Camden's Redemption (Gloves Off #4)(43)

Jason jumped up and we followed the nurse down the hall to her room. He rushed in first and went straight to her bedside. I filed in behind him and went to the other side.

She smiled up at me and grabbed my hand as I sat down in the chair. “I’m okay. It’s just a scratch. I’ll be out of here in no time.”

Jason grabbed her other hand, pulling her attention away from me. “What happened, B? Mason didn’t tell me shit.”

Licking her dry lips, Brooklyn glanced hesitantly over at me and then back to her brother. “We were walking in the woods when I started to feel weird, like someone was watching us. I just knew we needed to run, and in our retreat, the shot came.”

Jason’s brow furrowed. “I see. So you stepped in the way.”

Brooklyn kept her gaze on his and nodded. “And I would do it again.”

I wasn’t going to ever let that happen.

“Knock, knock,” Mason greeted, standing in the doorway.

Before he could get settled in the room, I let go of Brooklyn’s hand and looked at him, nodding back toward the door. “We need to talk.” I started for the door and kept going even when Brooklyn called out my name. At the end of the hall there was a corner with no one around so I stopped and turned. Mason approached me cautiously. “What did you find?” I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

He sighed. “I didn’t find whoever it was if that’s what you’re asking. I did, however, find a deer stand up in one of the trees. I called Luke, B’s neighbor, to see if it was his or if it was recently put there. Whoever it was made the shot from there.”

“And they missed,” I snapped. “Do you have any idea how bad this has f*cked me up? To see her lying on the ground after taking a shot meant for me. I’ll never f*cking forgive myself.”

Mason closed his eyes and hung his head. “I know you’re angry and blame yourself, but she was prepared for this. She knew the risks.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to let her take those risks again. I care too much about her.”

He lifted his head. “So what are you going to do?”

I looked at the door to Brooklyn’s room and felt the distance already. I had no choice. If I wanted to keep her safe, I needed to get as far away as possible. “Do you remember what you said to me out in California? The time when you said that my leaving would keep my family safe?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Well, now I need to keep her safe. I can’t do that here if she’s going to jump in the line of fire at every turn.”

“You’re leaving?” he asked angrily.

“I am. I’m done running. This has to end. I refuse to sacrifice those I love.”

“You can’t leave like this, Jameson. We’re getting so close to figuring this out.”

I shrugged. “Not close enough. But if I do leave, whoever it is will follow. You can figure it out from there. I can’t risk Brooklyn getting hurt again. She needs to stay away from me.” The thought of being away from her when she was in pain killed me, but if I didn’t leave and something else happened to her I’d never forgive myself.

Mason threw his hands in the air and groaned, “She loves you, jackass. I know this girl. She won’t agree to this.”

“That’s why you’re going to give me a head start.”

I started for her room, but Mason grabbed my arm. “Don’t push her away to keep her safe, Camden. I did that to Claire and it nearly ruined us.”

“I don’t want to push her away,” I said, pulling out of his hold. “She’s the only woman I ever gave a damn about and I don’t want to lose that. When this is over, I’m coming back to her. Until then, I’ll keep my distance.”

Blowing out a frustrated breath, he joined me at the door. “Just do me a favor and do this delicately. If you tell her you’re leaving, she’ll get right up and chase after you. Make her think everything’s okay.”

“How long do you think that’ll last? When I don’t come back, she’ll know something’s up.” She was probably going to figure it out before I could even get to the airport.

“That’s true, but she’s not going to be able to fly for a while with that wound. For your sake, I’ll make sure everything about you is untraceable so she can’t find you. You’re going to owe me though. I’ll be the first one she confronts.”

“Can you handle that?” I asked.

He chuckled lightly. “Yes, but it won’t be easy. I’ll get on a plane and join you out there once I wrap everything up. Until then, lay low and don’t do anything stupid.”

Standing in the doorway, I watched Mason walk inside and say a few words to Brooklyn before whispering something in Jason’s ear. He nodded and kissed Brooklyn on the head before they both retreated from the room. I sat down beside her and took her hand, bringing it to my lips. She hissed in pain when she tried to sit up and all the anger came rushing back.

“Please don’t look like that,” she scolded.

“How can I not? Your job is not to take a bullet for me. Your life is worth so much more than mine. It kills me to know that you’re in pain.”

She squeezed my hand. “I’ve been hurt way worse than this, Cam.”