Неизвестный - 06. Honor Under Siege

Wozinski rushed toward her. “Commander!”

Cam braced one arm against the desk where the doorman usually sat and gasped, “I’m okay. Get…Stark here.” Her voice cracked and she swallowed against the raw ache that accompanied every breath. Running in the cold air seemed to have exacerbated the swelling 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 calls.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“No one else comes up,” Cam rasped on her way to the elevator. Once inside, she pulled off 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, it’s Cam. I don’t 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 couldn’t see her. “I’m okay, but I took a little bit of a spill.”

“A spill?” Blair pulled against the resistance from the other side, instantly attuned to the hoarseness in Cam’s voice. “Sweetheart?”

Cam leaned against the doorjamb, pale and shivering. “Rough run.”

“There’s blood on your face and neck,” Blair gasped, grasping Cam’s shoulders. When Cam winced, Blair slid her arm down around her waist. “What happened?”

“Oh my God,” Diane exclaimed from across the room. “Should I call an ambulance?”

“No.” Cam struggled not to cough. “I just need to sit down a second.”

“Put some coffee on, would you, Di.” Blair switched on a nearby table lamp. “I’m going to help her get cleaned up.”

“Stark and Savard are on their way. I need to—”

“Be quiet and let me look at you.” Blair framed Cam’s face and studied her eyes, some of her fear dissipating when she saw that they were clear. She gently touched a jagged scrape along the right side of Cam’s jaw. “Where else are you hurt?”

“Bumps and bruises.” Cam tried not to limp as she and Blair started down the hallway to the bedroom. “It’s not serious, baby.”

“What happened?” Blair repeated as soon as they were in the bedroom. She quickly got two large towels from the bathroom and tossed them onto the foot of the bed. Then she gently lifted Cam’s T-shirt and guided it off over her head. After draping one of the towels around Cam’s shoulders, she untied her sweatpants and eased them down and off. “Oh, sweetheart.”

Gently, she brushed her fingertips over the discolored, swollen areas on Cam’s shoulder and hip. “You didn’t fall.”

“Somebody tried to run me down,” Cam said, slowly making her way to the bathroom. “I need to get a fast shower. Stark and Savard should be here in a minute.”

Blair turned on the water, her motions sharp and angry. She needed the anger, because the thought of how much worse it might have been made her want to scream. “Who was it? Did you see?”

“No.” Cam groaned softly as the hot water hit her rapidly stiffening back and hips. “Couldn’t see a thing except headlights.”

“It was deliberate?” Blair ran the towel through her hands over and over, wanting more than ever to hit something. To hurt—no, annihilate—whoever had attempted to kill her lover, to take someone precious from her. The pain of just thinking of it was so huge she shook.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Oh sweetheart, I’m sorry,” Blair whispered. “If you hadn’t been angry with me, you wouldn’t have gone—”

“Bullshit, Blair,” Cam said mildly, stepping out of the shower and accepting the towel Blair held out for her. “Baby, if it was anyone’s fault, it was mine. I wasn’t paying attention, and whoever it was probably followed me from here. I didn’t have my weapon or my phone. Fucking idiot.” Roughly, she toweled her hair until it was dry enough for her to finger comb it back out of her face. “Would you mind grabbing me some jeans and a shirt.”

“Here,” Blair said a moment later. She helped Cam with the buttons and zipper even though Cam didn’t need her to, because she had to do something, other than slam doors and swear. “I’ll get you some ibuprofen too. From the looks of those bruises, you’re going to be sore.”

When Blair started to turn away, Cam gently caught her by the shoulders and stopped her. “I’m okay. You’ve given me a worse thumping in the training ring.”

Blair turned in the circle of Cam’s arms. “I might have bloodied you, but I’ve never tried to hurt you.” She rested her cheek against Cam’s shoulder. “God, I can’t believe someone tried to run you down. I shouldn’t have let you go.”

“I shouldn’t have gone. I’m sorry.”

“I was so pissed off at you for leaving.” Blair was starting to shake as her anger dissipated. “You beat me to it.”

“I’ll make a deal with you. The next time we’re pissed at each other, I won’t walk if you won’t.”

Blair sighed and kissed Cam’s throat. “I guess I have to agree, because I can’t stand it when you’re angry, and it’s even worse when you’re gone.”

“We’re going to have to talk about this with Stark and Savard. Diane too, a little later.”

Blair met Cam’s eyes. “Is this about Valerie?”

“I don’t know, baby. But we have to find out.” She kissed Blair carefully, slowly and tenderly. “Tonight was either a warning or they were just sloppy. Either way, they made a mistake. We’re not waiting for whoever’s out there to try again.” Cam’s eyes hardened. “We’re going after them now.”

Diane placed a cup of coffee on the end table next to Cam and handed another cup to Blair. “There’s more in the kitchen for when the others get here. I’ll be in my room.” Her eyes held an apology as they met Blair’s. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Wait!” Blair caught up to Diane on the way to the guest room. “Are you okay?”

“Me?” Diane shook her head. “Forget about me. Is Cam okay? Are you?”

“She’s banged up, but she’ll be fine.” Blair’s voice trembled and she forced back a surge of anxiety. She squeezed Diane’s hand. “I just wasn’t expecting this here. It shook me for a minute.”

“A minute!” Diane laughed shakily. “I thought I understood what your life was like all these years, but I was wrong. I’ve always loved you for your spirit and courage. Now even more.” She lightly stroked Blair’s cheek. “If I am the cause of any of this because of my relationship with Valerie, I’m leaving. You don’t deserve to have more pain in your life because of your friends.”

“Diane,” Blair said gently. “Shut up.”

Diane paused. “I’m serious.”

“I know, and I love you for it. But you’re not going anywhere right now. I’ll talk to you as soon as I can.”

When she returned to the living room, Cam was just opening the door to Paula and Renée. Blair guessed they had come directly from their shopping trip, because Renée’s dark slacks, pale yellow blouse, and dark green blazer were clearly just out of the package. Paula, in jeans and a navy crewneck sweater, looked worried even before she zeroed in on Cam, and then her eyes widened in alarm and she immediately pivoted toward Blair. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Just Cam was hurt.” Blair stroked Cam’s arm, needing the contact. “Someone tried to run her down.”

“Do you have anything on the vehicle or driver?” Renée asked briskly.

“Nothing on either one,” Cam said in disgust. “I was too busy kissing the pavement.” She sat on the sofa and gestured toward the matching leather chairs opposite her. Blair settled beside her, and Cam briefly squeezed her hand before filling Stark and Savard in on the details of what had happened.