Camden's Redemption

2. Brooklyn

2

BROOKLYN

“Why hello, Mason,” I answered my phone. As soon as I’d watched Camden get in his car, I knew it would ring.

“Are you all set for the move?”

I glanced at the floor at my packed bags. “Yep, ready to go. I guess my babysitting duties are still in effect.” The beach would’ve been a nice vacation if I didn’t have to hold hands with a certain fighter. Actually, I hadn’t even been close enough to hold his hand, thank God. It was my job to watch over him and make sure he stayed out of trouble.

“I thought you wanted this assignment? You’re not only qualified, but I seem to recall you needing this time away.”

I snorted. “You know I’m qualified, you trained me. But why Charlotte? You’re taking me right back to my problems.”

“I know you don’t want to go back, but it’s a must. With everything going on, I want to make sure you have protection as well. I know you’ll have that with your brother by your side. I’m half tempted to take you off this mission.”

“I’m as capable as anyone to keep i***t fighter boy safe,” I growled. My brother was probably the one pushing for Mason to take me off the case. If so, I was going to have a chat with him as soon as I got home. He was none too happy when Mason agreed to let me on.

Sighing, I opened the front door of my hideout across the street from Camden’s and marched to my car. “This is all I have keeping me sane right now, Mason. You know I need this.”

“I know you do and that’s exactly what I told Jason. Blake wanted you off this mission too. But running away isn’t going to bring your sister back. You need to go home and move on.”

Fuck moving on, and f**k Blake. I wasn’t going to listen to a damn thing my ex said. “She was my sister, Mason. My best friend. I’ll never forget watching her slip away. It’s something that’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.” Tears blurred my vision, and I angrily swiped them away. I had to catch up to Camden so I started my car and headed down the road. “I have to go. He’s on the move.”

“All right, B. Just be careful.”

“I always am.” I knew where Camden was going to be and I couldn’t wait to get there. I needed a drink . . . or twelve. It was just a shame I couldn’t get wasted on the job; it would be nice to escape.

* * *

Dressed in a pair of really short shorts and a tank top, I was actually overdressed compared to the clientele of the seedy bar Camden liked to inhabit every Friday night. Not to mention, I had a s**t ton of makeup on my face, making me look like a two dollar hooker. It was the only way I could get backstage to the action. Camden might tell people his life here on the beach was boring, but it wasn’t true. Knowing tonight was his last one here, I could only assume he wanted to leave with a bang.

The bar was only two miles away from the rental house and when I pulled up, the parking lot was packed. Camden’s red Jeep Wrangler was right up front like always, as if he was royalty. Locking my car, I pulled out my license and had it ready to show the bouncer at the door. The guy recognized me and smiled, winking at me as I walked past.

“You gonna let me buy you a drink tonight, baby?” he called in a husky, southern drawl.

I turned around and giggled even though I wanted to gag. “I’ll think about it, sugar.” Hurrying past, I found Camden by the bar and decided to stick to the shadows, taking a seat at a corner table. It was sticky and I dreaded putting my hand down.

The back room was where all the action took place. Camden always drank a shot of whiskey before venturing back there. VIP’s were allowed entrance and the only reason I’d garnered admission was because I had caught the eye of Hank, the bouncer. I wasn’t looking forward to our shared drink later on this evening, but I owed him.

After about an hour of sitting in the shadows, trying not to draw the attention of unwanted guests, the bar owner went up to Camden and whispered in his ear. Camden nodded and followed him until they disappeared around the corner.

“You gonna be my date tonight?” Hank sidled up, sitting down beside me.

If he brushed his grimy teeth, combed his greasy hair, and lost the beer gut, he might not look so bad. Well, that, and he desperately needed to take a shower and do some laundry. The odor coming from his pit stained T-shirt was putrid.

“By being your date, do you mean watching the fight tonight?” I countered. I usually watched the fights from the back of the room, but with Hank by my side I might actually be able to watch up close. He put his arm around my shoulders and I cringed. I had to hold my breath to keep from gagging. My shoulder was going to smell now, I just knew it.

“If that’s what you want. It’s gonna be a good one tonight.”

“Oh yeah, how’s that?” I asked, feigning interest.

He nodded toward the back hallway and got to his feet. “The fight’s between ol’ Ivan and Big John. I have a lot ridin’ on John boy. You ready?”

Eyes wide, I stared at Hank as he helped me out of my seat. Ivan was the name Camden went by at the bar, but Big John? He was burly and huge, probably in his early forties. He outweighed Camden by a hundred pounds or more. I’d watched him take down every single man who tried to fight him, and he definitely didn’t fight by any set of rules. He was the one everyone wanted to fight, but feared.

We started toward the door leading into the darkened hallway. “Whose idea was it for them to fight?” I held my breath so when he spoke, I wouldn’t have to smell the rotten combination of stale cigarettes and halitosis.

“Not too sure. Either way, it’s gonna be one hell of a fight.”

Camden must want to leave the island in style. I had no doubt it was his doing. The door to the back room was old and falling off its hinges. If it wasn’t for the shouts of laughter and lights coming through the cracks in the door, it’d almost look like something you’d see in a horror movie.

Once inside, Hank pulled me to the front where Camden sat in the ring, wrapping his hands. His head was down in concentration, but I’d watched him long enough to know he was hiding. For years, I’d watched him fight, being the cocky bastard that he was, but now he was damaged he wasn’t like that anymore. It was almost as if he was ashamed of his appearance.

“I wonder how he got that scar on his face,” Hank mentioned. Keeping my eyes on Camden, I already knew how he got it. It was hard to feel sorry for him after knowing all the things he’d done, especially to his brother.

“I’d assume in a fight.”

“I know one thing. His a*s is going to get murdered tonight.”

My attention never swayed from Camden, even when Big John walked through the room and entered the ring. A sly smirk tilted up the corner of his lips but he never looked up. “I wouldn’t count on that,” I mumbled.

The people went wild, running toward the ropes with money in their hands. The only thing I gambled on was pool. I was pretty good at it. I never gambled on things I had no control over. Big John circled around the ring, keeping his stony gaze on his target, who didn’t give him the time of day. As soon as Camden finished wrapping his hands, he stood and cracked his neck to both sides. The owner of the bar, a short, rotund man named Phil, waltzed into the center of the ring with his hands raised in the air.

“All right, everyone, calm the f**k down.” As soon as he said it, the crowd hushed. Lowering his hands, he continued, “Tonight we have a special treat. I think you’ve all been waiting for Ivan and Big John to clash. Am I right?”

“Yes,” they all screamed.

“Well, I’m here to give you what you want.” Phil backed out of the ring and acknowledged both fighters. “There are no rules tonight, my friends. Make it good.”

As soon as he was far enough away, Big John lunged and rammed straight into the wall after Camden dodged. His face turned red and he growled, barreling toward him again. This time, Camden moved and side-punched the lug in the nose. I heard a c***k right before it gushed with blood and splattered all over the floor. John might be a big guy, but he wasn’t as fast as Camden. However, it was going to take a lot more than a broken nose to take that brick wall down.

Trying to take him to the floor, Camden lunged for Big John’s midsection and wrapped his arms around his waist. The force knocked him back, but it didn’t take him down. John took the opportunity and rammed his fists into Camden’s ribs, over and over. With there being no rules, it didn’t surprise me when Cam pulled his fist back and punched John straight in the balls. Not just once, but twice. Big John fell to the floor with a loud thud and doubled over, shouting obscenities the whole way down.

I thought Camden would go in for the kill, but he stepped back to catch his breath. Judging by the wince on his face and the way he held his side, I’d say he might’ve cracked some ribs. But once John got to his feet, he went on the strike, his fists knocking the big guy’s head from one side to the other. It was over. Big John had enough and fell to the floor, arms sprawled out to the sides.

The people who gambled on Camden cheered and rushed past the ropes to congratulate him, while the others stood back and sulked. I had to hand it to him, fighting Big John couldn’t have been easy. I’d had my fair share of fights being in law enforcement, and I had to fight dirty too—anything to win. I also knew what it felt like to have broken ribs and fractured bones in my face; it wasn’t fun and it sure as hell didn’t make fighting any easier.

“Well, f**k me,” Hank grumbled. “I just lost fifty dollars.”

Rolling my eyes, I made sure to keep my attention on Camden, who was presently being rubbed up on by two morally questionable women. My job was to keep him safe and he needed it; or at least his wallet did. Every time he’d win a large pot of money, the women would come running. So far on my watch, he’d only been getting action from his hand.

A sick, twisted part of me actually enjoyed watching him suffer. I hated guys who thought they could get any piece of a*s they wanted. It turned out my ex was the same way. Before Camden fell to the bottom he’d been used to getting what he wanted, but now things didn’t come so easy to him.

Although, sometimes I found myself feeling sorry for him. He hardly smiled except for the times he was fighting someone or when he surfed the small waves at the beach. Otherwise, he just looked lost, alone.

“I’ll be right back,” I said to Hank. Not waiting on his reply, I stalked off toward Camden. He was too busy talking to some of the locals to pay attention to the wildebeests he had following him around. Once I got close enough to the busty blonde, I leaned in behind her and whispered in her ear, “I wouldn’t go home with this one if I were you. He’s got crabs. Believe me, I know from experience. The money’s not worth it.”

“Ew . . . what the hell,” she gasped, turning to face me. “Are you serious?”

Nodding, I tried desperately to keep from laughing and brought my hand down to scratch my crotch. “Dead serious. Crabs in exchange for a lousy twenty second f**k wasn’t worth it. I didn’t even get off.”

Her mouth dropped open and she grabbed her friend’s hand, pulling her over. “What’s wrong?” the other girl asked.

“Ivan has crabs,” big t**s whispered. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that s**t. Let’s go find someone else.”

“Ew, neither do I. Come on, let’s get out of here before he notices.”

Once they took off, I snuck away. When Camden finally turned to acknowledge them, he was disappointed to see they weren’t following him. A smile lit my face and I snickered as he stomped out of the bar, pissed. Mission accomplished. One day, he would thank me. But now, I had a harder mission to accomplish. Going home.