“Okay, enough.” She laughs. “Stop ignoring him, he looks pathetic.”
“Thank you,” I say flatly.
Cam’s shoulders sag as he turns back to her. “Can I talk to this stranger who I barely know? Please.”
“Yeah.” She shakes her head, going back to her work.
Cam walks around the desk, and I follow him through the gym to a tiny room that looks like an employee break room. Cam leans against a table, folding his arms and looking at me. “What?”
“Look, I?—”
“You could have gotten my friends killed,” he snaps. “You lied to them and tried to steal shit from Sawyer. Lied to him!”
“I know, I?—”
“And you lied to me.” He glares, but I see the break in his eyes, and know I hurt him.
“I know, okay? I know.” I tell Cam everything then. From last year when we moved. To Katya. The abuse. The threats against our lives, and how at first I thought I had no other choice. I’ve never known any other choice.
Until Sawyer.
And he’s the best choice I ever made.
“It’s not an excuse, and I really wanted to tell you everything. But I was afraid. I um... I didn’t want to put you in danger.” Cam’s still glaring at the wall. Muscles bunched in his arms. Jaw hard.Dammit.
I am so going to regret this.
I take a deep breath. “I didn’t want my best friend to get hurt.”
Cam’s head slowly swivels to me. “What did you just say?”
I close my eyes, gritting my teeth. “I didn’t want my best friend to get hurt.”
His mouth parts and he points to his chest. “That’s me?” He points to his chest. I nod shortly. “I’m your best friend?!”
“Yeah, I?—”
He grabs me, squeezing me hard.
I struggle out of his grip. “Cam, I can’t breathe!”
“Breathe through the power of friendship. I’m not letting go.” He squeezes tighter. “I told you one day I would hug you and it’d be magical.”
“Cam, I’m going to tickle your ribs.”
His arms drop instantly. “Mean! Very best friendlike. I love it.” He grins. “Is that it? No more secrets?”
“I swear there’s nothing else. I promise.”
He thinks for a moment. “Okay, well. I accept your apology.”
“I didn’t apologize.”
“Through the power of friendship, you did.”
“Well, is it too early to ask a favor?” Cam’s brows rise. “In the name of best friendship.”
He thinks for a moment. “It depends.”
