Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

grabbed a windbreaker, and stalked through the living room and

out the door. She didnt bother with the elevator, but descended

the stairs two at a time. When she shouldered through the door

into the lobby, she didnt even slow down as she passed

Wozinski, who stared at her in surprise. “If Egret goes out,

dont lose her. If you do, youll answer to me.

“Yes maam, Wozinski said smartly.

* * * * *

Diane turned to Blair at the sound of the door slamming.

“What happened?

Blair drained her wine glass and refi l ed it.

“Nothing.

“It didnt sound like nothing. Diane turned off the burner

and picked up her own glass. “Are you fi ghting about me?

“No, Blair snapped. “Were fi ghting about what weve

always fought about.

“And whats that?

“Cams goddamn job and the fact that she still wants to keep

me tucked away somewhere. Safe and sound like some exotic

animal in a fucking gilded cage.

“She loves you.

“Thats not the point.

“Of course it is.

“I thought we were past this, Blair said

sadly.

Diane picked up the bottle and her wine glass and gestured toward

the living room. “Lets talk.

“I dont want to talk. Lets drink wine

instead.

“Lets do both. Diane tucked the bot le under one arm and wrapped the

other around Blairs waist. “Were too old to drown our sorrows. I

always feel like crap the next morning.

“Are we too old to pick up strange girls in bars, too? Blair said as she

walked with Diane to the sofa.

“Sadly, I think we might be. Diane stood the bot le on the end table next

to the sofa and set led into the corner. The drapes were open, the room

lights of , the city aglow outside. “Is that what you want to do?

Blair curled up next to Diane, their shoulders lightly touching. “When

Im this angry, fucking someone keeps me from punching wal s.

“Not always. I seem to remember a couple of dents in our dorm room

door, way back when.

Blair smiled thinly. “I wasnt as accomplished at picking up girls

back then.

“If you want to go out, Diane said calmly, “Il go with you. If you want

to fi nd a stranger to fuck your anger away on, Il watch your back.

“I cant, Blair said softly. “Goddamn her. I

cant.

Diane eased an arm around Blairs shoulders, drew her close, and

kissed her cheek. “Then lets have some wine.

Blair closed her eyes and tried not to think about how desolate she felt

when

Cam walked out the

door.

Chapter Ten

C am ran, barely registering the driving rain as she pounded south

toward the lights of Union Station. Her windbreaker had no hood, but

she didnt mind the cold water whipping her face and barely registered

the steady trickle down her col ar, soaking her T-shirt. For the first few

blocks, she ran through the nearly deserted streets without thinking, her

mind hazy with anger and an undercurrent of sick fear. She hadnt been

an investigator for more than a dozen years without learning how to

ask questions that left no room for evasion.

Tell me that whatever went on between Diane and Valerie didnt

happen anywhere near you.

Blair hadnt answered, because Blair wouldnt lie to her. And that was

answer enough. It angered her that Blair would keep something like this

from her, but even more it frightened her that Valerie had somehow

made contact and Blairs security team hadnt detected it. Because if

Stark had known, she would have informed Cam immediately. Cam

was certain of that. The ramifications of the scenario were blood-chil

ingly clearif Valerie was a target and someone tried to take her out of

the picture when she was anywhere near Blair, Blair could become

col ateral damage. Blair had been unprotected. Blair had been

vulnerable.

Cams stomach rebel ed at the images her mind projected in a relentless

streama glimmer of movement on a rooftop before a bul et tore into her

chest, a vehicle exploding into a lethal inferno, a firestorm of smoke

and death outside the Aerie. Each time, Blair as the target.

“Goddamn it, she seethed. She felt as if she were always one step behind.

How much longer could her luck hold up? How much longer could

Blairs? Sooner or later, Blair would be caught in someones crossfire,

and Cam couldnt let that happen. The thought was beyond anything

she could even al ow into her consciousness. Blair would just have

to understand that her safety was more important than her freedom.

Cam squinted in the steady downpour as she approached an

intersection and automatical y glanced to her right as she started across

with the light. Headlights shimmered through a curtain of water halfway

up the block, and it wasnt until she was in the middle of the street

that she registered the sound of an engine accelerating. She looked

right again and dove toward the far sidewalk as a vehicle barreled

down on her. The next instant something solid grazed her right hip and

she was airborne. She crashed down, rol ing out of her fal as best she

could while reaching for her weapon. Stunned by the impact, it took

her a second to remember she didnt have her weapon or her cel phone

or even her wal et. Like an idiot, shed left the apartment with nothing

but the clothes on her back. When she pushed herself to her knees,

the vehicle had disappeared around the corner.

Stif ly, she got to her feet and swayed for a minute until she got her

balance. It al happened so quickly, she could almost believe it hadnt

happened except for the throbbing in her right shoulder and hip,

which had taken the worst of the glancing blow. When she swiped at

the moisture on her face she saw a streak of blood on her hand. She

ignored it, thinking she must have scraped her hand when she hit the

ground. Ignoring the pain shooting through her right side, she turned

back the way shed come and ran as fast as she could. By the time she

reached her building and shoved through the glass doors into the lobby,

she was gasping for breath and staggering from a cramp in her side.

Wozinski

rushed

toward

her.

“Commander!

Cam braced one arm against the desk where the doorman usual y sat

and gasped, “Im okay. GetStark here. Her voice cracked and she

swal owed

against the raw ache that accompanied every breath. Running in the

cold air seemed to have exacerbated the swel ing in her injured throat.

“Savard, too. She glanced toward the elevators, almost terrified to ask.

“Egret?

“Upstairs,

Commander.

The relief was so intense her legs nearly buckled, but she waved

Wozinski away when he took another step toward her. “Just winded.

Make the cal s.

“Yes

maam.

“No one else comes up, Cam rasped on her way to the elevator. Once

inside, she pul ed of her windbreaker and mopped up some of the water

and grit from her hair and face. Glancing down as she crossed the foyer,

she realized the right knee of her sweatpants was torn out. Grimacing,

she tapped on her door. “Blair? Blair, its Cam. I dont have my keys.

After a moment, Cam heard the sound of footsteps approaching. As soon

as the door started to open, she held onto the handle so Blair couldnt

see her. “Im okay, but I took a lit le bit of a spil .

“A spil ? Blair pul ed against the resistance from the other side,

instantly attuned to the hoarseness in Cams voice. “Sweetheart?