Bender (14 page)

“What did you say?” Luke’s voice was low and threatening.

Camden looked up from his cooking bacon and stared directly at Luke. “I said, how nice, doing the walk of shame.”

“Shut up, Camden,” I hissed.

He didn’t even look at me. Luke’s body was tense. I wanted nothing more than to shove him out the front door and deal with this on my own. My face was enflamed, and I hated that not only was one Brooks brother here to witness my overnight guest leaving, but there were
two
of them. And now the macho pig, Camden, couldn’t bother keeping his mouth shut?

Wonderful.

Luke attempted to shrug it off in his casual easygoing way. “Yeah well, not all of us can be so lucky to be with someone like Keegan.”

I looked up at him and smiled. That was a sweet thing to say.

Camden’s nostrils flared. Did we hit a sore spot? He grunted and said, “Keep on walking Luke. Maybe you’ll get lucky, and she’ll open her legs for you again sometime.”

Ouch, talk about a dagger to the gut.
That was all it took. Luke lunged toward Camden, and Dodger jumped between them. He pushed Luke back before he was able to land any solid hits on his brother. I was standing there shaking like a leaf. Not from being cold or scared, but because I was furious. I couldn’t believe that Camden would say something so hateful. Out of everything that’d come out of his mouth in the past month and a half, that was the worst. He made me sound like I was easy, like I was just like every other girl that he brought home. Luke was the first guy I’d brought into this apartment.
How dare he make me feel like a slut when he was the one carting women in here by the truckload?

Dodger was seething too. He glared at his brother and said, “What the fuck Camden? Since when do you talk about women like that? Keegan is a good girl, and you know it.”

Camden brushed off his comment and stood tall, his muscles bulging like he was flexing. The look on his face screamed that he wanted this fight. He was begging for it.

Luke leaned in as close as Dodger would allow, and he pointed his finger in Camden’s face. “You ever talk about her like that again, you’ll be lucky if you wake up in a hospital bed. I see the way you look at her. We’re not blind. You want her. She’s not like anyone else you’ve ever been with, and it’s driving you mad that you can’t have her. So you treat her like shit because you don’t know how to deal with it.” Camden actually growled. “Here’s what’s going to happen, you so much as look at her wrong or say something hurtful to her again, and I’m coming for you, Brooks. There’s no question about it.” Luke straightened his shoulders, rolling them to loosen some tension. He looked over at me, his eyes softening. He mouthed the words,
I’m sorry,
before making his way to the door.

I stood there in shock. My emotions rolled around from hurt and extreme anger, to pity and confusion. I couldn’t even process what Luke had just spewed. Never had Camden indicated that he was into me… right? I wanted to march up to him and slap him across the face for being so ugly to me. And for some odd reason, I wanted to do the same to Luke, but that was because I didn’t like the way he threatened Camden.
Holy moly what a weird way to feel
. I should be thanking him for standing up for me. I really needed to sort out my emotions. I shook my head and looked at Luke who was heading for the door.

“I’ll call you later Keegan. Oh and Camden, why don’t you buy your roommate some fucking decent furniture. I can’t believe you’d let a woman sleep on an air mattress for a month and not at least help. You’re a real piece of shit.” He walked out the door, slamming it. The sound startled me.

Swallowing hard, I timidly looked over at Camden. I noticed that his eyes went from confused to angry in less than a few seconds. Oh no… why did Luke tell him that? Camden shook Dodger off of him and took a step toward me.

“What’s he talking about?” I kept my eyes on the ground. I could feel the anger emanating across the short space. “I said, what the
fuck
is he talking about?” I stilled at the clipped tone of his voice.

“Cam… chill out, you’re scaring her.”

Camden turned and started taking the stairs two at a time. Something in me snapped to attention. Shit he was going to my room. I didn’t want him in my personal space. It was private, and he didn’t deserve to see it. I started moving forward to chase after him. Dodger was hot on my heels. When I reached the top step, I saw Camden heave one quick shoulder into my door and break the lock. When he stood back up, I saw the look on his face. It was pure rage.

Oh. Shit.

I
DIDN
’
T
KNOW
WHAT
CAME
OVER
ME
when I saw him standing in the doorway. All I knew was that I didn’t want him in here, and I was willing to do anything to move this mountain of a man. I went at him full speed, and I flung myself onto his back. I expected him to stumble forward or take a steadying step, something, but he didn’t move. Not even a little bit. As for me, I felt like I’d run into a cement wall. I made an ‘oof’ sound when my stomach hit his back. My arms were wrapped around his neck, and my legs were locked around his waist. My weight wasn’t exerting him in the slightest.
Seriously, shouldn’t his knees be buckling under the pressure?
It infuriated me that he came in here without my permission. Not only did he break my brand new lock, but I was feeling so violated that I was on the verge of tears.

“Get out,” I tried growling in his ear, but it came out garbled and weak.

I saw him shaking his head back and forth. Not being able to see his face wasn’t doing anything for me, nor was clinging to him like a monkey. Releasing him, I slid down his back and moved to stand in front of him. Maybe I could try and block him from seeing more than he already had. Oh who was I kidding? Standing in front of him, he could easily see over the top of my head. I took in how rigid he was. Camden’s eyes roamed the nearly empty space. Not but a few seconds ago, he looked so pissed his veins were bulging from his neck, and his jaw was mashed together. Now his expression just looked… defeated. I didn’t understand it.

He swallowed, and I followed the movement of his Adam’s apple. “Why don’t you have furniture, Blue?” His voice was quiet.

“I just don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t, okay?”

That was when he tore his eyes away from my room and looked at me. Like,
really
looked at me. I felt so small standing here with him towering over me and no means to defend myself. Not in a physical way but an emotional one. Those eyes held me in a way I’d never felt. He made me feel like I was falling into the depths of him, and as much as I tried to claw my way out, he wouldn’t release me. I brought my arms up to wrap around my middle. He followed my movement. It was as if I were exposed to the one person who I didn’t want to pass judgment on me. For whatever reason it mattered, coming from him, it mattered to me. In no way, shape, or form was I ready to analyze why. The way his eyes pierced mine, it was like he was seeing through me. It unnerved me.

He shook his head again. “No, it’s not okay.”

“I don’t understand why it matters?”

Camden reached up and ran a hand through his hair. “Because it does.”

Sometimes it was so exasperating to talk to him. He was always so short with me, and this was no different. I needed him to explain to me why he looked so upset. I wanted to know why he behaved the way that he did toward me, why he said what he did to Luke. Why he couldn’t just act the same way that his brother did. Speaking of which, where did Dodger go?

“That’s not a reason, Camden. I want to know why.”

Those deep russet eyes burned into mine. “Because you’re my roommate, and a chick, and you shouldn’t be in a room that’s bare.”

I shook my head angrily. Not far from stomping my foot at him I fumed, “No, not good enough.
What’s
the big deal
if I don’t have these things? I don’t care that I’m a girl, or that I’m your roommate. I want to know
why
it matters to
you
?”

He took a step forward, so I took one back. When he saw I wouldn’t let him any closer he mumbled something under his breath, scrubbing his hand down his face.

“Hmmm? What’s that?” I pried.

Camden put his hands on his hips and glared at me. I knew whatever was coming was going to be a blow so I braced myself, straightening my back and standing tall. “You matter, okay? You fucking matter. You’re more than just a chick, you’re more than a roommate. You’re kind, and you care about people. You have put up with my bullshit since the day you moved in here, and I’ve slung a lot of it. I keep waiting for you to break, and yet you don’t. You jut your little chin out and deal. So yeah, it fucking matters to me that you are sleeping on a goddamn air mattress, and not the softest bed that money can buy. It pisses me right the fuck off, Keegan. You deserve more.”

Holy…what? I was breathing hard and so was he. The intensity of his eyes deepened, and it was more than I could handle. I turned my face away and took a deep breath. Where did I begin processing all of that? I mattered to him? Since when? The man barely gave me the time of day, let alone acted like he cared. I figured I could get run over by a semi and he’d be the dude on the side of the road videotaping it instead of calling 911. That was how much stock I put into my relationship with Camden. Hearing him say I deserved more felt like my undoing. I began walking forward, when I felt him step up behind me. Shivers broke out over my skin at his nearness, and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly.
Block him out, Keegan
. When his hand came up and rested on the spot between my shoulder and neck I jumped, my eyes flying open. His hard callused fingers brushed across the bare exposed skin. I knew he knew what he was doing. His touch was so gentle and unwelcome, yet I found my body leaning back into him for more.

“Don’t walk away from me, Blue.” He was speaking very subtly but firm.

“What am I supposed to do with that?” I continued to stare straight ahead at the white walls. “You’ve treated me a certain way since I have moved in here, and now you’re telling me that I matter? I don’t even know what to say to that.”

He leaned down so that his face was only inches away. I felt the heat of his breath blow across the shell of my ear. “This can’t stay this way. I won’t let it.”

What was he talking about? Was he referring to the room? “I don’t understand,” I responded in confusion.

He didn’t even reply. When my room remained quiet for a beat too long, I turned around, and he was gone. That was weird, I still felt him at my back. It was as if the sensation of him was seared into my skin, and the feel of him continued to linger. I sighed loudly. This was too much. All of it was too much. I had no desire to try and break down what just happened. But I knew someone who would. I needed to call my best friend and tell her that this was an emergency. I swear every hair on my body was still standing on end, and my heart had yet to settle down. Macie would know what was going on. She had to. She knew boy code. Was this Camden’s weird way of giving me an olive branch? I heard someone moving around downstairs, and I stiffened.

“Keeg?” Dodger yelled upstairs.

I visibly relaxed at his voice. Maybe he’d know what just happened. I stepped out of my room and up to the banister that overlooked the living room.

“Yeah?” I squeaked.

“Hey, I need to take off. Shit to do and all that.”

I swallowed, unsure how to ask. But mostly because I felt stupid talking to Camden’s brother about it. “Dodger, can you tell me why—”

Holding his hand up, his black hair moving back and forth, he said, “No. You’re doing this one on your own. Cam just left, and I’m not getting in the middle of it.”

My mouth dropped open. “But I just want to—”

He looked up at me with his piercing blue eyes, and firmly repeated, “I said no. I love you, but this is between you two.”

I tipped my head down in understanding. “K.” I stood there and watched him grab his keys and shut the front door behind him. My lower lip quivered, and I just wanted to crawl back in bed and pretend that everything that happened this morning would go away. Could I have a do over day, pretty please? Shaking myself out of my stupor, I went back to my room and phoned Macie. We set up a time to meet. She didn’t seem at all concerned when I gave her the condensed rundown. She simply said, “We’re skipping lunch and going straight to the chocolate cake.” I was cool with that. And frankly my thighs would appreciate a little loving at the moment.