Broken Justice (Justice Brothers)

by Halliday, Suzanne

  “That’s just it, man. I know that leaving her alone would be what’s best. For her, anyway. I don’t do hearts and flowers and wouldn’t know where to start even if I wanted to. Believe me. I’m trying to do the right thing.”

  Alex sighed. Cam felt a weight sink to the pit of his stomach. What a fucking mess.

  “Maybe you should consider going to Seattle next week instead of sending one of the juniors. It’s a straight-forward set-up, nothing very involved. All you’d have to do is a systems check and a final run through and then turn it over to the client. Would give Lacey some time to settle in and you a chance to step back. Gain some perspective.”

  “I don’t know, Alex.”

  “It’s cool, man. I’ll personally keep an eye on things. Make sure she’s okay. Think it over and get back to me.”

  “Thanks. Will give it serious thought, I promise.”

  Days later, Lacey was tapping away at a computer in the office while non-stop thoughts of Cameron invaded her mind. She’d seen very little of him since their frosty last words and figured he was avoiding her. Just as well, she supposed. While she ached to be near him and wanted nothing less than his complete attention, she knew he was giving her time to adjust to her new surroundings.

  She’d been crazy busy and had loved every second of the past days. Managing to get things in some semblance of order, she went about familiarizing herself with the running of the agency every chance she got. She wandered around the stables, kennel, and motor pool; she introduced herself to Ben and the veterans he employed to help manage the impressive organic garden, met a dozen people, and been thrilled by how affable and helpful everyone was. She felt accepted.

  It had been Alex who surprised her the most though. Every day he made it a point to show up in the business center, usually with Zeus trotting at his heels, to check on how she was doing. He was unfailingly polite and friendly and she suspected he was keeping tabs on her, maybe even reporting on her progress to the dark knight himself.

  Luckily, she really did like Alex so it was easy to be around him. He was an unusual man, stoic in his demeanor, and quite brilliantly fascinating when the subject was anything related to technology. He’d patiently explained, in excruciating detail, how a hologram functioned, something he’d been working on perfecting. She hadn’t understood but every fifth word of what he was saying and struggled to keep up with the man’s obvious genius.

  Each evening, the Valleja-Marquez Don himself came to the casita to fetch her for dinner at the main house. Cam was present sometimes, silently brooding as usual. More people from the inner circle gathered at night around the rough-hewn table in the massive dining room. There she’d met Ria, Ben’s wife and the ultimate drill sergeant when it came to feeding the giant household. Gustavo, or Gus as he asked to be called, came over from the stable most evenings. He managed the stuff that moved. Horses, trucks, ATVs, Hummers, electric golf carts, you name it and he had it. She’d met Brody Grayson, the dog guru with the magic talent, who trained their highly sought after guard dogs but kept mostly to himself when not in the kennel.

  Everyone had made her feel welcome and been incredibly helpful. Everyone except the one person she wanted to show her some attention. Damn that man. His cool, detached, civility was getting to be like fingernails on a chalkboard. When he was around, his eyes followed her but he kept a polite distance, deferring interest in her well-being to Alex.

  Tonight he was distracted and edgy. When Ben announced that Drae had surfaced and would be returning to the compound in a couple of days, she saw Cameron’s gaze snap to Alex’s. Some sort of unspoken communication passed between them. Every time Draegyn’s name was mentioned, he went on high-alert. What in the world was that all about?

  Ria was saying something sweet and supportive about the outfit Lacey was wearing. Ben had driven her into town right after her arrival and besides stocking her little pantry with necessities, she had splurged in a local department store with this particular impulse purchase. The denim pencil skirt and soft jersey top were the perfect accompaniment to her favorite strappy sandals. The ensemble was new, not something hastily grabbed in a second-hand store, and fit her perfectly. She liked the way it made her feel. Feminine but modest, she knew she carried off the look pretty damn well.

  The way Cameron’s eyes burned when she sashayed with her sexy sandals into the large open dining room had been supremely satisfying. Now that the stress of the first days in an office going down for the third time had passed, she was back to thinking about the problem of them. Lacey wasn’t even going to try and pretend the warmth flooding her core and the way she nearly devoured his presence wasn’t happening. No, she wanted to be with him and while running seemed to be his only move at the moment, Lacey realized that she’d have to put on her big girl panties and grab the proverbial bull by the horns if she wanted to get a reaction out of him. The man was very, very good at appearing detached. Of course, the substantial bulge he was attempting to hide was telling her otherwise.

  Halfway through their meal, she overhead Alex casually ask Cameron when he was leaving. Leaving? No, no, no, her mind cried! What did that mean? Panic slowly fed its way into her nervous system.

  Overcome with anxiety at what she’d heard, Lacey tried to concentrate but all she could think about was Cameron going away from her. She fidgeted and worried the end of her cloth napkin into a twisted mess. How could she find out what was going on? They had barely spoken to each other in days. It took a tremendous effort to not burst into the conversation and demand answers.

  Finishing her meal in silence, Lacey retreated inward as old concerns and fear of abandonment crowded her mind. Wow. It hadn’t taken much to stick a fork in her newfound confidence. He was ignoring her and it was all she could do to keep tears from welling in her eyes. Damn.

  Catching Alex’s observant gaze upon her, she coughed in embarrassment and sat up straighter. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was going back and forth, watching her reaction and then considering his friend. Intrigued, she glanced Cameron’s way and saw that his jaw was clenched tight, his mouth set in a firm, tense line. Didn’t seem as though her dark knight was much more of a happy camper at the moment.

  After dinner everyone began drifting away while Carmen and Lacey stuck around to help Ria clear the table and straighten things up. When she went to say her good-byes for the evening, Alex surprised her by suggesting that Cameron walk her back to the casita, since he was busy. Turning unreadable eyes her way, “Are you set to go?” he asked with an abundance of politeness that brought a flashing smirk to Alex’s otherwise bland expression. He may have even laughed, but Cameron’s swift look of censure seemed to shut him up right quick.

  They walked from the courtyard behind the big house that lead to the guest quarters, along a twisting path softly illuminated with solar lights. Lacey was acutely conscience of the sound their slow steps made on the crunchy gravel. With hands jammed in the pockets of his jeans, he stayed close but silent. When she nearly stumbled in her high sandals, he reached for her hand and threaded it through his arm for support. How gallant, she thought, a split second before a sly smile twisted her lips.

  So, that’s how they were going to play this. Okay then. He wanted to be all smooth and controlled? She didn’t think so. Not if she had any say in the matter. Knowing that her attitude about Alex had no doubt sparked this gentlemanly behavior gave Lacey pause. Well, she thought, let’s see how far he was willing to take it.

  Hugging his arm close against the side of her breast, she sighed theatrically and gazed up at the night sky. “It’s so beautiful here at night, don’t you think?”

  Yeah, he thought. It was beautiful. Being with the Ponytail under a carpet of stars that stretched across the heavens was wonderful. In fact, in the perfect world that was his mind, he wanted to take her out into the desert and make love to her while thousands of twinkling stars stood watch over them. There was something wickedly sensual about the notion of being naked with her out in nat
ure. He bet she’d be magnificent nude, with only the light from a half moon illuminating her sexy body.

  “Do you like the desert?” he asked while glancing up just at the moment a meteor raced across the ink black sky. “Did you see that, Lacey? A meteor,” he cried as his arm squeezed her hand. “Quick Ponytail, make a wish,” he murmured while acknowledging a silent yearning of his own.

  Her quick gasp of delight told him she had seen the sparkling trail as it arced across the sky. It seemed special to witness her sweet reaction while he let the warmth that her closeness brought him spread through his body.

  “I love the desert,” she eventually answered. “It’s so calm, even though I know it can be dangerous.” A little like you dark knight, she added silently. Ice broken, silence forgotten for now, they walked on. “Are you going somewhere? I heard Alex say something about you leaving,” she boldly blurted out when she couldn’t keep the question in any longer.

  “Uh, yeah. I am. Business in Seattle,” was all he said.

  “When do you leave?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  Her stomach sank at that. Tomorrow.

  Cam felt her fingers tighten slightly on his arm and wondered about her reaction. Why hadn’t they spoken in days? He couldn’t remember. All he cared about was this moment and how he wanted to talk to her, be with her, and absorb the lightness that her presence brought to his somber world. He’d agreed to Alex’s suggestion that he step back from Lacey and get his shit together but in truth, he was reluctant to leave her, even if they weren’t exactly talking.

  Knowing that Drae would be returning soon only ramped up his reluctance to be apart from her. The last thing he needed was the James Bond of their trio trying out his man-whore ways on the woman clutched at his side. God. When had he become such a cynical bastard?

  Arriving at the casita, his intent had been to escort her politely as far as the door, see her safely inside, and then bolt. When she turned toward him at the last second and whispered, “I’ll miss you while you’re gone,” he forgot that intention and swiftly replaced it with another.

  He didn’t give her any warning, simply pulled her flush against the length of him and crushed her mouth under his. She hadn’t even flinched when he set about devouring her sweet, succulent lips, responding with a moaning enthusiasm that set him on fire.

  They stood at her door, clinging to each other in the darkness, engaging in a kiss that quickly got out of control. He grunted with deep satisfaction when her mouth opened to his questing tongue, allowing him to delve deep. She answered by sliding her tongue around his while her hands clutched the front of his shirt.

  She was so unbelievably delicious. He’d never tasted anything quite like this Ponytail with the cute freckles and sexy backside. Drowning in her response, Cam dueled greedily with her naughty tongue while the fire inside him shot flames out his pores.

  He eased off before shit got crazy, vowing to go slow, and be the gentle lover she had deserved that first time. He was also well-aware that his thoughts had turned from screwing her brains out to indulging in a sensual mating that was more lovemaking than fucking. She’d done that to him. Made him think outside his narrow emotional box.

  It took but a quick second to bundle her in his arms and push through the door into the privacy of her little home. While he would have been satisfied under normal circumstances to drop her to the floor where they stood and bury his hungry cock in her seething wetness, Cam was much more interested in the slowed down plan he had in mind.

  Swinging her up into his arms, he never left her mouth, continuing to nibble at her sweet lips, and stroke his tongue against hers, letting her know what he wanted to do with her. Making it to the bedroom proved a challenge when the soft female in his arms turned hungry tigress, spearing fingers into his hair and rubbing her breasts against his chest. Every one of her movements caused her insanely sexy ass to wiggle and squirm in his arms, making Cam painfully aware of the erection that was pressing against his zipper in a most uncomfortable way.

  When they arrived beside the bed, he let her body slide from his grip until her feet were once again on the floor. When he came up for air after tearing his mouth away from hers, she responded by all but ripping off his shirt as she clawed her way to his skin. He wasn’t the only one on fire.

  Catching her hands in his, he laid them just above his thumping heart where his chest was heaving as though he’d just run a marathon. She stared straight ahead, at her hands and the skin she’d exposed, while he watched her lips pulse in the aftermath of their sultry kissing. Calmer now, with his mind firmly set on her total seduction; Cam released her hands and undid the remaining buttons on his shirt. Taking his time about it, he undid the buttons at the cuffs, then slid the shirt from his shoulders letting it drift to the floor. Her breathing was heavier now, unsteady.

  She lifted blue eyes to his green ones and he saw for himself the arousal that was shaking her from head to toe. He also saw her appreciation for his body. The lady liked what she saw. All those shit-kicking workouts had enhanced his already toned physique into something harder, more defined. Masculine. For the first time in his life Cam felt something that resembled pride.

  He noted that her eyes had turned smoky blue while a soft pink blush set her skin aglow. When her delicate hands began stroking the skin on his chest he urged her on with a rumble of pleasure. Holy God. The way she touched him melted his brain. He heard little gasps of pleasure when her hands swept lower, mapping his abs in slow, exquisite detail. By the time her fingers had finished rubbing through the hair that led into his pants, he was shaking too.

  This was how he wanted things to go. Slow, unhurried. He wanted - no wanted didn’t do his desire justice. He needed to know every inch of her body and was pleased that she wanted the same of him. Letting her touch to her heart’s content had hardly been a chore. He hoped that before too long she’d be willing to use her lips and tongue the way she just had her hands. The thought of her sexy mouth on his skin made his breath hitch.

  As if she’d read his thoughts, Lacey leaned into him and let her tongue swipe tentatively along his collarbone. More. He wanted more. Letting his head roll back to give her better access, Cam groaned into the darkness when she took the encouragement he offered and went to town on his neck with her teeth, tongue, and lips. She was being greedy, sucking on his skin while he spread his fingers across the back of her head to hold her close. When she rose up on her tiptoes and swirled her tongue in his ear, he had to plant his feet more firmly or he would have stumbled from the pleasure. She nipped at his earlobe and then sucked it into her mouth, while her hands searched for and found his nipples. What she did there sent his heart rate into overdrive.

  “One of us has too many clothes on,” he growled low and soft next to her ear.

  Her hands dropped to his belt as she licked his neck in a long, slow swipe, then whispered, “That would be you, I think.” Oh fuck. He needed to stop her but dammit, what she was doing felt so good.

  He let her go on for a bit while he worked his big hands under her top and lifted it up. She seemed shocked when he pulled it over her head and tossed it aside, as though she’d been so wrapped up in him that she hadn’t realized he was undressing her. He took advantage of her hesitation by reaching around her waist to pull down the zipper of her skirt, pushing it over her hips until it hit the floor. In a few smooth moves he had managed to get her half-naked. Stripping her bare was the plan, but not quite yet.

  Gazing at her soft, blonde beauty visible in the moonlight, Cam was mesmerized by her seductive appeal. Seeing her pale loveliness next to his shadowed body turned him on to no end. They complimented each other perfectly. He was big and hard, dark haired and powerful. She was smaller, rounded, soft, and pale with a compliant streak hidden within her courage and a strength that pleased him immensely.

  She didn’t need sexy, barely there lingerie to be desirable. Her plain bra with the molded cups that hid her bountiful breasts from his view was
easily as alluring as anything he’d ever seen a model wear. There was something about the way her tits plumped up and pressed against her bra the more aroused she got that made the vision she presented absolutely perfect.

  The hi-cut white cotton bikini panties she wore were nothing short of mind-blowing. Fuck the G-string. Her incredibly long, lean legs and sexy hips made those simple panties look good. Damn good. He drank in everything about her and let the excitement she sparked inside him ignite a raging bonfire of desire.

  Watching her tremble under his intense perusal, he reached out and ran a finger lightly down the center of her chest, over her bra, and down her stomach stopping only when he reached the elastic band of her panties. Christ, she was so responsive. Her skin prickled from his gentle touch while her breathing quickened.

  “You are so damn beautiful, Ponytail. I don’t deserve you one bit, but that’s not going to stop me from having all of you.”

  She smiled into his eyes and said, “Didn’t you say one of us has too many clothes on?”

  It was his turn to smile. Smart-ass. Should he have her undress him or should he slowly strip and fuel the flames he felt growing all around them? When she took the initiative and reached again for his belt, he decided on the later. Serves her right. He’d make her wait and watch until he let her touch…..eventually.

  Pushing her back against the edge of the bed, he pressed her hands to the mattress. “These stay here,” he growled while quickly squeezing her fingers. “Hmmm. I like this,” he said when he took in the sight of her clasping the bed behind her, the position pushed her chest up practically in his face.

  The half-smirk on her face almost got him to laugh. “Tsk, tsk Ponytail. So impatient. Is this what you want?” he asked, stepping back to give her a good view. Sure that he had her undivided attention, Cam looked down his front, drawing her eyes to his body, before running his hand down his chest, fingers leading the way. When he got to his belt buckle, he popped it open with a quick snap, loosening the edges so both ends dropped down framing the tent his hard cock was creating in the front of his pants. Fuck. Even he was impressed by how awesome a move that was. The visual made his dick look huge. Hey, he’d take it any way he could get it. Clearly, when she bit down on her lip and then let her tongue swipe along the bottom of her mouth, she agreed.