Camden's Redemption

by L. P. Dover

  Vinny’s eyes went wide. “You okay?” he asked.

  After circling my shoulders and rolling my neck, I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll follow you to the station. And then my ass is going home.” Vinny nodded and got in his car. Having to make a statement was not on my list of things to do tonight.

  Blake put his arm around me. “Do you want to ride with me?”

  Shaking my head, I slid out from under his hold and backed up toward my car. “No, I’ll be fine. I just want to get this over so I can go home.”

  His jaw clenched. “I’m going to the station anyway. I guess I’ll see you there.” He turned on his heel and stalked off, leaving me alone with Wyatt.

  “He’s trying, you know?” he said in all seriousness. “I think he’s really sorry for what he did.”

  I snorted. “Did he con you into saying that?”

  He chuckled. “No. Well, maybe. If anything, you two need to at least work it out and be friends. It’s not easy on the team. Keep that in mind.”

  “Fine. I’ll talk to him. Happy now?”

  “Much. Be safe out there.”

  Sighing, I got in my car and started toward the station. Maybe Wyatt had a point. Blake and I used to work well together until the accident. I guess it was time to bury the hard feelings and move on.

  ON THE WAY to the station, I dialed Mason’s number. “Isn’t it kind of late out there?” he asked. He was three hours behind us east coasters.

  “A little, but I was attacked in the parking garage. I wanted to tell you about it.” I explained everything from start to finish and waited on him to reply.

  “I wonder if there have been any other similar robberies in that area. I guess I just find it odd something like this happened to you.”

  “What are you getting at? You think I was a target?”

  He sighed and I could hear the rustle of papers in the background. “I’m not sure, B. I’ll get this guy’s information and see if he has any ties to the west coast. If Scar finds out Jameson has someone important in his life, it wouldn’t surprise me if they come after you to fuck with him. Just be careful out there.”

  The station was up ahead, I pulled into the parking lot and shut off my car. Blake was waiting, leaning against his door. I didn’t want him to hear me talking to Mason so I stayed in the car. “I always am. I’m going to give my statement and go home. And just so you know, Camden and I have a date tomorrow, so I’ll be on duty. I don’t need a tail.”

  He chuckled. “Why? So you can fuck him and no one know?”

  “You’re the one who wanted me to befriend him. If anything happens, it’s your fault. You put me in this position.”

  “But you’re the one who fell for him. Whatever you do, don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment.” He paused and sucked on his teeth. “God, B. Have you thought about what he’ll do when he finds out we’ve been lying to him?”

  “But it was all to keep him safe,” I countered. The only lie I told him was about what I did for a living. It wasn’t exactly a fib, but other than that, everything was the truth.

  “I understand, but Camden’s a volatile guy. He acts first and thinks later.”

  I’d seen that temper of his the night he told me about his father. But it was more sadness than anything. “Then maybe I should tell him the truth upfront. I don’t want him to hate me.”

  “You can’t. If you tell Camden, he’ll go straight back to California.” He shuffled some more papers and sighed. “All right, I’m getting off here so I can get the information I need and run it.”

  We said our goodbyes and I got out of my car. Blake started toward me cautiously. “Is everything okay?”

  Nodding, I slid my phone into my back pocket. “Sorry about that. I was talking to Mason.”

  “Did you tell him what happened?” I nodded and he put his hands in his pocket and kept his gaze on mine. “I’m sorry for tonight. I guess you can say I was a little desperate to get a night alone with you.”

  “But that’s not the way to do it.”

  He threw his hands in the air. “How else am I supposed to? You barely even talk to me.”

  “I’m here now and I’m willing to talk. Let’s get everything out in the open.”

  “I missed you,” he blurted out. Averting his gaze, he ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “You may not believe me, but I am sorry for what I did. I know you don’t want to have anything to do with me and I see that now. For both of our sakes, can you at least forgive me?”

  “And what happens if I forgive you? Will you give me space?” I asked. I didn’t want to fight against him at every turn.

  He stepped closer and looked down at his feet. “If that’s what you need. I just want things to get back to the way they were before I fucked everything up.”

  “That’s never going to happen. But what we can do is try our best to get along and be friends. That’s all we’ll ever be, Blake.”

  Sighing, he nodded and lifted his head. “It’s better than nothing.” He forced a smile and glanced at the door. “You ready to make your statement? It’s getting late.”

  We walked side by side into the station and before we went our separate ways, I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Thank you for helping me tonight. That guy probably would’ve gotten away if it wasn’t for you.”

  Returning the gesture, he squeezed my hand back. “You’re welcome. I only wish I could’ve gotten there sooner.”

  AFTER GIVING MY statement and talking to some of the guys at the PD, I didn’t get home until two in the morning. I was exhausted; especially, after getting woken up by a slew of text messages. All of them except one was from my brother, saying he found out what happened and that I needed to call him back. The other was from Camden.

  Camden: Good morning, buttercup.

  That was all it was, but it brought a smile to my face. I texted him back.

  Me: Morning to you too.

  About two seconds later, he replied.

  Camden: As I’m sitting here alone at my condo, I had a thought. Wouldn’t it be best for me to pick you up since your house is near the restaurant?

  Laying my head back on the pillow, I groaned and looked at the text message again. He had a point.

  Me: Okay, fine. I’ll send the address to you later. I don’t want you stalking me.

  Camden: You wish. Going to the gym with your brother right now.

  Me: Have fun! I’ll text you later.

  Camden: No need. Jason told me where you lived. See ya soon.

  I was going to kill Jason. Knowing Camden, he’d show up in the next hour. Thankfully, I was able to get my house cleaned and take a shower before he showed up. The bad part was, my hair was wet and I was still in a bathrobe when the doorbell rang. When I answered the door, his face brightened.

  “Wow. I think I need to come over more often.”

  “Ha-ha,” I said, opening the door wider. “You’re lucky I even answered.”

  He sauntered into the living room, and before shutting the door, I glanced around outside. At the end of my driveway, I noticed my brother’s car drive slowly by. He was going to be pissed I hadn’t called him back. It was a good thing my phone was on silent.

  “Your house is amazing,” Camden called out. “I’ve always wanted a place with land like this.”

  “Really? You don’t take me as a rural, outdoorsy kind of guy.” When I got into the living room, he was standing in front of my mantle, looking at my pictures. There were ones with my whole family, ones with just Braylen and I, and ones with me and both Braylen and Jason. I thought it would hurt to look at them again, but it didn’t. I would always be saddened by my sister’s loss, but I loved her so much, I knew she’d always be alive in my heart.

  Camden shrugged. “My family owns land out west in the mountains. I never really cared about living out there. The beach is where I’ve always felt at home. But this area’s starting to grow on me.”

  “Is that so?” I asked with a smile.

>   Turning around, he gazed heatedly up and down my body. “Definitely. I’d like to see more of it at some point.”

  Rolling my eyes, I stalked past him toward my room. “Who knows? I might give you a tour someday.” His deep chuckle echoed down the hall. “I’ll be right out. Make yourself at home.”

  My skin shivered as I thought about what it would be like for him to tour every inch of my body. After our heated kiss in the alley, I really wanted to find out what it felt like. Once in my room, I hastily took off my robe, got dressed, and finished my hair and makeup. By the time I joined Camden again, he was gazing out the bay window.

  “Is that your pond?” he asked.

  I may not have a large house, but my land was what made it special. “Yes, it’s mine. I love that pond. It’s my swimming pool in the summer time.” I pointed to tree line that was just past the pond. “Do you see the tree line out there?” When he nodded, I continued, “I own close to fifteen acres past that point.”

  He whistled. “That’s a lot of land. Are you ever going to do anything with it?”

  I shrugged. “Other than use it as a buffer from my neighbors? Probably not. I definitely don’t want to sell it. It’s actually fun to walk through the trails and explore.”

  He bumped me in the shoulder. “Maybe you could show me sometime.”

  I looked up at him and smiled. “I’d love to. But right now, I’m starving. If it’s not too late when we get back from dinner, we can go for a walk.”

  Camden wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in tight. His lips found mine before I could ask what he was doing. The kiss was deep, but restrained. Not like it was the night before. All too abruptly, he let go and stepped back, leaving me flushed and lightheaded.

  “I’ve been dying to do that since I woke up. Now I’m ready to go.” He winked at me and started for the door, chuckling. He knew what he was doing . . . and I was ready to play.

  Our date went better than expected. We didn’t get interrupted by my parents or by anyone from my past. It was quiet and for once in my life, peaceful. “Do you want to go for a walk?” I asked as we got out of his Jeep. “I think I need to burn off the chocolate cake.”

  Camden laughed. “That’s the last thing you need to worry about. Although, I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl eat as much as you.”

  “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

  He put his arm around my shoulders and turned me to face him. “It means, buttercup, you continue to surprise me.”

  “Is that a good or bad thing?”

  Lowering his lips to mine, he kissed them gently. “Definitely good.”

  Taking his hand, I pulled him along. “Well, come on. I need some exercise.”

  “I can come up with better ways to burn off calories,” he chided playfully.

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure you could.” And so could I.

  “Not to mention, it looks like it’s going to rain.”

  I looked up at the sky and the clouds were thick, the smell of rain hanging in the air. “Ah, we’ll be fine. You’re not scared of getting wet, are you?”

  His lips tilted into a mischievous smirk. “Not at all. Lead the way.”

  We started for the woods and when his hand grasped mine, I felt the electricity surge through my veins. I never felt that with Blake. Everything was quiet, except for the twigs and leaves crunching beneath our feet. I loved the woods and the sound of the wind whistling through the trees. It was the only place that could calm me after my sister’s death.

  “Can I ask you something?” Camden said in all seriousness. His concerned stare made me pause.

  “Of course. What’s on your mind?”

  Backing me against a tree, he pressed his body into mine. My breath hitched as I looked up into his concerned blue gaze. “Would you be here with me if you knew the things I’d done?”

  “Cam, that’s not exactly a question you want to ask a woman when you’re out in the middle of the woods,” I teased.

  He smiled, but then it disappeared. “I would never hurt you, Brooklyn. But I have hurt other women before. I’m not proud of it, but I’ll admit, at the time I was.”

  I already knew basically everything he’d done. He was a player and he would probably go back to that lifestyle once he was back in California. His reputation among the women was that he was a major asshole, but worth it in the bedroom.

  “Why are you telling me this now?” I wondered.

  He brushed the hair off my forehead and looked down at my lips. “Because I want you to know who I am. Who I really am. I don’t want to lie to you anymore.”

  Before he could say another word, twigs snapped and my body went on alert. Placing my finger to Camden’s lips, he narrowed his gaze in confusion. “Someone’s out here,” I whispered.

  There were always animals scurrying about, but these heavy footed sounds weren’t from any animal around here. The tree Camden held me against was thick in diameter so whoever was coming wouldn’t see us behind the large trunk. Camden started to tilt his head to the side to look, but I pinched his arm.

  “Don’t do that,” I hissed. I started to reach for my gun and then realized I didn’t have it with me. Much to my dismay, Camden noticed the movement. Shit.

  The footsteps moved closer and my palms grew damp with sweat. Camden was on edge too and poised to fight. Another crunch of leaves, the footsteps moving closer. I held onto Camden’s arm, he was coiled tight. Luckily, the sound of the intruder’s voice erased all fears.

  “Hiding behind a tree, eh?”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I leaned my head against the tree and laughed. Camden backed away and let me out of his hold. “Do you know this guy?” he asked, narrowing his gaze at the man before him.

  “Know him?” I joked, coming out from behind the tree. “There’s no mistaking that voice. How are you?” I asked, closing the distance. Smiling, I folded my arms around his neck and hugged him quickly since he was all sweaty.

  Luke stood there in his motocross jersey and boots with his disheveled, blond hair in disarray from riding. By the mischievous smile on his face, he thought he caught me in a scandal. Rolling my eyes, I met Camden’s gaze and nodded over to Luke.

  “This is my neighbor, Luke Collins, and one of my oldest friends from high school. He owns the land on the other side of mine. Luke,” I said, “I’d like you to meet my friend, Cam.”

  He extended his hand to Camden and smiled. “Nice to meet you. I’ve been trying to get Brooke to sell me her land for years. Unfortunately, she’s still as stubborn as she was in high school.”

  I chuckled and crossed my arms over my chest. “There’s a reason I don’t sell it, jackass. I don’t want to hear your dirt bikes twenty-four hours a day. What are you doing out this way anyway?”

  “My bike broke down about a quarter mile into the woods.”

  “Ah, so you were on my land,” I quipped.

  Luke winked and bumped me playfully in the shoulder. “I didn’t think you’d mind. Besides, Jason told me you had business out of town. I didn’t know you were back.” Eyes wide, I glanced toward Camden and shook my head. It only took him a second to understand. “And while I was trying to fix my bike, I heard voices, so I came to investigate the trespassers.”

  Thunder rolled over head and the sound of the rain hitting the tree tops pitter-pattered along the leaves. “I guess that’s our cue to head back,” I said as the rain filtered through the trees. It was warm as it hit my skin. “Do you need us to help you with your bike?”

  Luke shook his head. “Nah, I’ll be fine. I’ll get it back home. You need to come by and check out my new track though. I had it redone. Maybe I’ll even let you test drive my new bike.”

  “You got another one? Please tell me it’s a KTM.”

  He winked. “You know it.” Now the rain was coming down harder. “Give me a call sometime. I know my team would love to see you again. Chris keeps hounding me about a rematch race.”

&nbs
p; The thought made me laugh. “I bet he is.”

  Luke nodded at Camden and smiled at me. “See ya later, Brooke.”

  I waved at him and then we started on our way. Camden looked back once and then glanced down at me, his jaw tense. “Let me guess . . . you dated him.”

  “No,” I blurted out. “What makes you say that?”

  He shrugged, his voice dark. “I don’t know. The way you two talked to each other was different. He was flirting with you.”

  His anger gave me pause. Taking his hand, I pulled him to a stop. “Hey,” I murmured, “look at me.”

  When he wouldn’t turn, I stood in his line of sight and made him. “Why are you mad? He wasn’t flirting. That’s just the way Luke is. He’s like that with everyone.” The rain falling across his skin was beautiful, but the way he stared at me made me shiver.

  He sighed and looked down at the ground, shrugging his shoulders. “I guess I just don’t know what you see in me. You could have any man you want, but yet you choose to be with someone who doesn’t deserve you. I’m a monster, Brooklyn.” Pulling away from me, he angrily swiped the rain off his face. “You don’t even know the real me.”

  Turning on his heel, he stormed through the woods with me on his tail. The mud was thick, but I trudged through it, trying my best to keep up. Camden needed help, but I couldn’t give it to him with lies. Mason was going to kill me if I told him the truth.

  “Then tell me,” I shouted. “Tell me who you are.”

  “You couldn’t handle it,” he snapped.

  That was the last thing he needed to say to me. There was nothing I couldn’t handle. “You don’t think I can handle it?” I snarled. “Which part? The part where you fucked over your brother and his wife? What about what you did at the Dark Side? I know everything about you, Camden.”

  He turned to face me, his chest rising and falling with his rapid breaths. “How do you know who I am?” When I didn’t answer, he stepped closer and grabbed me by the shoulders hard. “How, Brooklyn?”