(Camden's POV)

"You're kidding, right?"

I try to imagine Oliver and Jasper working together and my mind is drawing a blank.

I should have known waking up next to Oliver this morning was too good to be true. I should have known that look on his face meant trouble. It's just one problem after another with him, never a peaceful moment.

I try to push back the anxiety I can feel bubbling to the surface so I don't worry him, but it's still there, brewing like a bad storm in the distance.

"I hired him shortly after our parents retired. It was the first decision I got to make without their influence and he seemed like a good fit. He was young, eager to make a name for himself and I guess so was I."

"So what then, did he steal from you? Make some bad calls, put the team in danger? I just don't understand how someone that was so eager to work with you would be so desperate to destroy you now."

Oliver doesn't answer at first, the expression on his face growing darker as he thinks about what I said. He gets up from the bed slowly and puts on a pair of briefs before pulling his cigarettes out of his pants pocket.

I quirk an eyebrow at him and he hangs his head with a dramatic groan before dropping the pack in the trash.

"Whine all you want, but if we're going to make this thing between us work, I'd like for you to live a long, healthy life," I smile sweetly at him.

He smirks and shakes his head, but it fades quickly as he gets lost in thought. I sit up, making sure to wrap the bedsheet around me as he makes his way over to my side of the bed. He kneels down in front of me and places his hands firmly on my thighs for support.

"Camden, what I'm about to tell you is pretty fucked up, but hopefully it will help you understand why I'm so protective."

His eyes are pleading and desperate as he looks up at me, his grip on my legs tightens and I don't think he even realizes it. All I can do is nod my head at him.

My hands are starting to sweat as my nerves sky rocket, my mind coming up with all sorts of horrifying scenarios as to what could have Oliver this bent out of shape.

"Jasper was one of my best hitmen when he first started out. He was willing to do any job I sent him on, no questions asked, and he was able to do them quickly and quietly. He got money hungry after a while though. He said we weren't doing enough, that being black market salesmen and hitmen for 'rich bastards' wasn't bringing in enough money. I guess he overheard some others talking about a black market product that would make them way more money and he-"

Oliver cuts himself off, looking angry and desperate to compose himself.

I notice his jaw is clenched and he's breathing heavily, so I run a soothing hand through his hair in an effort to comfort him.

"What did he do?" I whisper shakily.

"Camden, I need you to know, I had no idea. I put a stop to it immediately when I found out and I've been doing everything I can to stop him since."

"What did he fucking do, Oliver?"

My voice is more firm this time, but my skin is crawling.

"He... He started smuggling people onto our cargo ships. Young women, to be precise. Apparently there's a high demand for that kind of service amongst some of the more elite members of society," He sneers.

His voice is bitter, the disgust and loathing is evident on his face. I push off the bed and try to put some space between us. Oliver looks at me wearily as I pace the room, still naked, trying desperately to wrap my head around everything.

"He was trafficking women?" I cry. "How is this fucker still breathing? I'll go kill him myself right fucking now."

I realize I sound exactly like my father when he found out what Jasper had done to me, but in this moment, I don't give a shit. I run over to the closet that Oliver cleared out for me and start throwing on clothes, not even caring if they match or not.

Oliver gets up to block the doorway before I can escape.

"I promise you I am going to make sure he never hurts another person again, but you can't just rush in there with this hero complex thinking you're going to solve the problem. He's got friends in high places that have been protecting his sorry ass since day one and we have to move very carefully or we'll all be killed and he'll be free to continue hurting innocent people."

"So that day we raided his ship... were there women on there?"

The tears are falling freely down my face now. I have a pounding headache and my stomach is in knots, but I need to hear this. I need him to tell me everything.

"No, there was no one on it besides us and his men. I made sure Kingston was on the look out for anyone, but it seemed like it was a standard delivery. Drugs, guns, but I promise there were no women. I've had Lydia and Kingston keep an eye on his shipments for a while now and rescuing any woman they find. It's why he fucked with my warehouse and killed Holden and Jude when you first got here. He got angry when he discovered the women were missing and retaliated when he found out I had a hand in it."

I fall into him, no longer able to hold myself up. My whole body is racked with sobs. This whole situation is so fucked. Every time I think things are finally falling into place, something new comes along to remind me that I can never have a normal life.

Oliver wraps his arms around me and we both sink to the ground.

"I know," he murmurs into my hair. "I know."