Elijah met him in the middle of the room and cupped a hand to his face. “Hey,” he whispered, hoping to soothe the panic flowing through Camden. “It was just my silly-ass kid brother. They haven’t found us. You’re fine.”
Camden pressed his face into Elijah’s palm, responding more to the tactile stimuli than the verbal. “Everything’s fine.”
Camden closed his eyes for a beat, then opened them. He searched Elijah’s gaze for assurance. He swallowed, then cleared his throat before speaking. “Are you certain, Elijah?”
“Well, we’re not in any physical danger. But there is an issue we need to deal with.”
Elijah could see the question forming between Camden’s pinched brows. He opened his mouth to inform him of the proverbial monkey wrench in their plans, also known as his family. But before the first word could leave his tongue, he heard footsteps on the stairs and his brother’s boisterous voice filling the air.
“A-yo, E. Stop playing and take these damn cuffs off me?”
When Emmanuel stumbled closer, he stopped just short of where Elijah and Camden were standing and zeroed in on Elijah’s hand against Camden’s cheek.
Emmanuel lifted a knowing brow and grinned like a teenaged boy before speaking. “My bad, E. I didn’t know you had—” Emmanuel paused for a long second and nodded his head toward Camden. “—company.”
Chapter Ten
ELIJAHdropped his hand quickly and turned to his brother. “That’s what happens when you don’t call before you drop by.”
Elijah excused himself to retrieve the handcuff keys from the safe. He removed the restraints, throwing them and the keys back in the safe. He then pulled his gun and holster off, sliding them next to the keys before relocking the safe door.
“I did call,” Emmanuel answered. “Not my fault senility is setting in early.” He smiled as he looked back and forth between Elijah and Camden. “So, you’re not going to introduce me to your guest?” Elijah’s lip curled as he watched the gleam shining on his brother’s face. Since they were kids, Emmanuel had lived to make life difficult for Elijah. Finding him in what could only have appeared to be a cozy moment between two well-acquainted people was just the ammunition a needling little brother would pounce on. It didn’t matter that both Elijah and his brother were grown and in their thirties. Emmanuel would always be Elijah’s pain-in-the-ass brother.
“This is Camden.” Elijah pointed to the middle of the room where Camden stood and watched as his brother walked over and extended a hand in greeting.
“Hi, Camden. I’m Elijah’s brother, Emmanuel. Most people call me Manny.”
Camden smiled, and Elijah noticed it didn’t reach his eyes. When Camden shared a genuine smile, his eyes sparkled with intelligence and his easy sense of humor. This was a professional smile, one you put in place even when you didn’t feel like smiling in front of the world.
“Hello, Manny, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The polite tone in Camden’s voice grated on Elijah’s nerves. He didn’t understand why. Camden’s tone wasn’t bracing, but it wasn’t warm and welcoming either. To Elijah, this was Camden’s show voice, and after hearing the raw guttural sounds their joint orgasms pulled from Camden, this facsimile was a poor imitation to Elijah’s ears.
“I didn’t know Elijah had a brother.”
“I’m not surprised he didn’t mention me.” Elijah narrowed his eyes as he watched his brother move closer to Camden. “I’m the sexier, more successful brother. He’s afraid I’d steal all his dates.”
Elijah waved a dismissive hand as he moved closer to Emmanuel. “Yeah, because every man wants to spend his time with a self-important, inconsiderate asshole like you. Right, Manny?” Elijah continued to glare at Emmanuel, locking gazes with him, returning hard stare for hard stare until Emmanuel cracked first, resulting in them both breaking into laughter.
Elijah had spoken the truth. His younger brother’s ego straddled the line between confidence and conceit. He was self-absorbed, and Lord knew, he displayed the asshole gene that seemed to run rampant through the males of the Stephenson family more than either Elijah or their father. But no matter his shortcomings, Emmanuel was his brother, and Elijah was always glad to see him.
The two men clasped hands, pulling each other into a tight hug. “Manny.” Elijah pointed to Camden before returning his gaze to his brother. “Would you give us a minute? I need to prepare Camden for the Stephenson tribe. We’re a hard pill to swallow in large doses.”
Emmanuel nodded and left them alone in the basement. Elijah waited a moment, making certain he heard Emmanuel’s footsteps above them on the first floor.
“What are we going to do now that your family is here? It’s not safe for them to be around me. What if these maniacs find me and your family is here, Elijah?” Camden rattled off his questions in quick succession, leaving no opportunity for Elijah to answer. His hands were planted against his trim waist, his shoulders high, his chest moving rapidly as he took large gulps of air.
There it was again. The panic that Camden stuffed down, keeping it hidden from the rest of the world. He’d seen a glimpse of it when they’d shared dinner over the kitchen counter. But now, it seemed to be too much for Camden to handle.
Elijah placed a calming but firm hand on one of Camden’s shoulders, giving him something to anchor himself with.
“Hey,” he murmured. “My father is an armed, retired cop. There isn’t anyone better at protection than him. My brother isn’t a cop, but he’s run through Daddy Bootcamp just like I have; he’s not helpless in a situation like this. And don’t get me started on my mama and my sister-in-law. Those two are scary when they’re pissed. I’d pity anyone who thought to darken their doorstep.”
That last line seemed to bring Camden’s gaze back into focus, giving way to a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth.
“If they’re that tough, are we gonna tell them why I’m here?”
Elijah shook his head. “My dad maybe, but I don’t want to ruin this weekend for my mother.” Evelyn Stephenson had been Elijah’s rock. She’d pulled Elijah every step of the way during his rehabilitation. Sometimes dragging him kicking and screaming when he couldn’t muster the motivation to work at his own recovery.
She had worried about Elijah since the shooting. Knowing he was going back to a supposedly safe unit in the precinct was a relief for her. He wouldn’t scare her by letting her know he was on a dangerous detail.
