Honor Under Siege

Cam removed the rest of her clothes, turned of the light, and got into

bed. She turned on her side and circled Blair with one arm, easing

close to her in the dark. “You should go back to Whitley Point for a

while. Take Diane.

“Turn the light on.

Wordlessly, Cam

complied.

“Go back to Whitley Point and stay out of the way? Blair asked

edgily.

“I dont believe I said that. Cam traced a fi ngertip along the rigid arc of

Blairs jaw. “I was thinking that twenty-four hours ago you almost

looked relaxed. She smoothed her thumb over the crest of Blairs

cheekbone. “Now youre looking a lit le weary.

Blair snatched Cams hand away from her face and bit her thumb hard

enough to make Cam wince. “Dont try to distract me with your slick

moves.

“Ow.

“Let me guess what youre going to be doing while Im painting pret y

pictures on a remote island. And Diane is doingcross-stitch.

Cam smothered a grin. Blair had been pale moments before. Now she

was fl ushed and her eyes were bright. Anger looked good on her, but

then, it always

had.

“Youl be playing super sleuth in Washington or New York or God

knows where, chasing down maniacs who would be happy to kil you,

and themselves, and anyone in the vicinity. Blair pushed at Cams

shoulder. “I already know youre going to take my fathers of er. Just

what else do you have planned?

“Im not sure. Ive been out of the intel loop since the raid. Ive got to

assemble a team and do some catching up. Cam risked diving in for a

quick kiss. “And its possible Il need to travel.

Blair sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. “Where? And dont

you dare say anywhere in the Middle East. She focused on Cam, her

face set. “I mean it. If someone has to go there, fi ne. Thats why we

have the CIA and al the other spies. She fi sted her hands so tightly Cam

thought her fi ngers must be get ing numb. “Ive never asked you not to

do something, Cameron. But Im asking this.

“Thats not where I meant, Cam said, prying Blairs clenched hands

open and clasping her fi ngers. “I was thinking Paris.

“Paris? Blair echoed.

“Why?

“Because Foster made more than a few trips there in the ten months

before the assault on you. Maybe theres a connection. Cam shrugged,

frustrated. “I dont know. Thats the problemnone of us know,

because none of us expected anything like what happened.

“Do you think Valeries in

Paris?

“Valerie? Cam circled Blairs shoulders and tugged her down onto the

bed. She stroked Blairs hair even though she could feel Blair resist her

caress. This wasnt anger. This was fear. Fear and something else she

couldnt quite get a sense of. “I suppose its possible. She knows as much

as I know about what happened in

the at ack at the Aerie and who might be behind it. Thats part of the

problem. Shes knows as much as I do, or more, and shes one step

ahead of us.

“Youre taking this assignment with OHS to fi nd Valerie, arent

you? Blair asked.

“No, Cam said. “Im taking this assignment because Stark doesnt need

me, and neither do you, not professional y. And theres no way Im

going back to providing security for presidential hopefuls or visiting

diplomats, and Im sure as hel not going to chase bad money, even if it

is funding drug cartels. There are bigger threats than drugs to worry

about now.

“And of course, you want to go after the biggest and baddest. Blair rol

ed on top of Cam and braced herself on her elbows. She very gently

touched Cams face. “Im surprised youre not in the military. Youre such

a patriot.

Cam smiled and kissed the tips of Blairs fi ngers. “I thought about it when

I was younger, but I dont take orders al that wel . At Blairs snort of

derision, she shook her head. “No, I dont. Not real y. I understand the

chain of command and I respect it. But I need the freedom to cal my

own shots in my day-to-day work.

“You avoided my question about Valerie. You do want to fi nd her, dont

you? Blair was aware of treading careful y. She did want to know what

Cam planned to do. As much as Cam could tel her. Cam was her lover,

and she needed to know what mat ered to her, what drove herwhat

danger she would put herself in and why. But she didnt want anything

that Cam might tel her to be an unwitting betrayal of their trust.

“I want to fi nd her, Cam agreed, “and I need to fi nd her. Shes either in

danger or a potential danger to others. Either way, shes not safe out there

alone.

“Im not going to use Diane to help you. Blair didnt know why she was

surprised that the words came so easily. There had never been any doubt

about what she

would do. Or wouldnt

do.

Blair started to sit up, but Cam held her close. “I never thought that you

would. You know I wouldnt ask you to, right?

Silently,

Blair

nodded.

“But just hear me out,

okay?

“You might not ask me to, but you might want me to. Blair rested her

head on