Page 40 of Unchained

Jesus. Being this close to Cam reduced him to primate talk. And the pathetic part was, he’d already whacked himself off and still needed her in ways he couldn’t have.

Not yet anyway.

When all this was over and he had a firm grip on his life, then maybe he could be the man Cam deserved. But not when he still had the traitorous drug ramping through his veins, not when his every breath depended on his getting revenge.

Pulling her close, he tucked his face into her hair and closed his eyes. Instead of the harsh darkness that normally pulled him under, it was her sweet presence that lulled him into a peaceful state.

* * *

A bright light touched Brooks’s cheeks. He squeezed his eyes against the sunlight escaping the cheap blinds and buried his face into the warm, soft body in his arms. Cam. His hand lay tucked under her side, his fingers just touched her hipbone. The delicate material of her panties rubbed against his pinky finger.

He was molded to her frame, making it evident that neither of them had budged all night—except for his stealth hand, which had a mind of its own. The hemline of her shirt bunched around her hip beneath his forearm. Aside from panties, she was naked from the waist down. His cock throbbed, threatening to split open if he didn’t do something fast to relieve the tension.

Cam stretched her legs, breaking the contact of his knees and her thighs. A cool draft washed over his skin in their absence. She turned in his arms, the movement bringing his palm to lie flat on her tummy.

“Hey,” she said softly. The light touched her makeup-free face. The green tones in her eyes were mixed with yellow and encircled in a ring of dark blue. Christ, she was gorgeous. Her dark lashes framed her almond-shaped eyes. Her skin was pale, but a rosy tint crawled up her neck.

“Morning,” he said, his voice gruff. If he were a gentleman, he’d have removed his hand and given her space, but right now, doing that would be equivalent to cutting off a limb. He propped his head up on his free hand and let his gaze roam lazily around her face. “You’re the prettiest sight I’ve ever woken up to.”

Her light laugh tinkled the air. She stretched, and her fingers tangled in the strands of her hair. He caught a lock and twirled it around his finger.

Her gaze went to the strand he toyed with, and a distant look appeared in her eyes. “I’m always surprised when I see my hair’s blonde.”

He lifted his eyebrows. “It’s not your natural color?” Now that she mentioned it, he could see the different shade at the roots. “It suits you.”

“Nope, my natural color is light brown.” Her gaze lowered. “I wanted a disguise.”

Anger flared inside him. Just the fact that she’d been on the run, hiding from someone and scared, was enough to set his nerves on edge. Getting upset about her past wouldn’t help. “You can always go back, but I like this, too.”

She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “Thanks. Did you sleep okay?”

His lips curved more than he intended. “Better than I have in a while.” He slid his thumb back and forth along the flesh above her belly button. Her muscles tightened, and goosebumps broke out on her skin beneath his palm.

Her hand lifted to his cheek then rested on his shoulder before coasting its way down the length of his arm. “I’m glad.” The throaty ring in her voice alerted him to her arousal.

Last night, he’d vowed to keep his hands off her until he settled his business with Conrad. But Jesus, Joseph, and Mary that would be next to impossible. Especially when she was here beside him, in need, all but demanding he touch her. He swallowed, and the sides of his throat met, reminding him that he needed water before he kissed her.

Ring, ring

Cam bolted up. The sheets pooled at her waist. She twisted to the nightstand, giving him a delicious view of her ass in black bikini panties. Lord, have mercy.

“Hello?” she said breathlessly. She turned to face him, and disappointment filled him as her butt sank out of his view. “Uh, yeah. That was me. He-he’s here.” Cam tilted the phone away from her lips. “It’s your sister,” she mouthed.

He sat up. Pressure built in his chest and rose to press against his temples. His sister.

“One sec.” Cam held out the phone, her hand trembling.

He accepted the device, his hands closing around the phone on their own will. A wall of protection slapped up around his heart. What if he was wrong? What if he’d made up the name and his sister didn’t exist and this was someone calling to set the record straight and convince him he’d entirely lost his mind?

He brought the phone to his ear and rolled to sit at the edge of the bed. Cam’s palm on his spine anchored him. “Hello?” The word rolled out slow, tentative.

“Oh my god,” a female voice squeaked. His mind immediately analyzed the words, searching for familiarity, but the woman’s sobs made it hard to discern. “Brooks? Is it really you?” This time, the words came out stronger. More determined.

An image of a dark-haired little girl flashed in his mind. Her plump arms reached for him, wanting him to pick her up. Then came an image of a defiant, sassy-pants teenager. Lexi. She had laughing blue eyes and a bright smile. This time, the image didn’t dissolve like cotton candy in water.

“Yeah, it’s me,” was all he could muster.

“Are you okay? I’ve been looking for you for eight and a half months. I can’t believe you’re calling me. I thought . . .” Her voice broke on another cry.

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