Chapter Fifteen
Hammer kept an eye on Camila, noticing how she kept glancing toward the hallway that led to the offices. He wasn’t sure if it was his office and what Goliath had caught them doing or Bulldog’s request to see them that was on her mind.
When they’d finished eating, he handed their plates off to one of the prospects, then stood and held one hand in her direction.
“We’ve got a meeting to get to. You’ll be around later?
” he said to Bishop. The other man nodded.
Hammer nodded to Winter then set a hand on Camila’s back and urged her toward the hallway.
The sooner they found out what the prez wanted, the sooner he could move on to something they would both enjoy.
He knew his president well enough to know that if whatever this was about was bad, then he wouldn’t have made them wait.
He would have held off telling them he wanted to see them until he was ready to discuss whatever the issue was.
When they reached Bulldog’s office, the door stood open and Bulldog sat behind his desk.
Hammer knocked on the open door but urged Camila inside without waiting for an invitation.
He nodded to one of the chairs and let her sit, then he took the other.
When she knotted her hands together in her lap, he reached over and covered them.
She met his gaze. He tugged at one finger until she released her other hand and took his.
He gave her hand a squeeze then turned back to Bulldog.
The president’s gaze flicked from their joined hands to Hammer as he lifted one brow.
“I know it’s only been a couple of days since you got here, but I wanted to see how you’re settling in,” Bulldog said to Camila. He watched her, but Hammer noticed his gaze flick down to their hands then back up to her face.
“It’s been good. I’ve met so many people I can’t remember everyone’s names. And today I started helping Wrench at the shop.”
“You’re working on cars?” Bulldog’s brows shot up to his hairline.
Camila shook her head. “I’m answering the phone. I’m learning to schedule appointments and that kind of thing.”
“I didn’t know you knew how to do anything like that,” the president said.
“I didn’t. But I’m learning.”
“That’s great. How’s it going?”
“Not as well as I’d like, but Wrench says I’m doing okay and I’ll pick it up.” She shrugged but didn’t pull her hand out of his. “I’m not as sure. I’m afraid I’m abysmal at it but Wrench tells me to give it a week before I give up.”
Bulldog looked at her consideringly as he nodded slowly. “Aside from how you think you’re doing, how do you like the job?”
She lifted one brow. “It’s okay. There’s a lot to learn, I like that. I know next to nothing about cars, not even how to drive, but I’m willing to learn.”
“You don’t know how to drive?”
Camila shook her head. “I never needed to know. I only ever left the estate with someone, either Papá, Maria, or Papá’s men.”
“Did you never want to learn?” Hammer couldn’t hold the question back.
“I did. And I asked once.” She shuddered visibly, as if thinking about when she’d asked to learn to drive had brought back a memory she would rather not recall. He squeezed her hand to remind her that she wasn’t there anymore, that her father couldn’t hold her back any longer.
“Would you like to learn now?” Bulldog asked.
“I’d love to. But I should probably work for a while, then get a job that pays so I can afford to get a car.” Camila shrugged.
Hammer made a mental note to talk to Wrench about finding a reliable secondhand vehicle and getting it running and dependable for her.
He had no intention of waiting until she could afford it to get her mobile.
Now that she’d shown him he was the only one she was interested in, he planned to make sure she never wanted anyone else.
Making sure she could drive and had a safe car to get around in was a small way to do that.
“Decent plan,” Bulldog said. “Have you thought about what else you want to do?”
“What do you mean?” Camila asked, a crease forming between her brows.
“Do you even want to stay in Phoenix? Maybe you’d like it better somewhere else?”
Camila’s eyes went wide. She stared at Bulldog then turned to Hammer. “Is there some reason I can’t stay here?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Bulldog hurried to say. “I just thought you might want to be farther from your father. Speaking of...” the president trailed off, looking down at his desk then back up at her. Hammer suspected they were finally getting to the real reason they’d been summoned.
“I got word from an ally that your father knows something is wrong. He knows you’re gone, but not where you are.
I just thought that if you have no desire to go back to him, then you might feel safer a little farther away.
We have chapters all over the country. I can reach out to some of them and find someone willing to take you in, if you want to put some distance between you. I mean more than a few hours.”
Hammer held his breath and tried to ignore the way his heart raced as he waited to hear what she would say.
He wanted to speak up to say he would protect her.
He would keep her safe from the sadistic fucker who called himself her father.
But it had to be her decision. He had to let her make the choice for herself.
She’d had so few of them, he wouldn’t take that away from her, not if he could help it.
“No.” Camila said with a shake of her head. “I’m getting settled here. I like everyone. I think I’m finding my place. If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay.”
Hammer felt like every muscle in his body went weak.
He squeezed her hand again, silently reassuring her he was still there and he wanted her to stay.
He’d held off until she’d given an answer, but now that she had, he wanted to pick her up and spin in circles while he laughed.
He didn’t of course, but that didn’t stop the desire to pull her into his arms, to feel her against him.
Bulldog watched her for several seconds and Hammer wished he knew what the older man was thinking, what he was looking for. The president nodded once.
“Very well. Is there anything you need? Anything we can get to make you more comfortable?”
She shook her head.
“Everyone’s been great. I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“Very well. If you need anything, Hammer can tell you who to go to. That’s all.” Bulldog looked back and forth between the two of them as he leaned back in his chair. “If you have nothing for me, then you’re free to go.”
Hammer stood then tugged Camila to her feet.
“Come on, carino. How would you like to go for a ride?”
“A ride?” she asked, her voice uncertain.
“Come on, I’ll show you.” He led her outside to his bike. He’d been thinking about this all day and he couldn’t wait to get her on the bike at his back.