Chapter Eighteen
MARS
We stayed in the room for two days, either making love or ordering room service while we waited for something…
anything to happen. I checked in with Candy twice daily for updates.
They were at least close to forming a plan.
Lincoln Snow’s team had been sitting on the docks at the L.A.
harbor, watching for movement into numerous warehouses which were rented out to various and sundry companies to house their cargo until it could be distributed to other warehouses across the country.
Josiah’s original location—where the FBI had found a ton of cars after the drug raid—was now empty.
He’d never gone back, which only made sense, after the incident with Cam.
Snow had been hoping Josiah wouldn’t be alone, if he turned up at all.
Special Agent Bob Crowley would be on the stakeout to identify cartel members if they accompanied a man who might be Sterling, since he knew all the players to look for in the world of drug trafficking.
None of us knew what he looked like since the one opportunity we’d had when Cam had delivered the Maybach, hadn’t panned out with pictures.
If Sterling was involved with the cartel as well as the theft of high-end vehicles, the presence of cartel soldiers or better yet, the head of one of them, it would confirm the FBI’s suspicions.
I’d been ordered to the office for a debrief in the morning with Cam. We’d finally find out what was going on and get a feel for how he was going to play his part. I was worried but knew it would do Cam the world of good just to get out of the room. He was going bat shit crazy.
Cam had checked in with Napoleon and Mickey twice a day and to his relief, his mum had taken to her new nurse like a fish to water.
I’d known Napoleon’s mum would be good for her.
She was a kind-hearted soul who put everything and everyone first. It was just her nature.
I was relieved they’d gotten on so well, but since she’d raised Napoleon to be a stand-up bloke, it naturally followed that she’d be good to Cam’s mum as well.
We were both feeling claustrophobic, and I suggested we go to the pool for a good, long swim.
It’d been days since I’d had a workout even though there was a nice gym right here in the hotel.
I hadn’t wanted to risk too much time outside the room.
But if Cam didn’t have the chance to work off a little of the banked up energy which buzzed under the surface with something other than a good, long fucking, he’d be no good to anyone.
“Do you have trunks with you?” Cam asked, looking over the few choices he had in his drawer.
Shite. I hadn’t actually thought about what he’d wear if we went swimming. “I ‘ave trunks…um…two pair actually, but you’ll never fit in the ones I own.”
Cam stopped what he was doing and looked up at me. “Why do you have two pairs of swim trunks with you?”
I shrugged. “I keep them in my locker at the office since I like to swim sometimes after work. They were ‘eaded ‘ome to throw in the washing machine with the rest of my laundry.”
He straightened as he grinned. “So, you’re telling me they smell like your ass?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Why should the fact that ya can’t keep your mind out of my pants surprise me, ya ‘orney little bugger?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “When it comes to you, Mars…I think about what you’re packing all the time, baby.” He held out his hand and wriggled his fingers. “Turn them over.”
I snorted and pulled out a drawer. “Just go in your underpants. I’m telling ya, Cam. They won’t fit.”
He cocked his head and screwed up his face. “Let me be the judge.”
I shook my head, grinning as I pulled the smaller pair out and handed them over. He held them up to his waist as I watched in amusement. He was at least four inches smaller in the waist even though the trunks had a drawstring.
He nodded. “I can make these work,” he said confidently. He set them on top of the dresser and shucked his jeans and boxer briefs before pulling on the trunks. They hung clownishly off his hips. I slapped a hand over my mouth to cover a bark of laughter, threatening to burst free.
“Ya look like a lad wearing ‘is dad’s clothes.”
He blew me a raspberry as he dug inside the waistband until he found the drawstring, then pulled it as tight as he could, making him look like he was wearing a drawstring bag. The trunks fell below his knees; his calves looked like toothpicks. I cracked up.
“Haha. Look who thinks he’s funny,” he grumbled, tucking the laces away.
Before I could protest, he’d pranced away in the direction of the bathroom.
I laughed even harder at how he looked from behind but did as I was told, stripping down and pulling on my trunks.
I slipped back into my shoes, and we grabbed bathrobes but not before concealing my Glock in a rolled-up towel.
By the time we’d decided to go to the rooftop pool, it was only thirty minutes before closing time.
Our key cards let us in, and I was pleased the place was empty.
We walked over to the far side of the pool so I would have a clear view of anyone coming through the door.
I scanned the area again, just to make sure we really were alone before leaving my gun and shrugging off my bathrobe to follow Cam to the edge of the pool.
I sat, dangling my feet in the bright blue water and watched him back up several paces before running at the pool and executing a perfect cannon ball as he jumped in.
The water made a terrific splash as he sank to the bottom of the pool.
The trunks he’d been wearing floated to the top seconds before his head popped free of the water.
I doubled over, cracking up at the trunks floating just out of Cam’s reach.
I caught sight of his pale bum bobbing in the water as he swam over, catching them in one hand.
When he turned back to me, I had tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard.
The smile on his face was priceless as he ducked his head under water.
I watched him struggle back into the things under the surface and then come up for air before he swam over to me.
Cam set both hands either side of my hips on the decking, bobbing up and down as he turned his sweet face up to me. He was so beautiful, black hair swept back and dripping down his perfect, heart-shaped face, radiant in the moonlight. He smiled up at me, holding up one hand.
“Come swim with me.”
I broke eye contact and did a paranoid double check around. I’d wanted a swim but now wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. “I shouldn’t. Anyone can come out ‘ere.”
He wriggled his fingers. “Josiah has no idea where we’re staying and no one is coming out here. Come on, Mars. Swim with me.”
I debated for only a few heartbeats and finally decided he was probably right.
“Fine.” I grasped his hand and slid into the water, immediately allowing myself to be drawn into his embrace.
I stared at him for a few seconds before taking his face in my hands, bringing him to my lips.
He relaxed into the kiss, wrapping both legs around my hips, momentarily dragging us both under.
I wrapped my arms around him, still kissing him, enjoying the fact that he tasted the same under water.
After a few seconds, though, I broke the kiss, breaking the surface and hanging onto him with one hand as I reached for the decking so we wouldn’t go under again.
Cam was beautiful, like a breathtaking siren of the sea, sent to lure men to their doom.
The moment I thought it, I knew it was true.
I was already too close to him, knowing I was losing the internal battle.
I would’ve always protected him with my life but now, I would be protecting him with my heart as well. Fuuuck me. How had I let it happen?
Cam twined his arms around my neck, drawing my lips to his, and I kissed him again, clinging to his slim body to keep him from slipping away.
We stayed that way for several minutes, enjoying the closeness when the far door to the pool deck suddenly squeaked.
He sprang away from me as my head shot up, heart hammering. It was just the pool attendant.
He held up a hand as I circled Cam’s waist, holding him close and cursing myself for being caught out with my weapon ten feet away.
The man smiled and waved. “The pool is closing, gentlemen,” he called out. “Let me get you some towels.”
I raised my hand and waved back. “Thank you!”
I let go of Cam, watching as the pool attendant went about his business straightening up the loungers into neat rows and dropping the umbrellas for the night.
Cam got out and headed to our lounger as I kept my eye on the man. When he leaned down, holding out my rolled towel with my gun inside, I breathed out a sigh of relief and pulled myself out of the water, keeping an eye on the pool man at all times before I climbed out.
The attendant dropped off two big pool towels and ducked into the kiosk. I quickly shrugged on my bathrobe and shoes, and put an arm around Cam, leading him to the door. I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until we were behind closed doors in our room.
The next morning, we were up at the crack of dawn, heading down to the Camaro. I was armed and alert, as we drove to the office, and I parked in the underground garage.
We went straight to our large conference room to be briefed on whatever Candy, Snow, his entire team, and the others involved in Josiah’s takedown had planned. My team was also there along with Bob Crowley and SAC Clara Bowman from auto theft. We sat down, crowding around the drop-down screen.