"I called a friend of mine to look into the background of Camille Thompson, and what he found out was pretty eye-opening."
Griffin groaned and flopped back against the edge of the bar.
"Stuart, spit it out and stop with all the drama," Griffin said, his voice taking on the same bored tone Riley's had just moments before.
"She's wanted for kidnapping."
"Kidnapping?" Griffin repeated the word. It didn't quite make sense the first time he heard it.
"Yeah, now, it's not completely official because there was never an AMBER Alert set up for it, which I thought was pretty odd. But a report was filed with the sheriff's office in a town west of here called Keene. Nothing more happened with the report and no charges were brought, which I also thought was pretty strange."
"So you're telling me this why? Basically, you've got nothing and you're grasping at straws, Stuart. Reports were filed but no charges were ever pressed, so it's not really kidnapping."
Stuart shook his head and shrugged. "Look, it's not my place to pass judgement. My only point in all of this is that Camille is bad news and for some reason you seem to be buried up to your neck in it with her."
"So you did all of this because you were worried about me?" Griffin asked, his tone betraying his complete disbelief over his brother’s concern.
Stuart had never done anything to help him; he'd only ever been too happy to land him in even more trouble at every given opportunity, so what had changed now?
"Of course I'm worried about you, you idiot. We don't always get along…"
Griffin snorted. "Understatement of the century."
Stuart shot him a look before he continued. "But at the end of the day you're my brother and I saw something in your face when you looked at Camille, something I recognised."
Griffin downed the rest of his drink, the shock of his brother's sudden confession rendering him speechless.
"What did you recognise?" Griffin asked when he finally found his voice once more.
"I had that same look when I first found Ellie. I couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with me or what I was feeling. I just knew that, no matter what, I had to hold on to her somehow, protect her… Only if she'd let me, though. Ellie isn't exactly a damsel in distress." Stuart grinned.
The way he spoke about Ellie changed everything about Stuart, softened him somehow in a way Griffin had never expected to see from his hard ass older brother.
Griffin sighed and shook his head. "I'm not sure what you mean when you’re talking about my feelings for Cami…"
Stuart smiled, but it was more of a secretive grin than anything else, and it left Griffin feeling a little bit like an outsider when he realised Stuart was sharing the look with Riley.
"I know you don't know what your feelings are, Griffin, which is why I'm giving you this information. You don't really know this girl and yet there's something about her that you're clinging to.
"You need to go and have a proper conversation with her, an honest one. And if she's still the person you think she is, then maybe the complications she's bringing to the table will be worth it. But that's something you're going to have to figure out for yourself."
Stuart's advice made perfect sense; he was right when he said Griffin didn't really know Cami. He hardly knew anything about her at all, but for some reason he'd blurted out to her earlier that he would protect her.
"Fine, who did she kidnap… allegedly?" Griffin asked, standing a little taller.
"Her little sister. Their mom died in a robbery gone wrong; she was shot. That left Camille and her sister living with her sister's dad, Cami's stepdad."
“Her sister?" Griffin asked, the pieces of the puzzle slowly beginning to fall into place.
"Yeah, a Sophie Brand. When Camille's mom remarried, Camille didn't take her stepdad's name," Stuart said.
Griffin nodded and headed for the door.
"Where are you off to?" Riley asked, turning in his seat. He'd remained silent throughout the entire conversation and Griffin wished that he'd stayed that way.
"I'm going to see her. Like Stuart said," Griffin added as he pulled open the door.
"Fine, but just remember we have that meeting tomorrow with Elijah Scott. I want you there for it," Riley said in a warning tone, but Griffin couldn't help but smile at his brother's unspoken words.
Chapter 18
Cami sat in the car and, for what felt like the millionth time, dialled Sophie's cell phone. Driving around the neighbourhood looking for her had seemed like a good idea, but Sophie was nowhere to be found and it was beginning to get late.
Glancing down at her watch, Cami chewed her lips nervously. It wasn't like her sister to ignore every call and just disappear, but then it also wasn't like Sophie to get as mad at Cami as she had.
Stepping out of the car, Cami started back up the path towards the house and paused as soon as she caught sight of Griffin standing in the shadows near the front door.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, forcing her tone to sound as icy as it possibly could.
He straightened up and Cami felt her heart skip in her chest. The dark blazer he wore over the open neck white shirt seemed to be moulded to his body.
Cami fought to push her traitorous thoughts aside. Thinking of him like that was beyond stupid. If she was lucky, he was here to give her the money she needed to get out of dodge. If she wasn't…
Cami's thoughts trailed off. Her mind went into overdrive as she wondered why else he might be standing on her doorstep.
Her lips tingled at the memory of the knee-buckling kiss they'd shared just days before. And even today, when she'd gone to ask him for money, the way he'd looked at her, the way he'd touched her, had been enough to make her want to melt into him.
Griffin Reynolds was a dangerous man to have around, of that Cami was certain. But only because she knew she couldn't trust herself around him.
"I came to talk," he said, emerging from the shadows so she could see his expression beneath the glow of the street lights. The intensity blazing in his eyes made her breath hitch in the back of her throat.
"I don't have time for this, Griffin. Sophie's missing."
Her words seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he'd been in; his expression immediately changed as he stepped towards her. There was concern in every line of his body, and when his hand found Cami's she felt his warmth flow into her.
"What do you mean by missing? Have you called the cops?"
"We had a fight, a massive fight actually, and she stormed out. I tried to follow her but she disappeared. I've been driving around ever since then and calling her friends and her cell phone, but she won't pick up and no one has seen her."
Griffin nodded and Cami instantly felt better after confiding in him. There was something about telling him the truth that felt right, and she fought back the overwhelming urge to confess everything.
If he knew the truth, he would never look at her the same way again.
"Is there somewhere in particular she might go, someone she might trust?"
Cami shook her head. "Aside from her friends, I don't know anyone else she would go to."
"We need to call the cops. They can cover more ground than we can, and it's getting late. We can't leave her out there alone at night."
Cami bit her lip hard enough for her to taste blood. "I can't call the cops, Griffin. I can't get them involved. If I do that then…" She trailed off, her heart squeezing with fear.
Griffin studied her, the expression in his eyes making her feel ashamed. But he didn't understand; he didn't know what she was risking if the authorities ever found out the truth.
The sound of the landline ringing inside the house set Cami's heart rate soaring and she jammed her keys into the lock. Her hands were shaking so badly it was practically impossible to get the door open fast enough.
Griffin's hand covered hers, steadying her and giving her the opportunity she needed to unlock the door and push it open. She
raced inside and scooped up the phone, placing the receiver against her ear.
"Hello? Is that you, Sophie?" she asked, her mind whirling frantically.
"No, Cami, it's Kimberly Bear, Lucy's mom. I heard you were looking for Sophie. She's here; she's been here all evening."
Cami felt her body sag against the wall as relief washed over her. Sophie was safe. The images that had plagued Cami from the moment she realised she couldn't find Sophie finally started to dissipate.
"Tell her I'll be right over to get her," Cami said, trying to keep the tears that were threatening to choke her from colouring her voice.
"I don't mean to tell you how to be a mom but she seems pretty upset. She didn't even want me to call you. Maybe it'd be better if she stayed here tonight. Everything will be much brighter in the morning, or at least that's how it is with Lucy."
Cami wanted to argue, to insist that Sophie come home, but what was the point? Kimberly was right; if she stormed over there now it would only lead to more tears, and Cami had a sneaking suspicion that the moment she turned her back Sophie would run away again.
At least this way she knew that Sophie was safe. There wasn't much more that Cami could ask for in that moment.
"You're right. As long as you don't mind, Kimberly?"
"It's no problem, and I'll drop her off at school in the morning with Lucy. The two of them are upstairs practicing their act for the talent competition tomorrow afternoon."
Cami felt her throat close and it was a struggle to end the conversation without giving away her silent sobs. Everything was a mess; it was beyond unfair for her to ask Sophie to give up the life she'd created here, and yet Cami couldn't see another alternative. Or at least not one that would keep her safe.
"Cami, is everything all right? Is Sophie safe?" Griffin's voice cut through Cami's thoughts and she jumped.
She'd been so intent on the conversation with Kimberly that she'd forgotten all about Griffin, who was still standing in the hall behind her.
Cami turned to face him, tears streaking down her cheeks as quickly as she tried to scrub them away.
"Everything's fine, she's just over at a friend's house."
"That's good. At least you know she's safe." Griffin's voice was gentle, as though he was afraid to speak too forcefully and completely send her over the edge.
"I'm sorry for overreacting. Thanks for being so level-headed," Cami added, hoping against hope that the expression Griffin wore didn't mean what she thought it meant.
"Cami, why wouldn't you call the cops? What could be so terrible that you're terrified of the authorities?"
"You wouldn't understand, Griffin, so please don't ask me to try and explain."
"Cami, I'm asking. I told you earlier that you could tell me anything, and I meant it."
Cami shook her head and turned her back on him. If she ignored him long enough she hoped that he'd get bored and go away, but Cami knew deep down that Griffin wouldn't be so easily dissuaded.
"Does it have anything to do with kidnapping Sophie? Or with your stepdad?"
The blood pumping through Cami's veins froze in place as soon as the words left Griffin's mouth. It was a truth he couldn't know, and yet he had said it aloud without her ever telling him anything.
"No, you can't know that…" she said, moving away from him. If she could get as far from him as possible, then maybe she could outrun his words.
"Cami." Griffin's hand wrapped around her arm and he jerked her around to face him.
She stared up into his eyes, her heart hammering in her chest hard enough that Cami was certain he would hear it trying to beat its way out through her ribs.
"Tell me the truth. What are you so afraid of?"
She shook her head again and chewed her lip.
"Cami, talk to me. I can help, but you need to tell me what’s going on. What are you so afraid of? What are you running from?"
"I'm running from him, from my stepdad…" she said, the words slipping out before she had a chance to stop them.
"Why, what did he do?"
"What was he going to do you mean?" Cami corrected him, her stomach churning nervously as she contemplated telling Griffin the truth once and for all. If she did, he would be the only other person on earth who knew the whole story.
Griffin's face drained of colour as he stared down at her.
"I was too old for him when my mom married him. He tried grooming me, but I think the exact words he used were, ‘I was too difficult.’" Cami shrugged. "Then Sophie came along and she was perfect. I grew too old and by then I knew that everything he'd tried to do with me was wrong, but I didn't tell… I was afraid of him, of his temper."
Cami sucked in a deep, shaking breath and let it out slowly. She'd kept it all bottled inside her for so long that to finally let it out was a blessed relief.
"I caught him one day looking at Sophie, the same way he used to look at me and I told my mom. I couldn't keep it a secret anymore. She died before she could do anything about it, before we could come up with a plan. And that left us with him."
Cami kept her gaze cast down to the floor; there was a ball of fear sitting in her chest the size of a fist. A fear that said if she looked into Griffin's eyes and saw shame and disgust, she wouldn't be able to continue with the story.
"I couldn't let him touch her. I wouldn't let him touch her. He tried one night and I stood up to him, what little good it did me. I just ended up in the emergency room with a broken arm and fractured jaw, but I left Sophie alone with him.”
"She won't talk about what happened. I've never been fit to get the truth out of her, but that was it. I took his gun and waited for him to come home from work one night.
"The minute he came through the door I hit him over the head with it, beat him nearly unconscious and took the money I knew he had stashed away and then we ran. We've been running ever since."
Cami sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders before finally lifting her gaze to meet Griffin's.
He was staring down at her with a mixture of shock and admiration that helped to ease some of the tension pulsing through her veins.
"Cami, I…" He trailed off and pulled his gaze away from hers as he released his grip on her.
Cami's heart sank in her chest. He was obviously disgusted by her, and she couldn't blame him. She'd failed in every way possible. When Sophie had needed her most, she'd let her down, and that was something Cami had been forced to live with ever since it had happened.
She was the lucky one; always too difficult, a fighter. Every time he'd tried to come near her, Cami had only been too happy to make him regret it. But Sophie was different; quieter, shy, obedient, and despite the fact that he was a monster, Cami knew deep down that Sophie loved her father.
Loved the man he had pretended to be before he had revealed his true nature to her. And even then she'd still loved him; it was testament to Sophie's sweet nature.
Cami could still remember Sophie's screams the night she'd beaten him with the gun, almost to death. Sophie was the one who'd stopped her, who had begged her to leave him, to let him live.
And Cami couldn't blame her for that; she was a child and she loved her father. Her mind was not yet capable of understanding his true nature, the sickness that made him the monster he was. The monster they were now still running from.
"Griffin, it's fine. I get it. God, most guys wouldn't have hung around for even half of what I've just dumped on you. I know what I am and I don't expect you to…"
She trailed off as he whirled back around to face her, his eyes blazing with green fury.
"Don't you dare say another word. Don't you dare try to excuse me from the situation one more time. That's not what I want."
Cami opened her mouth to speak but words failed her and she instead stared up at him in shock.
He grabbed her shoulders and shook her softly, the look of rage fading from his eyes.
"Cami, I wanted to say that I was sorry but it sounded so utterly pathet
ic. I was trying to think of something better and then you started making all these excuses…"
"Don't you dare pity me. I don't want it and I don't need it." It was Cami's turn to feel angry; she tried to shake free of his grip, but Griffin held on to her, refusing to let her go.
"I wasn't pitying you; you're far too strong for that. I was sorry that I forced the truth out of you, forced you to do something you clearly didn't want to do…"
Cami sighed, her heart beginning to crumble in her chest. She shouldn't have told him; it had obviously been a huge mistake. It was more than he'd bargained for, and Cami knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would make his excuses and leave her as quickly as he could.
"But I'm glad you told me, glad you felt you could tell me and trust me with the truth," he said, his voice low as he pressed his hand beneath her chin and tilted her face up towards his.
"Why didn't you ever go to the police and report what was going on? Did no one ask any questions at the hospital when he beat you?"
Cami nodded. "They did ask questions but I couldn't say anything. As he drove me to the hospital, he told me what he would do to Sophie if I reported him. He said he'd rather die and take her with him than go to jail."
"Bastard," Griffin said, the rage back in his eyes.
"He was friends with most of the cops in the Sheriff’s department and, well, I wasn't exactly a straight-laced kid. I was trouble and it was his word against mine. I knew whose word they would believe." The ball of guilt in her stomach tightened up again.
"I don't know about you, but after all of that I think I could do with a drink," she said, her voice shaking as she reluctantly pulled out of Griffin's grip.
The moment she stepped away from him she felt the absence of his touch keenly. But she sucked in a deep breath as he nodded his head.
* * *
Cami reached into the cupboard and grabbed the bottle of rum from the back of the shelf, along with two tumblers. Memories of the last night she had done the same thing flooded into her mind as she set the glasses down on the counter and started to pour.
Breaker's Point Bad Boy Billionaires Boxset Page 45