Meeting Danger (Danger #1)

by Allyson Simonian

  “When was the last time you saw your brother?”

  “I . . . it’s been five years.”

  The sad and helpless look that swept over her face broke Camden’s heart. He would have done anything—moved mountains or parted the sea—to see some bit of happiness light up her face.

  Her defeated gaze drifted down to her clasped hands. She twined her fingers, twisting them back and forth in her lap. “Butch is going to kill me when he finds me.”

  Anger drummed inside Camden’s chest. If it was the last thing he did, he’d make sure that bastard would never touch her again.

  “No. He’s not going to find you.” Thinking quickly, he took in a breath. “Listen, I have a place about an hour from here. No one except for a couple of people know about it. You can stay there with me.”

  Camden ignored the sputtering noise Grayson made behind him. Protocol be damned, he was going to help this girl. He owed her.

  He gave her a wry smile. “I gave you no choice in leaving Cobb, and we have a bond now, you know. You saved my life. Now it’s my turn to help you.”

  She was blinking rapidly as she met his gaze.

  He put on his most convincing face and said softly, “Please . . .”

  “Then I’m not under arrest?” When Camden shook his head, smiling at her, she whispered, “Okay.”

  “Good.” Camden held her gaze, ignoring the tension coming from Grayson in waves.

  A doctor stepped into the doorway a few seconds later and stopped short. “Mr. Taylor, what are you doing?”

  “I’m going back to my room now.” Camden turned back to Autumn. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Still looking shell-shocked, she gave him a small nod. With Grayson following, Camden made his way out of the room.

  The second he was back in bed, Grayson said, “I’m sorry, man, but this is a shitty idea.”

  “You heard her, Gray. She doesn’t have anyone.” As he settled back into the pillows, propping himself up, Camden winced. “Give me the rundown. What’s happened? Do you have Cobb in custody?”

  Grayson paced back and forth beside Camden’s bed as he filled him in on what had happened in the last few hours. Joe Mann had been picked up by the task force and was talking. Beck Ruiz and two of his men had been arrested for their part in the kidnapping of both Mann and Camden, but they had lawyered up and refused to say anything. Butch Cobb and several of his crew were missing.

  Camden clenched his teeth, trying to control his emotions. “Shit, Grayson. With Cobb in the wind, that’s all the more reason for her to stay with me. We can’t put her into protection unless she agrees to testify against Butch and his men, and we have no idea what she even knows yet. And I don’t want her going to a shelter. She’ll be too vulnerable there, and besides, she could end up being a valuable witness for us. We just need some time.”

  Grayson dropped into a chair next to the bed. “Maybe a shelter is where she belongs.”

  “No,” Camden said tightly. “Not when I can help her myself.”

  “We’ve been trying to find a Social Security number for her all morning, Cam. There’s nothing on her. Absolutely nothing. No records in her name, no paper trail.” Grayson let out a long sigh. “Something’s just not right here.”

  Frowning at Camden, he lifted a hand and ticked off on his fingers. “You know nothing about this girl, nothing about her background. You don’t know what she’s been involved with, and no idea what she’s capable of. Hell, you don’t even know for sure she’s who she says she is.”

  Camden shook his head. “She saved my life. That’s all I need to know.”

  “She was living with an outlaw motorcycle club president, for Christ’s sake!” Grayson stopped, glaring in outrage at Camden. “We’ve disconnected her room phone so she can’t contact him. How do you know that isn’t the very first thing she’ll do once you get her to your place?”

  “She isn’t going to do that.”

  I’m not reading Autumn wrong; I know it. And whether Grayson liked it or not, he was going to help her.

  Grayson shook his head as he stared up at the ceiling.

  “I know what I’m doing, Gray.”

  Grayson gave him a disgusted glance and snorted. “Is that right?”

  “As a matter of fact, it is.”

  The tension between them was still hanging heavy when Eli walked into the room. Grayson brought him up to speed quickly. Camden was relieved that Grayson kept his personal feelings to himself when he shared Camden’s plans for Autumn with the boss.

  By the time Grayson had finished, Eli was staring at Camden. It was clear what he thought—that Camden had gone crazy. That his brain had sustained damage, in addition to his body.

  “If she’s involved in this, Camden, she’s going to be arrested.”

  “She’s not involved.”

  “How the hell do you know that?” Eli snapped.

  “She risked her life to save me. If it weren’t for her, I’d be dead right now. It’s my turn to help her.” His gaze remained locked on the director’s. “It’ll be just like I’m guarding her in a safe house. The only difference is it’ll be at my grandmother’s place. Nobody’ll be able to connect it with me; my grandmother’s estate is still in probate and the deed isn’t in my name yet.”

  “You’ve worked this case for months. What you’re suggesting is going to put the entire investigation in jeopardy.”

  “Then I’ll resign. Grayson can take over for me.”

  The director’s eyes widened. “Just like that?”

  “Yes.”

  Pacing the floor, Eli ran a palm back and forth against his dark shaved head. “Let’s not be hasty here. I don’t want you quitting, Cam.”

  Encouraged, Camden said, “Then just give me a couple of days. Autumn will have a chance to settle down, and when she’s ready, I can question her about the club. I think she’ll open up better at my place.”

  Those last words seemed to seal the deal.

  When Eli’s gaze shot back to Grayson, Grayson shrugged. “I’ll stay there too. Keep an eye on things.”

  The director sighed. “This is against my better judgment, and I have no idea how I’m going to sell this to my boss, but all right.”

  CHAPTER 17

  On Friday, Camden was discharged from the hospital. As he waited for the doctor to discharge Autumn, who’d been kept at the hospital while tests were being run, he sat in a wheelchair parked in the hallway.

  “The scans and test reports all came back negative,” the doctor said to Autumn, “so your headaches appear to be tension headaches. And that fainting spell you had was probably brought on by a panic attack. You’ll be fine; you just need to avoid stress.” She handed a booklet to Autumn. “The shots we’ve given you have been marked. Just take this to any doctor’s office and they can set you up for the next round you’ll need to get caught up.”

  Camden watched as Autumn accepted the booklet without looking at it. What kind of upbringing had she had if she hadn’t had any shots? Grayson had said that Autumn had grown up in Minnesota, but he was still trying to locate a birth certificate for her.

  He forced the thoughts aside. It wouldn’t do any good to start badgering her now.

  After the doctor said good-bye and left the room, Camden asked, “Ready?”

  Autumn clutched the booklet in her hand tightly. As she looked from him to Grayson, it didn’t take much to read her mind. She was clearly doubting her decision to leave with them.

  Camden gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Everything’s going to be all right.”

  She gazed at him for a long moment before finally giving him a nod. Relief spread through him when Grayson began pushing his wheelchair and Autumn followed alongside.

  They reached the parking lot and climbed into Grayson’s SUV. For much of the thirty-minute drive to his grandparents’ farm, Camden made small talk with Autumn. Despite her obvious trepidation and short answers, she was polite.

  “Have
you ever been to this part of Pennsylvania?” Camden shifted in his seat so he could watch as she answered.

  “No.”

  “There’s lots of nature here.”

  She looked out the window. “It’s very pretty.”

  Grayson sat in stony silence as he drove, making his feelings on the matter crystal clear. They made a couple of stops along the way, once for the pain medications Camden had been prescribed, and then for fast food to take home.

  When they reached the farm, Camden slowly climbed out of the passenger seat. Autumn stood gazing at the house with a somber expression on her face.

  Leaning back against the passenger door, he said, “As soon as I can, I’m going to show you around.”

  “Thank you.”

  Grayson came forward carrying the pharmacy bag and the takeout they’d stopped for, his continued tension reflected in the stiff set of his shoulders.

  He held up a key from Camden’s key ring. “Is this the right one?”

  “It is.” Camden’s jaw clenched as he watched his friend walk up the porch steps to the door.

  Grayson was going to need to thaw out where Autumn was concerned. He had an intimidating manner, and that wasn’t going to work with her if they wanted to get any information.

  But it wasn’t a discussion Camden was up for right now. This was the most he’d moved in a couple of days, and he was feeling every step. He was probably going to need one of the pills Grayson was carrying, which meant he’d be useless tonight.

  He resisted a sigh and went inside, heading straight for the staircase to the upstairs. Like it or not, he needed his bed and quickly. He was still trying to ignore the pain in his ribs as Grayson came back down after clearing the upstairs, ensuring no one was there.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Gritting his teeth, Camden took the remaining four steps. He’d clearly pushed his body as far as it was willing to go.

  By the time they finally made it to the second floor, he was breathing hard. He pointed out the first room on the left, a small but comfortable room with simple furnishings. “You can stay in there. Gray, you can stay in the other guest room.”

  Autumn peeked into the bedroom, her gaze lingering on the blue-and-green handmade quilt that covered the bed, and then gave him a nod.

  “Listen, I’m going to be taking a pain pill. My guess is I won’t be seeing you until morning.”

  She turned to him with a frown. “Can I do anything to help you?”

  Her words brought on some relief. If she was offering to help, then maybe she wasn’t as intimidated as he’d feared.

  “I’ll be fine, but thank you.” He gestured toward the dresser in the guest room. “I have some extra clothes in there, although they might be too big for you, and the bathroom’s across the hall. You’ll find towels in the hall closet, and extra toothbrushes and toiletries under the counter.”

  “Thank you.”

  Camden took a step back with considerable regret. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

  Grayson followed Camden into the master bedroom and set the pharmacy bag onto the nightstand. “Want to get changed?”

  “Yeah. I’ve got some sweatpants in the drawer.”

  Once he’d changed, Grayson filled a cup of water and handed it over, along with a pill. Camden swallowed down the pain pill gratefully, thinking it wasn’t the first time his friend had played nursemaid.

  After the fire, Camden hadn’t wanted to worry his parents. At the time, they’d just moved to Florida and were busy and active with their new social life there. So he’d downplayed his injuries and with Gray’s help, he’d recovered at their apartment in DC instead of in a rehab facility.

  “I’ll bring some dinner up,” Grayson said.

  Camden shook his head as he slowly got onto the bed. “Not hungry. Just make sure Autumn eats, all right?”

  CHAPTER 18

  Shavertown, Pennsylvania

  Tension pulsed between Autumn and Grayson as she accepted the dinner plate he’d thrust at her. Given the way he felt about her, she should never have agreed to come here, no matter how nice Camden was. But what other choice do I have?

  As another look of annoyance crossed Grayson’s face, Autumn realized she wasn’t going to be able to eat with him. She quickly put some food onto her plate and said, “I’m going to take this upstairs.”

  “Wait.” Grayson was frowning when she turned around. “Do you have everything you need?”

  The question seemed forced. Camden had probably put him up to it. She gave him a quick nod before hurrying up the stairs, happy to finally be alone.

  The bedroom she was staying in had a full-sized bed with a beautiful handmade quilt in bright colors that contrasted with the oak furniture, simple pieces that looked old but well kept. As she set her plate onto the dressing table, she looked out the window at the shed on the side of the house and thought about what Camden had said.

  He’d told her he owed her, but what if he knew the truth—that she hadn’t even had the courage to call the police that night. What would he think then?

  She ate and then searched through the dresser drawers, finding a large T-shirt that would work for a nightgown before she used the bathroom across the hall to get ready for bed. As she took a toothbrush out of its packaging, she shook her head. Camden and Grayson couldn’t be more different in how they felt about her.

  While Camden had practically begged her to stay, Grayson seemed barely able to tolerate her presence. She was half surprised he hadn’t cuffed her to a chair and demanded more information when they’d been in the kitchen together. As if she had any to offer.

  She let out a sigh as uneasiness crept through her. Grayson’s reaction made more sense than Camden’s. Camden was a cop too, a Fed, they’d said. He shouldn’t be helping her. So why was he?

  Autumn’s past experiences with men had made her wary, had proven that men couldn’t be trusted. Her father had scared her to death, her brother had taken her with him but then later had left her, and Butch . . . Well, Butch had just about ensured that she’d stay as far away from any man as she could. But Hale had been nice to her, and a few of the brothers had seemed kind at times. When they weren’t scared to death of Butch, that is.

  Based on what she’d seen from Grayson, he didn’t trust her or like her at all, so she’d keep an eye on him. But Camden? He seemed so kind and gentle, he made her want to trust him.

  But could she?

  Autumn squeezed her eyes shut. If he was going to let her stay here, the least she could do was make herself useful. Beginning tomorrow, she’d take care of as many of the household chores as she could.

  Full of resolve, she walked back to the bedroom and crawled into bed.

  • • •

  Autumn made herself at home in Camden’s kitchen the next morning. It was clean and spacious, and although the appliances were a bit outdated, everything seemed to work fine. A bright tablecloth covered the large country table, topped with a wooden bowl that probably usually held fresh fruit. It was a welcoming room and well used, a kitchen designed by someone who loved to cook. She instantly felt comfortable there.

  After taking a mental inventory of the cabinets and refrigerator, she grabbed a large pot from the cabinet and moved to the oversized sink, over which small herb pots, now empty, lined the windowsill. As the pot filled with water, she surveyed Camden’s property through the window. It was expansive, with acres of fallow farmland beyond a grassy backyard dotted with several fruit trees that were just leafing out. A small brook meandered along one side of the property.

  She shut off the faucet and watched a robin swoop down from a tree. It pecked at the lawn before flying upward into another tree, then wiped its bill back and forth on the branch it stood on. The peaceful view set her at ease, and she drew in a long, cleansing breath.

  It wasn’t until she turned and saw Grayson watching her from the doorway that she tensed up again. His gaze shifted from her to the phone on the wall, and under
standing dawned.

  “I-I wasn’t going to call anyone.”

  A muscle ticked in Grayson’s jaw, and Autumn heaved in a breath. Bingo. The fact that he didn’t trust her stung, but then the hurt receded. He was just trying to protect his teammate.

  And why would he trust someone like her? She was illiterate and had the stink of an outlaw motorcycle club all over her. It was a wonder Camden was even letting her stay in his house. He had to hate the world she was from; it had almost gotten him killed.

  She turned back to the sink. “I’m making some oatmeal. You can take some up to Camden when it’s ready.”

  When Grayson didn’t answer, she forced herself to turn around and meet his intense gaze. Not an easy task, but—score one for her—she was able to do it.

  “I’d like to make him some soup too, but I’ll need a few groceries first. There wasn’t much in the refrigerator, nothing fresh.”

  He watched her through narrowed eyes for a long moment before he finally said, “Write down what you need.”

  Her heart sank. Oh, how I wish I could.

  As he moved into the other room, she shook her head and called out, “I just need a chicken and some celery and carrots.”

  Grayson stopped, turned around, and gave her a curt nod. “Fine. I’ll go now.”

  CHAPTER 19

  “I’m going to run to the grocery store,” Grayson said. “Do you need anything?”

  Camden put another pillow behind his back and shook his head. “How’s Autumn?”

  “Fine.” Grayson snorted. “She wants to make you some soup.”

  The statement sent unexpected delight careening through Camden, lifting his spirits. “She does?”

  Grayson nodded. “What about coffee? Will I be able to find a place?”

  “There’s a mom-and-pop shop in the middle of town. Roasted Beans.”

  “Roasted Beans. Got it.”

  Camden couldn’t help but smile at the frown on Grayson’s face. He was a city boy, born and raised. The concept of not having restaurants and bars within walking distance gave him the jitters. They’d joked about the Starbucks factor in the past. If there weren’t three within a mile, then it wasn’t a place for Grayson.