Page 41 of Unchained

He stood, and a fierce protectiveness surged forward in him. “I’m okay. To be honest, I’ve lost a lot of my memory, but some of it’s coming back.”

“The woman who left me a voicemail—Camryn Royce? She’s all over the news. Is she holding you hostage?”

“No,” he ground out. “God, no. She saved my fucking life.”

A beat passed.

“Well,” she said, a sniffle following. “That’s all I need to know. You don’t need to worry. We’ve found each other now, and I won’t say anything about her to anyone. Where are you? Can I come get you?” Her take-charge manner synced with the images and vivid memories that filled his head. Lexi wasn’t one to sit on her ass. Nor was she the type of person to wait for instructions.

“We’re in Oregon. We can make it to your place later this afternoon,” he said, checking the digital clock on the nightstand: 10:14 a.m.

He grabbed a pen and a pad of paper from the drawer, and Lexi rattled off her address.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Brooks.” Lexi’s shaky voice pulled at his heartstrings. “Be careful, okay?”

“I will.” He disconnected and blew a breath through his lips. Various emotions channeled through his mind, too many to grab onto. Lexi’s voice morphed her image in his mind, but every time he focused on her features too hard, she vanished. She’d been stunned that he was alive, and just hearing her relief at the sound of his voice filled a hole in his heart.

He turned to Cam. She dropped to her haunches on the bed. The loose nighty or sleep-thing, whatever she’d called it, brushed the tops of her thighs. The fact that he’d slept plastered to her all night and hadn’t tugged her panties off and gotten inside her showed he had a lot more self-control than he’d thought.

Her gaze flitted down his body and settled on his dick. She swallowed. The smooth lines of her throat bobbed. Need spiraled inside him. She stepped off the bed. He curled his hands into the blanket to stop himself from pulling her back down to the mattress.

“I’ll get dressed. If we leave now, we can make good time.” She disappeared into the bathroom.

He dropped onto the bed and covered his cock with his hand. His neglected little buddy strained against the thin cotton. He needed to get a grip on his libido. They had a long day of driving ahead.

CHAPTER 14

It’s way too early to meet his family.

Cam’s hand froze on the seatbelt as she stared at the large brick two-story house. White trim decorated the windows and doors, giving it a fresh look. A welcoming teal front door was the focal point. The homey vibe made her ache for roots that she’d ripped out after she put Isaac in jail. Granted, she’d never owned a house like this. Just a studio pad in Detroit, two blocks away from her mama.

“You coming?” Brooks pulled the keys out of the ignition.

Staying in the car would be awkward, and boring, but she wasn’t one to smack herself in the middle of a family reunion. “Maybe you should talk to her first and then come get me once you get reacquainted.”

He brushed her fingers away from her belt and clicked the button. The material snapped away from her chest. He laced his fingers with hers. “Don’t be silly. I need you there.” Hesitancy crinkled the corners of his eyes. During the five-hour drive, they’d talked and joked and listened to music, stopping occasionally for snacks—she’d stayed in the car for fear someone would recognize her. Not once did he let on that he was afraid to meet his sister.

Now, his damp palm held hers a little too tightly.

She forced a quivering smile. “Okay.” He’d been through enough. If having her nearby while he got comfortable was what he needed, she’d suck it up and paste a smile on her face. Opening the car door, she got out and waited for Brooks to meet her at the walkway. He didn’t take her hand but kept his side sewn to hers as they ascended the porch. The front door yanked open.

“Oh. My. God!” A dark-haired woman launched herself over the threshold and into Brooks’s arms, moving far too fast for Cam to catch any other features. Brooks let out a grunt as he caught her. Sidestepping their encounter so she didn’t get kicked off the porch, Cam watched as Brooks lifted his sister off her feet as if he’d done it a million times.

“It’s you,” she wailed. “Oh my god, it’s really you.”

Pain split open Cam’s chest as she took in their exchange. She’d give anything to hug Stacey like that. But as much as it ached to see sibling love, some of her grief ebbed away knowing that the two of them had found each other.

Brooks’s deep, throaty laugh rang with a note she’d never heard from him before. Slowly, he lowered Lexi to her feet and she caught his hands, holding them both. “I thought I’d never see you again.” Tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

Brooks didn’t cry, but his relaxed jaw and glowing eyes told her he’d found a piece of his soul. “I missed you. I think.”

Lexi’s laughter rang through the air. She wheeled on her heel to face Cam. “You must be Camryn?”

With the moisture gone from her mouth, Cam didn’t bother summoning a greeting. Instead, she nodded. Lexi squished her in a hug. “I don’t know the whole story yet, but thank you for bringing him home.” Her genuine squeeze touched Cam’s heart. She hugged her back and smiled.

“Come in.” Lexi grabbed their hands and towed them in. The scent of roasted chicken and garlic reached her nostrils, making her mouth water.

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