Page 66 of Forged in Peril

“So running off to hide in New York is better? Have you already forgotten last time, or do you need to make the same mistake again, just to be sure?”

Cameron’s words stung.

He was right, and they both knew it.

She’d run off to university to find her freedom, but it had never worked out like she’d hoped.

She wondered how much gossip Cameron had heard about her time in Manhattan. The expense and the stress of Columbia had been a burden, sure, but in the end it was the loneliness that had been too much to bear.

Despite the thousands of people she passed every day, she’d never felt more invisible–just as Cameron had warned her, all those years ago.

God had been the only one left who cared, but she’d pushed Him away, too.

Before she could think of anything she could say in her own defense, Cameron took a half step toward her, his tone softening as he spoke again.

“What are you going to do about your mom?” he asked. “Her house isn’t safe, clearly, and I wouldn’t be surprised if whoever is after you knows everything about her as well. Whatever you choose, I hope she’ll accept our help. The offer is open, whatever you decide.”

She felt a flicker of anxiety dancing in the pit of her stomach.

She couldn’t put her mother at risk.

“I appreciate that, and I am sure she’d be willing to take you up on any protection you can offer, but this person has made it pretty clear they’re after me. If I go away, I suspect they will, too.”

“Not to sound like a jerk again,” Cameron said, giving her a humorless smile, “but it might not be all about you, Bristol. It seems pretty clear to me that there’s more going on than we can see right now, especially with D&P.

“When I talked to them today, it seemed pretty clear that Albert Dorling knew about Dillon Warrington’s apparent suicide, but he tried to sound surprised.”

Bristol frowned. “That’s odd. Why would he know about it, and if he found out in some innocuous way, why lie?”

“Exactly,” Cam said, nodding. “It’s weird, and FBS is going to look into it. Look, whatever you want to do, something’s going on, and I’m not going to call off the digging until we find a bone.”

She glanced up at him, her gaze tracing the chiseled line of his jaw and the firm line of his mouth. He meant every word.

Another crack in her armor.

Another reason not to run.

Why did he always have to do the right thing?

He closed the distance between them in a couple of long strides, resting a hand gently on the top of her shoulder.

“Even if you don’t want anything more than friendship with me–heck, even if you don’t want anything to do with me at all–you should keep working here at FBS,” he said.

His blue eyes were filled with hurt, she could tell, but only because she’d known him all her life.

Anyone else would see only his loyalty, and his determination to protect the innocent, no matter what.

“Let those jerks at D&P know that you’re not backing down. Give me and the team time to figure out who’s doing this. Please.”

The seconds passed, but he did not let his hand fall away.

She could feel the warmth and strength emanating from him.

Just touching her shoulder, apparently, was enough to make her question every word she’d said.

If he leaned in and kissed her, she knew she'd never find the strength to push him away. But he wouldn’t try, wouldn’t press her into anything she didn’t want.

He’d keep his word: she’d stay on as paralegal, and he and the other Forge boys would hunt down her stalker before she once again became his prey.

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