Code of Honor

Chapter Twenty

Blair stood in a small square of moonlight by the living-room window, watching the trees sway in the park beyond the wrought-iron fence. Time hung suspended—even the streets were empty—as if waiting for a giant hand to start the hands of some celestial clock moving forward again. She almost wished the gears of time would protest, demand a respite from the inexorable march of change. Right now, she had everything she could ever want, except the promise she would never lose it. Never lose Cam. Foolish wishes that would vanish with the dawn.

“Can’t sleep?” Cam said from behind her.

Blair wrapped her arms around herself, chilled even though the loft was warm. She’d woken shivering. “Sorry. I didn’t want to wake you, and I was restless.”

Cam joined her by the window and put an arm around her. Drawing her into the warm haven of her body, Cam kissed her temple softly. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing, at least nothing I can put my finger on. Just…nothing.” Blair shook her head, leaning her cheek against Cam’s shoulder. Asking Cam for something she couldn’t give would only hurt her, and Cam had always been honest about who she was. Blair loved her for all the things that scared her to death. She kissed Cam’s throat. “I love you.”

“Still angry at me?”

Blair laughed, her melancholy drifting away like mist at sunrise. “It’s a lot easier to be angry at you when you’re not next to me. When you are, I forget almost everything except how much I love you.”

“Then I’ll have to stay close more often.”

“You won’t get any argument from me.”

Cam took Blair’s hand. “Come on, let’s go back to bed. You’re cold.”

“I’m not really, or at least I shouldn’t be.”

“It doesn’t matter what should or shouldn’t be.” Cam tugged her hand. “All that matters is what is. Come on.”

Blair followed Cam down the hall and into the bedroom. She crawled under the covers and into Cam’s arms again. The cold vanished. Cam provided all the heat she needed, and she curled up against her, her head on Cam’s shoulder. “How long will you be here?”

“Are you staying?”

“I thought I might. I like New Year’s Eve in the city.”

“Mmm. I like your birthday in the city.” Cam stroked her back. “Let’s celebrate with Diane. Or would you rather it be just us?”

“I wasn’t sure you’d be here.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Cam sighed. “I’ve got at least a few days.”

“Then I vote for New Year’s Eve with Diane and Valerie—if she hasn’t disappeared again.”

“Good. As to you being angry, I suppose by now you know what went on at that meeting.”

“My father called and more or less told me.” Blair ran her nails lightly down Cam’s bare abdomen. Cam sucked in a breath, so Blair repeated the motion. A little torture seemed like fair payback. “Who instigated it?”

“Does it matter?”

“Only if it was you.”

“I agreed.”

“Not the same thing.” Blair gripped Cam’s T-shirt, bunched it in her fist, and pushed it higher. Cam was all lean muscle and elegant form. A beautiful warrior. “I already know how you feel about me going with my father, so the fact that you agreed with wanting me to stay behind doesn’t surprise me. What bothers me…” Blair fanned her fingers back and forth over Cam’s lower abdomen, making the muscles jump. Cam tensed. “Well, you know what bothers me, don’t you.”

“Yes,” Cam said, sounding a little like she was in pain. Blair smiled. “A, ah…a meeting to discuss what you should or shouldn’t do, held without your knowledge or consent.” Blair skimmed her fingers over the triangle between Cam’s thighs. “Blair—come on.”

Blair smiled. “Sorry.”

“Right.” Cam exhaled sharply. “I know how much you hate other people trying to make decisions for you.”

“That sums it up pretty well.” Blair took pity and relented, resting her palm on the inside of Cam’s thigh. “But what really bothered me was thinking you might have gone behind my back.”

“I didn’t, but I can’t promise I won’t at some point.”

“I’m not asking you to swear to every moment of the future. All that matters is right now…at least, right now.” Blair caressed her. She couldn’t help it. She loved Cam’s body—the breathtaking contradictions of silken skin over steely muscle. “I can’t swear to the future either.”

Cam laughed. “That feels like a slippery slope.”

“Maybe, but it’s the best I can do.”

“Then it will do.” Cam pulled Blair down and kissed her. “Your call, baby. Always.”

Blair relaxed for the first time in a week. Cam never stopped loving her, never asked her to change. Never told her what she felt was unreasonable or selfish or irresponsible. And she couldn’t ask Cam to change, either. “Did you find out anything in Georgia?”

“Not as much as I’d like. I still think we’re on the right trail looking for a connection between Angela Jones and Jennifer Pattee, but the threads are still pretty loose.” Cam ran her fingers through Blair’s hair. “Similar age and similar backgrounds, including geographic, as near as we can tell. I’m betting they knew each other before this plan was put together.”

“So what’s your next step?”

“I need to meet with some people who are a lot closer to the situation than anyone in DC.”

“People?”

“Some agents with more direct connections to groups capable of pulling this off.”

Blair took a breath and let it out slowly, waiting for the reflex flash of temper to pass. “That sounds like double-talk for you getting up close and personal with some really dangerous people.”

Cam shook her head. “It isn’t. I’m not planning to confront suspects. Still in the information-gathering stage.”

“Uh-huh. From undercover agents who are right in the thick of some pretty hairy situations.”

Cam hesitated. “True,” she said finally.

“And when you catch up to whoever’s behind this, you’re just going to sit back and let someone else go after them?”

“That depends.”

“Oh bullshit, Cameron.” Blair braced herself on her arms and glared at Cam. “It doesn’t matter what kind of job they give you or what description they hang on it, you’re always going to go after the bad guys yourself.”

“I have to,” Cam said quietly.

Blair sighed and closed her eyes. “I know.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Blair rubbed her cheek against Cam’s chest. The scar tissue above Cam’s heart, a reminder of the bullet that had nearly claimed Cam’s life, was still rough and hard. She would never forget, even without that constant reminder, the absolute devastation she’d experienced in those moments when she’d thought Cam was gone. She shuddered. “Be very careful.”

“I will be, I promise. And I won’t promise anything I don’t intend to do.”

“As much as you can.”

“As much as I can.”

“All right then. We’re square.” Blair slid on top of her, needing to feel all of her against every surface, every inch of her skin. Dawn was coming. Silver light, the first hint of the day, cast Cam’s face in marble, a perfect profile etched in stone. Blair kissed her, the warmth of Cam’s lips a shocking contrast to the coolness of her profile. “You’re so beautiful. And I love you so much.”

Cam arched beneath her, pulse hammering in her throat. “And I, you.”

“Lie very still,” Blair whispered.

Cam’s breath shuddered out.

Blair took her time, touching, kissing, and stroking, luxuriating in every dip and curve and sensuous angle of Cam’s body. She knew every line by heart, but the miracle of reclaiming what was hers was just as awe-inspiring as the first time. When she pressed her cheek against Cam’s lower abdomen, Cam gripped her hand. Blair settled her breasts against Cam’s center and watched Cam watching her. Cam’s dark eyes had grown even deeper, shimmering with secrets only Blair knew. Smiling, she eased lower between Cam’s legs and skated her mouth over Cam’s clit.

“Blair,” Cam groaned, her neck arching.

Blair slowed, just barely touching her, and Cam bowed off the bed. Blair skimmed a hand up Cam’s torso and rested it between Cam’s breasts, anchoring her as she took Cam into her mouth. She didn’t hurry, didn’t want the moment to be over too soon. She tasted and teased and took her time taking what was hers.

“Blair,” Cam said, her voice hoarse and tight. “Enough. Please.”

Blair laughed, a swell of pleasure nearly swamping her. Her body clenched. She was so ready. Too ready. She took a breath. Concentrated. Filled herself with Cam. Not enough. She would never have enough. Spreading her fingers between Cam’s breasts, she let Cam’s heartbeat guide her. She sped up, matching her movements to the thundering tempo of Cam’s heart, until Cam exploded in her mouth.

Blair held her inside, held her safe. She couldn’t predict the future, but she could revel in every second that Cam was hers.

*

“Ready to go?” Sky toyed with the sleeve of Loren’s T-shirt, tracing the tattoo of the Renegades’ logo on her biceps.

“Yeah.” Loren leaned close. “Way ready.”

Sky agreed. They’d spent most of the night sitting at the bar—long enough to make a statement about Sky’s place. Loren was a ranking member of the club, and Sky was now her old lady. She automatically had status by virtue of Loren’s, but even more importantly, she’d proven she was perfectly capable of protecting her place and her woman all on her own. Her face hurt like hell but she didn’t let on. The spreading bruise was as much a symbol of belonging as Loren’s club patch. On and off since her altercation with Candy, men had dropped by to make random conversation with Loren while not so subtly giving her the eye. The old ladies didn’t even bother with subtlety—some stared at her suspiciously, and some, like Trish, gave her a smile. Not too hard to see where the dividing line was between those who were sure of their stations—or their men—and those who weren’t. She grabbed the back of Loren’s leather pants as they walked out, just to make sure any of the hopefuls who’d missed the earlier drama got the message. Loren was off the menu.

“Let’s take your car,” Loren said. “You’ll be more comfortable.”

“Okay.” Sky didn’t mind not having to wrestle with a helmet. Her head felt as big as a pumpkin. She handed Loren her keys. “Why don’t you drive.”

“Why did you let Candy get that shot in?” Loren asked once they were in the car and headed back to her shop. “You could have blocked it.”

“I could have,” Sky said, leaning her head back. She fingered her cheek and winced. “Damn, she sure didn’t punch like a girl.”

“It was a pretty good shot,” Loren agreed.

“I had to let her get a shot in—I didn’t want to call attention to myself by being too good at self-defense.” Sky smiled to herself. “Besides, it made the takedown all the more satisfying.”

“That was a pretty slick move all the same.” Loren glanced at her. “You could have hurt her more. Some of the other girls would have.”

“Yes, and I would have made an enemy for life—one with a grudge to settle. It’s all about saving face, you know that. Now all she has to complain about is not getting laid.”

“Smart. Of course, you could have let me handle it. I’m sorry I let her get the first punch off.”

“Thanks,” Sky said dismissively, “but I needed to take care of her myself. After all, I didn’t want to look like a pussy.”

Loren burst out laughing. “Believe me, you didn’t. How does it feel?”

“It smarts.”

“I’ll bet it does. As soon as we get to my place, we’ll get some ice on it. We should have done that three hours ago.”

“Listen, if I’m gonna be credible as your old lady, then I have to be tough. You know what it’s like for those girls. They don’t survive if they’re not tough. They either kill each other off or their men do it for them.”

Loren’s hands tightened on the wheel. “All the same, I don’t like seeing you get hurt.”

“All the same,” Sky said softly, “I appreciate it. And I’m all right.”

Loren glanced at her, and her eyes were hot. Sky liked the look on her—Loren was always so cool. So controlled. Hell, even when Sky had lost her temper and pushed her, Loren had kept her cool. Heat looked good on her—especially the possessive kind that flared in her eyes right now.

Loren had kept a hand on her the entire time they were in the Rooster, but that might have been part of her act. They weren’t acting now, though—and the look was still there. A look that had Sky aching for something she hadn’t known she’d wanted. Belonging. Maybe it really was all an act, even now. Maybe. The enjoyment was harmless enough, as long as Loren didn’t know exactly how much she enjoyed it.

“Had to help my cover,” Sky said, breaking the spell. She couldn’t afford to get caught up in feelings, real or otherwise.

“Anything in the books?”

Sky shrugged. “They’re skimming a little off the meth sales. Not very much, and not on a regular basis. Armeo is pretty good at hiding it. Most people would probably miss it. But then, I’m not most people.”

“You didn’t let on you knew, did you?” Loren asked. Her hot, hard eyes were riveted to Sky again.

“Nope. That’s not why we’re here. I told them everything looked fine.”

Loren let out a breath. “Good. Maybe now you’ll consider backing off. Disappearing. You’ve had a look, you know the terrain.”

“And you’re about to set up a meet with the new contact for the militia. I told you, I’m staying.”

“We’ll be leaving soon for the New Year’s run to Reno. Nothing’s going to happen until after that.”

“Well, in that case, we can relax a little and work on our cover.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it relaxing so far,” Loren muttered.

Sky shifted closer and rested her hand on Loren’s thigh. Loren’s leg turned to stone. Sky pressed a little harder, pleased at Loren’s discomfort. After all, why should she be the only one who was in a constant state of frustration? “Guess we’ll just have to practice a bit more.”