Camden

by Xio Axelrod

  "The Escalade," Cam agreed.

  ***

  Yara had never liked Kaine's New York office. It was on the thirtieth floor of Trumble Tower, a place that had always given her the willies. It was an empty sort of opulence that had never appealed to her. But Marcus had adopted the motto 'fake it til you make it' and thought that leasing the space, even at such an exorbitant cost, could give him the prestige he coveted.

  She and the Skinner boys sat in their enormous, black Escalade, complete with tinted windows, and waited.

  Rory took great care to wire her for recording her conversation with Kaine. It wasn't going to be pretty, so he'd slipped a tiny canister of pepper spray into her palm. "Just in case."

  He sat with her in the back of the vehicle while the brothers sat in the front.

  Cam hadn't said more than three words in the ninety-minute drive up from Philadelphia and had hardly spared her a glance.

  Rory's gaze kept flicking to him and back to her.

  "Turn," he instructed, and she showed him her back. "I'll clip this just inside your waistband if that's alright."

  "It's fine."

  "This is Bluetooth, so no wires. Speak normally, and it will catch everything just fine from the pin on your shirt."

  "Okay," she replied, suddenly nervous.

  Rory squeezed her shoulder and leaned in close.

  "You'll be okay. And if things go south, we'll be just down the hall."

  "I know," she glanced over her shoulder to meet his eyes. Yara lowered her voice. “I’m just worried what Cam will do if things do go south."

  Rory smiled, nodding. ”There might come a moment when Kaine says something rude to you, and Cam's jaw will do that thing where it starts to tick, and his eyes will go dark and murderous, and I'll have to hold him back. Cause he'd be no good to any of us in prison. Don't worry, I'll stop him from doing anything thick-headed."

  Yara chuckled. "You've thought this through, eh?"

  "He likes you. And God help the person that tries to hurt ye."

  Yara dropped her gaze.

  "You like him too."

  "Honestly, Rory, I don't even know him."

  Rory settled her blouse back in place and moved back in front of her.

  "Cam's not an easy guy to get to know. Trust me, I've been around him since we were wee lads, and sometimes I wonder if I know him at all."

  "It's been less than a week, so it's not like I've had a chance to."

  Rory narrowed his eyes. "I think you've seen more sides to him that many who have known him longer, myself included. I didn't know the boy could crack a joke until yesterday."

  Yara's phone pinged. She glanced down, smiling at Siv's name on the screen.

  "Sorry." She offered Rory an apologetic smile.

  "No worries, love." He slid to the other side of the SUV.

  "Siv?"

  "Yara." Her voice sounded strained. "There were some people at your mother's place today asking questions about you. I didn't go over, but I could see them from my front window. Hear them too, once your father came outside and tried to force them off the property."

  "Oh my God, is he okay?"

  She found Cam's gaze in the rear view mirror. His eyes were hard. Focused.

  "They're fine, but I think they were Kaine's people. They seemed to think you were there. Does he know you're still alive?"

  Yara shook her head and then realize Siv couldn't see her. "I don't think he knows for sure, but he'd want to."

  "What should I do?" Siv sounded so concerned, so fiercely protective. Warmth spread in Yara's chest.

  "Sit tight. Hopefully, after the next few hours, it won't matter."

  "What are you going to do?"

  "End this once and for all."

  Yara ended the call with reassurances and faced the three Skinner boys with renewed determination.

  "What's up?" Pierce looked at her over his shoulder.

  "Let's do this."

  "Yara."

  "No, Cam. I'm done hiding. I want this over with." She flicked up the lock on the door and pulled the handle.

  "Yara, wait." Cam was out of the car and in front of her in a millisecond. How a man that big could move that fast was beyond her.

  The rancid smell of days-old garbage filled her nostrils, stinging them. She took a deep breath, letting the odor awaken her senses. She wanted to be on high alert.

  Cam tipped her chin up with his index finger. "Don't deviate from the plan. We need him to tell you how he plans to keep you bound to that contract, how he's been exploiting your disappearance. Anything we can use to nail him, in or out of court."

  "I know what to do, Cam." Yara stared him down. Difficult when he had eight inches on her. "Trust me."

  She watched as his hard edges softened. "I do."

  One hand came up just short of touching her cheek, and Yara held her breath, her gaze locked with his.

  "I can do this."

  He smiled. It was small, but it was there. "I know."

  "You'll have my back?"

  "I will."

  Yara glanced at the holster under his arm and nodded.

  "Let's do this, then."

  If there was one moment Yara wished she could capture, to replay over and over in her mind, it was the moment she walked into Marcus Kaine's office for the last time.

  The thought that she wouldn't ever be beholden to this man again made her feel like she had wings. But first, she had to play the game. Win it.

  "Hello, Yar."

  She stopped in the doorway. "Marcus."

  He didn't look up from his desk. Dressed in a shark-gray suit, hunched over a tablet, he looked smaller somehow. Older.

  "When I saw you on the monitor, I thought you were a ghost." He laughed to himself and then raised his head. Beady eyes narrowed on her and Yara felt her skin crawl.

  How had she ever put any faith in this man?

  "Can't say I'm too surprised to see you, though I am surprised you lasted this long without me."

  He gestured for her to come inside, and she did. Carefully, and trying desperately no to touch the battery pack at her waist. The hoodie she wore was baggy enough to cover it if she left the hem alone.

  "You look like you haven't missed a meal." He smiled like he'd eaten a bad egg while his gaze assessed her.

  Yara knew that look. Knew what was coming.

  "Been enjoying your vacation of burgers and fries, honey? 'Cause if you're coming back to work, your days of eating that shit are gone."

  Marcus leaned back in his chair, rocking the springs as he waited for her to rise to his bait.

  She wouldn't.

  "What makes you think I want to come back?"

  He grinned. "Why else are you here? I assume you've run out of money." He cocked his head assessing her.

  Yara thought he looked like a vulture ready to pick at her bones.

  "How did you manage seven weeks without funds? Or," he leaned his elbows on his desk. "Is your dear mama a better liar than I gave her credit for?"

  "My parents have no idea that I'm..."

  "Playing dead? Committing fraud? Perpetrating a felony?" His grin turned oily. "I should call the police right now and have you arrested."

  "For what?" Yara folded her arms across her chest, mostly to hide the shaking of her hands. "Having amnesia?"

  Marcus laughed long and loud, slapping the top of the desk when he finished. A cup of pens jumped and landed with a small clatter.

  "Is that what you're going with? Amnesia?"

  "That's what I'll say when they ask."

  He nodded

  "Okay, Yara. Okay. I'll back you up if you're coming back. We can spin that into a nice, fluffy, sympathy piece." He waved one hand in front of him as if painting a headline. "Pop sensation, feared dead, turns up in local hospital. We'd have to get you back down to Florida, and set up in some clinic. Would have to pay off the staff, but it's doable. Expensive, and you best believe you'll be working that off."

  Yara swal
lowed. "How?"

  Marcus narrowed his eyes at her. "However I damn well please. Do you know what a clusterfuck this could turn out to be? Not to mention the album sales are gonna plummet when people realize you ain't dead."

  "Sorry to disappoint them. And you."

  "Oh, darlin'." He stood and walked slowly around the desk.

  Yara fought the urge to step back. Her fingers curled around the small pepper spray in her pocket. She wanted to run, wanted to get as far away from Marcus Kaine as she possibly could, but she was there for a reason.

  "And if I don't want to come back to work for you? If I want to go out on my own?"

  He stopped. "Well, then I supposed you walk away empty-handed. You know the terms of your contract."

  "I doubt it's legally binding."

  Marcus smiled, and it wasn't friendly. "Good luck finding a lawyer to take your case for the little bit of money you have socked away in your parents’ savings account."

  Yara did step back then.

  "Oh," he grinned, stepping forward. "You thought I didn't know about that? Thought I didn't know you'd been squirreling it away in the hopes of breaking our deal?"

  "You're a crook," Yara said, meeting him eye-to-eye. "An asshole and a crook."

  He chuckled, nodding. "A rich one. A rich, crooked asshole that owns your pretty ass, missy."

  Marcus moved closer, eyeing her like a well-aged steak. "I own every sweet morsel, especially now if you want to get out of this mess you're in."

  Yara walked around his desk to the window. From that height, she couldn't see the SUV below, but she knew it was there. Waiting. She knew the brothers, Cam and Pierce both, were just a few doors away. She wasn't alone in this.

  "What do you expect me to do?"

  Kaine rested his knuckles on the desktop, leaning on them as he looked across the desk facing her. "I expect you to lay low for a few more days. And cut down on the food, you need to lose at least five pounds. Can't have you showing up in the breaking news looking like a heifer."

  Yara bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood. She kept her eyes trained on the street below, the cars like ants in a maze from that height.

  "I expect," he continued, "for you to toe the line from now on. You aren't my only girl, you know. But you are the one with the spotlight on her. For now. That'll change."

  She turned to face him. "When it does, will you let me out of our deal? I just want the stuff I haven't released yet, the songs that are mine."

  "Nothing is yours," he spat, startling her. "Nothing. What part of that don't you understand? Your music is mine. Your voice is mine. That normally rockin' little bod of yours? Mine. The fucking words that come out of your mouth from now on will be the ones I give you. You fucked up, little girl."

  He sighed, sinking onto the edge of the desk.

  "It's my fault. I gave you too much freedom."

  Yara laughed.

  "Freedom? Is that what you call keeping me and the others on schedules so tight we can't brush our teeth without you knowing? Freedom is you choosing who we date? What kind of underwear we have on? You're a freaking maniac."

  "Watch your tone," he growled, his face going red.

  "Or what?"

  Marcus looked down and swallowed. He took a deep breath before raising his gaze to hers again.

  Yara had never seen eyes so cold, so hard. For the first time in a long time, she felt real fear. She was a breath away from saying her safe word, the one that would bring the boys running. But she didn't have enough yet.

  "You're tired. Over-stimulated," he said. "I get it. I do. But you're home now, honey, and things are going to get back to normal real soon. Do what I say, to the letter, and everything will be all right."

  Yara lifted her chin. "Or. What?"

  He sighed. "Or..."

  Marcus stood and rounded the desk so fast, Yara had no time to react. His hands circled her biceps, tightening with every word he spat in her face.

  "You're about to cost me a fucking fortune, little girl. You best believe I plan to recoup that right out of your ass. You'll do what I say, go where I say, do who I say..."

  "I'm not a prostitute."

  "You are whatever the fuck I say you are," he ground out, his mouth a breath from her turned cheek.

  Yara yelped when he pulled her in even closer.

  "You smell like a fucking dog pound." Marcus shoved her away and dug into his pocket. He tossed a wad of bills on the table.

  "Clean yourself up and go to the apartment on 5th. I'll leave word for the doorman to let you in. Stay out of sight until I arrange your coming out party."

  Shaking, Yara grabbed the bills. There was no way she'd get anything else out of him like this. She made her way to the door.

  "And Yar," he said, stopping her with the icy tone of his voice.

  She turned to face him.

  Kaine's gaze slid over her body, and she felt physically violated. Whatever hands-off policy she'd enjoyed before was being stripped away while she watched.

  "You'd better be there when I get home."

  Nineteen

  Cam contemplated the myriad ways he could get away with murdering Marcus Kaine.

  The Hudson was a good dumping ground, or so he'd heard. Hadn't ever tested the theory, but there was a first time for almost everything.

  The way he'd spoken to Yara, Cam had wanted to punch through the walls to get to him.

  "Cam," Pierce muttered beside him. "You good?"

  He gave him a curt nod.

  By the time Yara emerged from the elevator, understandably freaked out, Camden was ready to un-holster his Glock 22 and take it for a spin.

  He'd never seen her look so shaken and his instinct was to go to her. But he stayed in his spot until she came to them.

  "You alright, lass?" Pierce slipped off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. It wasn't cold as they emerged from the building, but she was shivering nonetheless.

  "I'm fine," she replied, convincing no one.

  Rory opened the door and helped her climb into the back.

  "I'll drive." Cam needed something to occupy his hands other than his gun.

  "Here's the address."

  Yara handed Pierce her phone, and he plugged the address into the GPS. Upper West Side, of course.

  "You did real well, lass," Cam heard Rory assure her.

  "No, I didn't. I didn't get anything out of him."

  "You got some, and we'll get the rest when he comes to meet you." Pierce was already typing away on his laptop, transcribing the conversation she'd just had with Kaine.

  Fucking Kaine.

  A hand landed on his left shoulder and squeezed.

  Cam met Yara's eyes in the rear view mirror.

  I'm okay, she seemed to tell him.

  He nodded, swerving around traffic.

  "Slow down, we don't want NYPD on our collective arses."

  Cam begrudgingly obliged.

  "New plan," Rory said. "He clearly has...expectations from Yara tonight."

  Cam saw Rory put his arm around her shoulders.

  She leaned into the embrace, and he pushed aside his irrational jealousy to focus on the gratitude he felt for his cousin. Doing what he himself could not. Should not.

  "I feel like I blew it," Yara sighed.

  "You didn't." Cam caught her gaze in the mirror again. "You didn't. Kaine is a slippery motherfucker. He must have suspected something."

  "What makes you think this isn't a set-up?" Pierce glanced over at Cam.

  "It probably is, but he won't be expecting us." Cam and Pierce came to a silent agreement. Nothing was going to happen to Yara, not on their watch.

  "So we go in with her?" Rory leaned forward.

  "Yara, you'll go in the front door alone. We'll find another way in."

  She shook her head. "There's a service entrance in the back of the building. I can double back and open it for you without the doorman knowing."

  "Perfect." He tried to smile for her.

&n
bsp; "That will work. You get to the apartment, we'll handle Kaine. We won't let him touch you, I promise." Pierce turned in his seat to face her. "You have my word."

  Cam saw Yara nod, saw the relief on her face. What had she really been living with all these years? How strong had she been?

  "One thing," she said. "We can't leave Lanie and the others behind."

  "Trust me," Pierce replied. "By the time we're through with him, he won't be able to control his bladder, much less your careers."

  The new plan was simple. Let Marcus believe he had the upper hand until they could spring the trap. Much to his brother's chagrin, Camden called in a favor from their Manhattan counterpart, Mimic Inc.

  "Tessa," Cam greeted the petite brunette with a customary bow, and then a kiss on the cheek.

  Tessa Takenawa was small but mighty, and the most respectable foe he'd ever faced. Cam placed her firmly in the frenemy camp, though lately, they'd found themselves on the same side more often than not. He liked her. More importantly, he liked her for Skin. She had a way of approaching things form angles he hadn’t even considered.

  Something to ponder at a much later date.

  "Camden, Rory." She shook their respective hands before turning to Pierce. Who glared at her. "Mr. Skinner."

  "Ms. Takenawa."

  No love lost there.

  A smirk played on her ruby red lips. Dark, almond-shaped eyes assessed Cam's brother, and he wondered about the real reason behind their chilly rapport. Maybe some extracurriculars gone awry?

  Tessa addressed the three of them. "Where's your missing pop star?"

  "Here." Yara stepped out of the bedroom in a black, silk robe that fell to her thighs. Her hair was down, something that tightened Cam's throat when he tried to swallow. She was so beautiful he ached, and yet he wanted to put his fist through the wall when he thought of why she'd gotten dolled up.

  Fucking Kaine.

  Tessa's eyes widened. "Christ, it really is you."

  "Did you doubt me?" Cam asked.

  She shook her head, her gaze locked on Yara. "I...no. No, of course not. I just..." She trailed off.

  Yara smiled. "Nice to meet you. And thanks for coming out so late for all this cloak-and-dagger shit."

  Tessa took Yara's arm and led her to the sofa. "My dear, I live for his cloak-and-dagger shit."