Page 94 of Forged in Peril

CAMERON

With a final nod to Ben, who was standing behind him in the hallway, Cameron walked into the legal department as quietly as he could.

Every footfall sounded heavy to his ears, and all he could think about was the fact that he was wearing a bulletproof vest while Bristol, of course, was not.

He paused near the intern’s desk, looking down at his hands, willing them to stop shaking.

He wished that he was holding his gun, but thanks to Ben’s advice, he’d decided to stash it in the back of his waistband, out of sight.

There was still a possibility that this situation could be resolved without shots being fired, and he knew that he had to at least try–even if at the moment all he wanted to do was to neutralize the threat against Bristol permanently.

With a final, silent prayer, he covered the last few feet of distance and knocked at Jaclyn’s door, peering through the window.

To his surprise, she barely reacted.

He watched as she got up from her desk and strode toward him, the gun hanging loosely from one hand as she turned the lock on the door handle with the other.

As soon as he heard the click, he pushed it open.

“Cameron,” she said, her voice light. “Have a seat.”

Were it not for the gun that she was now pointing at Bristol’s head, it could have been nothing more than an ordinary meeting.

He nodded, taking his place several feet away from Bristol on a firm leather chair. He could feel his own gun pressing against his back, wishing once again that he had his finger on the trigger already.

He dared a glance over at Bristol.

She, too, looked calmer than he’d expected.

For several seconds, their eyes met, and he hoped that somehow, his stare alone could communicate all of the things he wanted so badly to say to her.

He wanted to tell her that his brothers were evacuating everyone from FBS, and that SAPD snipers were assembling right now, anything that could reassure her.

More than that, though, he wanted to say that he was sorry.

Their problems, their arguments, all of it seemed foolish now.

All he knew for sure is that despite it all, whatever she chose, he was willing to die for her if he needed to.

And there was no other word for that but love.

He watched as Bristol gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

Even without words, he knew that, at the very least, she was telling him that she trusted him. She wasn’t going to do anything that could ignite the situation.

He needed just a little more time.

If Jaclyn had any inkling that she had lost control of the situation, he feared that she’d shoot Bristol then and there.

It was time to talk.

“Put the gun down, Jaclyn,” he said, his tone calm but authoritative.

Jaclyn gave a tinkling laugh, her blonde hair cascading down her back like a waterfall as she threw back her head.

“Does that line ever actually work?” she asked, leaning forward in her chair with the gun still raised. “In your professional experience?”

Cameron gave her a grim smile.

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