumatic. Lost a person you loved—”
“If I don’t talk about it, if I don’t trust someone…”
“You could be running for the rest of your life.”
“But you’re a Collier. Doesn’t that make you the absolute wrong person to talk to?”
“To trust?” he asked. “Do you think I would exploit you? That I would let anyone hurt you? My job is to protect you, Candy, and when it comes to family, it’s one I’m really good at. That said, I promised I would never ask you about him and I will keep that promise.”
She didn’t need him to be so vehement. Though that may not be for her benefit. Could be he was offended, and she got that.
“You can ask about him. The truth is out.” Sort of. “I think we’re past the point of denials.”
“Whatever you need.”
She trusted Cam. That didn’t mean getting the words out was easy.
“When we left and the press got interested…” She paced herself. “I’d never lived anything close to it. We were alone and…” She exhaled. “I trust you. You’re my unicorn, of course I trust you.”
“But of all the bars in all the world…”
Again, he proved he was right on her wavelength.
“Back then, in the early days, there was a lot of strain,” she said. “I couldn’t do much to help. I heard Spence argue, over and over again—”
“With his family?”
“With Whey Conglomerates mostly.”
“Yeah,” he said, “Whey was tight with Raith Senior, and Senior Senior before he passed. Don’t get Mimi started on the good ole days.”
He knew this stuff. They hadn’t been part of each other’s lives then, yet looking back, tangentially, they’d been so close.
“Is that why you weren’t friendly with the Raiths? Whey is your main competitor, right?”
“Ha,” he said on a kind of huffed breath. “Mine? No. Let’s not get the wires crossed here, baby. CollCom and WheyMC are often chowing from the same trough…”
“But…?”
“My name is Camden Collier. I am a Collier. A CollCom Collier, yes. But I’m not one of those Colliers, I’m not a ‘Collier.’”
“Okay.” Thank you for making absolutely zero sense. “You’re… adopted… or mutated?”
He laughed. “Not exactly.”
“Did you divorce your parents?”
“Now that would make headlines.” It sure would. “I have as much pull as my brothers, in the family, but if you want a deal done or to leverage one thing for another… You owe me, I owe you, all that inside-outside politicking crap? Yeah, you’ve got the wrong Collier. You want Casp for that.”
“Interesting. I love some good politicking. Is he celibate too?”
“Not last I heard,” he admitted, his brows rising. “It’s not catching; you forget how much time I spend around Noble?”
“So how about you slip me Casp’s number?”
“Good luck getting him out the office… or to remember your name.”
“A touch of the whoreness about him, huh? You have another one, right? Brother? One last contender?”
“Knox? Just missed him. Sorry. He got married a couple of months ago,” he said. “And the idiot’s faithful. Nauseatingly so. Not his fault. She’s a sweetheart, you couldn’t hate her if you tried.”
“Damn.” She squeezed closer. “Guess I’m stuck with the man who’s faithful to his chastity.”
“Guess you are.”
“That’s okay. I’d rather have the saint than the whore.” The body heat, the beat of his sure heart. The way his breath warmed her hair… Shit. A hug was turning her on. “The saints will always confess and my vibrator’s all the whore I need.”
“Mm. Next time you spend the night, you can prove that.”
“Oh, and how would I do that, Mr. Collier?”
“I’m a great audience.”