Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

The man on the front porch smiled at her, but instead of putting her at ease, the gesture sent chills down her spine. There was a hostility in his eyes that made every nerve ending prickle with apprehension. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Before she could react, he he lunged toward her, his hands closing around her throat. The clipboard she'd been holding hit the ground at her feet as she tried to scream, but no sound came out. His grip tightened, and her vision blurred, black spots dancing before her eyes. She grabbed at his hands, scratching at his forearms, kicking and twisting in his grasp, but his hold was like a vise. Fear and desperation surged through her. She couldn't give up—she had to fight.

One hand loosened momentarily, and she dragged in much-needed oxygen, dimly aware of Ainsley calling her name.

Oh, God. Ainsley. She opened her mouth to call out a warning just as the man's arm swung in a wide arc and something hard slammed into her. Pain exploded over her face, the aftershock so intense her teeth rattled.

She wavered on her feet, then lost the ability to stay upright. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. The last thing she saw before everything went black were his cold, dark eyes staring into hers.

Kinley jerked upright, eyes flying open wide as she dragged in a gasping breath. Her heart pounded frantically in her chest, and she clutched the sheets, her body drenched in sweat.

"Kins?"

She snapped her head toward her left, and her lungs seized up at the sight of the man in the corner. So deeply entranced in the dream, it took a moment for her mind to reconcile what she was truly seeing.

Cam sat in a chair next to the bed, his blond hair tousled, dark circles ringing his eyes. He looked exhausted, but his gaze sharpened with concern as he studied her.

"Hey. Are you okay?" he asked, his voice raspy and rough with sleep.

She took a few deep breaths, but the dream lingered, the memory of the attack replaying vividly in her mind. Everything had happened so fast; by the time she'd suspected something was wrong, the man had been inside the house, already moving toward her, wrapping his hands around her throat, squeezing until her lungs ached…

Goosebumps sprouted over her skin at the memory. "I... It was just a nightmare."

"Joel?" Cam leaned forward, his eyes never leaving her face.

Her lungs still felt tight, breathless from fear, and the words jammed in her throat. She swallowed hard and managed a small nod, though her hands still trembled.

He reached out, taking her hand in his and giving her a gentle squeeze. "You're safe, Kins. I'm right here."

Her heart rate finally began to return to normal, and she drew in a fortifying breath before speaking. "It felt so real. Like it was happening all over again."

He nodded. "I know how that feels. Your mind is still trying to process everything."

The claws of fear clutching at her throat began to loosen, and she swallowed hard. Tossing a look at the clock, she realized it was still early. She turned back to Cam. "When did you get here?"

"Last night."

Her eyes widened. "You were here all night?"

No wonder he looked dead on his feet. She hadn't seen him all day yesterday, and she hadn't expected to for quite a few days yet. A young local woman, Lindsey Gill, had been abducted from her home under mysterious circumstances the same day Joel had attacked Kinley and her sister. As far as she knew, there had been no update in the woman's case. "I thought you'd be at work already."

"Not yet." He shook his head. "I'll have to leave soon, but I wanted to see you first."

She studied him, acutely aware of the fatigue and frustration that had carved fine lines into the corners of his eyes and mouth. "Any word yet?"

"No." He grimaced. "We've been working round the clock, but…"

He trailed off, and guilt pricked her conscience. "If you need to go…"

"Not yet." He shook his head. "You were asleep when I got here last night, so I stayed the night, hoping to see you this morning before I headed back in."

"I'm glad you're here," she admitted quietly.

"Me, too." Cam stood and slid onto the bed next to her, careful not to jostle her too much. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into his side.

Ever since the attack, he had been more protective, checking in with her frequently to make sure she was safe and still feeling okay. She tipped her head against his chest, closing her eyes and breathing in his familiar scent. He was so solid and warm, and just having him next to her calmed her heart and mind. It felt so good to lie here, just like this. Maybe too good.

As she lay there in his arms, a sense of shame crept over her. Cam was her best friend. She was grateful for her family and friends who had stopped by, but the person she most wanted to see was Cam. He'd been such an important part of her life for the past several years, and the incident with Joel had put a lot of things into perspective for her.

She'd always admired Cam; he was everything she could want in a man: loyal, protective, caring. But she shouldn't be feeling this way, shouldn't be reveling in the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her.

It must be hero worship. She didn't have a boyfriend anymore, not since the messy breakup with Ted, and she was glad she could rely on Cam in ways she couldn't rely on anyone else.

Was it wrong of her to feel that way? Cam didn't have a girlfriend, so it wasn't like she was taking him away from another woman. If he wanted to be here with her, then who was she to argue? It was completely normal for friends to support one another, to be there when one of them needed help. Wasn't it?

Her mind was a jumbled mess, and the past couple of days felt like a rollercoaster of volatile emotions. She rubbed her temples, feeling another headache coming on. She just needed some time to sort everything out. Surely, the feelings would go away once things went back to normal, once the danger was past and life resumed its usual rhythm. She was feeling especially vulnerable right now, and Cam was there for her, like always. She had nothing to feel guilty for.

Tamping down the negative thoughts and insecurities, she allowed herself to sink deeper into the comfort of his embrace. It was easier to just enjoy the moment, to let herself be held and cared for. It would end all too soon, and things would go back to the way they'd always been.

"Are you okay?" Cam's voice was a low murmur, his breath warm against her temple.

She nodded, nestling closer. "I am now."

He tightened his arm around her, his fingers gently stroking her shoulder. "I'm always here for you, Kins. You know that, right?"

"I know," she replied, her voice soft. "And I really am glad you're here. More than you know."

He tipped his head so his cheek rested on the top of her head. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

She shook her head, feeling the stubble of his five o' clock shadow catch in the strands of her hair. "Not at all."

"How's your head feeling?"

She closed her eyes. "The headache is still there, but the medicine's been helping."

He nodded, then lapsed into silence. They lay there for a while, the constant activity of the hospital a soft hum that filtered through the door. Kinley's thoughts drifted, her body relaxing as she felt the steady rise and fall of Cam's chest beneath her cheek.

The moment was shattered all too soon when Cam's alarm began to beep. He tapped his phone to turn it off and let out a hefty sigh. "I should get going."

Kinley reluctantly pulled away, and the familiar sense of guilt washed over her. She was taking up far too much of his time and attention. "Of course."

He swiveled his head to face her but didn't make any attempt to get out of bed. "You sure you'll be okay?"

Kinley felt a rush of emotion at his words. The expression on his face made it obvious that he didn't want to leave. "I'll be fine," she said, trying to reassure him. "You need to go find Lindsey. Besides, Ainsley said she'd be stopping by this morning, so she should be here in a bit."

Cam studied her for a moment before sliding off the bed. "I can stay 'til she gets here."

She forced a smile. She couldn't monopolize his time more than she already had. "You should go. Really," she said at his dubious look. She cocked a teasing brow his way. "How much trouble can I get into here?"

He narrowed his gaze at her. "I want you to promise me you'll call if anything happens. Anything at all."

"I promise," she said, a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "And thank you. For everything."

He nodded, still looking torn. "I'll check in on you later, okay?"

Kinley nodded, giving him a small smile. "Be safe. Go find Lindsey and bring her home."

"I'll do my best." He stared her for another long moment before taking a step toward the door. "I'll be back later."

The door swung inward, and a moment later Ainsley appeared in the space. She flashed him a bright smile. "Morning."

"Hey." Cam pulled her in for a quick one-armed hug. "Glad to see you up and about."

"I'm better, thanks." Ainsley tipped her head toward Kinley. "You keeping her in line?"

"Never. You know what a troublemaker she is." Kinley rolled her eyes as he flashed a quick grin. "I was actually just leaving, so she's all yours now."

Ainsley grinned. "I'll see what I can do."

He threw a wink her way, then nodded at Kinley. "See you later."

Kinley leaned back against the pillows, a faint smile tugging at her lips as her sister drifted closer. "Hey, Ains."

"Hey, yourself," Ainsley replied, her voice bright and bubbly. She plopped down in the chair beside the bed and ran her gaze over Kinley from head to toe. "How are you feeling today?"

Kinley studied her sister, suspicion tugging at the fringes of her mind. Even before Ainsley's relationship with her abusive ex-boyfriend, Kinley couldn't remember seeing her sister this... happy. She attributed some of it to Dare, Ainsley's new boyfriend, but something else was going on.

"Not nearly as good as you, apparently."

Kinley cocked an eyebrow at her sister, and Ainsley let out a tinkling laugh. "Is it that obvious?"

"Um… yeah." She stared at her older sister, completely flummoxed. Ainsley was always the reserved one of the family. Kinley could count on one hand the number of times she'd seen her this excited.

Her gaze narrowed as she studied Ainsley. "What's going on?"

"Same as usual." Ainsley lifted one shoulder, her pretty blue eyes locked on Kinley. "How about you? How's your head?"

She rolled her eyes. "I have fourteen stitches and the headache from hell, so cut the crap and just spill it already."

Ainsley's brows drew together. "I'm sorry, I?—"

"Ainsley!" An exasperated huff fell from her lips. "Seriously. I'm fine. Just tell me already."

"Are you sure?"

Kinley glared at her, and Ainsley popped up from her chair, her petite form practically vibrating with energy as she settled on the edge of the bed. "If you're sure…"

"I am." She eyed her sister. "What's going on?

"I know it seems crazy, but…" Her lips curled up in a smile that took over her whole face. "Dare and I decided that… Well, we're getting married!"

Kinley blinked, her jaw practically hitting her chest as it fell open. "But you two haven't known each other that long!"

"I know," Ainsley said quickly, her teeth cutting into her lower lip. "But he makes me so happy, Kinley. Happier than I've ever been."

Shock clung to her as Kinley studied her sister. If there was anyone who deserved to be happy, it was Ainsley. She'd been through so much recently and Dare had been her savior, in more ways than one. Still… It was awfully fast, wasn't it? How did someone fall in love in such a short period of time?

"Do you love him?"

"I do." Ainsley's face softened. "I can't imagine life without him. He's nothing like…" She trailed off and swallowed hard at the mention of her ex-boyfriend. "He loves me, too."

Old insecurities played over her sister's face, and Kinley's heart twisted. Who was she to judge their relationship? Dare obviously adored her, and she was crazy about him. As long as Ainsley was happy, that was all that mattered.

Kinley smiled. "I'm happy for you, Ains. Really, I am. This is amazing."

"Thank you," Ainsley said, her eyes glistening with happy tears.

"I mean it." Kinley grabbed Ainsley's hands and squeezed. "You've been through so much—both of you have. You deserve this."

Ainsley smiled, her eyes dreamy and soft. "It's funny in a way. I was so scared of him at first, but…" She shrugged one shoulder. "He's so good to me."

Kinley could attest to that. She'd known from the moment she'd seen the two of them together that they were a perfect match. "When did he propose?"

"Yesterday." Ainsley's cheeks flushed bright pink. "But… there's more."

"More?" Kinley lifted a brow, and Ainsley's blush intensified.

"Well, Dare and I were talking, and… I think we need something to look forward to. So we're planning to have an engagement party in two weeks."

Kinley let out a little laugh. "Well, it sounds like you have a lot to do in a short amount of time."

"It's going to be a small gathering at our place by the lake. Just close family and friends." Ainsley bit her lip. "I know it's a lot to ask, and feel free to say no, but… I was wondering if you'd be interesting in helping me plan everything."

Kinley squeezed her hands. "Ains, I would love to help you."

Honestly, though she was still shocked by the news, she was glad to have something like this to focus on. The last thing she wanted was to go back to her house—the place where she and Ainsley had been attacked—and be alone day after day. Ainsley's wedding would be a welcome distraction.

Ainsley nodded, her eyes twinkling. "Perfect. I can't imagine doing this without you."

"Of course, Ains. You can count on me." Kinley's heart swelled with love for her sister. "Let's make it the best wedding ever."