Broken Justice (Justice Brothers)

by Halliday, Suzanne

  Normally pretty quick on the uptake, she’d been confused and asked for an explanation. What had he meant exactly by, that’s where Cam wanted her?

  “C’mon Lacey, think about it. There’s a dormitory for visitors and clients who stay over and a bunch of studio apartments all throughout the property. He could easily have put you in any of those spaces, yet he chose to plant you in between the main house and his. We save the Casita de Corazon for family. It’s for our exclusive use, Cam, Drae and myself. Clearly that’s where he wanted you.”

  Jolted by the implication of what she’d learned, Lacey was hit with an avalanche of conflicting emotions. Disbelief came first. Followed by embarrassment. Eventually though, a whiplash of female satisfaction had her sitting up and taking notice. By setting her up in the guesthouse, Cameron had been making a silent statement whether he wanted to admit it or not.

  She’d been moved when Alex put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before telling her not to give up yet. She could only take the comment one way – Cameron’s closest friend was giving his approval of their involvement and encouraging her to stick it out. If only he knew how complicated the whole thing truly was.

  It was clear that neither she nor Cameron had the slightest clue how to go about having a relationship. To make it more complicated, he believed that his less-than-stellar upbringing and sometimes gritty life experiences made him unworthy of love or caring. If only he could see himself the way she did.

  That conversation with Alex had become even more revealing when, deciding to go for broke, she delicately asked about his injury. Most of the time, he did a bang up job of hiding the slight limp that marked his gait. When he was stressed or tired though, the hesitation in his walk became almost painful to watch. At times he would rub his hand back and forth against his thigh in an absent-minded gesture that told of the discomfort plaguing him.

  Lacey hadn’t been sure if he would answer. Maybe the story was too personal and perhaps she’d just stepped way over the line. When he boosted his backside up onto the desk and fixed her with a wry smile, she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “In the end, it was one bad day out of a thousand bad days. You get used to it, you know,” he murmured with a chuckle that didn’t sound joyous in any way. “The heat, the dust, the smell. After a while, you barely notice. Being alert, watching out for everyone, staying alive – it was a twenty-four seven proposition.”

  He stared into space as the rewind played out. “Had the misfortune of getting promoted. Damn military. Like to reward foolishness they thought was bravery. Anyway – getting pulled out of our special ops team to play Officer was the last thing I wanted. That’s where the Justice name comes from. Me, Cam, Drae, bunch of others, were called by that name since that was what we did. Meted out justice on the bad guys.”

  Lacey made note of that tidbit of information. Hmmmm. Another puzzle piece. Justice Squad? Team Justice? It wasn’t her first inkling that Cameron might not be who he said he was. She’d been introduced to Alex by his formal surname, Valleja-Marquez. And she knew that Draegyn’s last name was St. John. Only Cameron seemed to have no identity prior to the one he’d created for the agency. Interesting.

  “That last day started off like any other. Visiting politicos and some dog and pony show bullshit had just wrapped up. I was out of sorts and distracted. Being in an office isn’t my thing,” he said with a twisted grin while taking in where they sat, “in case you hadn’t noticed.” She smiled at that. Alex was a lot of things but organized and business-like weren’t on the list.

  Rubbing his thigh absently, the story rushed out as if he didn’t want to say the words. “I don’t remember much except that all hell broke loose and then there was a tremendous explosion in the HQ. Half my staff either died or was injured. Everything was blown to smithereens. It was a complete shit show. The guys tell me when they arrived on scene, I was buried under a pile of debris. The bottom half of my torso looked like a pile of raw meat with my leg taking the worst of it.”

  She shuddered at the picture he was painting but he didn’t notice. Lost in the memory, Alex had turned to stone right before her eyes.

  “Gotta hand it to the medics though. They did a bang-up job of keeping all my body parts attached. Spent a couple of months in Germany, touch and go most of the time. Then a year of rehab back in the states. The leg was saved but it looks like a fucking patchwork quilt and aches like a bitch at times.”

  Looking out at the desert scene, he sat quiet for a few moments. Lacey could feel the anguish radiating off him in waves. “Damn lucky the family homestead isn’t further north. The cold lays me out.”

  He looked at her with eyes that had seen way too much. “Draegyn and Cam were there that day. They helped pull me out of the rubble. In case you haven’t put this together yet, we’re all pretty fucked up in one way or another after what happened. It’s way more complicated than the story tells.”

  Lacey listened, emotion clogging her throat with each word. He was being matter-of-fact but she heard the torment in his voice and saw a slight hesitation just before that last statement. There was something unsaid swirling in the air. He slid from the desk, shaking out his leg as he did so, and ambled to the windows. She waited him out.

  “Turns out the explosion was the work of a suicide bomber. Someone we all knew. A woman. Her name was Badirya – she worked as a translator for the coalition forces.”

  Lacey sucked in a surprised breath. Someone they all knew. And it was a woman. She was gaining insight into the complicated mind-set that led Cameron to be so detached from his emotions, particularly where women were concerned.

  Alex reacted to her surprise with a dark scowl. “It gets worse, unfortunately. She had a young son, maybe nine or ten. Everyone liked the boy. He was too young to understand the war and he liked hanging around with the guys. His father had been killed years earlier. She took him with her when she blew everything up. It was deliberate, too. We lost a lot of good people that day. And for what? None of it makes sense. Didn’t then. Doesn’t now.” His hand was absently scrubbing back and forth through his hair.

  Lacey went and stood next to Alex, laying her hand gently upon his arm. “I think you’re unbelievably brave.”

  “No!” he vehemently replied. “I hate that word. No one was brave! We were just men, trying to stay alive. Hoping to make it home in one piece.”

  “I know that Alex, but you are brave. All of you! Last couple of years haven’t been a cake walk for me. Hearing what you’ve said reminds me of that, how people were fighting and dying in my name all that time and I barely paid attention. I don’t care how desperate someone’s existence gets. We should always be aware of and support the men and women who go into harm’s way for us.”

  He gave her a lop-sided smile. “You have a good heart. I hope telling you my story helps you see Cam in a different light. He’s a good man, Lacey. It’s just that his situation is…” He struggled to find a word. “Complicated. Yeah, that’s it. Complicated.”

  “I don’t understand any of this but believe me, I’m trying. And, um….things between Cameron and I may not be what you think.”

  “Well, before you waste any time trying to convince yourself, or me, that it’s not, what I may think, you should know that I know his truck stayed in the driveway at the main house after he walked you home. And it was still there the next morning when he came to get it for the trip to the airport.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yes. Oh.”

  Lacey turned beet red at the thought that Alex knew what they’d been doing in the little guesthouse.

  “Like I said, don’t give up. I know he’s probably being a dick, but in all the years I’ve known him, you are the first girl he’s ever let get close. Fuck, the first person! That has to count for something.”

  She hung her head and nodded. Of course it counted but if the man never got past that point, all of this would be moot. He was either angry and brooding or cool and detached. There was no middle g
round and she was completely inexperienced in dealing with men.

  “Look, why don’t you plan to come over to the barn tonight? Got talked into a karaoke get-together. Everyone will be there plus a few townies you should meet. Will take you mind off of …..work.”

  “Thanks, Alex. Sounds like fun. What time?”

  And with that the rhythm of her evenings fell into place too. It was work, work, work all day and then hanging out with the Justice crew after supper. Some evenings they went to town and bowled, sometimes it was cards. But mostly it was simple camaraderie at its pleasurable best. On day eight though, everything changed.

  She, Carmen, and Ria were up to their eyeballs in baking supplies, churning out several dozen different cookies for an upcoming church bake-sale, when Zeus began barking up a storm. Lacey startled at the sound because the big Lab was not a noisemaker. She’d made friends with the dog almost immediately and was delighted to learn that Zeus was a ‘she’. The women joked that the men couldn’t handle being guarded by a female so they gave the poor girl a guy’s name.

  Whatever, or whomever, had gotten the dog so riled up was causing quite the commotion. Curious, three sets of eyes turned and looked into the rear courtyard at the exact moment shouts of hola and welcome home filled the air.

  Lacey’s heart picked up a few beats hoping this meant Cameron had returned but the sleek, Lamborghini sports car that was slowing to a halt most certainly was not his style. “Who’s that?” she asked her companions.

  Ria laughed at her surprise and said, “Oh, that’s right! You haven’t met Draegyn yet, have you? Well, get ready for a treat. Things are sure to get lively now that he’s back.”

  The next thing she knew, the back door flew open and in strode what could only be described as one impressive doppelgänger for 007 himself. Not as tall or wide as Cameron, nor as outdoorsy or messy as Alex, this final piece to the Justice puzzle was tall and lean, with ramrod straight posture and a laconic swagger that probably made the ladies swoon. And dammit if he wasn’t actually dressed in a tuxedo! The bow tie was hanging undone and the suit looked like he’d been wearing it for days, but it was an honest to goodness tuxedo. Was that her mouth hanging open?

  “Carmen! You’re a sight for sore eyes!” he cried, obviously delighted. “Can I beg you to whip me up a turkey sandwich mamacita? I’m starving.”

  “Meeester Draegyn! You’ve been missed!” the woman said with a smile curling on her lips. “The tuxedo, it’s overkill, yes?” she added laughing at his appearance.

  Draegyn waved his hands at the wrinkled attire and grinned. “Oh, come on! No good?” When Carmen mocked him with an indulgent sigh he leaned in and gave her a theatrical kiss on the cheek, ending it with an exaggerated, “Mwah!” She swatted him on the arm for good measure and giggled like a school girl.

  Turning his attention to the other woman beaming at him, he wagged his eyebrows while looking her over and making a ‘twirl around’ gesture with his finger that had the woman pirouetting gracefully in what was obviously a private joke. “Ria. You look fetching as ever,” he teased with an amusing leer. “Where’s that husband of yours? Can I get a hug before he turns up with that awful scowl?”

  Lacey watched fascinated while Ria and Draegyn hugged and teased each other with clear affection.

  When he turned his attention to Lacey, she felt like she’d been pulled into his force field. He was blonde-haired and had the iciest blue eyes she’d ever seen. His hair was short, and immaculately cut, quite the departure from his brothers. A mouth that looked almost cruel sat in a face that suggested a broken nose at some point with a small, barely visible jagged scar on his right temple. Under all the joking, his look was serious. Slightly dangerous. Mysterious. Oh yeah, and he actually tugged at the cuffs of his immaculate white shirt while he checked her out from head to toe.

  “Who might this lovely lady be?” he quizzed her two companions. Stepping close, close enough to catch the scent of his spicy aftershave, Lacey was left almost speechless by his approach. Good Lord. This guy was something else.

  Trying to overcome a sudden bout of shyness, she stepped up and offered him her hand. “Hi. I’m Lacey. I’m…..”

  When he enclosed her small hand in his and held on, Lacey almost died laughing. It didn’t take a psychic to understand why Cameron had been so worked up about Drae coming home. The man came off as a complete ladies’ man in manner, style, and attitude. Her heart lit up with happiness when she realized Cameron had been jealous. Awesome.

  “She was about to say that she’s taking Betty’s place for awhile,” came a booming voice. Lacey hadn’t seen Alex enter the kitchen but he was right there and looking like a rather stern parent. Uh oh.

  Still clasping her hand, Draegyn’s eyes twinkled as he laughed. “Well, this is one replacement I heartily approve of!” She couldn’t believe he was actually flirting with her. If only he knew.

  “Drae!” Alex’s voice threatened. When he had his attention he quite succinctly stated, “She’s staying in the casita.”

  “Ah, is that so?” He still smiled at her.

  “As Cam’s guest.”

  The look the two brothers exchanged was heavy with meaning and just like that, her hand was dropped and the flirting halted. Taking a respectful step backward, Drae’s entire demeanor changed in a nanosecond.

  “Where is Cam?” he asked. “I got a message from him a few days ago. Is he still in Seattle?”

  “Yes. Yes he is,” Alex offered. “But I spoke with him earlier and hopefully he’ll be finished in a day or so. He’s anxious to get back.” The steady-eyed look he shot at Lacey was filled with meaning.

  “Well then, that’s great. We’ll all be here together for a while. I’ve got a fantastic little toy I picked up in London that I can’t wait to show you. Fashioned after one of MI5’s listening devices. You’ll love taking it apart, Alex!” Slapping the man on his back, Drae seemed to forget all about the three women as he bent his head to Alex’s and the two went deep in conversation.

  The gloominess in Lacey’s outlook vanished upon hearing that Cameron would be returning soon. She watched Alex and Draegyn wander into the drive and head toward the luxury sports car. Now that she had all the pieces of the Justice puzzle, she marveled at how different the three were. Alex had so clearly let Drae know she was involved with Cameron, causing him to instantly change his behavior toward her. He’d gone from unabashed flirt to respectful and courteous in seconds.

  And so it was, three days later, that the missing Justice brother made his way back to the compound. By then, Lacey and Drae had formed a friendship that equaled the one she had with Alex. There was never a moment when she wasn’t aware that the two men were keeping an eye out for her during Cameron’s absence. She almost felt like part of the family. Everything was good, work was going great, and all the people who made up the agency treated her with kindness. Life had certainly changed. Now if only the dark knight would let her in.

  The Arizona heat hit him like a speeding train the second he stepped outside the airport terminal and made his way to the long term parking lot where his truck would be waiting. After the cold and rainy weather in Seattle, he was glad to be home.

  It had taken forever to get clear of the airport after having to wait an eternity in baggage claim, giving Cam good reason to be edgier than usual. The project he’d just wrapped up had gone well and though he’d been working with a bunch of smart people who knew what they were doing, he’d still been unusually short-tempered and touchy.

  Tossing his gear into the back of the truck cab with more force than necessary brought him up short. Getting a grip was priority number one now that he was home. There was no use in trying to compartmentalize what was causing his tension. He’d thought of nothing else but Lacey since the second he’d left her bed and ran away. Some war hero, he snorted into the silence. Surviving the battlefield didn’t hold a candle to keeping his damn shit together in the face of some freckles and a sexy backside.


  Why did he keep running? Why was it so hard to turn off his emotions where she was concerned? It had never been a problem before. Maintaining his distance, complete with radio silence, had seemed like the way to proceed a week ago. Today, however, he was regretting both those decisions. On a rare surge of conscience, Cam deeply regretted not having tried to call her at least once while he was gone. He was behaving like a pig. Each time they were alone for more than a minute, he was all over her like a fucking rash. Sleeping with the lady and then walking away without so much as a word or a nod had been bad manners. Trying to pretend he was a gentleman had backfired spectacularly.

  Well, time to face the music. He supposed he’d have some groveling to do. In fact, that’s what he expected. Isn’t that what usually happened in these matters? He’d realized half way through the week away that he wasn’t going to be able to keep on kidding himself where the Ponytail was concerned.

  He wanted her. Plain and simple. Well, in truth, the wanting wasn’t exactly plain or very simple. The urgent need to be with her was killing him. Overriding years of keeping away from all emotional entanglements, he was cautiously admitting that wasn’t going to work where she was concerned.

  Thinking about the small box in his suit jacket with the delicate pearl earrings he’d bought for Lacey got his heart pounding. He’d never, ever bought a gift for a woman. This time was different. During some down time he had scoured jeweler’s row in downtown Seattle looking for whatever struck his fancy. He wanted to give her something she would wear next to her skin and make her think of him. Fuck, if he wasn’t going all soft over a girl.

  Checking the time as his big truck pulled onto the highway, Cam relaxed into the drive and focused on how he would handle seeing Lacey again. He’d be at the Villa soon. Hopefully, by then he’d have it all figured out.

  It was the mid-afternoon when he pulled off the main highway and started the long, slow drive into the compound. This was the part of a trip that he liked the best, when he knew that home was just around the bend. For an orphaned kid, having that sense of arriving and a place of permanence never lost its importance.