Page 48 of Red, White, and BearCat Blue

Kindness sat with Cam’s mum in the back of the Beemer with a hand on her shoulder and seemed to be deeply involved in a conversation. She’d no doubt be doing her best to keep her calm. I heard a door open and turned to see Cam getting out. I glanced at Candy who looked past me.

“He doesn’t need to see this, Mars. Go back to the Camaro and sit with him until the Vegas agents arrive.”

“’E’ll be wanting to check on ‘is mum, Captain.”

Candy was indecisive for only a few seconds before he nodded. “Okay, take him to her.”

I pivoted and walked over to meet him as he started in my direction. He looked a little shaky on it, and as soon as I got closer, I saw how watery his eyes were as his gaze met mine and he blinked. When he let out a tiny sob, I closed the distance between us and opened my arms. He walked into them a second later, sighing deeply as he slid his arms around my middle and buried his face in my shoulder. I knew what the others must be seeing, but it didn’t matter at the moment, only comforting him did. I lowered my face, inhaling as I detected the sharp tang of sweat in his hair as I spoke softly to him.

“It’s okay, Cam. Ya mum’s okay.” I ran my hands up and down his back soothingly. “Let me take ya to ‘er.”

He lifted his face. He looked shattered, and his lips quivered. “She’s really okay?”

I nodded quickly, letting go of him and taking a step back to put an arm around his shoulders. I turned him toward the carnage and lowered my voice, speaking into his hair. “Don’t look. Keep your eyes straight ahead.”

He nodded quickly as we went past the dead driver, and then the Audi with its unlucky passenger-turned-idiot driver. When we got to the Beemer, I opened the back door, and Kindness smiled over her shoulder.

“Cam wants to see ‘is mum.”

She nodded, letting go of Mrs. Demarco’s hand, and slid out to allow Cam to take her place. The two of us stood outside the vehicle, watching as Cam pulled his mum into his arms, whispering comforting words into her ear.

Kindness looked up at me and smiled. “I heard no matter where you are, the bad boys seem to find you, right Mars?”

I dragged my gaze away from her, fixing my gaze on Cam. I ran a hand through my hair, sighing deeply, knowing that yeah, they sure did…in one way…or another.

Chapter Thirteen

CAM

We waited for more FBI agents to show up at the horrible mess for over an hour. Mars wasn’t allowed to take the Camaro since it was now evidence at a crime scene which had to be explained to local authorities who showed up with the FBI. That had been his boss’ call, and though, Captain Sorensen had been exceptionally apologetic about it, Mars was pissed, if the expression on his face was anything to judge by. Instead, we ended up in a black FBI-issue SUV when agents handed over the keys to Mars. Needless to say, the local FBI guys weren’t happy campers when they were forced to give up one of their own vehicles.

While Mars drove Mickey, Mom, and me to the hotel where apparently his whole team had checked in, I sat in the back seat, holding my mom’s delicate hand as she tried to understand what had happened. I explained that bad men were trying to hurt the FBI agents so she wouldn’t think they were after her. She silently watched me, nodding vaguely every now and then, but I wasn’t sure she understood the depth of the danger she’d been in throughout the ordeal. She probably didn’t even know who I was even though I’d told her as soon as I got in the car with her.

While we drove to the Wyndham, I was only half listening to Mickey talking to someone on the phone. He relayed what had happened, confirming both Beth and Kindness were fine, stating we’d all be back in L.A. tomorrow, so there was no reason for the team to fly out. I was slightly confused because it’d been my understanding that Mars’ whole team was already here. He hung up just as Mars pulled into the parking lot and turned to look at me.

“That was Special Agent Lincoln Snow back in Los Angeles,” Mickey said as I looked at him with a question on the tip of my tongue. “Beth and Kindness are on his team. He wants us all back in L.A. first thing in the morning. We can leave bright and early or tonight, whatever we decide.”

“We should ‘ead out right away if Candy says we’re leaving today,” Mars said. “Is the plane still here?”

“Yeah. That works for me,” Mickey replied. “Unless the boss had other plans.”

“If ya ‘ave no objections,” he said to me.

I shrugged. “It’s not my call, is it?”

He frowned a bit, and I recognized the gesture for what it was. After everything that had just happened and the way Mars had done everything in his power to keep Josiah’s men off the Beemer carrying my mom, I was being a supreme asshole.

“It’s Candy’s call, just wanted to know if ya ‘ad an objection to staying overnight.”

I opened my mouth, wanting to tell him I’d be fine as long as his big, sexy body was wrapped around me, but I just shook my head, chewing my bottom lip.

“You okay, Cam?” he asked.

“I-I don’t even have a place to stay in L.A,” I blurted. “And what about Mom?”

“The Bureau will put you both in a safehouse,” Mickey said.

Mars glanced at him. “’E’s right.” He turned back to me. “And tonight, if Josiah works out where we’re staying, it won’t bloody matter. You’re gonna be surrounded by the best damned Tac Team in the Bureau.” He sent me an encouraging smile making my heartbeat speed up.