Chapter 5
Chapter Five
S askia couldn’t stop shivering.
She was still damp, and the cool, night air wasn’t helping. She pulled the blanket someone had given her tighter around her body.
But thankfully Cam’s intense body heat was slowly warming her up.
They were sitting by the pool, police striding around everywhere. The guests had been corralled inside for questioning. Police officers were with the women.
Saskia was sitting on Cam’s lap on an outdoor chair, her face pressed against his neck. She shivered again and his arms tightened around her.
“How’s she doing?” a deep voice asked.
“She’s cold. She’s still wet and a little shocky.” Cam’s voice rumbled under her ear.
“I’m okay,” she whispered. She looked up at Hunt.
Her best friend’s man was good-looking, with a muscled body under his suit, and a rugged face. It was obvious that he and Cam were brothers, although Hunt looked very cop-like, while Cam had a harder, sharper edge.
“How are the other women?” she asked.
“They’re being questioned and taken care of.” Hunt blew out a breath. “Some of them have been here a while.” Anger vibrated through his voice.
Saskia felt sick. Her hand convulsed and clenched on Cam’s shirt.
“Mikhailov?” Cam asked.
A muscle ticked in Hunt’s jaw. “He got away. Witnesses saw a Bentley speed away soon after the shooting started.”
Saskia stiffened. “That monster is still out there?”
“Hey.” Cam tipped her face up. “You’re safe. We aren’t going to let anything happen to you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
She nodded, throat tight. It was shocking how safe he made her feel.
“Mikhailov is a horrible man.”
Cam’s face changed. “Did he touch you?”
“No. Not really.”
Cam’s fingers tightened on her arms. “What’s not really mean?”
“Cam…” Hunt’s voice held a note of warning.
“He tried,” she whispered. “He kissed me. I bit him.”
Now a muscle ticked in Cam’s jaw. She realized how tense his body was beneath her.
She cupped his cheek, feeling the ridge of his scar under her fingers. She stroked his skin. “I’m all right. There are others here who have suffered far worse than me.”
He hauled her closer. “That sick fuck is going down.”
“You aren’t hunting him alone.”
The new voice sent shivers down Saskia’s spine. It sounded like the sharpest blade.
She looked up at Vander Norcross.
He was objectively good-looking, but the lethal edge made him look dangerous. He was a man who reminded her strongly of her brother.
Vander’s team stood behind him. She recognized Rome, Rhys, Siv, and Saxon. Vander’s dark gaze moved over her, assessing. Killian had the same vibe, but her brother was her brother, so she wasn’t afraid of him.
Vander, however, looked like he could stage a coup and it would be over before anyone knew what was going on. And his team behind him looked edgy, like they wanted to fight more people.
“Mikhailov came onto our turf and pulled this shit.” Vander gave a hard shake of his head. “No, we’ll all be hunting him down.”
“Vander, you should leave this to the police,” Hunt said.
Vander just crossed his arms over his chest.
Hunt sighed. “Fuck.”
Saskia snuggled deeper against Cam. For the first time since this horrible ordeal began, she truly felt safe.
Thanks to Cam. A man she didn’t know well, but whose inner strength and core of honor shone through his rugged, scarred exterior.
She knew he thought he was too broken for a relationship. She disagreed. And this abduction underscored just how fragile life could be. How everything could be snatched away in the blink of an eye.
From now on, she planned to grab onto life. Do all the things she dreamed about.
Go after the things that mattered.
“Saskia!”
The female voice made her head jerk up.
Addie, still in a pink dress but wrapped in a blanket, ran out of the house.
“ Addie .” Saskia rose, but couldn’t make herself let go of Cam. He stood with her and held her hand.
“Oh, my Lord.” Addie threw her arms around Saskia. “I’m so glad that you’re okay.”
Saskia hugged the woman with one arm. “Are you hurt, Addie? Did anyone hurt you?”
“I’m fine. Totally fine.” Tears ran down her cheeks. “Gosh, when you jumped off the roof into the pool…” Then she looked up and her gaze snagged on Cam, Hunt, Vander, and the others. Addie blinked. “Um…”
“Addie, these are my friends. They found us. Guys, this is Addie, a dancer from New York who was taken with me.”
Hunt nodded. “I’m Detective Hunter Morgan. I’m sorry this happened to you, Addie.”
“Thank you. I am…I’ll be fine now, Detective.” Addie’s gaze took in Saskia and Cam’s clasped hands.
“Hunt is my best friend’s fiancé,” Saskia told her.
“And who is this?” Addie looked at Cam, a small smile blooming on her face.
“This is my…Cam. This is Cam.”
“Your Cam, huh? Well, I’m very glad you’re friends with a team of badasses, Saskia.” Then Addie’s voice cracked.
“Oh, Addie.” Saskia gripped the woman’s hand and squeezed.
“I’m fine.” The blonde sniffed and lifted her chin. “I heard some of the women inside sharing their stories…” She shuddered.
Hunt put a hand on Addie’s shoulder and waved a female officer over. “Why don’t we get you a hot drink, Addie?”
The woman nodded. “That would be lovely.”
Addie and Saskia hugged again. Saskia watched the woman go, her head held high.
“Saskia, Savannah’s prepared the guest room at our place for you,” Hunt said. “She’s pretty eager to see you. She’s sent me about twenty messages.”
Instant fear flooded Saskia. Her throat went tight. “No. I…” She couldn’t explain her feelings. Her fingers clenched on Cam’s.
She knew she’d be safe with Hunt and Savannah. He was a freaking cop, after all. But…she felt safe with Cam. She didn’t want to leave him.
“I don’t…” She turned to Cam.
His green gaze was unreadable, his mouth a flat line. “You should go with Hunt. Savannah will take care of you.”
It felt like a rejection. Saskia took a step back and saw his mouth flatten even more. But she still held on to his hand.
“I want to go with you,” she said.
“Saskia…” He lifted her hand.
“ Please ,” she whispered. “I want to feel safe. I…” Her face crumpled. There were too many emotions churning inside her, added to her exhaustion.
Cam muttered a curse and yanked her to him.
She wrapped her arms around his body. “You probably just want to get rid of me…”
“No, that’s not it. Savannah can take care of you. A woman’s touch.”
“I don’t want Savannah right now. I want you.”
His hands convulsed. She gripped him tighter, couldn’t let go.
“Saskia,” Hunt said, in a low soothing tone. “I promise we’ll—”
“No. No .” She shook her head.
They all probably thought she was crazy.
“She’s coming with me,” Cam said.
And finally, Saskia’s panic subsided.
* * *
Cam unlocked his front door and let Saskia inside.
“This is nice.” She wandered into his apartment, looking around.
“I’m just renting it off Easton.”
The two-bed apartment was in a great building in SoMa, a short drive from the Norcross Security office. The floor-to-ceiling windows gave a great view of the city, and he liked the wooden floors.
She nodded, sliding her arms around herself.
She was still in the pretty blue dress with the blanket around her shoulders.
“It’s classy and masculine. I love the wood and dark cabinets in the kitchen.
” Her gaze moved to him. “You’re renting because you haven’t felt settled enough to buy a place of your own? ”
He resisted the urge to shift his feet. They’d talked on the phone, and he’d shared some stuff, but not everything.
He shrugged a shoulder. Hell, when he’d first come home to San Francisco, he wasn’t sure he’d even stay. He’d been recovering from the bomb blast, grieving for his best friend, Kris, who’d died in the blast. Cam hadn’t been sure he could stay.
Thankfully, the job at Norcross Security suited him.
And his family was relentless. His mom dropped around frequently. He went out for beers and a burger with his brothers. Although, now that they’d both fallen in love, that might decrease a bit.
Cam didn’t mind. He was happy for Hunt and Ryder, and he liked Savannah and Siv. Siv was also a friend now, since they worked together. Cam would have the woman on his team any day.
Saskia shivered.
“Shower,” he said. “You need to get warm.”
She looked at the floor. “I need to get clean.”
He told himself not to touch her. He couldn’t risk getting too close. He told her that he’d keep her safe, and that meant protecting her from himself as well.
“I’ll find you some clothes to wear, then make you some…” she needed something warm and soothing “…tea.”
She nodded. “Tea sounds good.”
Crap, he hoped he had tea.
He led her to the guest bedroom. The bed was covered in a cream cover and a geometric artwork painting in blue and orange hung on the wall. He gestured to the adjoining bathroom. “Clean towels are in the cabinet.”
Big brown eyes met his. “Thanks, Cam.”
He nodded.
Once he heard the shower start, he headed to his own room.
There wasn’t much in the way of decoration. A dark-blue wall behind the metal bed added some color. There was a rich, gray bed cover that his mother had given him, and a small painting Savannah had gifted him.
It was a long, graceful dancer, mid-twirl.
He rummaged in his closet and found a clean T-shirt and some sweatpants. He knew they’d be far too big for Saskia, but they’d have to do for now.
He headed back to leave them outside the bathroom. Then he heard the sobs.
His hands clenched. He knew he should walk away, but a part deep inside of him needed to keep her safe.
Even from her pain.
Cam opened the bathroom door, and what he found made his battered heart squeeze.
Saskia sat in the bottom of the shower stall, still in her dress. Her hair was loose and drenched. She was crying like her heart was broken.
He toed his shoes off and stepped into the shower. He dropped down beside her and pulled her onto his lap.
With a sob, she curled into him, clinging tight. The water soaked his clothes, but he’d been in far worse situations.