Dissonance (28 page)

Cam nodded.

“It made me feel good,” Galen said as he brushed a thumb over the tiny scar on Cam’s cheek. “You cared about me enough to come to my rescue.” He kissed Cam’s nose. “Now stop worrying about me and let me worry about you a little. Okay?” Cam’s shy smile called to mind the young boy Cam must have been.
Before Duncan.
Before his childhood had ended abruptly at Duncan’s hands. “Please?” he added when Cam didn’t answer.

“All right.”

It would take Cam time to realize he deserved to be treated well. “Good. So how about you take off those jeans?”

Cam stood and shed his boxers and jeans. “Better?”

“Much.” Galen opened his arms. “Now come here and let me make sure you feel as good as you look.”

Cam’s smile broadened as he moved toward Galen and Galen wrapped his arms around his waist. Galen kissed Cam’s abdomen, taking time to explore the feel of Cam’s skin with his tongue. He pulled Cam closer and worked his hands around the perfect globes of Cam’s ass as he licked a circle around Cam’s belly button.

“Hmm,” he said as he looked up at Cam. “I think I have a better idea.”

Cam pursed his lips and eyed Galen warily. Galen grinned and stood up, shed his sweatpants so he was comfortably naked, then settled onto the floor in front of Cam. “Much better idea,” he said before taking Cam’s hard cock in his hand and pushing back the foreskin.

“Bugger,” Cam said as Galen took him in his mouth and playfully flicked his tongue across his slit.

Galen looked up to catch Cam’s eye but didn’t take his mouth off Cam. Cam had closed his eyes, his face serene, his lips, pink from being kissed, now slightly parted. Galen went back to work, listening to Cam’s soft moans and panted breaths and relishing each for the gift it was. He loved the feel of Cam’s cock in his mouth, loved the way his smooth skin felt against his palms, loved the way Cam tasted.

He released one hand and reached between Cam’s legs to brush the sensitive skin behind his balls and work his fingers slowly forward until he held Cam’s sac. He tightened his suction on Cam as he rolled Cam’s balls and squeezed his ass. Throughout it all, Cam remained quiet, eyes closed, the only indication of his pleasure the pink cast of his cheeks and his ragged breathing.

Time to come back to the present, Cam.
He wanted Cam to enjoy this, but he also wanted him to know that he
deserved
it. Galen released Cam’s cock.

“Cam,” he said, pausing to lick his lips and glance upward, “look at me.”

Cam opened his eyes, slowly, almost as if he was afraid to look. When their eyes finally met, Galen swallowed Cam’s cock.

“God, Galen!” Cam shouted. “Fuck!”

Galen hummed his approval as he worked his lips up and down, using just a bit of his teeth to up the pressure and lazily circling Cam’s opening with a single finger. This proved too much for Cam, who moaned and shot into Galen’s mouth, shuddering and gasping. He grabbed Galen’s head as if to steady himself as he rode the wave of his orgasm.

Galen stood and took a slightly shaky Cam into his arms. “Better?” he asked as Cam laid his head on his shoulder, his breath stuttering in Galen’s ear.

“Bugger,” Cam said with a soft laugh that made Galen shiver. “You do know how to take my mind off of all the shit in my life.”

“We aim to please.”

Cam laughed outright, then pulled Galen so that they both tumbled onto the bed. They lay there for a minute or so, Galen stroking Cam’s soft curls, noting the slowing of Cam’s breath and the calming of his heartbeat.

“I…,” Cam began. “I want to be inside of you. I need to feel you. I want to remember how it feels when I’m locked….”

“Shhh.” Galen brushed his fingers over Cam’s lips. “You’re going to be fine.” He knew Cam was terrified. “You know what to do if it gets to be too much. And we’ll get you out of there as soon as we can.”

Cam nodded. Galen hoped Cam would use the meditation techniques they’d practiced together. Cam had admitted only a few days before that Duncan had locked him in one of the buildings at his family’s estate.

“I remember,” he’d told Galen as he’d shivered in Galen’s arms. “I tried to get away. He’d hurt me the day before. I guess he’d lost control and I….” Cam’s tears were silent. “It still hurt, and I tried to run away from him.” Between gulped breaths, Cam had added in an almost inaudible voice, “He locked me in the boathouse. I stayed there until after dark, when he finally came back for me. He said he was sorry… that he didn’t mean to… but….”

Now, as Cam clearly struggled for control, Galen kissed him again. He took his time as he kissed Cam’s cheeks and chin, then brushed his lips against Cam’s. Cam sighed and visibly relaxed.

Cam curled into Galen’s embrace and his breathing slowed even more, until Galen knew he had fallen asleep. Galen smiled and inhaled the sweet scent of the shampoo that lingered in his curls, feeling the warmth of Cam’s breath against his chest. For some time, Galen held Cam, fighting the need to rest. He didn’t expect the strong wave of emotion that nearly overwhelmed him. Something warm, comforting. Something that made his heart swell. A feeling he had successfully avoided for more than ten years.

“L
ORD
S
HERRINGTON
?
I’m Marc Silver,” said the lanky man who met Cam and Galen outside the FBI field offices in Lower Manhattan the next day. They’d spoken earlier that morning after Cam had reached David Somers in London.

Cam hadn’t expected David to worry about him. “You should have left a message, Cam,” he’d said. “I’d have been happy to give you Marc’s name sooner. He’s a good lawyer. A good man too. He’s handled a few criminal matters for Somers Industries over the years.”

Cam had apologized, but David would have none of it. “No apology needed. What you forget is that I
enjoy
helping friends. Truly.” Two hours later, through Marc, David had set up a special account with more than enough money to cover Cam’s expenses until Cam’s accounts got sorted out. Cam had reassured David he would repay him, but David clearly didn’t care if he ever did.

You can do this
, Cam reminded himself as he met Marc’s gaze and shook his hand. “Good to meet you, Marc. And please, call me Cam.”

“Cam.” Marc smiled and turned to Galen.

“This is my good friend, Galen Rusk.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Silver.” Galen put his hand on Cam’s shoulder, and Cam felt a bit less nervous.

“You can speak freely in front of Galen,” Cam said when Marc shot him a questioning look. “He knows everything.”

“Good.” Marc nodded. “So let me give you the quick update, then. I’ve spoken to the supervisor assigned to your case, Cam, and let her know you intend to turn yourself in. I’ve explained that you’ve retained me as private counsel and that I have no outside affiliation with Sherrington Holdings or Raice Corp.”

“And the files I sent you?” Cam asked.

“I’ve forwarded copies to the FBI. They promised not to share them with your uncle or anyone else for now. Ron Welding came in for questioning over the weekend.”

“He’s not under arrest, is he?” Cam asked with growing alarm. The last thing he wanted was to cause any distress to Ron, his only true ally at the company.

Marc shook his head. “No. Of course not. The supervisor indicated he seemed happy to help in any way he could, and he told them he believed you were innocent.”

Cam took a deep breath and relaxed a bit more. “So what’s the plan?”

“They’ll take you into custody today,” Marc explained. “Fingerprint you, that sort of thing. You’ll stay in their custody while they review the evidence Ron provided. Once they’re satisfied you aren’t involved in the transfers, they’ll probably release you pretty quickly, but it may take a few days before that happens.”

“I won’t go to a regular jail?” Cam had worried about this in particular, although the thought of being locked up anywhere wasn’t exactly comforting.

“You’ll stay here for the time being.”

Cam clenched his jaw and mumbled his thanks. He suddenly felt dizzy. Weak.

“Why don’t I give you two a few minutes,” Marc said. “I’ll get things going and you can come inside when you’re ready, okay?”

“All right. Thank you.” Cam’s voice shook. For a moment he thought he might pass out, but then Galen put his arm around him, steadying him. Without really thinking, Cam touched the bracelet Galen had given him. He found one of the charms and began to rub it between his fingers.
Healing. Hope. Love.

“It’ll be fine, Cam,” Marc said. “They’ll treat you well. I’ll make sure of it. We’ll get you out of custody as soon as we can.”

“Thanks.” Galen spoke for Cam.

When they were alone a moment later, Galen gathered Cam into his arms. “I know I’m acting like a child,” Cam said against Galen’s shoulder.

“You’re not.” Galen kissed Cam’s head. “And for someone who’s claustrophobic, the idea of being locked in a cell isn’t exactly pleasant.”

Cam stared at Galen, dumbfounded. “How did you know?” He’d barely admitted it to himself, although he’d begun to understand it was part of the reason he’d run when Jim had told him the FBI planned to take him into custody.

Galen shrugged. “The way you told me about Duncan and what happened to you, it made sense when I put the pieces together.”

Panic zinged through Cam’s body as he imagined them locking him in a cell or a room. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You’ll be fine.” Galen pulled him close again. “Just breathe, remember. If you ever feel like you can’t handle it, just breathe. In… and out….”

Cam focused on Galen’s words, slowing his breathing.
Breathe in. Relax. Breathe out. Relax.
Slowly, the panic ebbed, then subsided.

I can do this. I can do this.

“Better?” Galen asked after a few minutes.

“Yes. Thanks.” He took another deep breath. “I can’t thank you enough. For everything.”

“Ready, then?”

“I’m ready.” Cam opened the glass doors and walked into the office.

London, England

One week later

C
AM
GLANCED
out the window of the plane as the outskirts of London came into view as they dipped below the thick layer of clouds. Four hours late, thanks to a mechanical problem that ended up turning into a change of aircraft. Not that it mattered much. He had no plans—he’d cancelled them all when he’d flown to the States. He’d hoped he wouldn’t be coming back here for a while.

He absentmindedly fingered the friendship bracelet Galen had given him.
Healing. Hope. Love.
How many times had he looked to that bracelet for strength? He wished Galen had been there to meet him when the FBI released him. But they hadn’t discussed what would happen after he turned himself in. He’d had too much on his mind. He’d been too frightened to think that far into the future. But he’d thought about Galen a lot when he was in the cell. Each time he’d thought the fear would overwhelm him, he thought about Galen and pulled himself back from the brink. Thinking about Galen gave him something to focus on other than the bars.

He knew he’d done well. He’d been strong. He’d survived being locked up for nearly a week. The knowledge left him feeling empowered. He was ready to move forward. Ready to face his past and his future. Dan Bryce had confessed to helping Duncan set up the Cayman accounts after the FBI confronted him with Ron Welding’s evidence of tampering with the authorization codes.

“It’s just a matter of time,” Marc had told him when he’d given Cam the news that he would be released that morning. “They’ve contacted the UK authorities about Duncan’s involvement.”

The flight attendant handed him his jacket and scarf when they landed. He pulled them on, then turned on his mobile and waited for it to connect to the network. He scrolled down the list of missed calls. There were none from Galen. Not that he’d expected any, but again, he’d hoped.

He’d missed a call from his New York number. Luisa, no doubt checking to make sure he’d arrived. He’d check the message and call her back later—it was far too late to bother her.