One day soon, Cameron would hate her. All her secrets—her past—it was all going to bubble to the surface the way shit always did. He would look at her differently. Kip cut those thoughts off before they could destroy her.
Cameron laughed at something McKenna said. The sound cut through her depressing thoughts, caressing her skin and hardening her nipples. Feeling magnanimous, Kip handed the douche his coffee—free of charge and spit. Appearing somewhat mollified, he stepped aside, allowing Kip the freedom to watch Cameron unimpeded. He was a warrior. That was what she pictured every time she heard his name. The things he’d sacrificed for his country amazed her. A fresh wave of depression washed over her. This man was a patriot. Most would consider her a traitor. If she were a better a person, she’d let him go before she ruined him.
As she looked on, McKenna said something that caused Cameron to turn in his seat and meet Kip’s gaze. Kip didn’t know why, but heat flooded her cheeks. The expression on Cameron’s face said it all. She didn’t need to hear what they were discussing. Cameron stood, and without breaking eye contact, he moved across the room. Kip couldn’t look away. Weak. She was weak and they could’ve been alone for all the attention he paid the surrounding people. This time of day was always busy. People slammed G. Richards, hunting their second wave of coffee, hoping to make it through the rest of their work schedule. Cameron ignored them all. This was why she couldn’t stay away. He always watched her as if no one else existed. Sex had made him twice as intense. She was hooked.
“If only you could see the way you’re looking at me right now,” Cameron said the moment he reached her.
“Funny. I was just thinking the same thing about you.” Kip heard the breathless note to her voice. She didn’t give a damn.
A ghost of a smile passed over his lips. “Would you and Jade like to spend some time with me tonight?”
Kip’s throat tightened. He was so perfect. Most men wouldn’t have wanted to include her daughter but Cameron would never be most men.
“I’d love that.” Damn it. She really would.
* * * * *
When Cameron arrived at Terry and Brian’s house, it was lit up like Mardi Gras. There weren’t any extra cars in the driveway but the place was obviously occupied. There was a note taped to the back door with a single word written on it. “Basement.” Cameron let himself in. He could hear the rhythmic punches and laughter coming from Terry’s gym before Cameron even made it to the stairs.
The bright-yellow and stainless steel kitchen gleamed, making Cameron wonder if Terry and Brian had a maid. He’d never seen one there but with their money they could afford to hire an entire staff. When he reached the doorway leading down into the basement, the laughter increased and Terry’s deep rumble floated up the staircase. Cameron’s steps slowed even as his heart sped. It was ridiculous the way he wanted to swipe his palms down his jeans to calm the nerves jumping in his stomach. He’d known Kip a long time. There was no logical explanation for his sudden onset of nerves but there it was. He hadn’t felt this alive in a decade and the person responsible was steps away. Cameron didn’t know if he could force his feet to move. Terry’s face appeared at the bottom of the steps.
“Come on. Jade’s showing us her moves.”
Kip peeked around the corner as well. The smile on her face stole his breath.
“Hey, baby,” she said.
Like that, Cameron was set free. He had to stop himself from taking the stairs two at a time to reach her faster. The show going on in the basement was the perfect example of grown men wrapped around a little girl’s finger. Brian was on his stomach, pretending Jade had him pinned to the mat. Even though Jade was still too small to understand anything to do with MMA, it hadn’t stopped the men from involving her in everything, including their training. Cameron couldn’t count the number of times Kip had been forced to stop them from trying to wrap Jade’s knuckles.
Jade crawled over Brian’s back, using the man as her personal play gym. Her blonde curls stuck out in every direction and to her face, proving how hard she’d been at it. A set of blue eyes peeked over Brian’s side, spotting Cameron. She pointed at him.
“Cam!”
The smile tugging at Cameron’s lips was beyond his control. He loved the little monster. He pointed back. “Princess!”
She hid her face. “No.”
Cameron chuckled over the denial. She was the only little girl he’d ever met who hated princesses. “What are you today then?”
She crawled on her hands and knees, barking.
“Yep. That’s my little angel, the dog,” Kip informed him as she towed him in for a kiss.
His heart soared. No one batted an eye. It had always been them even if they took forever to get it together. At first, they’d had a kinship Cameron couldn’t explain. Most people overlooked him. Kip never had. The idea of this woman belonging to him was addicting. By the time they were a few months into their newly found friendship, Cameron had realized no one but her would ever be enough for him.
Brian pushed to his feet. “Don’t burn down the house while we’re gone.”
His announcement caught Cameron’s attention. “Don’t run off on my account.”
“Nah,” Brian said, waving off Cameron’s words. “We’re not. McKenna invited us over. It’s time we spread the love and spoil the niece.”
Terry swooped in and stole Jade’s kisses, making her squeal.
“Yeah,” Terry agreed, as he set Jade on her feet. “We’re not content to ruin just one child. It’s our life’s purpose to make these little girls unbearable for the men of the future.”
Cameron wanted to believe Terry was joking, but even if he was, it was still true. Jade and Tayrn would be hell on wheels one day.
“We can take Jade with us if the two of you want to go do something.”
Cameron scoffed at Terry’s offer as he swept Jade from the floor. “No way. You’ve had her all day. Let someone else have a turn. We’re just going to hang out and watch a movie unless Jade wants to do something else.” He looked at the little girl in his arms and his eyebrows rose in question.
“Fight,” Jade demanded, much to Brian and Terry’s delight.
Their laughter followed them all the way up the stairs. Cameron shook his head. She was such a mess.
Brian reversed course. “Speaking of fights… Kip has one Friday night. I’m going in as her cornerman. You going to go and keep Terry out of trouble while we’re busy?”
“As if I ever cause trouble,” Terry called from the top of the stairs.
Cameron couldn’t stop smiling. Their house was such a happy home. It was impossible not to get sucked into that zone.
“Sure. I’ll be there.”
“Cool.”
With a nod, Brian disappeared, leaving Cameron alone with his two favorite girls. He was ready to make the most of their time together.
* * * * *
The light from the TV flickered off Cameron’s face, fascinating Kip. Cameron lay sprawled across the couch with Jade on his chest. The pair slept peacefully through the entire movie. Kip couldn’t take her eyes off them. They looked so content. She almost hated to break it up but Jade needed to be in bed. As gently as possible, Kip eased Jade from Cameron’s hold. Her eyes peeked open a few times on the way to her room but she was out cold by the time Kip tucked her into bed.
The bigger of Kip’s two sleeping beauties was another matter. She wanted to tuck him into bed as well, but she needed him awake. Three steps outside Jade’s bedroom a solid weight surrounded her, catching her off guard. Cameron’s mouth covered hers, swallowing her surprised gasp. His scent. The way his skin felt beneath her fingers. Everything about Cameron appealed to her. No one else made her feel since her heart had frozen. When Cameron was around, she felt too much.
Kip willingly accepted his consumption. Cameron’s teeth nipped at her lips. His tongue sought hers. Her body hummed. The tips of Cameron’s fingers skimmed her sides as he tugged her shirt up even as h
e urged her toward her room. Chill bumps rose on her skin behind the trail of his fingers. Kip leaned away long enough for Cameron to work the shirt over her head and toss it onto the floor before she went back for more.
“Your mouth is amazing,” Kip said against his lips, before swiping his tongue with hers. “Every time I see you, I want to taste it.” She sank her teeth into his bottom lip to prove her point even as she reached for the button of his jeans. “But that’s not the only part of you I want to lick.”
Kip slipped to her knees. She couldn’t see a thing in the pitch-dark bedroom but she didn’t need a light for this. The instant she set Cameron’s erection free, she wrapped her lips around his crown. Sucking in an audible breath, Cameron brushed her hair aside before cupping the back of her head. His hand immediately fell away as if he feared she would stop if he turned demanding.
“I won’t break,” she promised before taking him down her throat.
The sound Cameron made as she swallowed him made her heart soar, spurring her on. Hollowing her cheeks, she let him slip almost all the way from her mouth before letting him back in. His fingers found her hair once more. This time, her scalp stung as his grip tightened. She toyed with his slit before circling his crown and teasing the sensitive nerve ending in a move she knew would drive him insane. His hips rolled and she knew she’d won.
“Goddamn, Kip.”
His guttural voice went straight to her already soaking-wet pussy, making it pulse. He always set her on fire with barely a heated glance. Having the man this hot and in her mouth made her squirm with longing. She stroked the length of him as she begged for him to give her everything.
“Fuck my mouth, Cameron. I want it.” Tomorrow, she’d feel the sting of mortification. Tonight, she wanted Cameron’s salty cum filling her mouth and to know she was the reason.
Taking her at her word, Cameron pumped against her mouth. Kip took everything he gave. Her fingernails sank into the backs of Cameron’s thighs, hoping to get a quarter of an inch closer to him.
“Fuck. Jesus. Oh my God.”
His words didn’t make sense past that point, exactly as Kip intended. A hoarse cry left his throat as his orgasm hit. Kip swallowed the creamy liquid, failing to get it all. It was a mess and she didn’t care. In that moment, Kip owned him and she belonged to him. For a minute out of time, she could forget the other voices in her head, reminding her of the truth she couldn’t speak. He owned a lie.
Chapter Four
Cameron caught a flash of blue out of the corner of his eye, causing him to turn. He wished like hell he could’ve been surprised to see Josh among the crush at Warehouse District but somehow he’d known the man would turn up. There was every probability Josh was scheduled to fight tonight in one of the brutal, no-holds-barred bouts Warehouse was known for. Like several of the men Cameron knew, Josh took part almost every weekend. There was a hell of a lot of money in unsanctioned bouts…if you survived the lifestyle long enough. In his heart, Cameron knew Josh wasn’t here to fight. Josh was there for Kip. It didn’t matter what Kip claimed, Cameron saw the situation from a man’s point of view. There was no way Josh had given up nor would he leave her alone. As a matter of point, Cameron wondered how many encounters she’d had with the man since her last fight. It wasn’t likely Kip would tell him after the way he’d reacted the last time Josh had shown up here.
Kip appeared at the mouth of the cage, preparing for inspection before entering the octagon. Brian stood proudly at her side, going in as her cornerman. As predicted, Josh’s attention fixed upon her and didn’t move. Even from Cameron’s vantage point, he didn’t miss the predatory gleam in the other man’s eyes. Shit. Eventually this would implode.
Shooting a quick glance in Terry’s direction, Cameron noticed Terry too had spotted Josh in the crowd. Cameron almost took a step back at Terry’s expression. Cameron was staring at a stranger—a hardened and deadly version of the Terry who’d been standing beside him only moments earlier. Cameron didn’t know how else to explain the change that had overcome the man. His face was carved of steel but his eyes were almost maniacal. They promised death.
“I take it you haven’t seen Josh since his argument with Kip.”
Terry’s gaze flickered in Cam’s direction for a second. “Nope. I knew I’d find him eventually.”
Josh turned his head. Almost as if he felt Terry’s stare, Josh focused on the man. His expression matched Terry’s, openly challenging him to make a move. Cameron was switching his gaze between the pair, incapable of doing anything else. Terry smirked. It was terrifying. There was nothing left of the man Cameron knew. Josh turned and pushed his way toward the door. It was obvious to anyone watching he expected Terry to follow. Terry cast a quick glance in Cameron’s direction.
“I’ll be back.”
He was gone before Cameron could protest. The bell rang and Kip’s name filled the air, pulling Cameron’s attention toward the octagon. He was torn. This night was about Kip but there was a voice inside his head, screaming for him to follow Terry. He took a step in that direction. The sound of flesh meeting flesh and the howl of the crowd had Cameron’s focus returning to the match. A mob of people swarmed closer to the cage, making it impossible for Cameron to move.
To keep from picturing the thousand horrors Terry was—most likely—raining down upon Josh’s head, Cameron tried to concentrate on Kip’s every move. She lasted a full round without getting hit in the face, which was her biggest weakness. Terry had been working on her style, helping her improve on protecting her head, but Kip was still new to the sport. She had a ways to go. It would take time.
Kip landed a solid kick to her opponent’s ribs before executing a perfect sweep. The other woman went down but sprang back up immediately, unaffected. At this rate, they could go all night. Is Terry okay? Cameron shook his head. He couldn’t let himself go there. The man was more than capable of taking care of himself. Yeah but is he stuffing Josh’s body in a dumpster? Fuck. Kip won and Cameron had missed it. With her arms raised in victory, Kip met his stare. The luminous smile stretching her lips stole every ounce of his concern for Terry. Cameron loved it when she was happy. She’d searched for his face in her moment of triumph. The realization did something to his chest.
“She looks happy.”
Cameron’s heart jumped into his throat when Terry spoke close to Cameron’s ear. Glancing over his shoulder, he searched Terry’s features for any signs he’d confronted Josh. There was nothing. Not a single mark marred his skin. It was almost scary how relaxed he seemed when only minutes earlier he’d looked ready to slaughter the other man.
“She does,” Cameron agreed. “Did you kill him?”
A hint of a smile hovered on Terry’s lips. He didn’t respond nor would he meet Cameron’s stare.
“We should go save Kip before she’s mobbed by this rowdy bunch,” Terry said, letting Cameron know the topic was closed.
Since it was obvious Terry had no intention of discussing what went down with Josh, Cameron headed for the pathway between the cage and locker rooms, hoping to reach Kip before she was carried away by the tidal wave of people swarming her.
“I won,” Kip cheered when she caught sight of them.
Terry said his congrats before turning his attention Brian’s way. Kip threw herself at Cameron. His arms encircled her body, squeezing her to his chest without a single qualm. Even when his mind was too slow to keep up with her, his body knew where she belonged.
“I won,” Kip repeated, sounding amazed.
“I’m so proud of you, baby.” He wanted her to have the world. “How should we celebrate?”
Kip took a step back, pulling a face. “Right now, I need a shower. Sorry. Now you’re covered in my sweat.”
The evil grin popped into place before Cameron could think twice. “I love being covered in your sweat.” He cast a glance in Terry’s direction, ensuring the men were still occupied with each other. “McKenna has Jade all night. There’s a shower at my place.”
Her gaze swept his body, leaving him heated everywhere it touched. “So there is. I have to grab my bag.”
“Make it quick.” For real, he didn’t know how long he could wait to be alone with her.
* * * * *
Even though Kip had been to Cameron’s house several times, she’d never stayed the night. First off, she’d never had a reason, but also there was Jade to consider. Tonight, Kip had the man all to herself. She was giddy. That was a word she’d never considered using when referring to herself but there it was. Kip couldn’t deny the way her excitement ran through her in waves. As his three-bedroom, tan brick home came into view the sensation grew until Kip swore she was seconds away from levitating in her seat. A bit of adrenaline still might be keeping her high but Kip couldn’t deny Cameron was the cause of her excitement.
He was a warrior. Maybe people would think she was being poetic or some shit by thinking of him that way. She’d never cared what people thought. That was the word that ran through her mind every time she looked at him. He was scarred and hardened by battle. She wanted to touch him and own him. Every time she did, Kip felt powerful. In her lifetime, she’d felt helpless more times than not. Being with Cameron was a heady thing.
As they made their way to the front door, Kip followed his lead since he had the keys. It also gave her an excuse to watch his ass. Curling her hands into fists, Kip barely resisted the urge to squeeze his cheeks. Fuck it. She cupped his ass. Some temptations weren’t meant to be denied. This was one. He glanced over his shoulder. The way his cheek curved into a smile let her know he wasn’t annoyed. Good. She didn’t relent.
“You’re so fucking sexy.”
His low chuckle at her claim washed over her, dampening her panties.
“I’m serious, Cameron. You’re killing me.”
He fumbled with the keys in the lock. Her arms encircled his waist. As part of Terry’s soldier rehabilitation program, Cameron worked out and sparred hard almost every day. It showed. The ridges of his abs drew her fingertips toward them because that’s what yummy abs did. They whispered for women to feel of them. Who was she to deny them? Each line she traced caused her pussy to pulse with need. Kip was damn near dancing in place by the time Cameron opened the door.
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