Athica Lane: The Carpino Series (21 page)

He puts his mouth to mine and kisses me before he murmurs against my lips, “You need to know what you’ve done to me.  I couldn’t walk away when I knew I should and now, there’s no way I could.  So yeah, I don’t only want to take care of you, I need it.  And I need you to let me do that.”

I bring one of my hands to his face and brush his goatee that I’ve come to love so much with my thumb.  Looking into his blue eyes, I nod.

“Baby,” he starts, his eyes wandering my face, his hands tensing on my body.  “I need to take you, and by taking you, I’m going to show you one of the many ways I plan on taking care of you.  I’ve never needed anything so much and I really need that right now.  Are you ready?” he asks and I feel my eyes widen.  He doesn’t wait for an answer, putting one hand to the middle of my back and one to the bed, he turns us as I hang on.  When he begins to thrust into me, he asks, “You’ll tell me if it’s too much?”

“Yes,” I whisper. 

“Pull your knees up high, baby,” he demands and I do.  Oh, that feels even better.  He thrusts harder and deeper, feeling him on my clit the more he moves.  I can’t help but arch my back and push up to him, getting as much as I can.

“Cam,” I call out, but I don’t know why.

He doesn’t answer—he pushes into me faster, his body taut and firm.  This is like last night, but better and so much more.  I feel as if he’s losing some of the control he was holding onto so carefully.  With a hand holding the side of my head, he leans down to kiss me when his body finally stills, slamming into me one more time with his warm skin wrapped around me. 

He tips his head to mine as he breathes hard, “You okay?”

I say nothing but give him a small smile with a nod and he kisses me again, relaxing his body on mine.  With his big bulk pressing me into his bed, he pulls his head back and his blue eyes search my face.  There he confirms, “Yeah, I want to take care of every bit of you.”  My smile softens when he continues, “That sweet you shell out, baby, I need to keep it safe.”

I squeeze him with my arms and legs, leaning up to kiss him this time.  His words are too much.

“Let me get rid of this condom,” he says.

“Okay, but I need to brush my teeth.  And wash my face, for that matter.”

I pull in a breath as he pulls out of me.  He moves to stand and grabs my hand, helping me up.  I pick up the t-shirt he was wearing earlier and pull it over my head as he tosses me my panties.  Cam goes to the bathroom and I go to my bag to find what I need to get ready for bed properly for the first time in what feels like forever. 

When I get to the bathroom, Cam is spitting in the sink.  He’s barely righted his jeans, leaving them hang open, a look I could get used to.  He turns on the hot water at his sink so I claim the other and start to sort my things.  I make the decision that after last night’s ordeal with Bekki, I need to at least broach the subject because my curiosity is getting the best of me.

“I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help but overhear a little of what you and my dad were talking about.  You’ve never said, but I’m curious why you and Bekki divorced?” I ask as I pull out my floss.

Cam stills for a mere second, but doesn’t look at me.  He opens a drawer and pulls out a washcloth, tossing it in the water.  He doesn’t say anything as he washes his face, bent over the sink. 

“I’m sorry,” I start because I feel his mood tense.  “I shouldn’t have asked, it’s none of my business.”

He stands, flips off the water and tosses the cloth to the counter after wringing it out.  Drying his face, he turns to me but remains silent.

“I’m sorry,” I repeat.  “I…it doesn’t matter.  I know what kind of man you are.  I don’t care that you’re divorced, and obviously I can tell what kind of woman Bekki is.  I’m just, well, I shouldn’t have wondered.  I would want you no matter what, Cam.  It doesn’t make any difference to me what happened with Bekki,” I ramble on. 

He closes his eyes while dropping his head and crosses his arms. 

“I’m sorry,” I keep on.

“Quit saying you’re sorry,” his intense eyes come back to me, pinning me to my spot.  “You have every right to ask.  I couldn’t give her what she wanted.  We met in college and looking back, she was banking on the fact I’d go pro, or at least have a shot at it.  She wasn’t like she is now, at least not completely.  But who knows, she probably had me snowed.  Once she realized I wasn’t going to make millions playing ball, she kept at me to go back to Texas, work for my dad.  My dad’s a rancher.  Our property’s been in the family for three generations.  Right after I was born, they realized they were sitting on a gold mine, but not the gold that has to do with herding cattle or training horses.  My family’s land is sitting on oil.  A lot of it.  Now, my parents aren’t billionaires, but they’ve done well.  I had the opportunity to work for the family business, but I wanted to coach and that meant I needed to teach.  By this time, I was so deep into Bekki, she probably thought it was worth sticking around.  I’m sure she figured no one could say no to millions in the oil business forever.  But I never changed my mind, she got restless, wanted a life a teacher and coach couldn’t give her.”

Shocked by his explanation, I stand in awe, but really in awe of Bekki having Cam and him not being enough.  How could she give him children, be the way he is and that not be enough for anyone?

Like so many times in my life, I let my mouth run before my brain can keep up, “She’s an idiot.”

“I don’t like to talk about her,” he frowns.

“Okay,” I agree.  I wouldn’t like to talk about her either.

“Especially in this house.  I bought this after the divorce, I needed something that didn’t have anything to do with her,” he says.

“I get that,” I say quietly.

“And I really don’t want to talk about her with you, especially after what you gave me last night.  Not because I don’t want you to know, but because I don’t want my time with you tainted with the memory of her,” he goes on further.

“I get that, too,” I say quietly.  “I won’t mention her again.”

He finally moves and when he does, he comes close.  He puts a hand behind my head and pulls me up, kissing me softly.  There he says, “Hurry and come to me.”

“I’ll be right there,” I promise.

His blue eyes search my face again before letting me go and disappearing into his bedroom. 

I turn to look at myself in the mirror.  And for the second night in a row, that was not what I was expecting.  I thought maybe he got tired of her being a bitch and divorced her.  But Bekki was a gold digger, or more specifically, an oil digger.  This information makes me hate her all the more.  I can’t imagine how Cam feels.

I finish with my teeth and face, moving back to Cam’s bedroom to find him settled in bed.  He’s got an arm under his head, staring at the ceiling and the covers are barely pulled up to his waist.  When I approach, he looks to me and rolls to his side. 

I climb in and move close, pressing my body against his and resting my face in between his shoulder and neck.  I turn my head to kiss his neck as his arms pull me in tight. 

“Cam?” I call for him.

“Yeah,” he sighs.

“You’re a good man and you’re a great dad.  I wouldn’t have you any different than you are right now,” I whisper.

He doesn’t say anything, but he does pull me in tighter, crushing me to him.  And that’s where I fall asleep.

I open my eyes and feel Paige’s shoulder under my hand.  She’s moved away from me, something I’ve learned is normal for her.  She seems to like her space and for someone so small, she sure as shit hogs the bed. 

The room is dark with barely any light coming through the blinds, only that from the moon.  Looking back to her, she’s on her back tonight with her far arm thrown over her head.   Even through the darkness, I still see her dark hair strewn wild over my pillow.  As I let her go and roll to grab my ringing cell that woke me up, I can’t help but think about how much I like the look of her hair a mess over my pillow.  I like it a fuckuva lot. 

“Montgomery,” I answer quietly, but raspy from sleep, hoping not to wake her but also frown at the word “Unknown” showing up on my phone at three-thirty in the morning. 

Listening to the caller on the other end I sit up immediately, moving quickly to my feet and give them the information they need.  I hear Paige roll, making a soft sound as she turns to take up the middle of the bed, finally settling on her stomach with her leg hitched.  This would make me smile if I wasn’t enraged about my fucking phone call. 

“I’ll be right there,” I say in a low voice before disconnecting.

I pull on a pair of shorts and shirt from the floor before I lean to the bed, setting my hand on her ass.  I give her a small squeeze and whisper, “Paige, I’ve got to go to The Shed.”

She opens her eyes slowly and gives me a confused, “What?”

“I’ve got to get to The Shed.  You okay to stay with the kids?” I ask, wanting to like that she’s here for my kids but not allowing myself to like it all the same.

She pushes up, turning her body to a sitting position and comes alert as she looks at the time on my clock, “Why?”

“Got a call.  The alarm’s going off.  They said the back door’s been compromised, the police are on their way and I need to get there.  You okay with the kids?” I repeat, cupping her face in my hand.

She raises a hand to my wrist and her sleepy eyes look concerned when she says, “Of course, go.”

I lean in to kiss her before saying, “Go back to sleep.”

“Let me know what’s happening,” she implores with more unease.  Somehow I know by the look on her face, her unease is for me above my business.  How I know this, I don’t know.  Maybe it’s because the more time I spend with her, she’s shown me what matters most to her—it’s not the shit around her, but the people.

I don’t let her concern, or the fact she’s here and willing to take care of my kids, settle in my gut the way it’s trying to.  It’s hard, because as my moments with Paige click by, I feel it digging deep, looking for a spot to settle and take root.  If that seed ever sprouts the way it’s threatening, I’m fucked. 

I do what I’ve been doing and mentally push it away, like I’ve managed the last few days.  But it’s becoming more and more difficult to keep it at bay. 

“I’ll reset the alarm before I leave,” I say and kiss her one more time, hoping to remove the unease from her face.  Even though I know it’s for me, I don’t like it there.

She simply nods before settling on her side in my bed.  I have to push that away, too, seeing her in my bed.  I turn to leave her with my kids to find out what the fuck has happened now.  An alarm going off for the second night in a row, at both of my properties cannot be good.  I prowl through my quiet dark house and for the third time in two days, I go to talk to the police.

*****

“You’re sure that’s him?”

“I’m sure,” I repeat to the group of officers huddled around my computer screen in my office at The Shed.  “I’ve coached him for three years and most of that time he’s been a pain in my ass.  I’d know his face anywhere.”

I lean back in my chair, grateful for my top of the line security system, even if I did spend a mint on it at the time.  I grew up with an appreciation for high tech security after my parents had an incident with a group of protesters on their land when I was a teenager.  Not everyone appreciates a free economy or wants their Mother Earth drilled.  It took one time with protesters showing up on our doorstep to scare my mom and piss off my dad, for him to make my childhood home and property safer than Fort Knox. 

Now I’m pissed I didn’t put closed circuit cameras on my house, as well.  I’d have video of who messed with Paige’s car, although after tonight I’d put my money on Michael Gheer. 

“You have his address?” the officer asks.

“I can get it for you,” I say, staring at the paused video on the screen of Michael with a crowbar, smashing in my doors with two of his cronies looking on.  They were inside all of three minutes knowing there was an alarm, they didn’t have much time to do what they came to do.  But they did enough in the three minutes they gave themselves.  My turf is slashed in so many places it’s toast, there’s spray paint on the cages and mounds and enough damage was done to my tackle equipment, I’m sure I’ll have to replace it.

They tried to get in the office, but time must not have allowed.  There’s some damage to the door, but that’s it.  All in all, it’s equipment and turf which isn’t cheap, but that’s why I have insurance.  I’ll be pressing charges—that’s for sure.  They weren’t expecting a surveillance system.  They’ve fucked themselves.  We’ll see what lame excuses his parents come up with this time when there’s proof. 

I feel my phone vibrate and pull it out to find a text from Paige.  It’s barely five o’clock, she should be asleep.

Paige:  Is everything okay?

Fuck.  She’s bound and determined to plant that seed in me.

Me:  Why are you up? Had a break-in.  I’ll be here a while.  Can you get the kids to camp?

Paige:  A break-in?  Holy shit!  What happened?  Did they take anything?  Can I do anything to help?  I can’t believe it.

I shake my head and start typing.

Me:  No.  Sleep.  Getting the kids to camp would help.

Paige:  Are you sure?  I don’t mind if they hang with me today.  I mean, all I have to do is edit some pictures and articles then go to the store.  I even brought stuff to make them pancakes, and not the kind you just add water to, the homemade kind.  Maybe we can stop by later and bring you lunch
?


Me:  No.  Sleep. Camp. 

Paige:  Well, how about we see if they want to go to camp or want pancakes?  And what do you want for lunch?  A Dr. Pepper? 

Fucking-A, she just doesn’t stop.  With the police surrounding me, my business torn to shit and my broken door that needs fixed today, I do not have time for this.  Even so, I can’t stop from shaking my head as I bite back a grin.

Me:  The police are waiting on me.  I don’t care. 

Paige:  Oh, sorry.  Okay, we’ll just surprise you with lunch.  Let me know if you need anything or get hungry for something specific.

Me:  Sleep.

Paige:  You know, if you added a cute little emoji with your bossy text, it would come across nicer.

That’s it.  I’m done.

I toss my phone to the desk and open up the files on my computer to get the home address for Michael Gheer.  I’m anxious for him to have as good of a morning as I’m having.  His ass needs to be arrested.  I could still be in bed with Paige right now, but no.  We’re both up and I’m dealing with this shit because of him. 

I feel my phone vibrate one more time.  I print off Gheer’s information for the officers and nab my phone, not surprised to see it’s the now very awake woman I left in my bed. 

Paige:  Seriously, though.  I’m sorry you’re dealing with the police again.  Smooches to you.  xoxo

Smooches?  What the fuck do I do with “smooches”?

I look back to my screen and can’t believe I’m doing what I’m doing when I type the one word.

Me:  Ditto.

She immediately hits me back.

Paige:  See?  This can be fun.

The only way she’ll stop is if I ignore her, so I stand and slide my phone in my pocket.  I need to look at the damage closer and see what the police are doing.  Once the sun is officially up, I have about two million phone calls to make—the first being to my Athletic Director.  Fucking Michael Gheer is done playing football for me. 

*****

“Here’s the initial check to get you going, less your deductible.  Once you start getting bids for the damaged items, we’ll work out the difference.  But this should be a start,” the insurance adjuster says, reaching out to shake my hand.  “Sorry this happened.  Hope this won’t put you out of commission for long.”

I’m not out of commission, we’ve moved everyone outside for the day.  My guys and I have already started ripping out the damage.  I’ve ordered new turf and mounds, we’ll be able to clean up the cages.  A set of heavy construction doors will be here in the next couple of hours so I can lock up for the night and not have to worry.  It’ll take a couple weeks for new doors to be installed. 

It’s late afternoon and just like she promised, Paige and the kids brought lunch from the burger joint where I made my first impression, dumping my drink on her chest.  She found this funny and refused to bring me a Dr. Pepper.  I got a Coke instead and when she handed it to me, she said smiling, “I like this top.  No Dr. Pepper for you.”

Jordy and Cara told me all about pancakes, going to the grocery store and how after they ate lunch with me, they were going to visit Rosa and eat fudgesicles.  I got Jordy in the batting cages and pitched to him for a good twenty minutes as Paige and Cara laughed while talking to Zeke.  Paige told me her car is ready to pick up earlier than expected since all they had to replace were tires and the piece of glass was in stock.  Now I’ve got to make time to clean out my garage tonight so she can park in it.  There’s no way I’m taking another chance with her car parked outside.  Plus, we need a full night’s sleep.  I finally had to send them on their way when the adjuster got here. 

I head to my office to file the insurance papers, but am stopped when I look to the front door.  Paige’s brother walks in wearing a suit with another guy I saw at Tony’s birthday party, but didn’t get the chance to meet.  He’s tall, big and looks slightly Hispanic.  But what catches my attention is the badge he’s wearing on one side of his belt, with a gun holstered on the other. 

I turn and move to them.  Tony’s eyes are alert, and not a happy alert.  The one with the badge is looking around, taking in his surroundings.

I meet them in front of the batting cages and greet them with a chin lift, “Tony.”  Looking to the other guy, I stick out my hand, “Cam Montgomery.”

“Jude Ortiz, I’m with the FBI.  Good to meet you.  My wife, Gabby, is Paige’s cousin,” he greets me.

“What the hell happened?” Tony frowns.

“I had a break-in last night,” I explain.  “We’re getting it sorted.”

“This place is the shit,” Jude says looking around.  “Wish I had this when I was young.”

“You have a lot of people after you?” Tony frowns.  “I heard about my sister’s car, not to mention what happened to her.  Seems you’ve got some enemies.”

I do my best not to frown back and calm my expression, “Just an asshole quarterback who wasn’t happy with a decision.  Now he’s not my quarterback anymore and has probably screwed his chances at getting a scholarship.  I have surveillance of him trashing my place.  My guess?  He fucked up Paige’s car, too.  It’s the only reasonable explanation.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a batting cage,” Jude ignores Tony, still taking everything in.

“Your shit seems to be pulling my sister in this week.  My dad filled me in.  I’m pleased your kids are okay, but I’m not pleased about my sister getting hurt,” he says, crossing his arms.

I feel my jaw go hard and say in a low voice, “I can promise you, I’m even less pleased.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Jude cuts in and shoots a look to Tony before turning back to me.  “I have information on your ex.”

I say nothing, but raise my eyebrows and wait to hear what in the hell he could have on fucking Bekki.  I almost don’t want to know.

“She was arrested this morning,” Jude says.

“Again?” I ask.  That was not what I was expecting to hear. 

“Yeah.  Detectives had to get their shit in order, couldn’t tell me or Tony, Sr. anything the last couple of days because they were building their case.  You remember the guy they caught the night when she left your kids alone?” he asks.

“What about him?”

“He made a deal with the DA, pled for a lesser charge.  He gave up his buddies, who’re brothers, and your ex.  She was selling them patient files from the hospital where she works,” he informs me.

“Come again?” I ask quietly, not believing what I’m hearing.

“Your ex was using her job to steal private patient information and selling it to those thugs.  Apparently, building quite a side business for herself and doing it for some time.  Hospital security got the tip from police after interrogating the guy arrested the other day.   They’ve been watching her every move since she went back to work.  It didn’t take her long, the second she downloaded more patient files onto a flash drive this morning, they moved in.  They’re looking into her past on every system she had access to at the hospital.   They’ll have some hefty charges built against her.  Apparently she was late providing what she promised to her buyers the night she left your kids alone and went to download them after hours.  She was processed earlier today, I doubt she’ll be getting out on bail this time,” he explains.