Camden's Redemption (Gloves Off #4)(39)

I drove around for what felt like hours. I got lost trying to navigate the strange city, thinking I could get back to Brooklyn’s house on my own. This place wasn’t my home; it was foreign to me and even more so now that Brooklyn wasn’t with me.

Knowing I had no way to get in the house, I got out of the car and trudged down to the pond. My knuckles were split and caked with dried blood; I had to wash it off. It reminded me of the night I fought Ryley. I was never going to forget my sins. Bending down toward the water’s edge, I slipped my hands in and washed the blood away. My phone started to ring so I dried them off on my jeans and pulled it out. I was hoping it’d be Brooklyn, but it was Gabby.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Cam, are you all right? Mason called and told me to check up on you. He had me worried.”

“Why?” I asked. “Why would you be worried about me?”

She scoffed incredulously. “I’m not going over this shit again. You’re my friend, Camden. I haven’t ever let you down, have I?”

She was the only one who hadn’t. “No,” I muttered.

“So, what happened?”

I laid down on the dock and looked up at the clear night sky. There were no sounds other than the crickets and the water rippling in the pond. It wasn’t going to stay peaceful much longer. “I did something stupid.”

“And that shocks you?” she laughed. “Okay, that was wrong to say. What did you do?”

“What didn’t I do is the better question. I got pissed off and really made a fool out of myself. And now I don’t know if a certain someone is ever going to speak to me again.”

“A certain someone? Are we talking about a girl?”

“Yes. She’s one of Mason’s undercover cops.”

Gabby shrieked. “Oh, my God. Did you sleep with her? Is that why Mason’s mad?”

“That’s not the issue,” I pointed out. “Mason doesn’t care that I had sex with her. The problem is her douchebag ex and the fact that I kicked his ass tonight. I went a little too far.”

“So what now? Is she angry with you? Since when do you care what a woman thinks?” When I didn’t reply, the line went silent before she gasped. “Holy shit, Camden Jameson, are you in love with this girl?”

“I don’t know, maybe. I don’t even know what that feels like. All I know is that after tonight she’s going to hate me just like everyone else in my life does.”

“Surely you can tell her you’re sorry. Does she care about you?”

“She used to. Probably not so much after what I did to her.”

“All you did was beat up her ex, right? I’m sure he did something to deserve it?”

“He did, but when Brooklyn tried to stop the fight she came up behind me and grabbed my arm.”

Gabby swore under her breath. “You didn’t hit her, did you?”

“Fuck no. I did however grab her wrist and slam her down on the mat. When I saw it was her, I let go right away. The thought of her thinking I would hit her makes me so goddamned sick. I just wish I could tell her that.”

“You just did,” a voice spoke out behind me.

Frozen, I clenched the phone tighter in my hand. “Gabby, I have to go. She’s here.”

“Just tell her how you feel. If she really cares about you, she’ll forgive you.”

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and hung up the phone. Brooklyn’s footsteps jostled the dock. All I had to do was turn around and face her . . . but I was too ashamed to do it.





BEFORE CAMDEN EVEN made it back to my house, I beat him there. Jason dropped me off and went back to the bar so he could help Mason. I waited in the dark on the front porch and watched him as he went straight to the pond and washed his hands. I was about to say something when his phone rang. Instead, I hung back in the shadows and listened to him talk to Gabriella Reynolds. She was his friend and judging by the way they talked, they seemed really close. I hated to think what he would be like if everyone in his life turned against him.

Now that I had spoken, he knew I was there. But he wouldn’t turn around. My chest hurt when his shoulders slumped and I could feel the tension and despair pouring off of him. I didn’t know if I should move closer or give him his space. He was ashamed of what he did, but I knew he would never hurt me. I didn’t even have to hear him say it to know. I wasn’t afraid of him.

I moved closer and his muscles tensed with each step. He never had the chance to get his shirt before he left the bar so he stood with his back to me, his battle scars perfectly visible. Slowly, I reached out and traced one of his scars, feeling his muscles relax. He blew out his breath and turned around, capturing me in his arms. His grip was tight, but he buried his face in my neck and lifted me up, breathing me in.

“I’m okay,” I whispered. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“I could have.”

“But you didn’t. I’m a lot tougher than you think.” I tried to pull back but he held me tighter. “Camden, set me down and look at me, please.” He let out a shaky breath and set me down. Reluctantly, he looked at me and I could see the shame in his eyes. “What’s it going to take, huh?”

“For what?” he murmured.