Southern Romantic-Suspense Boxed Set (Southern Romantic-Suspense Novel Book 0)

by Carmen DeSousa

  “K. Thanks.” Cameron hung up and forced a smile.

  Alexandra returned his smile, but then pushed her bottom lip out in a soft pout. “Who was that? Are you working already?”

  “Tom. An old friend from Appalachian State.” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his beautiful wife. She was worth every ounce of agony he’d have to endure. And he didn’t know what awaited him in a few hours, so right now, he was going to enjoy his wife. He pulled her off her feet and carried her over to the bed.

  She giggled in response. “Again? Don’t we have to get ready to depart?”

  “What do you expect when you startle me, dressed — or rather undressed — in this skimpy little thing? How is this even considered a robe?” He untied the thin white string that held the sheer fabric closed. “We opted for the slow departure. I was in no hurry to get home.”

  She smiled up at him as he lowered his body on top of hers. “We have to return to reality sometime, Cameron.”

  He stopped and hovered just inches away from his destination. “You know, I was thinking about that, Alex. What if we just got off the boat and got right back on. Only this time stayed in the Caribbean. I have enough money saved, and I can trade from anywhere.”

  She scrunched her eyebrows together and stared him deep in the eyes. “Is there something you aren’t telling me, Cameron? Was that your mother? Has something happened?”

  He didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want to spend his last few hours with her worried. “It was my friend Tom from North Carolina,” he repeated the truthful part. Of course, a lie of omission was still a lie.

  Instead of waiting for a response, he pressed his lips to hers. Thankfully, she responded. He’d keep her lips busy instead of whispering in her ear, as he always enjoyed. He loved that with just a few spoken words, he could have her cooing underneath him, begging him. He never crossed any lines, but she seemed to like his suggestions. He’d learned a lot about what she liked in bed in the last week.

  It was stupid, he knew, and she may have even lied, but he’d even asked her if her ex had ever made her feel as he did in bed. He’d looked her straight in the eyes, when she’d answered, “Never.” As a salesman, he was proficient at spotting a lie, and he felt confident she’d told him the truth.

  He felt a power rise up inside of him that he hadn’t felt in years. Jonathan would not hurt Alexandra ever again, physically or mentally. The last guy who had taken away someone he loved had almost died. It wouldn’t happen again.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Alexandra leaned back on the chaise against her husband’s chest and sipped her coffee as she stared through the railing at the port. They still had about a half an hour until they had to start debarkation.

  Other passengers were swarming around them, shoving final platefuls of food down their throats. But she and Cameron just sat on the deck and watched the seagulls pick off the scraps of food the tourist had left behind.

  She tilted her head up to look at Cameron, and he kissed her forehead, but then she whipped around onto her knees when she saw his eyes. “Cameron, what’s the matter?” His eyes were bloodshot as though he were holding back tears.

  He shook his head as a dismissal and pulled her back into his arms. She tried to turn around again, but he held onto her tightly. “Please, Alexandra. Can we just sit here for a few more minutes?”

  Her eyes filled with tears. Something had happened. She laced her arms over his and leaned her head against the arm that encircled her body. His lovemaking had been demanding and powerful this morning, and she had taken it as though he’d wanted a final wild lovemaking before they had to return to their home with his mother across the hall. She had felt a little embarrassed that the cabin next to theirs may have heard them and had just hoped there were no kids.

  Now, she remembered it differently. He’d distracted her from asking any questions after his phone call, and ever since, he’d been morose, but she just figured, like her, he was sad to return to reality. Something had happened; something always happened. How much more could she take of things going wrong in her life?

  Cameron moved his arm from under her arm and glided his hand across her cheeks. He knew she was crying, and yet, he wasn’t willing to mollify her tears by telling her everything was okay.

  Alexandra pulled his arm back around her, and laced her arms over his, hugging him to her. “We can go anywhere you want, Cameron. I don’t care. I’ll move anyplace you want.”

  He rested his chin on her head. “No, we can’t. It was just a farfetched thought. We can’t run away from our past or our present.”

  Oh, my God, she prayed silently. The tears poured freely now. She couldn’t imagine what had happened. Had he done some test she was unaware of? Did he know before she did that the baby wasn’t his? Would he toss her aside now? Her throat constricted, and she buried her head deeper into the area where his arm and shoulder connected; she loved doing it and it normally comforted her.

  His fingers moved through her hair, and he tilted his head down to look at her. “Listen to me, Alex. Everything is going to be all right. Okay? There are just some issues I need to handle.”

  She shook her head and tried to speak through the lump in her throat. “I don’t understand,” she choked out. “Are you mad at me?”

  He moved his hand from her waist to under her chin. “Why do women immediately think a man is upset at them?” He released something resembling a laugh and shook his head. “No, I’m not mad at you. So, can you give me just a few more minutes of peace, holding my beautiful bride in my arms? I’ll tell you everything on the ride back to the house. Okay?”

  He brushed her hair off her shoulder and cupped her face with his large hands. God, she loved his hands. They were powerful and gentle at the same time. She would never have guessed they were the hands of a salesman or day-trader. They were clean but calloused, from working out at the gym, and he used to be heavily into boxing and martial arts, he’d explained when she’d asked. Unable to speak, she just nodded in agreement.

  Cameron had never lied to her, and he loved her. It was evidently something about his mom upsetting him that he didn’t want to talk about, and she realized that made sense. They couldn’t do anything while sitting on a boat, and they couldn’t leave until the ship director called their deck number, so they might as well enjoy their last few minutes of peace as he’d suggested.

  Alexandra nestled her head against his chest and allowed her eyes to dry. “I love you, Cameron.”

  His chest filled beneath her, and then he released it slowly. “No matter what?” he said quietly into her ear. “No matter what you hear, will you hold true to those words and allow me to explain?”

  Her heart thumped hard against her ribcage at his words. They weren’t the words she’d expected in reply. What would she hear that would make her doubt her love? Could she honestly answer him that? Yes, she could. Nothing she would hear could make her not love him. “Yes,” she gasped. “I’ll never stop loving you, Cameron.” But this time she sat up so quickly, he didn’t have a chance to restrain her. “But you’re scaring the hell out of me. How can you expect me to relax? Who was on the phone?”

  “Tom,” he answered again.

  She exhaled a breath and rolled her eyes. “Tom who?” she demanded. “How could this Tom guy have ruined our last morning of our honeymoon by calling you?”

  Cameron rolled his shoulders as though he were suddenly stiff and needed to move. “I called him.” He cleared his throat. “As I said, Tom is a friend from Appalachian State. We were whitewater guides together during breaks and summer vacations in North Carolina. He graduated with a law degree about a year and a half ago, so he’s been a defense attorney for about a year. I, of course, graduated three years before him, as I only wanted a B.A. in Business.” She narrowed her eyes, wondering where he was going. “I needed advice. I’m pretty certain I’m going to be arrested the moment we get home.”

  She jumped up from the chaise.
“Why? For what?”

  He reached out his hand to her. “Please sit down, Alex. This is why I didn’t want to do this here.”

  She sat down and shook her head. “What’s going on? And stop with all the soft talk and trying-to-protect-me crap. I’m not weak, Cameron. You know what I’ve been through in my life; you don’t have to shelter me. Just tell me the truth!” Her face burned as blood filled her cheeks. Some women blushed when they were embarrassed; she blushed when she was mad.

  Again, he tried to pacify her by touching her face as though she should calm down. With a slow movement, so he’d know she wasn’t out of control, but that she would not allow him to placate her, she removed his hand from her cheek and rested it on his lap. “Talk to me now, Cameron.”

  He chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m not even sure,” he raised his hands when she started to interrupt. “Let me finish. I listened to several voicemails from Brad this morning. Evidently, law enforcement searched my office. Now, I’m no rocket scientist, but there’s only one reason why cops would have a warrant to search my office. I think — and I’m not blaming you — but I think your ex may have led them to believe I’m his supplier. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

  Alexandra raised her hand to her mouth. “Oh, my God! Why would they believe him?”

  He shrugged in response. “Why not? Look at me. I’m twenty-seven with a paid off condo on the beach, two paid off vehicles, lots of money sitting in the bank.”

  “But there’s a money trail for all of that, I’m sure, right?”

  “Sure there is. But do you think they’ll do all that research first if they have a snitch — with a well-respected attorney for a mother — claiming I’m his supplier? She may have gotten him out of jail, but he still has a court date. Unless he pleads his case.”

  “But,” she started, and Cameron turned his head toward the speaker.

  “That’s us.” He scooped up her hands in his. “Alexandra, there’s something I haven’t told you.” He looked at her, and she noticed his eyes filled again. “It’s a closed record, so I thought it wouldn’t matter. I never meant to lie to you.” He shook his head. “There’s another reason they may have to look closer at me. I’m sorry. I —”

  She wasn’t sure why, but she raised her hands to his lips, hushing him. “Let’s go home and handle this together.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  While they waited for a taxi to come available, Cameron decided he’d better listen to his mother’s messages. He refused to put it on speaker when Alexandra asked, so she just leaned close to his ear, trying to hear at the same time.

  He didn’t bother listening to all of them; he just pressed play for her final message yesterday.

  Cameron … his mother sounded as if she were crying. Did you get my messages? The … police … they searched the house. She stopped and sniffed, maybe even blew into a tissue. She was obviously very upset. They … had an order — no, I think they said a warrant. They didn’t find anything in the house … but then, your car … they searched the garage and found … oh, Cameron. They’re gonna arrest you … they found drugs in the trunk … I don’t understand. Why, Cameron? I thought … Beep. The message cut off.

  Cameron huffed. “Well, so much for being right all the time.” He dropped his head to his hands.

  Alexandra rubbed his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Cameron —”

  He jerked upright and took her hands into his. “Alexandra, don’t you dare take this on yourself —”

  “But if I —”

  He shook his head. “I mean it. Stop it right now. Yes, you have an idiot for an ex, but this is not your fault. And the last thing I need is for you to get yourself all upset and do something rash, or God forbid, if something were to happen to the baby. I couldn’t handle losing another —”

  She tilted her head at him. “Cameron, you’re not going to lose me.”

  He inhaled a deep breath, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I know, Alexandra.” He rubbed his forehead. He didn’t have time. They would be there this morning as soon as he got home, he was sure. He was surprised that they weren’t waiting for him to step off the ship.

  One of the port officials approached. “Sir, you were waiting for a taxi?”

  Cameron shook his head. “We’ll take the next one.” He stood up and handed the man a tip. “Please keep our luggage, and we’ll be back in a few minutes for the next one.” The man nodded his acceptance after pocketing the ten bucks he’d given him.

  Alexandra looked confused but didn’t speak when he took her hand and led her to the end of the circular pickup zone, to an empty section of benches, away from all the passengers from the ship.

  He pulled her down beside him and sighed. “I’m sorry. And again, as I said, I never meant to lie to you, but it was in my past, so I’d hoped it didn’t matter.”

  His wife looked at him with acceptance in her eyes, but he wondered if she’d look at him the same when she found out what he had done.

  “There’s a reason I didn’t date much or sleep around, Alexandra. And unfortunately, it’s not just because it’s the right thing to do or because I kept meeting crazy women. Plenty of people know what they should do, but it doesn’t mean they do it.”

  “Cameron, I don’t care about all that. I know you’ve slept with other women.”

  He shook his head and looked around as he gathered his thoughts. “Just hear me out, okay? Try to just listen and let me get it all out.”

  She nodded.

  “I got a girl pregnant when I was seventeen, and there was no doubt that I would do the right thing.” He pulled in his bottom lip as he thought about how to word this. “We only had six months left of high school; I’d already been accepted at Appalachian State, but I was going to just stay here, marry her, as I said, do the right thing. My parents were cool about it.” He couldn’t help but laugh at his mother’s reaction. “She was Greek, so Mom was in her glory. Anyway, she hadn’t told her father …”

  Cameron felt the tears well up in his eyes. “She was … so small … such a tiny thing.” Alexandra reached up and touched his face, and he leaned into her hand. “She … she was six months pregnant when her father found out. She called me right after she told him, said he was furious and she was worried. I heard her scream and then the line disconnected.”

  He inhaled another deep breath and tried to clear his eyes. “I rushed to her house. There was no answer, so I slammed through the door and went to her room. She was there … on the floor. I rushed her to the hospital … it was too late. They couldn’t save her or my baby.”

  “Oh, my God, Cameron. I’m so sorry.”

  “It gets worse. No one knew who’d hurt her … the hospital called the police, but I’d already left — to find him. I went back to her house and almost did to her father what he’d done to her and my baby. The police finally came, but not before I’d beaten him half to death with my bare hands.”

  He looked up at his wife’s eyes. She had tears, but she didn’t look as if she’d run away from him in fear, and thankfully she hadn’t moved an inch.

  Cameron pulled her against him and she let him. “I’m sorry,” he whimpered into her neck. “I should have told you.” She said nothing. “I swear. I’ve never hurt anyone, before or after.” He pulled back to look at her. “I should have told you; I know I should have, but it’s just too painful, and I wish I could just forget ever seeing her like that. And when I saw what Jonathan did to you —”

  “Oh, Cameron. Promise me. Never. Don’t ever —”

  He pulled her back into his arms. She wanted him to promise, which meant maybe she wouldn’t leave him. “I’ll never screw up again. I’ll never put myself in a situation where I could lose you, Alexandra. Do you understand now? Do you understand you are the first woman I’ve loved — ever?” He pulled back to look at her face. “I love you.”

  She wet her lips. “I love you too.”

  “Can you look at me the same?”

  Alex
andra pulled in a ragged breath through her tears. “I know how she felt … I understand what that poor girl went through. When he — when I thought I might lose my baby. I understand, Cameron.”

  “Thank you, Alexandra. God, I didn’t know how to tell you. I swear. I’ve never hurt anyone before or ever again. In high school, I wrestled, boxed, attended martial arts programs, there was never any reason to get into fights. I took out all my teenage anxiety on sports. And I was a happy kid. Yeah, I partied … a lot.” He looked down into his lap. “I did get in trouble a few times before that. One of the reasons her father didn’t like me, besides the fact that I don’t look Greek, even if I am half. Nothing major, but I was at a party and —”

  Alexandra reached her hand up and stopped him. “I don’t care, Cameron. You are who you are now. And you’ve never given me any reason to worry.”

  He let out a breath of relief. “Yeah, but now they’re going to arrest me.”

  “We’ll get through it, Cameron. Together.”

  He nodded and pulled her back against his chest. A few more tears escaped as he wondered how long he’d be in jail before they could get him out on bail. If the judge would even grant bail with charges of assault and drug possession when he was seventeen. Tom had said they couldn’t use the sealed record in court, but the judge could use them and deny bail. He didn’t want to go home, but it was probably better that they just got this over with.

  He stood up, but then sat back down when he saw the unmarked car pull up in front of them. Tears flooded his eyes, and he pulled in his wife for a kiss as the officer approached him. He pulled back after a few seconds. “I’m sorry, Alexandra. I love you.”

  “Cameron, I already told you —”

  “Cameron Collins?” The officer interrupted Alexandra’s words.

  Cameron nodded as Alexandra whipped around at the deep voice. “Yes, officer. I’m Cameron Collins.” He touched his wife’s cheek. “Tell Mom to look up the attorney my dad used when I was seventeen.”