Page 219 of Midnights
“Thought you weren’t in the mood for gentle?” I taunt, as I dodge his next swing and land a sharp jab to his ribs.
He grunts, shaking his head. “You’re not as good when you’re cocky.” He follows up with a right hook that snaps my head to the side, hard. That felt more like his usual. Spoke too soon.
“I found something.”
I roll my jaw, tasting the sharp tang of blood. “You throw your punches like you’re trying to prove a point,” My tone is ice-cold, as I circle him. “Wanna tell me what it is?”
He levels me with a look that tells me I hit a nerve. “Even half-asleep, I can still kick your ass.”
My eyes narrow, “You talk too much.”
He might be tired but he's still fast. My next shot lands clean on his jaw. I watch his head snap to the side, and a low, satisfied rumble escapes me.Payback.
He rubs his jaw, laughing through the sting, but his eyes cold with amusement. “Alright,” He circles me, keeping his eyes locked on mine like he’s got more to say. “Humor me for a second. I’ve got a question.”
I stalk closer, keeping my stance loose. “This should be good.”
“Easy, Hulk.” His grin sharpens as he sidesteps. “Think of it as bonding.” He shifts his weight, but I can see him planning out his next move in his head. “You notice anything… off lately?”
“Defineoff.”
Cam shifts his weight again. His movements are controlled, he's waiting. “I don’t know, anything weird or out of place? You’ve been wound tighter than usual.”
“You know what would be more fun? Kicking your ass,” I dodge his next swing and step in with a counter. “So either spill, or stop wasting my time.”
Cam laughs, dodging easily. His grin is infuriating enough that if he doesn't start talking, I'm going to hit it off him. “Patience is a virtue, man. Suspense is part of the game.”
I roll my shoulders, stepping closer. “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”
He sidesteps again, still grinning, but there’s a sharpness behind his eyes. “I’m just saying, you’ve been… distracted. You want to tell me who’s crawling under your skin?”
For a fraction of a second, I freeze. His words cut closer than I’d like, but I brush it off. “What is this—a therapy session?” I throw a jab that lands hard, forcing him back. “You want me on the couch, or are you finally going to hit me?”
He jumps back, laughing. “Alright, alright,” he says, raising his hands in surrender. “Just trying to keep it interesting. But if you’d rather get your ass beat—”
I silence him with a swing he slips under. His hit lands hard in my ribs, but not enough to matter.
“On a lighter note,” he winks, stepping back. “We found all the footage of our guy from the party.”
My movements still, as I circle him. “And?”
“He was always near Raven. Never too close, but never too far either.” His tone is cold. “He was clearly watching her.”
A muscle ticks in my jaw as I lunge forward, forcing him back. “Tell me you’ve got more than that.”
He blocks my next move smiling. “Relax. We’ve tracked him through the night. The bastard didn’t make a move until the garden, but before that, he was always somewhere nearby. Staring. Whoever he is, he’s not just some random asshole.”
I blow out a breath, lowing my fists. “Did you ID him?”
Cam’s lip curls into something dark, as sweat drips down his brow. “Not yet. The footage isn’t great, plus he knew what he was doing. No records, no identifiers, nothing.” He ducks pulling a swing out of nowhere. “He went to a lot of trouble to avoid cameras.”
I move out of his way, stepping closer and swing for the side of his face. “Well, figure it out.”
He sidesteps, landing a hit to my jaw that makes me stumble. “If there’s something to find, you know I’ll find it.”
I shake off the sting, feeling the frustrating boiling under my skin. I step in closer, crowding his space, forcing him back. “You better find it fast.”
He meets my frustration with amusement. “Relax. You’re acting like someone’s about to burn your house down.”
