He brushed his hand down her hair. “We wait, but I don’t think it’ll be long. I’m thinking they’ll hit the house tonight, before we have a chance to relocate you.”
Elena blew out a breath and laid her cheek against his chest. “I’m scared, Camden.”
“Hey.” He tilted her chin up. “As I said, I’m keeping you guys safe.”
She touched his cheek. “I know you are. But I’m worried aboutyou. Who will keep you safe?”
“My brothers and sisters at Watchdog.” He kissed her. “Time to go to work.”
* * *
“Mama, can we read about the Piper again?” Tina asked that night. Elena had moved their nest to the bedroom. She hadn’t let her daughter out of her sight for the rest of the day.
“Of course, Pepita. Then it’s lights out, okay? Been a long day.”
“Why can’t Camden be in here with us too?” Tina snuggled up to Elena. “He hasn’t heard the story yet. Neither have the people in the front room.”
“Baby, Camden’s out there protecting us right now and so are they. We can read him the story after he stops the bad guys.”Please, God let him stop the bad guys.
“Tonight?”
“Tonight.”
“Then we can all go home?”
“Yes, we can, Pepita.”
“And you’ll marry Camden?”
Elena tousled Tina’s hair. “Yes, I’ll marry Camden.”
Tina was fast asleep when Elena turned off the bedside lamp. She lay awake in the dark, waiting for a sound—any sound—that would tell her what the morning would bring.
She didn’t have to wait nearly as long as she thought.
Twenty-Seven
Camden waited in the shadows outside the safehouse. Lachlan had picked this one carefully, making sure there were plenty of trees and places to hide, that it was just isolated enough to keep innocent bystanders safe in case of trouble. And tonight, there would be plenty of trouble.
He put on his night-vision goggles and tried to picture the scene as an intruder would: two lights on at the back of the house, one in the living room that flickered from the television, and one in the bedroom. He’s up playing a video game, she’s in bed looking at her phone, and the kid’s probably with her. He wondered if they’d watched the house all evening, watched their silhouettes passing in front of the windows, waiting for Elena and Tina to finally go to bed, hoping Camden wasn’t with them. The easier to take them down.
The bedroom light went out.
He imagined Elena lying wide awake in bed, heart pounding, Tina curled up at her side.This is gonna all be over tonight, Gorgeous. Tomorrow’s a new day when I go to buy you an engagement ring. Just hang tight, Baby.
An hour went by and then, “Joker, we have movement,” Jake said over the communicator. He was in the back yard with Camden.
“Copy that, Crooner.” Camden caught sight of them a moment later.
“Copy,” Costello said from behind the bushes beside the front door.
“Copy. On the move.” That was Kyle inside the house getting into position for a breach. Camden heard an excited whine and the click of a leash unhooked.
“Copy,” Gina said, also inside. “In position.”
Camden and Jake waited for the figures to get closer to the house before closing in behind them.
“Two unfriendlies,” Jake said.
