Fragmented (18 page)

The elevator clicked
, reaching their destination. She didn’t even notice which floor they exited onto, but she recognized the place. Darren unlocked the door, leading her into his condo. She stared at Darren. This was his home…they had brought her to Darren’s home.

“
Are you okay?” he asked finally. She swung around, facing him. He continued. “Of course you’re not. Make yourself at home. I need to talk with Brophy.”

“
That’s it!” she began. “Brush me off into the other room. What the hell is going on?”

“
They didn’t tell you?”

She shook her head. He swallowed hard. He, too, had been woken. He rubbed his forehead.
“A threat came in. He knew the hotel, your room number. We had no choice and no time to plan differently.”

“
To your home?”

He gave a slight shrug.
“I…offered. It seemed the logical course of action. This place is a fortress and easy to stakeout. Remember, I promised you that you’d be safe.”

He looked down at her.
“There’s a throw over the couch, if you want to warm up. Give us a minute. I promise I’ll go over everything as soon as I talk with Brophy.”

* * * *

“You sure you’re okay with this?” Brophy asked, glancing back over his shoulder. The girl lay curled up on the couch. She looked small and defenseless.

“
Don’t have a choice, the way I see it. I promised her she would be safe.”

“
Yeah. And nothing has happened yet. We could find another hotel. Take her down to the station. Seems strange you would offer your place. Can’t recall you ever offering before tonight.” Sarcasm oozed out of his words. “Not personal, bro?”

Darren shook his head.
“Don’t have to go there. I withdrew myself from the case today. I told my boss, but it doesn’t mean I can’t offer my home to her. I want her safe. Don’t go off on me. I have backed off. I even told Dunn my whole story. He knows I care about Cameron. He believes Cameron will feel safe here, at least for the time being. Hopefully, you guys can catch the sonofabitch soon.”

“
I’m not going to go off on you. I said that you shouldn’t be on the case. There is a difference. Matter of fact, it’s nice to see you’re human, feel something for once.” He sighed heavily, turning back to the matter at hand. “Any more news?”

Darren nodded.
“Dunn called. Said it looks like the guy hacked into the hotel computers. Figured out which hotel we used by the way it was handled on the reservations. Dunn even suspects the guy can tap into the hotel’s security systems. There’s a possibility he was able to use their security cameras against us. If that’s the case, then our little diversion might not have worked. He may know we moved her.”

“
Then it is probably best to keep her here for the time being. Centrello has two details watching your entrances and one outside your door.”

“
You can stay on the couch if you want. I’ll put Cameron in the guest room,” Darren said. “I’ll get you a pillow and blanket and settle Cameron in. We can ask Cameron if she feels comfortable with the arrangements.”

Brophy watched Cameron’s expression as the two walked over to explain the situation. Her eyes never left Darren’s face. Darren sat down by her, explaining the options they could line up. He could have been explaining that jumping from the top of the building would be the best course of action. This girl wasn’t going to go against anything Darren said.

“The decision is yours. It’s late. Sleep here tonight and decide in the morning. What time is it, Broph?”

“
One forty-five,” he said blandly.

“
I don’t care,” she said in almost a whisper. “My bag and clothes.”

“
I can have it brought over in the morning,” Brophy said. “If you can make it through the night?”

She nodded.

“I’ll show you to your room. It has its own bathroom. If you need anything, just ask.” Darren walked her back to the room. Brophy watched him return to the room with the pillow and blanket. Darren dropped them on the couch.

“
Make yourself comfortable,” Darren joked. His manner had eased, as if a weight had been lifted. Brophy read Darren…his worry was now in his guest bedroom, safe.

Brophy shook his head.
“Unless you really want me to stay, I’m heading down to the station. Something is bothering me about the computer end of this whole thing. I want to see the board while I’m up.”

“
You can’t go,” Darren said. “Cameron’s in the next room.”

Brophy shook his head.
“Look, bro. This has been personal with both of you since the beginning. You’re right about her being safer here. My job is trying to figure out who is after her, and the computer bothers me. How easily he discovered where she was. And, besides, I have faith that you’ll keep her safe and sound.”

“
Do you really have something to go on?”

“
I have to find it, Darren. He’s getting too close. Honestly, the leads, the clues are so erratic. If I didn’t know better I would say we are dealing with multiple people, multiple crimes, not connected, except they are.” Brophy shook his head. He abruptly stood. “We could debate the rest of the night. She’s safe for right now. I’m leaving. We can sort out the rest later today. I’ll see myself out.”

* * * *

Darren walked behind Brophy. He checked the door twice to make sure it was secure. He set his alarm and dead bolted the door. He breathed deep. When the phone rang from Dunn, his heart stopped. He hadn’t realized how on edge he had been about the whole situation.

He walked down the hall. He stared at her door, wondering
whether she had found sleep. She looked tired…worried. He slowly turned the handle to check. One look, and then he would head for the couch. He wasn’t sleepy. He would watch sports highlights on
Sports Center
.

His first glance found the bed empty. But a quick glimpse found her staring out the window. She didn’t seem to have heard him,
she was so deep in thought. The moon had broken through the once cloudy sky, shining through the window.

Her figure silhouetted in the light from the window. Her long hair fell down past her shoulders. Her flannel pajama pants
and long-sleeved pajama top did nothing to hide her body from the moonlight outlining her curves. She turned and her eyes caught him staring at her. He stepped closer.

“
I’m sorry,” he said. “I was just checking on you. Brophy left, but the condo’s secure. Can’t sleep?”

She shook her head.
“No. I don’t know if I can.”

“
You’re safe, Cameron. He can’t get you here.” He moved to her side and stared into her eyes. She didn’t back away from him. Drawing her into his arms, he could feel her tremble. He pulled her closer.

Feeling her body respond to him, he leaned down.
He hovered over her lips for a moment before he lightly touched hers. Once. Twice. Then his lips claimed hers. Every feeling he had suppressed rushed back with a burning force, wanting only to devour her. He kissed her, tasted her, and drew her into a passionate embrace.

Breaking from him, she pushed back against his chest.
“I can’t,” she said in a broken voice. “Don’t do this to me, Darren. I can’t take it.”

Refusing to let go of her, he wondered for a moment
whether she pushed back from his intensity, the complexity of the situation surrounding them, or both.

“
Cameron, I know I hurt you. It was never my intention. Never.” He caressed her face. “I have never been this way…ever. I have always maintained control, but not with you.”

“
Darren, you wanted to put me in jail,” she protested. She jerked back out of his arms. “Do you think I can forget?”

“
You hid evidence,” he countered.

“
To protect my brother from being railroaded.” Her voice rose.

“
God, woman. You make me so…”

She stood defiant. Her eyes flared, challenging and so…damn seductive. He moved toward her. She backed up against the wall. His arm pinned her so she had to look directly at him.

“Would it make you feel better to know you have tortured me? I should never have taken the case the moment I saw you. But I couldn’t let go because…” He kissed her lightly. “Because for some unknown reason, I can’t get you out of my head.”

“
Why?”

For a moment he said nothing, but stared at her. He had no idea why he felt this need for her. He knew he had tried to ignore it
, to no avail. He didn’t know whether it would last. Hell, what did last? He wanted—no, needed—that feeling she gave him, if only briefly.

In the moonlight, she looked soft and vulnerable.
“Cameron, believe me, this definitely wasn’t in my plans. I don’t know what you want me to say. That I want you so much it hurts inside? That when we’re together like this, you’re all that matters? I can’t guarantee anything, Cameron, only right now there is nowhere else I want to be except with you.”

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

“Darren,” she breathed out, gripping tightly to his shirt. “I don’t want to be hurt anymore.” She hesitated. “And you can hurt me.”

“
Give us a chance, Cameron. It’s all I ask.” He kissed her again. “A chance.”

The next instant
, her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him to her. Leaning up to his lips, she whispered, “You don’t fight fair.”

“
Never,” he answered, pressing her against the wall. He knew he didn’t play fair. He had no intention of losing what he wanted…needed.

In a blur of primitive need, he began to unbutton her top. Slipping it down over her soft skin, he cupped her exposed breast in one hand. The other he used to push down her pants. He felt her hands pulling at his shirt. He helped her dispose of his own clothing so nothing separated him from his desire…

Being physically close to her brought on a sensual warmth. The sensation of her body pressed against his made him forget everything else. He kissed her deeply, thoroughly.

He moved his hand and slid
it over her breast, squeezing and teasing her until she moaned in pleasure. He felt her fingers trace the width of his shoulders. She gripped him to her with a growing urgency.

Some voice within him told him to be slow and easy. He was neither. He found his mouth on her breast. He moved his hand down between her legs with such intensity he didn’t know himself. He lifted her so her legs encircled his hips. Desperation drove him. She urged him on
, matching his passion with her own.

She whispered to him.
Yes. More. Don’t stop. Love me
… She quaked in his arms when he thrust again and again. The world around them spiraled out of control with their consuming fervor. He felt her grasp him like a mad woman, crying out his name.

Within the climax, somewhere lost in time, he returned her cries with his own utterances.
I do, Cameron. I do love you
… He remembered nothing else with his final thrust. For several minutes after, he couldn’t bring himself to move.

Still supporting her with his arms, he untangled his limbs from her. With a reluctant groan, he let her feet sustain her once more. He heard her let out a sigh and she buried herself into his shoulder.

He tightened his hold around her. She felt soft everywhere—her skin, her hair, her body. His heart stirred with something foreign to him, something he hadn’t felt in such a long time he had forgotten the feeling. His words came back to him as his senses began to function once more.

Vague words
were recalled. Had he told her he loved her, losing himself in the moment? Yet…the realization dawned upon him. He had not lost himself in the moment, but in her. As highly unlikely as it seemed to him, he had…he had fallen for her. And with that admission came the understanding there would be no going back for him.

* * * *

The morning brought with it the sunlight, breaking days of gray skies. Curtains pulled back, awakened Cameron with a start. She jumped, taking in her surroundings, momentarily forgetting where she was. She lay naked. She hadn’t dreamed the night.

Glancing quickly around the room, she found Darren standing by the window. Dressed in
navy blue sweatpants and a Red Sox T-shirt, her qualms eased when he greeted her with a smile.

“
Good morning, sleepyhead.”

She pulled the covers around her. Squinting from the sunlight, she asked,
“What time is it?”

“
Ten. You don’t have to get up. Figured you needed to catch up. Did you get some sleep?” He smiled, a knowing smile.

She returned his smile. She couldn’t remember seeing him so relaxed, at ease. He sat on the edge of the bed. Her breathing deepened with his close proximity, intimately so. He leaned down and kissed her. She slipped her arms around his neck.

“How would you like to hang out for the next couple of days? Do nothing, thinking nothing, except about each other.”