Derek

The flat end of my hammer slammed into Jason's jaw, sending blood and tooth fragments flying. He spit more blood out, chuckling as his head slumped forward. We'd always been at this for hours and the bastard wasn't saying a damn word. I'd tried all of my best strategies and had finally resorted to the worst physical pain I could think of. It still wasn't having much effect on him, though. This guy was like a steel trap.

This was almost more than I could take today. This type of thing never used to phase me, but today, all I could think about was how Robby had beaten Cam like this time and time again. I thought he was the scum of the earth and wanted him to suffer with every last breath he had, but if I could inflict the same type of pain on another human, was I any better?

I tried to remind myself that the situations were vastly different, but I spent most of the day handling the reins over to Will and stepping back. Feeling my frustration, Will took the hammer and landed a few more hits, knocking the rest of his teeth out. All the guy did was glance up and grin as if he hadn't felt a single thing.

Will wiped his brow. "Why don't we call it a day? Camryn and Riley will be home soon and we both need showers. He's obviously not taking anymore today."

I nodded in agreement. All this was doing was making me angrier and angrier. Why wouldn't the little roach just tell us who he was working for? We already knew he didn't have any loyalty. Why was he suddenly clammed up?

All of a sudden, a blaring alarm sounded from my phone. It was the alarm that the outer perimeter had been breached. I knew it wasn't the girls coming home; they had access codes. I quickly glanced at my phone, checking to see where the issue was. It was towards the back of the property by a small service road. Will and I both grabbed our guns and headed that way. We got there right about the time Mark and his security team did, and we saw a dark-colored car was speeding down the service road. They must have heard us coming.

"Who the fuck was that?" Will hunched over, out of breath. We'd sprinted here as fast as humanly possible.

"I don't know." I clenched my jaw. There was no public access to this road, and it wasn't on any kind of map. It wasn't something you just happened on either. Someone knew where they were headed.

"All available to the south entrance. Be advised a dark-colored car is fleeing the scene. We need eyes on it immediately." Mark barked into his radio. He bent down, checking the tire tracks and taking pictures.

It wasn't until I turned around that I noticed a few photographs nailed to a nearby tree. I ripped them off and my heart jumped into my throat. The first picture was of Riley skipping down the street in front of the library, Cam holding on up one hand and Mrs. Leonard the other. Another was of Cam sipping on a coffee in the corner of the library, lost in a book that was on her lap. The last one was of Mrs. Leonard and Riley sitting at a table reading a book about volcanos. I felt like throwing up.

"Get me Tyler on the phone." I hissed, shoving the pictures towards Will. I had to be sure they were okay, but I didn't want to alarm them if they didn't know.

He answered on the first ring, more chipper than usual. "Hey Derek, what's up?"

"Are Camryn and Riley okay?" I didn't mince any words.

"Are that okay? Of course they are. We just got back actually and are up at the house. What's going on?"

I let out a heavy breath of relief. "I'll explain later. Do me a favor and don't mention anything to Camryn, okay? I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Got it. See you soon."

"Everything okay?" Will put his hand on my shoulder.

"Fuck!" I bellowed, tuning my fingers through my hair. "They're fine, but something is clearly going on here."

Will nodded. "Okay, just calm down. Let's think about this rationally."

I let out a heavy breath.

"This has got to have something to do with Robby, right? Whoever is taking these pictures is focused on them?" I wanted that to be the case. I wanted this to be a Robby thing because the alternative was much bleaker and much more out of my control.

Will clenched his jaw. "Or it is someone coming after you and after watching you with the girls, realizes that might be the best way to get under your skin."

Bingo. That's what I was most afraid of. Over the years, the list of people who had it out for me was a mile wide. Most weren't dumb enough to act on it, but maybe that changed. The thought of my enemies using Cam and Riley to hurt me was paralyzing. They hadn't asked to be brought into this world, and now they might be used as pawns. I had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with whoever Jason was working for.

"Look, all we can do right now is work Jason." Mark, my head of security, said. "My team will keep working on him tonight. You go home and be with Camryn and Riley and try to relax. They're safest with you. We'll get answers out of Jason and go from there."

I wouldn't trust just anyone to take Jason, but Mark had been with us so long that he was head of security when my dad was in my position. He was the very best and, if Will or I couldn't handle something, he was the next best thing. Right now, all I was concerned about was getting to Cam and Riley.

Will and I snuck back into the lower level of the house so we could shower. I did as fast as possible and hurried up the stairs. Riley was sitting on the couch, yelling over her shoulder to Camryn, who was in the kitchen. Just laying eyes on them brought me a tremendous amount of relief.

Camryn was cooking something for dinner that smelt incredible, and I tried to let myself relax. We were okay. We were safe. I thought about changing safe houses again, but that was what was expected. We'd lie low here and up security for now. It was the safest of all my properties, and Mark was already calling in more men. It was the smart move to stay here at least until we knew what we were dealing with.

"It's not lava mama, it's magma!!!" Riley yelled.

"Sorry!" Cam giggled, shrugging her shoulders. "I didn't realize there was going to be a quiz."

"Come on, mom, everyone knows it's magma." I grinned, plopping down on the couch next to Riley.

Cam smirked. "I guess I need to brush up on my volcano knowledge."

"Smells great in here. What's for dinner?"

"Stir fry!" she called. "Is Will here?"

"Present and accounted for!" Will called, coming up the stairs.

"Riley, why don't you ask Derek to help you set the table?"

"Do I have to?" She groaned.

"Yes, of course you do!" I tickled her. "You have to do whatever your mom says for the test of your life!"

Riley frowned. "You listen to your mom?"

"Absolutely! Moms are the boss."

"Aren't dads the boss? That's what my daddy says."

Cam had her back to me, so I couldn't see her reaction.

"Nope." I winked at her. "Mom's the boss all the time."

"Fiiiine." She huffed.

I went into the kitchen, wrapping my arms around Cam's waist and giving her a deep kiss. "Damn, I've missed you today."

She blushed immediately, trying to work out of my grasp. "Would you stop? I need to finish dinner."

"Only if you promise me that you'll stay with me tonight. I can't go another night without holding you in my arms." I kissed her neck roughly.

Her expression changed. "Derek I need to—"

We were cut off by Riley. "You promised you were going to help." She said, shoving some silverware my way.

"Okay, okay." I smiled over my shoulder. "To be continued..."

Cam pressed her lips together in a tight smile. There was something bothering her. Maybe Tyler had told her there was a breach.

We set the game up, and all sat down for dinner. I opened a bottle of wine for us and handed glasses to Cam and Will. I kept my hand on Cam's knee as we ate, but she was acting stranger and stranger as the night went on.

"Will, you were right." Riley chirped as we ate. "There is a volcano as big as all of Wyoming. Mommy said we can go see it in a park called Yellowstone. There might be bears, but I won't be scared. But anyway, if it erupts, it could de-mol-ish..." The way she pronounced the word was so damn cute. "The entire United States. And then we really could stay in Canada forever!" She clapped her hands together excitedly.

"You like it here?" I smiled.

"It's the best. Right, mama?"

"Yes, it is." Cam agreed.

It was almost so perfect that it was eerie as we finished dinner. It hurt how much I was starting to fall in love with Cam and Riley and this idea of being a family. It was like the harder I tried to tell myself to slow down and keep distance, the closer they drew me in.

Will and I cleaned the kitchen as Cam put Riley to bed and then Will headed out to go help Mark and his men.

I finished things in the kitchen, poured us some more wine, and turned the fire on. I needed to just hold her tonight. Her presence grounded me, and even if she didn't know what was going on, she could help bring me back down..

Cam came out a few minutes later and joined me on the couch.

"She asleep?"

"She fell asleep mid-sentence." Cam smiled, curling up under a blanket across the couch for me.

"She is so smart. It shouldn't shock me anymore, but she really is brilliant."

Cam grinned. "I think so, but I'm probably biased."

"Did you guys have fun today?"

Cam refuses to meet my eyes. "We did. It was nice to get out."

"I'm glad." I grabbed her hand. "I need to tell you something, though." I shifted my weight. I couldn't keep her in the dark here, even if it tampered with the evening. "While you were gone today, someone came to the property. They nailed some pictures to trees at the back of the property. They were of you and Riley at the library today."

Cam's eyes widened, and she turned as white as a sheet.

"But it's okay. I've got my guys on it. And we're safe here. I swear I'm not going to let anything happen to you or to Riley."

Tears welled up in Cam's eyes. "Derek, I need to tell you something, too."

"Are you okay?" I frowned, reaching for her hand.

Cam bit her lip. "I know you told me not to, but.."

I already hated where this was going.

"I called my dad today from a pay phone. I had to."

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***If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence of any kind, please reach out to someone in your community. In the US, that number is 1-800-799-7233**