He breathed slowly, not allowing his anger to build. But it was obvious that Laskin had only seen Cambria as an asset and not a person. Egan wasn’t surprised; Laskin had always judged people on what he could gain from them. But on some level, Egan had hoped that he’d cared for Cambria, at least a little.
The fact that Laskin was willing to ask her to use her body to get to Egan spoke volumes for how little Laskin had cared for her. Asking her to do such a thing put her in danger she could never anticipate. And her naiveté put her in even more danger. He doubted Laskin would have put forth any effort to extract her before sending his goons in to kill Egan and his family. She would have likely died in the crossfire. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, so he tried to push it aside. Laskin was dead and that past was behind them. Pretty soon, the fuss over what had happened at the compound would die down and Egan would be able to take her back home with him.
He didn’t know where home was going to be, but he knew all that mattered was that Cambria was with him. Even if he had to leave his brother and their family behind, he would only ever be a plane ride away, and that was nothing. Maybe they would even go back to Canada and live in the family home they’d left behind. It seemed like an eternity ago, when it hadn’t been that long at all. He was certain Cambria would love Canada, but if she didn’t, wherever she wanted to be was good enough for him.
“If you could live anywhere, where would you live?” he asked, suddenly curious about her answer.
“I guess Montana would be nice. I like mountains and wide open spaces and there seems to be both. I don’t really know, though. This is the first time I’ve ever been out of Florida.” She stopped for a second, her silence hanging heavily on the air. “At least I think this is my first time outside of Florida. I don’t remember ever leaving but it feels wrong saying it. I can’t really explain it.”
“Maybe you traveled when you were younger.”
“I doubt it. My parents didn’t even let me out where the neighbors could see me. I don’t think they were the type to take family vacations.”
Egan didn’t know what to say. His heart ached for the little girl that Cambria had been, feeling so hated and abused by her own family. He kissed the top of her head, trying to comfort her while she struggled to come to grips with the shitty life she’d been handed. But, through all of it she’d endured, she had somehow come out nearly unscathed. She had a good heart and she was strong.
“I don’t know how you did it,” he said.
“Did what?”
“Went through all that hell and still came out of it so strong and so sweet.”
“No one has an easy life, Egan. We all struggle.”
“I don’t think most people would have come out of it as well as you. You’ve spent almost nineteen years being been abused and brainwashed and yet you’re able to overcome it. It speaks to how strong you really are.”
Cambria leaned back and looked him in the eye. “You’ve done pretty well for yourself, haven’t you?”
“My parents died in a car accident that turned out not to be an accident at all. They were murdered for standing up for the rights of shifters and humans to love each other and live together in peace. But, they left my brother a large inheritance and he raised me when they died. He’s a good man, always has been. I’ve had it easy compared to you.”
“How old were you when they died?”
“I was twelve. It was rough for a long time. But we moved on and managed to make it on our own.”
“Were they nice?”
Her question tore at his heart. He couldn’t wrap his head around someone even needing to ask such a thing, but he knew that Cambria didn’t know anything different from the hell that had been her life. He longed to hold her again, to hide her away from the pain in the world and protect her. If he could keep her from ever feeling pain again, he would do whatever it took.
“They were the best parents anyone could have asked for. I wish you had met them.”
“Me too.” She sighed heavily, looking up at the sky as the darkness came and the stars began to come out one by one. “I can’t talk about this anymore right now.”
“I understand. Do you want something more to eat? I’m going to have to make a supply run tomorrow morning. If you have anything specific you want, write it down and I’ll make sure to get it.”
“Can’t I go with you?”
“No. You’re safer here. The news will eventually get a hold of a picture of you, and they’ll be looking for you or the two of us. A single man in the woods this time of year is an everyday occurrence and no one will give me a second glance.”
“Okay.” She grimaced at the thought, but she knew he was right. Plus, he’d be faster without her. “I can wash our clothes while you’re gone, maybe clean up a little around here.” She looked around the campsite and laughed at her own joke. It would take her an hour at most to straighten out and clean everything. She’d probably be bored the rest of the day, but she’d manage.
“I’ll grab a book for you if you want.”
“That would be nice, but it won’t do me any good while you’re gone.” She elbowed him in the ribs playfully.
“I know, but it’s something to look forward to.”
“How long will we have to stay here?”
“I don’t know, maybe another week or two. I’ll find a newspaper when I get to town and see if they’re still looking for you. If they’re not, we’ll wait another week and it should be safe by then. If they’re still looking, we might have stay for a few more weeks and come up with a plan to get out of the states until everything has died down.”
“If they only want me for questioning, wouldn’t they just ask me questions over the phone and let me go?”
Egan sighed. She was smart and strong, but she was incredibly naïve.
“They don’t want you just for questioning. Even if that’s what they say, I can guarantee that isn’t the case. I’m sure more than just Laskin died in that fight. It’s possible that many of the men that you lived with are dead, or at the very least in jail. All it takes is for one person to point the finger at you and you’re suddenly wanted.” He grabbed her hands in his and held them tight. “There’s the thing with Grace too. Grace doesn’t know I came to find you, or that you’re not really a bad person. If she fingered you in her kidnapping, you’ll be wanted for an accessory.”
Cambria gasped. She hadn’t considered that. “But I was against it the entire time.”
“It doesn’t matter. They’ll want to know why you didn’t just help her escape. It will be hard to explain your side of it. I have to talk to my brother, but my phone doesn’t have a signal out here. We’ll need to get you a lawyer and clear your name. It might take some time.”
“I can’t afford a lawyer.”
“Money isn’t an issue. It never has been. I just don’t know how things are going right now. It’s possible that we can go back, explain that Laskin took you when you were a child and raised you on the compound and that you didn’t have a choice. With the right judge and the right lawyer, that might work. You might even walk out of the police station being questioned and released. It really depends on so many things. Until I talk to my brother, I don’t really know what we need to do.”
“What if they want to charge me for it and throw me in jail?” Cambria was starting to panic. She couldn’t be locked up somewhere again. She’d escaped her family’s clutches, but jail would be just as bad. The thought of being trapped like that again sent heartbeat soaring. “I didn’t do anything. I didn’t want her there and I sure didn’t kidnap her. That was all Tom and Laskin. And Gary, but he was trying to convince that poor woman to be his wife.”
“I know,” he stroked her cheek. “I know that you weren’t involved. But you weren’t being held prisoner. It’s going to take a lot to convince the jury that you were just as much a victim as Grace was.”
Cambria bowed her head. “No one forced me to live there, though. I want
ed to. And I wanted to fight the shifters.”
“I know. But that’s not who you are, and even though no one forced you to live there, they’d been filling your head with these lies since you were a child. And you were abused extensively before that. Anyone with half a brain can see that you’re not responsible for any of this.”
A single tear slid down her cheek. “But you’re right. I could have let Grace go. But they would have just killed her or caught her again.”
“And you would have put your own life in danger in the process. You did what you could, and I’m sure even Grace understands that. We’ll explain it to her and my family and they’ll help you. They’re not going to just throw you to the wolves.”
Cambria nodded, but she was terrified. She wasn’t onboard with the kidnapping and had been very vocal about it. But would that be enough to keep her out of jail? “What if we just run?”
Egan’s expression softened. “Oh Cambria. I know you’re scared. I promise, I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“But how can you be sure?”
“You just have to trust me.” He tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. “Can you trust me?”
She didn’t answer for a moment, and Egan had about given up on a response when she finally said, “I’ll try.”
“Fair enough. Maybe someday it will come a little easier. But considering where you’ve come from, I’ll take it.” Egan took her hand in his, giving her a reassuring squeeze as they walked through the campsite. “Now. Let’s figure out what supplies we need so I can leave at first light.”
“Wouldn’t it be faster if you shifted and went tonight then hiked back tomorrow?”
“It would, but I’m not going to do that. I don’t want to leave you here alone at night. Not many people venture this way, and there aren’t many predators in these woods. But I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you while I was gone.”
“I can take care of myself, you know.”
“That’s why I know I can leave you alone during the day. At night is a completely different story. It’s not just predators I worry about. The temperature plummets at time. It’s always better to have two bodies together than one alone when that happens.”
Her elbow connected with his hip and he laughed. “Not just for the obvious reasons, but for actual warmth.”
“Sure, that’s what you meant.” She cast a sidelong glance at him before she threw back her head and laughed. The sound was music to Egan’s ears. Cambria had opened up so much since the first night. The transformation was amazing. Gone was the suspicious woman who trusted no one. He hadn’t seen her look over her shoulder in a few days. The longer they were out here, the more she seemed to relax.
He knew it would take a while before she felt that way when they left the woods, but for now, everything was exactly as it should be. He rummaged through his sack and pulled out a small pen and paper. He handed it to Cambria. “Write down anything you think you might want and I’ll get as much of it as I can.”
Cambria held the pen in her hand, staring down at the paper for a moment. She didn’t speak and she didn’t write anything down. She bit her lip and Egan knew immediately what the issue was. He wanted to kick himself, he felt like such an ass. She’d all but told him that she’d never been to school, yet it had never occurred to him. That was twice now he’d said something stupid and probably made her feel stupid.
Gently, he took the pen and paper from her. “You tell me what we need and I’ll write it down. I have a horrible memory.”
She smiled at him, knowing full well that he was saving her the embarrassment of admitting that she didn’t know how to read or write. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I can read a little, but it takes me forever. And I can’t write.”
The shame was evident on her face and Egan ached for her. “You didn’t go to school, so it makes sense and you told me that so no worries. My bad memory isn’t your problem.” He winked at her.
He handed her the lantern and followed close behind her as she listed their needs, using the light from the lantern to see as he wrote. She listed off mostly of food, but also included a few comfort items he wouldn’t have thought to get on his own. When they were done going through everything, they worked to remove their clothes and other supplies from their packs and into the tent. Egan would carry both packs, taking only a canteen of water for himself and eating in town. He stuffed some cash and his cell phone into the smaller bag and then put the smaller bag inside the larger one before zipping it up.
“There. Now I can leave at first light and be back before sunset.”
“Hopefully it will be warm enough to clean some of our clothes in the stream while I wait for you.”
“Or you can relax and just enjoy the day,” Egan said. “Maybe you’ll be too exhausted to do much more than sleep.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. She moaned into his mouth and he deepened their kiss. Fingers threaded through her hair as he pulled her closer.
She pulled away, a brazen expression on her face. “And why would I be that tired?” she asked. Her voice was filled with a lightheartedness that he’d never heard before.
“I don’t know how to tell you, maybe I can just show you.” He led her towards the tent, unzipping it and letting her go in first before following her and zipping it up tight behind them.
*
Cambria lay on the pallet of sleeping bags beneath her, arms encircling his neck and pulling him down with her. She kissed him hungrily, boldly tasting him and exploring the heat of his mouth. He returned her kisses two-fold, hungrily seeking out her warmth over and over again. He rested his weight on his elbows, fingers running through her hair and tugging on her soft tendrils as they kissed.
Egan took his time, drawing out each kiss and making it last. It was early in the evening, with the dark lasting nearly twelve hours this time of year. The sun had just set and they had all night. He didn’t want to leave her alone on the mountain, even for a few hours, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Still, knowing that he wouldn’t see her for half the day made him want to linger, cherishing every touch as if it would be their last.
Cambria moved to pull Egan’s shirt over his head, but he stopped her. “Not yet,” he whispered into her mouth. He broke away, sliding her shirt over her head and smiling when he discovered she wasn’t wearing anything beneath it. She arched an eyebrow at him defiantly.
“Why should I wear a bra when it’s just the two of us?”
“By that logic, why wear clothes at all?” He bent down and kissed her neck, enjoying the feel of her as she held him tightly in her arms.
“You’re right. When you get back, maybe I’ll have thrown away all your clothes and you can be my sex slave.”
Her throat tickled when he laughed heartily into her neck. “Aren’t I already?”
She shrugged. “Probably.”
He grabbed her hands in his, raising her arms above her head and pinning them down onto the floor behind her. He watched her naked breasts heave as she breathed beneath him. Her eyes were soft, her swollen lips slack with longing. He knew if he checked that she would be ready for him, but he wasn’t letting her off the hook that easily. As if to punctuate his thoughts, she arched her back, pressing her hips against his and closing her eyes with the pleasure that simple contact brought her.
She was more than ready.
Placing both wrists in one of his large hands, Egan kept her hands above her head, using his free hand to stroke from her collar bone, down the valley between her breasts and over her flat belly. She held her breath with anticipation when he neared her breast, but he skirted around the more sensitive areas, leaving her wanting for more.
He dipped his hand into the front waistband of her jeans and grabbed a handful of fabric, pulling her up from the ground to grind against him. She moaned, his fingers mere inches from the heat of her. Their very presence teasing her into a frenzy. He was so close and her body ached for her,
but still he made her wait. Unbuttoning her jeans, he slid them down and off, taking her panties with them. She now lay completely naked beneath him, her hands still clutched in his above her head.
He rolled to the side, pinning her legs down with one of his. Over the last week, he’d learned that Cambria was an impatient lover, using her wiles and her body to push him over the edge when he wanted to linger. This time, she wouldn’t wrap her legs around him and beg him to forgo lovemaking. Not tonight. Tonight, she was going to know the strength of an orgasm that was hours in the making. He was going to show her what he was made of.
She struggled a little, drawing his attention away from his plans. But one look at her face told him all he needed to know: she wasn’t afraid, just eager.
“Not tonight. Tonight I’m going to take my sweet time.”
She groaned, eliciting a soft chuckle from Egan. She wasn’t even slightly patient. He stroked her hair, pulling the thick, chocolate strands away from her face and admiring how they shone, even in the dim light of the lantern.
“You’re beautiful.” His voice was breathless, barely above a whisper. He kissed her again, softly taking her lower lip in his teeth and tugging.
“Egan please,” she was already writhing beneath him, her body begging him to give in and take her right then.
“No. I want to show you what you’ve been missing.” His kissed her jaw then moved down her body, planting a tender kiss every few inches as he worked his way through dips and gentle swells.
With his free hand, he moved over her stomach and slid his hand between her legs. She was hot. She opened her legs to him, pushing against his hand in passionate agony. He searched through her folds until he found the tiny nub. Fingertip circling the tiny nub, he gripped it between his thumb and forefinger, pulling softly and letting it slip from his grasp before searching it out again. Cambria choked on her breath, the pleasure of his touch overwhelming.
“Do you like that?” he knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it.
“Yes,” she licked her lips and swallowed heavily. “Yes I do.” She kept her eyes closed, her head rolled back to the side. Biting her lip, she moaned softly as he toyed with her.
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