Elena was relieved lunch was over, but she wished Cici had been able to confide in her. She seemed so worried. But, maybe it was for the best that Lawrence had come along and interrupted them. Her gut told her Cici’s life was already complicated and on its way to becoming even more so, and Elena couldn’t afford to get sucked into the drama. As relieved as she felt though, a little voice nagged at her, saying how nice Cici was in wanting to help her, so shouldn’t she do the same?
Elena’s phone buzzed. She quickly checked her texts before having to turn her phone off. She’d missed one from Camden:
Sorry I was busy the other night. I’d love to take you and the mermaid out for dinner tonight. Someplace maybe a bit fancier than a food truck? Then if it’s ok, I’d like to talk.
The second text was from Cici.
Lunch was so nice! Let’s get together again. And I have a favor to ask you. I think we’ll both benefit!
Elena squeezed her eyes shut and groaned.Why me? Maybe she needed to learn how not to be so nice. She sent off a quick reply to Camden saying she’d love to see him, then turned off her phone without responding to Cici’s message.
Why would Cici need a favor from her? She reflected on Cici asking her about dating Camden, and if she knew about Watchdog.This is going to take some thought. Should she tell Cici yes or no? And should she even mention her lunch date to Camden?
Eleven
Camden sat behind his desk smiling at his phone. Specifically, at the text Elena had just sent saying she’d love to have dinner with him, and now he couldn’t stop thinking about how good she’d felt in his arms in the library. Even now, his cock stiffened at the memory of the spicy-sweet taste of her fingers and her lips, the vanilla-mint fragrance of her hair. He’d barely looked at another woman since losing Susan, and now he couldn’t get Elena off his mind.
He’d put off going to her apartment for dinner Sunday night in case Gina had needed him for backup while watching the Bennetts, and now he couldn’t wait for tonight. He was ready, or at least as ready as he’d ever be, to put the past behind him and have another serious relationship. God, she was so beautiful. So kind. She deserved the truth from him. Then, she could decide if she wanted to keep seeing him. Decide if he was worth it.
“So, when are we hiring your girlfriend, Camden?” Gina casually leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. She was a few minutes early to the Bennett meeting.
“What are you talking about?” Could she somehow tell that Elena’s text was the reason for his smile? Was this Spooky’s sense of humor?
Gina walked in and sat down at the small conference table that dominated the rest of Camden’s office. “Elena’s got a real future in espionage. She managed to wrangle a lunch date with one of our principals, and it looked like Cici spilled her guts.”
“The fuck?” Camden felt his world tilt and he didn’t like it. After warning her to stay away, what was Elena doing? This had to be a misunderstanding.
“Yeah. After a totally uneventful day yesterday, I followed Cici Bennett to Brant and Phillips today at lunchtime. She and Elena walked to a restaurant called Delia’s a couple blocks down. I sat outside their window hoping the glass wasn’t too insulated. I got lucky and heard some of their conversation. It sounded like Cici’s trying to help Elena, which I read as possible manipulation. But then things got too quiet, right before Bennett’s campaign manager showed up and joined them.”
“Lawrence Franklin?” He set his phone down.Why would Elena be meeting with Bennett’s campaign manager?
Gina tilted her head, her gaze piercing Camden. “Didn’t you say he and Cici went to the same college?”
“They did. Could be a coincidence he showed up.”
Gina’s eyebrow quirked up. “Whatever. They all went back to B&P, then Franklin and Cici came back out about ten minutes later and went their separate ways after a nice long hug. Lawrence looked like he was trying to buck up his old college buddy.”
Camden scrubbed his face. “Shit. Shit shitshit. I told her to stay away from Cici Bennett.”
“And you thought she’d listen? Have youmetwomen?” Gina grinned. “So, what’s Elena’s angle then? Is she trying to help you on her own? I thought maybe you’d decided to use her to get closer and you’d bring it up at our—whoa.” Gina put her hands up and leaned back as Camden felt heat rising up his neck and flushing his face with red as his blood boiled. “Didn’t realize I’d just pissed in your cornflakes.”
Camden ground his teeth. “What makes you think I’deverput a civilian, especially one I care for, in harm’s way?”
“Of course you wouldn’t. That isnotwhat I said.” Gina’s voice had taken on the same cadence she used at Bette’s party when gathering intel from unsuspecting guests—calm, deep, and slow. “I’m sorry you took it that way. You know I have the utmost respect for you. I thought maybe you were strategically deploying every possible resource, but I was wrong.”
Camden’s gut churned. “Don’t try to handle me. I’m not CIA, Gina. I don’t take advantage of people like you were trained to do.” He regretted the words as they left his mouth.
Gina looked at her boots, her hair swinging down to frame her face. She inhaled like she’d been sucker-punched, which was exactly what he’d just done.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” Camden pinched the bridge of his nose.
She looked up. “Don’t be. You did mean it, and I prefer direct honesty. I’m sorry I assumed you’d use Elena as an asset.” She furrowed her brow, and just like that, Camden watched Gina go from openly hurt back to completely professional. “So, if you didn’t ask Elena to cultivate Cici Bennett, could she be trying to help without telling you? Or maybe Elena isn’t actively cultivating her at all, and Cici is seeking her out.”
Jake and Costello walked in and took their seats. Jake gave him a look that saidwhat’s up, why so tense? Camden wished he could tell his brother the reason was that Gina’s first instinct about Elena was that she was going behind his back and inserting herself into his work, and that went down like a beer full of razor blades.
“Hey, guys, have a seat. I’ll let Gina fill you in on today’s fun.” While she did that, Camden pondered his next move with Elena. He’d see her that night. Should he ask her straight-up what was going on? Maybe she’d tell him about her lunch before he needed to ask. Either way, he needed to push down his irritation with her for not listening to him and getting involved instead. For not staying safe. Damn it, he’d been so looking forward to seeing her, and now the thought of sitting across from her at dinner made his temples throb.
“So,” Gina concluded, “considering how upset Cici was on Saturday, and the fact that she’s normally like clockwork with her schedule but canceled two of her regular meetings today to go to lunch, I’m wondering about four things.” She stuck out her index finger and tapped it with her other. “One, the full extent of Cici Bennett’s relationship with Lawrence Franklin.” She extended her second finger and tapped it next, counting off. “Two, her relationship with Elena Martinez.” She tapped her ring finger. “Three, what she so desperately wanted to discuss with Elena.” She tapped her pinkie. “Four, if there’s some sort of connection between Elena and Franklin now.”
