Chapter 6

Needing to stand up, Cameron shifted on the bed until her feet dangled. Pain seemed to radiate from every muscle and…she winced, hell…every bone.

“Hey now,” Jon implored as he stood up to help her. “Maybe we shouldn’t try to stand up yet.”

“I need to make sure I’m mobile. I need to get out of here today,” she said and stepped onto the icy hardwood floor and grabbed onto the closest thing as her knees buckled beneath her. “Shit,” she whispered as she hung off his shoulders.

“God save me from stubborn women,” he muttered and swung her up into his arms. “Maybe we should try something a little smaller like sitting up and getting some food into you?”

She blushed and her bladder made itself known. “I need,” she cleared her throat and hooked her arm around his neck for stability. Christ, she was beyond embarrassed. “I need to use the facilities,” she said with gritted teeth.

His lip curled up in the corner in a half smirk. “Think you can do it yourself?”

“Doesn’t matter if I fall on my face in there, I’m peeing on my own,” she said darkly.

His head tipped back and he laughed. “You are something else, Sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that,” she groused.

“What? Sweetheart?” his ever changing blue eyes zeroed in on hers and his smile slowly faded.

“I’m not your sweetheart,” she said and turned her gaze to the room.

“Well, let’s get you into the bathroom, huh, Cameron?”

“Cam,” she corrected. She’d never like the sound of her full name again. She should have changed her first name instead of just her last when she’d bought her new identity, but the guy had said to keep things as close to her real self so she wouldn’t get caught up in a lie. That’s what she would be, forever a lie.

His eyes went from friendly to intense as he said her name. “Cam. I won’t forget.”

He started walking to the bathroom and she squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be difficult. I just-“

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Swe—“ he stopped and corrected himself. “Cam. If I had to go through what you did and the simplest thing you wanted from me is to say your name a certain way then you got it.”

Her eyes closed and hopelessness crashed in like a Summer storm, strong and fierce. She hated that she was so touchy. She used to be so easy going. Would there be no end to how Lucas’ actions would affect her? He lowered her gently and his hand slid over exposed skin along her back as he righted her into a standing position.

Her eyes snapped open as she looked up at him and she saw the flare of awareness in his eyes just before it was banked back into that eerily cool blue that had no discernible color name. He tugged down her shirt and let her lean on him. “Your bandages are going to need to be changed,” he said quietly.

“I’ll take care of it.”

His jaw clicked as he eased her into the bathroom and transferred her hands from his chest to the vanity. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I’ll be fine.” She leaned heavily on the vanity feeling every aching muscle in her torn legs until she wanted to scream with it, but at least she felt the pain. Pain meant she was alive. She pushed the door shut until it came into contact with his hand.

“Cam, you’ve got to trust someone.”

She didn’t say anything, just closed the door as he stepped back. She pressed her forehead to the door and willed back the hopeless tears that were forever threatening. It took a helluva lot out of her to even just get to the toilet and take care of business. She saw the tube of whitening toothpaste on the counter and snagged a washcloth from the rack above the john and cleaned her mouth.

She looked like shit. Dark circles dug deep under her eyes and her cheeks had hollowed out with the stress of the last month of running. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a meal that didn’t include a burger or a sandwich after a number on a menu. That was when she remembered to eat.

His t-shirt was a bit big on her and hung low on her neck exposing the angry pink line of her scar. It was a rare thing for her to actually look at it. She avoided mirrors until after she pulled a turtleneck on. She specifically looked away from it and focused on the disaster zone of a hairdo she was sporting.

She picked around in his travel kit and found a small rubber band and scraped her gold hair back. She’d tinted it a darker blonde when she’d started running, not quite able to die it the dark brown she should have gone with.

She opened the door and Jon quickly walked back across the room from the window. “Looks like,” he paused and took in her slightly groomed self with a half smile. “The snow still hasn’t let up.”

“Snow?” she asked sharply.

“Yeah, I know, last week of October and we’ve already got snow. Gotta love the Northeast.”

“No I don’t gotta nuthin’,” she said with a touch of panic. She swore as the world spun and she had to lean on him again. “Goddamn it,” she snarled and grabbed his shoulder.

“Take it easy, Cam.”

“I can’t take it easy. I need to get moving today.”

“Well unfortunately,” he groaned as she dragged him with her across the room. She hobbled with his help until she could see the large picture window with her own eyes. “Mother nature is not cooperating.”

“Shit,” she muttered and stared out at the endless snow dotting the normally picturesque Adirondacks. The lake looked cold and grey as the snow came down in huge, fluffy flakes. The only good thing about the snow, was that it would slow Lucas down a bit too.

Maybe.

“I guess I have time for that food after all,” she said with a sigh.