Camden's Redemption (Gloves Off #4)(19)

“She’s probably at the gym. I’m gonna warn you though, her ex will be there too. He’s been hard up for her ever since she got back into town.”

Knowing he was probably there with her at that very moment pissed me off. He didn’t deserve to be anywhere near her. Hell, I didn’t either. I was just as bad as he was, most likely worse. “You don’t think she’ll get back with him, do you?” I asked.

“With Blake? Hell no. B’s not the type to take shit from anyone. He can try all he wants, but I know he’s not going to succeed.”

That may be true, but if he was persistent he was going to be a pain in my ass.

“How are you at gambling?” he asked slyly.

“Depends on what I’m gambling for.”

Jason chuckled and his eyes brightened. “Then I think we’re going to have some fun. Make sure you don’t make plans for Friday night.”





I ARRIVED AT the gym right on time and wasn’t shocked to see my brother wasn’t there. He had tried calling me, but I didn’t feel like talking to him. I was hoping to be alone for a while before his inevitable barrage of questions, but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. Blake was lifting weights over in the corner. Maybe I could put the hoodie over my head and I could go unnoticed. It was silly, but I did it anyway. My eyes were puffy and I looked like shit.

So far the only people in the gym I recognized were Blake and another fellow cop, Wyatt Erickson. The treadmills were on the other side of the gym so I fled there and pulled out my iPod. I hadn’t run since being on the beach with Camden. I needed to feel the burn, the ache in my muscles instead of in my heart. Scrolling through my music, I settled on a track by Linkin Park and turned it up before racing away. I hid behind my hood and just ran.

I bypassed one mile, then two, and then five. Sweat poured down my skin and my lungs were on fire. Another mile, then another passed. I would’ve done more if I wasn’t grabbed around the waist and ripped off the treadmill. My earphones fell out and I could hear Blake shouting at me.

“Brooke, stop.”

Now that everything had slowed down, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and feel the blood rushing through my veins. Not to mention, the whole room started to spin. “Get off me,” I warned.

As soon as he let me go, my knees gave out from under me and he caught me. “What the hell’s your problem? Why are you trying to run yourself to death?”

“Because it makes me feel good,” I answered gruffly.

“Well, you don’t look good. In fact, you look like shit. What’s going on with you?” He turned me around in his arms and I had no choice but to hold onto him. It was a mistake working out while mentally and physically exhausted.

About that time, Jason and Camden walked through the front door. Blake noticed them and tried to pull me in closer. If that wasn’t bad enough, Camden’s eyes found us at that exact moment. His fists clenched and his eyes narrowed. It didn’t go unnoticed by Blake.

“What the hell. Why is he looking at you like that?”

I took a deep breath, picked up my bag, and started for the weight benches. “Drop it.”

When I turned around, Blake was there with Camden right behind him. Cam’s hair wasn’t gelled which made it look lighter. I tried to keep from shivering and failed. Blake noticed my unease and huffed when he realized we weren’t alone. “Can I help you?” he asked angrily.

Camden didn’t even acknowledge him and stepped out from behind him. “I need to talk to you,” he said, looking straight at me.

Blake’s nostrils flared. “Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something?”

Again, Camden ignored him and kept his gaze on mine. Blake was about to explode, but I grabbed his arm. “What is wrong with you? Calm down.”

Breathing hard, he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I don’t like the guy.”

“I don’t care. He’s our responsibility right now, so whatever macho shit you have going on, you need to get over it.” I trudged away. Closing the distance to Camden, I nodded toward the back. “Follow me.”

Jason lifted his brows when I looked at him, but I shook my head. The guys were going to give me hell when we got together this Friday. Down the hall, there were several extra rooms used for yoga classes and such. I ushered Camden into one and shut the door.

“I have to admit,” he started, “I’m usually the one kicking girls out in the mornings. Not the other way around.”

Yes, I know. Standing up straighter, I looked him right in the eyes. “I was embarrassed. I’m not ashamed to admit that.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I was the idiot. I thought I was going to come here and have to beg you to talk to me.”

I’d been angry at him at first for turning me down, but it was a good thing he did. I couldn’t stay mad at him for making the right decision when I was too blind to see. Forcing a smile on my face, I shook my head. “No, Cam. I acted on impulse last night, but I’ve had time to think about it. You were right. I was acting on a whim and it was stupid.”

He stepped forward. “The only thing stupid was me pulling away. And I’m going to make it up to you.” The way he looked at me had me frozen in place.

I thought I could fight the attraction, but I was wrong. “How?” I asked.