Page 95 of His Team

I don’t tell him where I’m going or who I’m going to stay with. The less he knows, the better. I don’t really know the people I’ll be with.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Will you promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“Promise me you’ll be safe. Protect yourself, Cam. Learn how to use a gun if you have to. Don’t let him take you from us.”

“I already know how to use a firearm, darlin’. You know about these hands.”

I can’t help the chuckle that comes from my lips as he tries to deliver the last part like a New Yorker through his Texas drawl. My heart aches as I realize how much I’m going to miss him.

“Keep Cal safe too. Nothing can happen to him.”

“Fuck,” he hisses, making my heart race.

“What? What just happened?”

“You’ll see when you watch the draft,” he says.

“Cam, I’ll be traveling. I don’t know if I’ll get to watch.”

“Cal shaved to propose to Nicole. We look exactly alike right now.”

“Shit.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it out. You just try to watch if you can. I want you to know where our new home will be when this is all over.”

I smile as I cover my stomach and dare to dream of us as a family. Then my smile falls as I begin to feel like a home-wrecker. Kay didn’t ask for this.

“Cam, maybe we shouldn’t. This isn’t fair to Kay,” I whisper.

“Don’t you worry about that. You let me deal with her. I love you, baby. I’ll be with you two soon.”

“Love you.”

I close my eyes as tears continue to spill. The call cuts off, leaving a hole in my soul. I find “Cry For You” on my phone and place it on repeat as I cry myself to sleep.

This hurts so bad.

Cameron

I climb out of the car to head back inside and hand Bernie back his phone. My daddy is on his way out the door as I go to step inside. He freezes and cups the sides of my face.

“Cameron, what’s going on?”

I shake my head. This has turned far more dangerous than I anticipated before. I don’t know if I can keep my family safe all on my own.

“Speak to me, Cam. I’m your daddy. If I can, I’ll make it right. What is it?”

“Not here. I need to get a haircut and make some calls in a private place. Not my place.”

I think of the cameras in Amina’s and don’t feel safe making arrangements there anymore. I’m also going to cut my hair off. Cal and I look too much alike with the long hair.

His is longer, but if you’re not paying attention to the details, you won’t make the distinction right away. I need there to be no doubt that I’m Cameron and he’s Caleb. I need to protect him as much as I need to protect Amina and my unborn child.

“Come on, I have a place. I’ll have my barber come to us. You can explain everything to me on the way there,” Daddy says.