by Reese, Jaime
Mackler laughed. "Seems you know me relatively well, Mr. Donovan."
"I'm sure you know I've got enough to put you away for the rest of your life. The minimum I'm willing to do is ten years and that's not up for discussion."
"Tit for tat. I'm assuming this is why you mentioned Cameron's name earlier," Mackler said sarcastically.
"Exactly. I should add more but I'm willing to negotiate if, and only if, you provide enough information that Aidan deems relevant and useful to his case. If not, the deal is off the table and you are on the hook for every fucking thing I can possible nail you on. I don't give a shit how small a detail it is. Understand?"
Mackler sighed then nodded. "You're ruining me, you know that? Do you have any idea how long it took me to build this nest egg of mine? For us to build the network of contacts? I was working carefully on planning my retirement and making sure I didn't have to worry about living on a judge's salary. And now, one little son of a bitch has torn it all to shreds," he finished, rubbing his face in obvious frustration.
"I'm heartbroken," Hunter deadpanned.
"I was careful as hell. I knew he would get out and screw with everything. I fucking knew it," Mackler continued, clearly missing Hunter's disinterest in his misery.
"Pretend Aidan is a priest and you're in a confessional. Go ahead, keep talking," he said before rising from his seat.
"Did Amy really give me up about all the charges?" Mackler looked up and asked with a pained expression.
Hunter nodded. "She was very thorough in her statements. Guess the marriage wasn't as pleasant for her as it may have been for you. She knew this stuff would come back to haunt her even though she had made every effort to replace all the money you spent in her name. She kept supporting documents for everything just in case she needed it in her defense. You did a real number on her."
Mackler shrugged. "A lot of years and too much history."
Hunter walked to the door and paused. "Why Cam?" He could leave Aidan to ask whatever questions were needed, but he had to know why.
"You can blame my idiot son for that. He made the mistake of taking that boy to the one place that was completely off limits. He would have been better off just fucking him in the backseat of his car like the slut that he is."
"Careful, Mackler."
Mackler huffed a laugh. "My son was so dense he thought he could somehow prove to me that he wasn't gay. So what does he do? He decides to date a female mirror image of that boy in hopes of trying to convince me. Idiot. He actually thought I would change my mind about the will if he convinced me he had switched teams."
"So, it wasn't supposed to turn out like that but it ended up working out for you anyway."
Mackler looked at Hunter and was lost in thought for a moment. Hunter glared, waiting for the connection to be made.
"Sound familiar?"
Finally, Mackler shook his head slowly and laughed. "How the hell did you hook up with that little shit?"
Hunter shifted his weight and paused to control his temper. He had Mackler exactly where he needed him to be for Aidan and didn't want to risk screwing that up. "That little comment just added another two years to your reduced term."
"You can't—"
"I just did," Hunter snarled. He then turned to Aidan and took a deep breath before speaking. "Aidan, if Mackler chooses to mention anything derogatory about Cameron's character during his statement, I'm adding an additional year to his term for each instance. Got it?"
Aidan nodded.
"Have a nice life," he said to Mackler before finally exiting the room.
* * * *
Hunter answered his phone on the first ring.
"How did it go?" Hunter asked. "Did you get what you needed?"
"Yup, and then some," Aidan said, laughing. "I swear that man wanted a few Hail Marys after he spilled."
"So you've got enough to clear Cam of all the charges?"
"Yup. It'll take some time, but yeah, we've got enough to get that going."
"What about Peter? I want to make sure we've got enough to clear him so he can get his ass back here."
"Yeah, he's good too. Go ahead and get a hold of him. We're going to need a few judges we can trust to get moving on this. I've got enough to get the ball rolling on the mayor and our favorite drug superstar as well. We're bringing in the mayor based on some of the stuff in Mackler's statement and we'll use the stuff you've got from Lydia as leverage to get him to talk."
"Great. Anything else come up?"
"Yeah, but you're not going to like it. According to Mackler, he was doing business with Rick one day and somehow the conversation veered toward one of Rick's goons mentioning seeing Cam at the house with the judge's son. That's when Rick reached out to his contacts about keeping Cam inside. Mackler put him in, but it was Rick's idea to keep him there."
Hunter sighed. "I fucking hate these bastards. I want that son of a bitch to pay for this."
"Don't even go there. I know where your mind is headed. I need you to trust that I'll take care of this."
Hunter took a deep breath and tried to calm his boiling anger. He knew this tone in his best friend. It was pointless to continue arguing. Aidan said he'd take care of it and nothing Hunter could say would change that. He wanted to aim a bullet at Mackler and gut shot that bastard so he'd know what a painful slow death felt like. But Aidan would not allow that. Not to keep Mackler safe, but to protect Hunter. Besides, Aidan was also a man of justice—but his brand of justice was a little more creative at times and with greater control.
"Okay, okay. Anything with the files I sent over?" Hunter finally asked, trying to move on.
"I've been interviewing each one of the guys in the red files to collect some more info from them so I've got a well-rounded case ready. But man, there are so many of them, why didn't you say anything sooner?"
Hunter rubbed his eyes. "I wasn't sure where they were coming from and the level of detail in each file seemed suspicious. I didn't know who I could trust with them."
"I'll kick your ass later for saying that. At least they give us a checklist of names to question. Unfortunately, some of the red file subjects can't be questioned so—"
"Why?"
"They either died in prison or are mysteriously lost in the system. It's fucked up, man. We've still got a healthy list of people, but so far, we're looking at about a loss of twenty-five percent of these guys who went back in the last few months."
"Shit." Hunter rubbed his eyes harder. Cam could have been one of those statistics. "How the hell did no one notice that?"
"That's been weighing on me. There's no connection with these files other than a drug charge and a parole violation. Personally, I think they've got people in their pocket scattered throughout the system covering this shit up. It's like a cancer that's spreading all over and killing everything. I don't want to think about all the people involved right now. It'll take some time because it seems the judge and that Rick guy had a greater reach than we thought, but we've got enough to take them down. I'm just trying to tackle it one asshole at a time."
"I'm assuming the red file people are getting re-evaluated for parole?"
"Yup, already on that. I've got the entire department working on this thing."
"Yeah, I know. What about the other stuff?" Hunter asked.
"I'm working on that. I didn't want to wait until today so I've been trying to cover all the bases. I've got your list of requests, and I found a place that meets our requirements as well."
"Have you gone to check it out?"
"Not yet. I was planning on leaving that for tomorrow just to step away from this mess for a day or two."
"I want to come along, if I can."
"I'll make sure that's fine."
"Thanks, Aidan. I really appreciate you busting your ass on all this."
Aidan laughed. "Dude, I'm sitting here looking like a fucking king right now with the entire department at my beck and call. Thank you."
Hunter chuckled.
"I'm glad to hear it. Text me the information, and I'll meet you at the airport."
"You got it, see you tomorrow."
Hunter hung up the phone and smiled.
Soon, it'll be over soon.
Finally, maybe Cam could get some peace.
He picked up the phone again and called his childhood friend so she could relay the good news to her tio.
Cam stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come. He had been anxious all week for those few precious weekend days with Hunter. Hunter was doing everything possible with Aidan to clear his name and had been able to finally get enough evidence against Mackler to turn him on the others.
He was thankful, but he wasn't kidding himself, it had cut into their weekend and he was pissed. It was selfish, but he didn't care.
It was Saturday night and he was alone. He missed Hunter, hated that he was in bed alone rather than pressed against him. The extra sheets to cover up and muggy Miami heat didn't seem enough to keep him warm.
He sighed as he kicked the sheets to the foot of the bed. It was pointless to keep fighting with them knowing they were no substitute. He pushed his head farther into the pillow, trying to find a comfortable spot. Nothing worked. Times like these, he'd pick up the phone and dial Hunter's number just to hear him laugh or say his name in that soothing voice. He scowled, remembering that one night where he actually fell asleep with the phone still pressed to his ear. He had a hell of a time dealing with the Julian jokes about the phone mark on his face.
He'd deal with whatever jokes came his way if he could hear Hunter's laugh tonight.
Hunter had mentioned a short trip and that he would be unreachable. He hadn't spoken to Hunter in two days. No calls, no texts. He was going stir crazy.
He punched the pillow under his head and repositioned them. He pushed his head back, fighting for a position that would ease him into a few hours' sleep.
He'd give anything to hear Hunter's voice right now or feel his arms wrapped around him.
Cam's mind raced with what-if thoughts about where things would lead with his case, his life, and with Hunter. They were on a path that seemed to be going their way, but they were also clear that it would take time to get everything sorted. He was tired of fighting and always being on guard. He wasn't sure how much longer he could sustain the façade.
He finally gave in to his fatigue and fell into a fitful sleep as thoughts continued to race through his mind.
* * * *
Hunter arrived at Halfway House directly from the airport. It was late but he couldn't stand being away for another moment. Cam had been at the forefront of his mind with every detail of his trip. He hoped Matt or Julian would show a little mercy on him and let him see Cam, even if only for a moment. Cam had gotten some leeway since his record was under review for expulsion, but Hunter didn't want to push his luck.
He walked up to the back door and gently knocked.
Julian answered after a few moments.
"Hey, I thought you were out of town?"
"Yeah, I just got in and wanted to see Cam…if that's okay?" He was raw. He could no longer stand being away from Cam for extended periods of time. He hadn't seen him in days and with a no contact restriction, he hadn't been able to talk to him at night like they often did.
"You look like you're going to pass out, man. You shouldn't be driving," Julian said with a lowered brow.
As if on cue, he tried to hide a yawn. Hunter ran his fingers through his hair. "I haven't slept well for the past few days," he said.
"Everything's fine on this end. No drama. Did you get everything squared away?" Julian asked, moving aside so Hunter could enter.
Hunter nodded. "Yeah, Aidan's going to get things in order this week and hopefully that'll be it. Any chance I can see him?" He knew he was pushing his luck. Residents were only permitted guests in the common areas, not the bedrooms during their stay.
Julian assessed him in his usual way then rubbed his shaved head. "Well, technically, you've got all the forms approved for this weekend, which means you're not really standing in front of me and we're not having this conversation." Julian returned to his seat on the couch and seemed to resume writing in the notebook he had apparently abandoned to answer the door. "His room is upstairs, last one on the right. No locks on the doors so keep it G rated please. I don't want Matt to wake up in the morning and freak out," Julian said with a pointed look and a raised eyebrow then resumed writing his notes.
He could only imagine how desperate he must have looked if Julian was willing to bend the rules.
"Breakfast is at nine if you guys are up by then," Julian added as a half smile escaped his control.
"Thanks," Hunter said before going upstairs, taking two steps at a time. His pulse raced when he reached Cam's door, anxious to see him, hold him. He listened carefully but didn't hear a sound. He slowly turned the knob and looked inside.
The streetlights cast a hint of light through the window in a spectrum of colors, enough for Hunter to see the strain in Cam's expression. He was asleep, but it was obvious it wasn't a peaceful slumber. Hunter exhaled a shaky breath, thankful to see Cam was safe but wondered if the tension he saw etched in his face was due to Hunter's absence or something else. He entered the room quietly, careful to not make a sound.
During their weekends together, he'd wake in the middle of the night sometimes just to watch Cameron as he slept. He'd be peaceful, as if the stress of everything surrounding him no longer existed. He'd usually have a hint of a smile or just a serene expression. Looking at him now, both were absent. He had a crease between his brows and his lips were a tight, thin line. He was curled in the bed in a fetal position, the sheets partially off him, with his hands fisted between his legs. He was tense, guarded.
Hunter toed off his shoes and removed his jacket, gently placing them on the dresser.
"Are you just going to stand there and stare or join me?"
Hunter closed his eyes as the smooth tone of Cam's voice flowed through his body and filled his heart. He snuck into bed and inched himself as close to Cam as possible. He pressed his chest to Cam's back and snaked an arm around his waist.
Cameron's hands instantly caressed his arms and pulled him closer.
"I missed you," Cam mumbled before turning his face slightly toward Hunter.
Hunter's breath hitched at Cam's rare declaration. He wedged his leg between Cam's and gently placed a kiss on the soft lips he craved.
"Sorry my trip cut into our weekend."
"You're here now, that's what matters," Cam said as he straightened and pushed back to eliminate the inch of space between them. "Stay with me tonight," Cam said quietly before his voice trailed off.
Hunter raised his head slightly to look at Cam after he had been silent for a few minutes. He had fallen asleep again, the edges of his mouth were upturned slightly and a serene expression finally made its appearance.
He pressed his cheek to the back of Cam's head and deeply inhaled the scent he had craved for days as he effortlessly eased into sleep.
* * * *
"Wake up, lover boy."
Something wasn't right. The warm arm wrapped around him, the strong leg wedged between his and the hard chest against his back, all perfect…but the voice was wrong.
He heard a growl from behind and the arm tightened around him. He smiled. Yeah, that he knew.
"Guys, it's almost nine, and Matt's finishing up breakfast. If you get out of bed, you can make it in time before Julian and Luke eat all the food."
"Cole, we're going to sleep in. Go away," Cam said.
"You've got to get up. Please."
"Why?" Cam said in a raspy voice.
"Because I've got an interview thing at ten and I need to leave soon."
Cam narrowed his eyes. "And?" Cam said, inching back a little to get closer to Hunter's warm chest.
Cole leaned in closer to Cam and whispered, "Hunter's here."
"I can hear you, Cole," Hunter said with a growl.
/> "Good, you're awake so you can get out of bed," Cole said with a bounce on the mattress before standing to lean against the wall.
"Dude, you know how Julian's always telling you when something isn't the right time or place?" Cam said.
"Yeah?" Cole said, cocking his head.
"This is a perfect example," Hunter mumbled.
Cole looked down and shuffled his feet. "Please?"
Cam sat up and shifted his weight on his elbow. "What's up, Cole?"
Cole tugged on his beanie and fidgeted.
"If you get out now and save us some breakfast, I'll take you for a ride in the car before you leave," Hunter said in a still sleepy voice.
Cam laughed as Cole raced out of the room.
Cam turned to look at Hunter who still rested his head on the pillow beside him with his eyes closed. "Can you read everyone's mind?"
Hunter chuckled in that low rumbly way that always seemed to spike the need in Cam. He leaned into Hunter as he whispered, "You know, if we get out of bed, we can still have most of Sunday."
Cam laughed when Hunter bolted out of bed and started getting dressed.
After having breakfast and taking Cole out for a joyride, they finally left the halfway house to take advantage of what was left of their Sunday.
"This car is fast right?" Cam said.
"Yeah, why?"
"Then drive faster," Cam said, reaching over to grip Hunter's leg. He held back a laugh when he heard the engine rev. He inched his hand higher, casually stroking his fingers as he moved.
"You go any higher and we're going to have a problem."
"Why is that?" Cam said, his breath came faster as he shifted his fingers higher. He leaned closer toward Hunter, thankful he had finally figured out how to control the seat belt.
