Page 45 of All's Fair in Love & Chaos
The men nod and confirm with Camden as he ushers me inside the house. His palm is like fire on my lower back, pressing flat against me as if he’s trying to fuse himself to my body. He guides me up the stairs, and as we reach his bedroom door, my steps falter. I turn on him, rolling my eyes and putting my hands on my hips.
“If you think you’re sleeping anywhere but my room, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“I told you, you aren’t handcuffing me against my will.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, vixen. Now get your ass in the room, I’m exhausted.”
“You must really love living your life on the edge, Chaos.”
“I guess so, since I’m willingly sleeping next to an uncaged viper.”
Camden and I get ready for bed in silence. It’s early, but I have a feeling neither of us has been sleeping well—if at all—with everything going on. After I brush my teeth, I strip out of my clothes and put on an oversized T-shirt that I stole from Sebastian. It’s ridiculous, well-loved, and has Bob Ross’ face on the front. I got it for Seb right after we graduated college as a reminder of our law school days. We used to pull all-nighters, with Bob Ross painting in the background for ambiance.
I leave the light on for Camden as I open the door, only to find him resting his hand against thedoorframe, his big body blocking my exit. His piercing brown eyes peruse my body with affection until he lands on the shirt.
“Bob Ross?”
“Yeah, it’s Seb’s. He loves him. We used to wa—” Camden’s hands are on me quicker than I can react, grabbing the hem of the shirt and lifting it right over my head. I quickly cover my breasts with my arm as I gasp. “What in the actual fuck, Camden?” I yell as I shove him with my free hand.
“You’re not getting into my bed in another man’s T-shirt; I don’t give a shit who he is.”
“He’s not a threat, you idiot.”
“Every man is a goddamn threat, Saige!”
“Trust me, I am not his type. He’d probably be more intoyouthan I am.” Camden’s face falls as he realizes what I’m saying, and I laugh under my breath. “You men are all the same, such overbearing, obsessive, possessive meatheads. Need I remind you that I’m not yours, Camden?”
“Like hell you aren’t, Saige. You can deny it all you want, but we’ve belonged to each other since the moment you stepped off that bike and I held a gun to your head. Fight it all you want, it doesn’t change the facts.”
“Fuck you, Camden. Give me my shirt.” Instead of giving it back to me, he stuffs it into my backpack and stomps over to his dresser, producing an all-black T-shirt. I stand there in the doorway of the bathroom in nothing but my underwear, with my breasts clasped by my hand and forearm, as he stomps right back up to me and pulls his shirt over my head. The soft cotton fabric glides over my skin as it falls to my thighs. I slipmy arms through the holes as Camden gathers up my long hair and pulls it free.
“Much better, baby.” I give him an exaggerated eyeroll, even if my insides are screaming in comfort, his rich scent surrounding me. I climb into bed on the side I used to be cuffed to, dark memories playing in my mind from the last time I was here. I slip into the familiar sheets, the cool fabric soft against my freshly shaven legs.
Camden gets settled behind me, probably lying on his back like he usually does. I stay facing away from him, re-reading the name tags that are on his wall, wondering who they were and how they died.
“Saige?”
“What?”
“I know we have a lot of shit between us, but can I hold you? I really want to fucking hold you, baby.” Camden’s voice is a near desperate plea, the tone that he gives everyone else around him left outside the door, and the soft, tender caress he uses with me when we aren’t fighting soothes over every single one of my scars like a balm.
The early morninglight shines through the windows and directly into my face long before my body wants to rise. Blindly slapping around for my phone, I see it’s only seven in the morning. It takes me a moment to realize where I am, the current situation starting to unravel, right along with theheavy weight around my stomach and the warm body pressed firmly against my back.
Back in Amberwood.
In the Hell’s Heathens’ clubhouse.
God, when was the last time I slept through the night? Neither of us had a nightmare last night, for as best as I can remember, and Camden’s have always woken me up.
I have several missed phone calls and texts from Seb, and it’s clear he didn’t find the note I left him on his bathroom mirror. If he even came home at all last night.
I send our code phrase, the one we came up with in college, because Seb likes to go hard when it comes to hookups, and since neither of us would be caught dead in a pink sweater, having both not liking the color, it was perfect.
Me: Hey did you ever find my pink sweater?
Seb: For fuck’s sake, Saige, I’m pretty sure you made me lose like ten of my hairs!
Me: Ten? Call the National Guard! It’s a travesty!
