Another Life: Another Life Series #1

by Jasmine Denton

  After the dinner was over, Shane was the first to duck out. Cameron walked with Julian to the end of the porch. As he stepped down onto the grass, she asked, “Is that true? What you said about the divorce papers.”

  “Every word.”

  “What’s the catch?” she demanded.

  He simply smiled, like he had no idea what she meant. Then he took her hand, brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them, holding on as he stepped back. “Have a good night, Cammi.”

  Letting go of her hand, he turned and headed to his Porche parked in the drive. She watched him as he drove away, knowing he was up to something.

  Once Julian left, she went back inside the house. She shut the door behind her and spotted Sam sitting in a living room chair.

  “What the hell was that about, Sam?” she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

  “I just thought I’d like to meet the guy who married you while you were wasted,” he said.

  “That was not a meeting,” she said, her temper flaring. “That was an interrogation, an ambush. Mutiny!”

  He ran his fingertips idly across the arm of the chair as he listened to her rant.

  “And are you happy now? Now that everyone in the house knows about the most embarrassing night of my life, are you happy?”

  “So that’s it, huh?” he asked, looking at her from across the darkened room. “You guys were impulsive, decided to get married and when Anne and Allen found out, a fight broke out and you ran away? That’s everything? That’s the big secret.”

  He didn’t look the least bit convinced, but she was tired of arguing with him. “Yeah. You may have noticed I tend to get in over my head.”

  “I’ve noticed.”

  “So are you done poking into my life now?”

  Sam stood, crossing the room. “I don’t know, Cameron. It just doesn’t feel like I’m getting the whole story. For instance, neither one of you seemed too broken up about Allen dying.”

  She wasn’t prepared for him to say that, and for a minute she was speechless. “I’m not some case of yours, Sam. There’s no mystery you need to solve.”

  He surveyed her for a moment before he finally nodded. “You’re right,” he said, his skepticism fading away. “You’re right. Consider me officially off the case.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “There’s something you need to know.” Sitting on Sadie’s couch, he looked across the space between them at her.

  Sadie was looking at him with a look of concern, as she had been since he’d come over. Her red hair was in a fishtail braid hanging over her shoulder, and she twisted the tip of the braid around her finger while she waited for him to explain.

  “It’s about Julian,” he said. He didn’t know how to break this to her. He wanted to do it delicately, but was there really a polite way to tell a girl she was dating a married guy? Sadie had bad enough luck with men, and she would attribute this to some ‘knack’ she had for attracting the wrong ones. He didn’t want to see her go through that kind of pain again, but she deserved to know what she was involved in. “He’s married to Cameron.”

  She only chuckled a little, shaking her head. “Chad, he already told me.”

  This surprised him. He’d thought Cameron and Julian were hell-bent on keeping their secrets. It never occurred to him that Julian might’ve beaten him to it. “He did?”

  She nodded. “Last night.”

  Convenient timing, he thought, considering everything that’d happened today. He stared at her blankly, waiting for her usual post-breakup-ex-boyfriend-bashing to begin, but she said nothing. “And you’re okay with that?” he concluded in disbelief.

  “They’re separated,” she said with a shrug. “He came down here to finalize the divorce. I don’t see the big deal.”

  “Wait a second,” he said, standing. “So, this morning at breakfast, you knew Cameron and Julian were married? And you didn’t think you might want to mention that?”

  “I thought I would give Cameron a chance to,” she said. “I figured she must have some reason for deciding to keep it to herself.”

  “Yeah. How about: the guys a borderline psychopath?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”

  “I talked to Shane, and he said Julian’s been blackmailing Cameron since he got to town. He said she had to leave with him, but she was vague on his end of the deal.” Chad sat back down next to her as he explained, moving through the story quickly. “Then, out of the blue, the police find her and she’s dragged in for questioning. Coincidence? I don’t think so. My guess? She didn’t do what Julian wanted so he blew her cover. Then, he sends in a lawyer for her and blows this whole marriage thing wide-open. What’s that sound like to you?”

  She titled her head, lightly chuckling. “It sounds like you’re being an overprotective brother and reading too much into things.”

  “It sounds manipulative and vengeful,” he corrected, emphasizing the key words. “You should’ve seen the two of them together, Sadie. He barely let her say a word. And I’ve never seen Cameron so…intimidated. They’re both hiding something. Something more than a drunken wedding and a misunderstanding with the police.”

  “What’s your point?” she asked, sitting up straighter. He could see hints of annoyance in her green eyes, and he wondered why she was so quick to take Julian’s side. He had five years of friendship with Sadie to Julian’s two-week fling. Didn’t Chad get the benefit of the doubt by default? If the situations were reversed, that’s how he would view it.

  “My point is these two have something twisted and I don’t want you getting caught in the crossfire,” he said, his tone rising a little with impatience. Why couldn’t she just trust him and appreciate that he was trying to look out for her? He wouldn’t bring it up if he wasn’t sure his instincts were onto something. “Even Cameron told me that you should get away from him while you have the chance.”

  “Exes slam each other all the time,” she said rationally, trying to reason with him. “Maybe she was just hurt, or lashing out. I mean, you said it yourself; she lies all the time.”

  Feeling restless and irritated, he started drumming his fingers along the arm of the couch. “Okay, Cameron’s warning aside, I’m telling you that something about that guy is…off, Sadie.”

  “Chad…” She stood up from the couch with an aggravated sigh and moved across the room to put some space between them. Standing on the other side of the coffee table, she looked back at him and he could tell she was trying her best to be patient, but she was at the end of her rope. “I know this is coming from a good place, but I have all the information I need. What I decide to do with it is my business.”

  He stood, his cheeks flushing with anger and frustration. He could feel it in his blood, thick and hot. “Don’t you think you’re giving him just a little too much faith, Sadie? Come on, you’re one of my best friends. I’m just trying to protect you.”

  “Protect me?” she repeated, shaking her head in bewilderment. “Chad, you’re the one who keeps hurting me!”

  Her words struck him silent, echoing in his mind like some kind of self-torture technique. He wanted to deny it, but he knew it was true. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t let go of Amy and as a result, could never move on with Sadie. Even though he knew how she felt, he ignored it because he just couldn’t handle it, all the while knowing it was unfair to her.

  She bit her lip, as if wishing she could suck the words back in. She squeezed her eyes shut and her voice trembled as she said, “What do you want from me?”

  He just stared at her, seeing how hard she was trying to keep from getting emotional. Even though he wanted to say something that would ease this tension between them, he had no idea what the magic words were and the silence was only getting thicker, more unbearable by the second.

  “I kissed you and you rejected me,” she reminded him, her voice still tense. “So you can’t come over here acting jealous and sending me mi
xed signals.”

  “I just thought you might want to know what you’re getting yourself into,” he said, and even as he was saying it, he knew the words were coming out all wrong. Yet again, he sounded judgmental and quick to condemn, when he’d intended to sound concerned.

  “Funny,” she shot back. “You never did that before.”

  Her words lashed at him like whips. “I get it,” he snapped. “You don’t believe me. You’d rather believe whatever lies this guy’s been telling you instead. But he’s no good, Sadie. And eventually, he’ll prove it himself.”

  ***

  Shane turned the radio up as he shifted in his seat. On his way home from the phony show Cameron and Julian had put on for everybody, Shane had decided to pull over in front of the hotel. The two of them were good at lying though, he’d realized, and if he hadn’t just found out the truth, he might’ve been convinced. But the more he’d thought about it, the more he couldn’t stand what Julian had done to Cameron, and everything he was still doing to her.

  So he waited until he saw Julian’s car pull into a parking space outside the motel. Shane pushed open his door and got out of the truck, striding across the parking lot toward Julian’s car.

  It was dark outside and the only lights came from streetlamps on each end of the parking lot. Even the manager’s office was mostly dark. But Julian still saw him coming and was wearing another smug smile once he got out of the car.

  “If it isn’t my replacement,” he said, letting the car door shut behind him. He clicked a button on his key chain and the headlights flashed as the locks clicked shut. He sauntered toward Shane, meeting him at the back bumper. “The man who’s trying to steal my wife.”

  “You think you’re so smooth, don’t you?” Shane asked, his chin lifted in the air slightly, just enough to give Julian a thorough look. “Swooping in to save the day with all of your lies and bullshit stories and your lawyers. Do you really think it’s enough to make her forget you’re the one pulling all the strings?”

  Julian just shot him look of disinterest. “It sounds like you have me all figured out.”

  Shane’s shoulders moved up and down in a mild shrug. “I’ve seen your type before.”

  “My type,” he responded dryly.

  “The abusers,” Shane said, taking a small step closer. “You come in all kinds of different disguises, with different methods and you all do different things, but your goal is always the same. Control.”

  There was a spark of something in Julian’s steely grey eyes, and he just stared coldly back at Shane.

  “That’s this why you’re here, isn’t it?” Shane asked. “Cameron finally had the guts to leave your ass and you can’t stand that.”

  “Were you just at the same dinner I was at?” Julian asked, seeing completely unfazed. “Because I promised to do nothing but cooperate.”

  “Yeah, you did,” he said with a nod. “The thing is, I don’t believe you.” Slipping his hands in his pockets, Shane moved past Julian to check out his car. It was a nice ride, and he could tell by the shiny waxed coat and sleek chrome rims that Julian was a stickler about taking care of it. He probably didn’t like it when people ogled it. “You have a tell, did you know that?”

  Julian rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I donot.”

  “Yeah, you do.” He bent on one knee to check out Julian’s tires. “You lie, and then you do that slick little grin to smooth it over. I bet it works like a charm.”

  “But you’re different, right?” Julian shot back, taking a step closer. His tone was mocking. “You’re street-smart and experienced. A real tough guy. I’ve seen your type, before too. Cammi always goes for the macho ones—the jocks, the older guys, the bad boys—because she thinks they’ll intimidate me. But you just don’t.”

  Shane stood, taking a good look at Julian then. He knew he could take him if he wanted, but this guy wasn’t a good enough reason to break his pacifist ways. Even though it was pretty tempting.

  “Don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out yet?” Julian asked with a look of mocking surprise. “You see what she’s doing don’t you? Let me spell it out for you. The drama queen has cast us in her latest production. You’re the knight in shining armor who’s supposed to defeat the villain—that’s me,” he motioned to himself for emphasis, “and rescue the princess, locked in a tower of booze and… abandonment.” He started chuckling lightly, like the whole thing was ridiculous.

  “You’re the one who sounds dramatic.”

  “I’m not the bad guy, Shane. I’m just her bad guy.” Julian leveled his gaze on Shane, taking the final step toward him. Their bodies were almost touching in an alpha-male showdown. His voice was cool and rational as he said, “But someone as ‘wise’ as you should know that every villain has to have motivation.”

  “And what’s your motivation?” Shane asked, not budging an inch.

  “I think that’s something you need to ask Cameron. But then again, she’s not really known for giving out details, so…” He shrugged, walking past Shane then.

  “You like games,” Shane called, turning as Julian walked away. “I came to say that I can play too.” He narrowed his eyes in a warning. “You need to give Cameron the divorce just like you promised and leave her alone. No strings.”

  Julian did a half-turn, looking amused. “Or what?”

  “Do you really want to find out?” Shane asked, putting one foot up on the curb.

  He grinned. “You know what? Go ahead and give it your best shot, tough guy. I’m interested to see what you got.” He leaned down, bringing his face close. “But while you’re at it, don’t forget your place in all this.”

  Shane raised an eyebrow in response.

  “You’re just the guy she calls when she’s pissed off at me.”

  That one got under his skin a little, but he made sure not to let it show. “You know what’s so great about guys like you?” Shane asked, taking a step back. “I don’t have to do a thing. You always sabotage yourselves.”

  With that, Shane turned and sauntered back toward his truck, walking until his form was swallowed up in the shadows.

  ***

  It was past midnight and Cameron hadn’t been able to recover from the horrendous day, yet. She hadn’t even tried to go to bed. When everyone else had gone to bed, she started cleaning the kitchen. She wasn’t even sure why. All she’d been able to think about was the way she’d confessed to Shane. She couldn’t believe she had really done it; almost told him everything. It made her feel panicky and exposed to think about it, but at the same time, the way he’d reacted had been encouraging. He didn’t paint a scarlet letter on her chest or anything, so maybe Shane knowing wouldn’t be so bad. Unless he decided to make a confession of his own…to her brothers.

  These thoughts drove her on a cleaning spree. At first she’d started wiping down the counters, and then before she knew it, she’d sorted the dishes out, making sure to put the coffee cups right above the coffee pot instead of all the way across the kitchen like they’d originally been. Then she swept and mopped, and before long, she had bright yellow rubber gloves pulled up to her elbows and was working on scrubbing the floor underneath the stove. She found herself venting her fear in the vigorous scrubbing motions.

  When Chad came in, she ignored him and hoped he wouldn’t notice her. He looked around at the sparkling kitchen, and then gave Cameron a concerned look when he saw the oven was pulled out of its place. “I saw the light on,” he said, prompting her to glance up from her task. “Figured it was you.”

  “I couldn’t sleep,” she replied with a shrug.

  “I guess that explains why you’re deep cleaning at 2 a.m.” He picked up a fifth of Tequila off the counter and looked at it. She noticed he looked surprised it was so full; she’d only taken two drinks so far. He set it back down without saying anything, though, and then took a seat on the table, propping his feet up in one of the chairs. “How you holding up?” he asked, his voice gentle.

  “Why w
ouldn’t I be okay?” she asked, dipping her scrub brush into the bucket of soapy water. “Just because my own brother—who hasn’t shown any interest in my life in years—suddenly has a thousand questions he expects me to answer. Or is it because instead of waiting for me to come around, he’d rather ambush and humiliate me with some lame, overprotective pow-wow when let’s face it, he doesn’t really care. He’s just curious and he can’t stand it.”

  “Are we talking about Sam?” he asked, clarifying.

  She shot him a look of disbelief. He was hopeless. “Yes,” she said, then turned her attention back to scrubbing suds all over the dirty floor. “He had no right to invite Julian over here for that…interrogation.”

  “He was worried,” Chad offered.

  “He was pulling rank,” Cameron said. “Just like he has been since I got here. First it’s ‘take this job, Cameron, you need some structure.’ Then it’s ‘stop drinking so much, you need to be responsible,’” she ranted, mocking Sam in a deep tone as she scrubbed at a gooey black stain as hard as she could. “If he wanted me to have those things, he shouldn’t have shipped me off.”

  “Is that what you think?” Chad asked gently. “That he shipped you away?”

  “I guess a six year old girl can really cramp a guy’s style,” she said, keeping her attention focused on the cleaning. “With mom and dad gone, I just didn’t fit into your lives anymore.”

  “That’s not how it happened,” Chad said, shifting to look around the displaced stove to look at his sister. “If you really feel like that, why haven’t you mentioned it before? We could’ve—”

  “What?” she asked, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder as she turned to look at him. “Talked about it? Straightened out the misunderstanding?”

  “Well…yeah,” he said.

  “Well there you go again, thinking like a guy.” She stood up and dropped the scrub brush into the mop bucket. “The damage is already done, Chad. So it doesn’t matter how it all happened, the point is we still ended up right here.”