Chapter 24

“What in hell’s name is going on here?” Val demanded as soon as he walked into the conference room at his office on Monday morning. Cameron, dressed in an elegant suit, was seated at the big table with Colin next to her. Thalia and Ellen sat across the table, each with an organized stack of paper.

Colin rose. “Ms. Stahl has volunteered her services as a confidential informant,” he said.

What? “No. She. Has. Not,” Val ground out. “We already talked about this a week ago, and she knows the dangers. Come on, Cam,” he said, jerking his head to the door. “I’m taking you home.”

“You may take Ms. Stahl home, but she has already committed to aiding in our investigation. In fact, she’s already signed the paperwork, and we’re getting her registered as we speak.”

Val glanced over to the stacks of paper in front of his colleagues. Both Ellen and Thalia averted their eyes. Guilty.

“You had no right to go behind my back, Colin. No right,” he said. His voice was steady but his hands were shaking.

“She came to us,” Colin said. “And she has refused all payment.”

Now he really looked at her. Her hair was meticulously styled, and as always, she looked expensive. Cameron met his gaze, little chin lifting in the air defiantly, and he knew it was the truth. “Undo this,” he said. “Please.”

She shook her head. “No, Val. I told you I had some time to think about this, and I believe this is the best way.”

“I won’t allow it.”

“You must,” she said gently. “You know that I’m the only one who knows what’s going on and who can get close enough to the congressman without raising any alarms.”

“So you’re just going to waltz around the mansion grounds the night of the party, get the info, and come out? That’s it?”

Cameron pursed her lips together and looked away, so he turned to his boss. Colin shook his head. “The scope of Ms. Stahl’s involvement isn’t quite that limited. She has volunteered to engage with Junior Kirkland, to gain access to additional information the congressman might have that would implicate him.”

Blood swam before his eyes. “Are you serious?” he asked Cameron. “You’re going to engage with Junior?”

Cameron bit her lip. “It’s only temporary,” she said, “just until your team has enough information to start connecting the dots. At least that’s how Colin explained it.”

This was not happening. “Just forget Junior for a minute. You know that getting that information could put you at serious risk. What I’m talking about is someone discovering what you’re up to. Hurting you. Killing you!” He was screaming now, his voice echoing off the walls. In shock, no one even breathed.

He never lost his temper. Never.

Cameron finally got herself together and shook her head. “Colin promised to provide backup in case something goes wrong.” She smiled, a bit ruefully. “I requested you.”

“If you can’t keep your emotions out of this, I’ll assign Thalia,” Colin said, looking grim. “Ms. Stahl has indicated that you two are.… ah … involved, which, as you know, is against federal policy. CIs consorting with agents, that is. Now, usually, I’d ask that an agent in your position recuse himself from the case to preserve the CI’s credibility on the stand, but seeing as how she divulged your relationship outright, and we’re using Ms. Stahl for such a limited scope, intending to fully corroborate any evidence she collects, the chance that she will testify is virtually zero.” Colin cleared his throat. “Although it might be best if you two curtail any, ah, activities until after the operation is over.”

Val raised his eyes to the ceiling. Great. Now his personal life was fodder for his team, too. “I want to talk with Ms. Stahl alone.” No one moved. “Now!” he barked.

Ellen and Thalia stood up fast. Even Colin gave him a wide berth as they all filed out of the conference room. As soon as they were gone, he turned to her. She was still sitting there calmly.

“Why?” He had to understand why she’d do something so stupid. Would put herself, maybe even her life, at risk. “Is this because of what you told me about Cici?”

“Partly,” she admitted. “But mostly it’s because it will help you.”

“By screwing another guy?”

She shook her head. “Don’t be rude, Val. I won’t let it go that far. We haven’t—we never—” Her cheeks turned a dull red and she blinked. “It was never like that between us.”

“I don’t care what it was like between you two! You’re with me now, and I. Don’t. Share.” He was pacing back and forth in front of her like a wild beast. “You’re not a spy. You’re a socialite shop owner! God, Cam, you know how insane this is? Does what we shared this weekend mean nothing to you?” he asked, running a hand through his hair. “I told you—”

“That you loved me. Yes,” she said, rising and taking his wrist, stopping his frantic movements. “And I thought you understood what I was trying to tell you this weekend: I love you, too. So much. And this is what people who love each other do. They help each other. Don’t you get that?”

He pulled away. “Not like this.”

“Yes like this,” she said. “Exactly like this. You gave up your childhood when your dad died to help your mom, because you loved her. You had to forgo all fun in college so you could usher your brothers through high school and get them launched. And when your mom died, you stepped up as the head of the family. You went to law school on scholarship and at night so you could work during the day and have the money to take care of your brothers. And you’re still doing it! You were ready to sacrifice our first date to help Seb when he was struggling to get things ready to open his restaurant. And that night at my parents’ house, you were going to sacrifice our relationship to protect me.” She shook her head. “So don’t talk to me about what people who love each other do. Because you know what they do, Val. You know because you do it every day.” Her voice was filled with tears. “And now I’m doing it for you, Val. Do you understand now how much I love you?”

It was as though he’d been punched in the gut. She’d laid her heart—and everything else—on the line for him. Whatever Cici had told Cameron was key to Cameron’s wanting to help, and he had to respect that. But she’d made it more than clear that the bigger reason was because of him.

He wasn’t ready for this. And he damn sure hadn’t thought it would come in the form of Cameron Endicott Stahl. But here she was, doing for him what he’d done countless times for others. He’d been so blind—willfully so. In fact, if he’d been able to pull his head out of his ass for the last couple of weeks, he could have acknowledged the fact that she’d turned into so much more than he’d ever anticipated. Maybe he didn’t have the capacity to see what was right before his eyes: Cameron, showing him what it was like to be cared for, to be loved beyond measure.

He was humbled beyond belief. He looked into her face, and something swelled in his chest.

Cameron was still staring back at him, discreetly trying to wipe away the moisture leaking from her eyes.

The words she’d spoken finally hit home. She loves me. Really loves me.

Finally, he did the one thing he should have done from the get-go. He stepped forward, and when he embraced her, the whole universe seemed right. She started to shake in his arms, so he held her tighter and kissed the top of her head.

“You really love me,” he said, unable to help the wonderment that crept into his voice. The words were deeply reassuring for a reason he was just beginning to get a grip on.

“Yes,” she said, her voice muffled in his chest. Then she lifted her head, her beautiful face streaked with tears. “I really love you, Val.”

“I get it now,” he said, still staring into her eyes, unwilling to look away. “I swear I’ll make this right.” He would, too. First he was going to take her home, and then he was coming back to the office and having a sit-down with his team. If Cameron was in, then so was he. He’d do anything and everything to keep her safe.

And then, not caring who walked in on them, he crushed his lips to hers, right in the middle of his damn conference room, tasting the salt from her tears.