Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
W hen the vehicle slowed, Saskia woke from her doze.
“We’ll get some food here, and I’ll get some supplies to take with us,” he said.
Saskia nodded and climbed out, feeling a few delicious twinges. She’d have bruises on her hips from his fingers after that hard, furious fuck at the safe house. She smiled. She had no regrets.
“Where are we?” she asked, as they walked toward the diner.
“Sonoma.” He pushed open the door and held it open for her.
The diner was traditional, with simple wooden tables, touches of green, and framed, vineyard art on the walls. There was a long counter with stools, and a few men sitting there eating burgers.
Cam nodded at the older waitress.
“Take a seat,” the woman called.
He led Saskia to a table in the back.
She perused the menu. “Oh, sweet-potato fries.” She wrinkled her nose, sniffing the air. “And I smell fried chicken.”
“So, order them.”
“My inner dancer is yelling at me to be healthy.”
He reached across and took her hand. “I think you’ve burned the calories today.”
Heat hit her cheeks. “You’re right.” If she wasn’t dancing full-time, she wouldn’t have to watch her diet quite so carefully.
Professional dancers had to be fit and limber, and the pressure to stay in shape could be intimidating.
That was something she wanted to expand on, if she started a school.
Dancing for everyone, of all shapes, sizes, and ages. “I’ll have the fries and chicken.”
He smiled. A real, full-on smile. She stared at his rugged face. She wanted to see him do that more often. Wanted to be the reason he did that.
Her heart squeezed. God, falling in love could be big and scary.
They ordered. When the food arrived, Cam dug into his burger. Saskia took her time, savoring every bite of her chicken and fries.
“I need to use the restroom,” Cam said.
She nodded.
He didn’t move.
She looked up and saw him scowling. She glanced around the nearly empty diner. “Cam, I’ll stay right here. If anyone comes in, I’ll run your way. It’s highly unlikely anyone knows where we are, right?”
His scowl deepened.
“Go.” She shooed him.
“Don’t move,” he said.
She shot him a look, and he reluctantly headed toward the restrooms.
She suspected he’d always be like this, even when she didn’t have an obsessed bad guy after her. She licked some salt off her fingers. Camden had a well-developed overprotective streak. He’d probably drive her crazy at times, but a deep, feminine part of her liked it.
She kept eating, enjoying every bite. She popped another fry her in mouth and noticed that one of the guys eating at the counter had peeled away and was headed toward her.
He smiled at her. “Hi, there.”
Uh-oh . She eyed the door to the restroom. No sign of Cam.
The guy was in his mid-twenties, good-looking with thick, dark curly hair. He knew he was good-looking. It was obvious in the way he held himself. She knew the type. He wore fitted jeans and a black Henley, and had very tanned skin. He looked like he worked outdoors.
“Hi. Look, my boyfriend will be back in a moment, and he’s the real jealous type.”
The guy’s glamorous smile widened. “I’m just being friendly. I thought women these days didn’t like Neanderthal tactics from men.”
“Yes, well, we’re complicated.”
He tucked his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I just have to say, you’re really beautiful.”
“Thanks, but I was born like this, so I can’t really take any credit.”
“Sounds like you’re from New York. You gonna be around here long?”
The hairs on the back of her neck rose. The guy was asking too many questions. Was he just being overly nosy, or was it something else?
“We’re just passing through,” she said. “On our honeymoon.”
The man’s brows rose. “I thought you said he was your boyfriend?”
Shit . She sucked at this undercover thing. “It’s a trial-run honeymoon. Look—”
She saw Cam emerge. His gaze locked on the guy, and his face turned to rock.
Uh-oh. “Ah, here he comes now. Nice chatting.”
Cam stopped behind her. “Go.”
The man stiffened. “I was just being friendly.”
“Go.” Cam’s voice was like gravel.
The younger man puffed up his chest. “Maybe I should teach you some manners.”
Oh, God. Saskia shot to her feet. “Please don’t. He’s former military, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.”
“I’m a vet, too,” the man said. “Did a few years in the Army.”
Cam crossed his arms over his chest and stayed silent.
Saskia turned to him. “Let’s go.”
“What unit were you with?” the man asked. “I was 18th Infantry Regiment .”
Cam pulled out his wallet and tossed some money on the table. He pressed a hand to her lower back.
“Maybe you’re lying about being in the military to impress your woman.”
Saskia rolled her eyes.
“Hey, Fred, got a guy here lying about being a veteran,” the man called out.
Anger sparked. Saskia knew just how much Cam had sacrificed. How much he’d given serving his country, and just how much it had taken from him.
She whipped around.
Cam grabbed her arm. “Hey—”
“No.” She glared at her unwanted admirer. “My man is a hero, asshole. He served his country and he lost his best friend. He isn’t saying anything because he was special forces. He can’t say anything, and he doesn’t go around using it to impress people.”
The man’s smile slipped. Then, he leaned on the back of a stool. “Sounds like a story, doll. I still think you need a real man. One who—”
It happened so fast she barely saw Cam move. He snatched a knife off the table, and threw it.
It hit the stool with a thwack . Right between two of the guy’s fingers.
The man yelped and staggered back, running into another chair. His friends stared, their mouths open.
Saskia shot the idiot a smug smile. Then Cam grabbed the waistband of her jeans and pulled her outside.
“You were supposed to get me if someone approached,” Cam growled.
“No, I said if someone new came into the diner. That idiot was already in there.” She grinned. “That thing with the knife.” She leaned in. “Hot. So hot.” She pressed her hands to his chest and kissed him.
He made a disgruntled sound and kissed her back.
“Get in the truck. The sooner I get you to the safe house the better.”
* * *
Cam drove past more vineyards. The sun was setting, turning everything golden, but he spotted the storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
Suited their situation. He felt Mikhailov like clouds on the horizon, too.
He glanced sideways at Saskia. She seemed fine, but there were faint lines around her mouth, and her hands were twisted together in her lap.
He’d get her free of this, one way or another.
His gut cramped. Then what? She’d want to go back to her dancing. And her career was in New York.
His hands clamped on the wheel. He was falling for her. With Saskia, he wanted to be a better man. With her in his arms, all the noise in his head went quiet.
He saw the unmarked turnoff and took the turn.
Saskia sat up straighter, peering ahead. He slowly drove down the long, gravel driveway. Ahead, a huge warehouse building came into view, along with a simple cottage and some sheds.
“What is this place?” she asked.
“Vander bought it about a year ago. It’s a training center. The warehouse is set up for close quarters tactical training. It’s a shoot house. We can train in close quarters and in night vision warfare.”
“Wow.”
“Vander has plans to upgrade it. Rent it out, run courses, but he hasn’t had a chance yet. So, no one knows that Vander owns it.”
Saskia smiled. “I guess he’s been busy this year, and probably didn’t plan to fall in love.”
“I’m pretty sure that was not on his to-do list.”
But Vander had fallen for Brynn. Cam’s hands tightened. Vander was the toughest badass he knew, and he’d finally happily accepted that Brynn was his forever. From watching the pair, Cam had no doubts that Vander was all in with Brynn.
Cam had been so sure when he got back to San Francisco that love was beyond him. Then he’d seen Saskia, and he’d been fighting his feelings ever since.
He cut the engine, climbed out, and opened the old garage beside the cottage. A gray Chevy Colorado was parked inside. He pulled their truck in beside it.
“Let’s get inside.” Night was falling and the temperature was dropping. “Warning, the cottage is very simple, and in dire need of renovation.”
He carried their bags inside while Saskia carried the grocery bags of food they’d nabbed in Sonoma.
The incident at the diner still worried him. If anyone was looking for them, asking around, and those idiots talked…
Cam shook his head. This training center was secure. It had a state-of-the-art security system, with sensors around the perimeter. It was linked to his phone, so he’d know as soon as anyone entered the grounds.
The cottage wasn’t fancy. There was a simple kitchen and living area, three bedrooms—two filled with bunks for when a group of them came out to train. One had a queen bed, and he set their bags down in there, while Saskia put the food away in the fridge.
“Home sweet home,” she said.
There was a faint edge to her words. “How are you holding up?”
She nodded. “Fine.” She managed a smile. “I have an entire team of badasses protecting me.” She walked up to him and kissed his jaw. “And my very own badass taking very special care of me.”
He hugged her, drawing in her scent.
“I won’t lie though,” she said. “I can’t wait for it to be over.”
He knew she meant the situation with Mikhailov, but it still felt like he’d taken a knife to the gut. Did that mean him, too? Was she desperate to get back to her normal life?
She’s hugging you, you idiot. So that probably doesn’t include you.
He really needed to get his head on straight. He was here to keep her safe. Everything else had to wait.
“Want to see the shoot house?” he asked.
Her eyes lit up with interest. “Yes.”
He led her across to the warehouse. There was a pin pad on the door, and he entered the code. The door opened, and the inside was dark and cavernous.
As they stepped inside, lights clicked on in the entry. They illuminated racks of laser training weapons, as well as night vision goggles.
She gasped. “Are those real guns?”
“No. They’re laser weapons.”
She smiled. “So, you big, tough security guys come here and play laser tag?”
He smiled back. “Tactical training.”
“Sure,” she teased.
He grabbed a set of night vision goggles. “How about we test it out?”
Her brows raised. “I’ll probably be terrible.”
“Don’t worry, I’m a good teacher.” He leaned down and nipped her lips. “And you can always bribe me later for a better mark.”
“Really?” She brushed her body against his. “I like the idea of that.”
He settled the goggles over her head, then pulled a smaller laser rifle off the rack and handed it to her. He showed her how to use it.
Her smile was a flash of white as she looked it over. “Ooh, I feel so tough.”
He swatted her butt. “Go. The main floor is filled with obstacles, and the back of the warehouse is fitted out with a two-story office space. I’ll give you a head start, then—” he narrowed his gaze and lowered his voice “—I’m coming to find you.”
“We’ll see.” She spun and took off into the warehouse.
Smiling, Cam selected a laser rifle of his own.
God, how much more did he smile now, since Saskia came into his life?
When he’d first met her, despite the pull, he hadn’t been ready. He’d been too lost. Still too broken and raw.
But being home, with his mom, brothers, friends, and working at Norcross, and now Saskia, he’d slowly been healing.
The pieces would never fit back together the way they had before. He touched the scar on his cheek.
But that was okay.
He thought of Kris.
I’ll always love you, man. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.
He felt none of the usual choking, black sorrow, just the bittersweet throb of things he couldn’t change. He thought he heard the echo of Kris’ laugh.
Live, Morgan. And have a drink for me.
Turning, Cam strode across the warehouse to find his woman. “You can’t run from me, ballerina.”
He heard a distant giggle and shook his head. She’d be a terrible Ghost Ops recruit.
He moved through the obstacles—chairs, desks, crates, and temporary walls. Then he heard her footsteps on the metal stairs. She was going up to the office area.
That’s when he heard something else. A ping from his phone.
Stilling, he yanked it out.
Someone had tripped the exterior sensor alarms.
Fuck .