| Part 4 "Cam ... CAM! Get your foot off the clutch!" Dom rubbed at his forehead and tried to hide the smile that pulled at his lips. Teaching Cameron to drive the Camaro was turning into a bigger job than he'd thought. He WOULD be replacing the mangled clutch. He winced hearing her grind the gears and then braced his hand against the dash as she threw the car into park. "I can't do this." She shook her head, pushing out of the driver's side door. The sound of a car horn blared as it swerved around the camero. She walked to the front of the car and leaned on the hood, arms crossed over her chest. "Shit! I ain't got enough patience for this," she mumbled as she swung out of the car. "I'm never gonna get it." She threw up her hands as he stopped beside her. "Yeah, you will. Come on." He moved around her and gently pushed her towards the passenger side. Inside the car, he took her hand and laced his fingers through hers placing it over the gear shift. "You're over thinking it. You gotta feel it. Can't force it, Cam." He grinned over at her.Thinking back, Cam could swear it was the most erotically enticing smile she'd ever seen. "Feel it, huh?" She returned the grin, matching his point for point. "It's the only way to learn here ... from the inside out." He hit the acclerator and floated through the gears. ************** The mig welder sputtered and spit as Cam worked on the last of the frame welds for the racing machine Dom pointed her to more than two hours earlier. Cutting off the melding heat, she pulled the ruby goggles from her eyes. Dom watched her examine her work. Her head bent, long hair pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head, smooth neck glistening with a sheen of sweat ... that slow burn began in the pit of his stomach, the one he came to associate solely with her, as she nibbled her bottom lip. The question of how he'd managed to stay away from her the last few days sprang to his mind. The night she had sent him back across the street wanting and unsatisfied had been a hard blow, but something he couldn't help but respect. She had class. There were lines she didn't cross no matter how she wanted to. Below her long lashes she saw that Dom's attention was pinned on her. The intensity of his eyes made her shiver, eyes that could turn her to liquid with just a glance. When finally her curiosity got the better of her she turned to him. "Anyone ever tell you that staring is rude?" The smile flittering across her lips was open and teasing. "Yeah, but do I look like I give a shit?" He stopped beside her looking down at the welds, not surprised at all that they were flawless, smooth. Dom's restlessness rolled off him in waves and Cam tried not to let him affect her, tried not to gravitate towards him while he was standing there so close to her. She nodded, her eyes pinning him with a cutting glance. "Oh yeah, you give a shit all right." Shaking her head she turned to him. "Whatever it is, just say it. There's something on your mind." Taking the goggles from her, he tossed them to the workbench beside the torch. "Shit, I feed you, fix your stove, and teach you to drive and suddenly you think you know me?" He smiled, snaking his arms around her waist, relieved that she didn't pull away. "Gettin there quick." She wiggled into the embrace, tilting her face up to him. The impish smile she turned on him was too irresistable. His mouth dipped towards her, lips clasping lips. Dom eased his tongue into her mouth re-acquainting himself with the taste of her, allowing her to do the same. The warm wet glide was a soothing balm to his restless agitation, Cam's tongue invading his mouth, laying claim and not even realizing it. Gently, ivory teeth tugged at his lower lip as she pulled slowly away. "Do I really have to repeat this, Dominic? You wanna hear me say it again." "There's no way in hell this isn't gonna happen. Maybe, not here and not now. But it'll happen," he growled, lips trailing along her jaw to her neck. "Not as long as your with......" "Um Hum...." Mia stood just inside the garage's wide door, trying frantically to be noticed without looking like the idiot she felt after obviously interrupting the two. "What?" Dom barked, keeping his arms securly around Cam's middle as she tried to disengage herself. "This just came for Cam. Fed Ex." She handed the other woman the big envelope as she walked past, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. She moved through the garage towards the office thinking how full of shit Cam had been about dinner, how Brian had been right, and how glad she was that Dom was on the verge of making a break. Dom dropped his arms as she took the package and met his eyes with an equal amout of surprise and curiousity. He shrugged, taking it from her and shaking it. "I guess the word careful doesn't mean much at this point." She jerked the object back from him. "They're usually marked fragile if that's the case." He shot her a mock glare. "You always have an answer..." The package began to ring. Cam glanced between the Fed Ex emblem and Dom. Ripping into the envelope, she pulled a cell phone from the interior and promptly punched the main face button. "Hola el dulce, sabe qui�nes es �ste?" The icy smooth voice floated from the phone. She didn't answer so, the voice repeated the question. "Do you know who this is?" "S�, qu� usted desea?" She stumbled through her rusty pronounciation. "What'd ya want?" Cutting her eyes to Dom she held her breath waiting for the long pause at the other end to play out, the full impact of this call slowly sinking in. They knew where she was, who she was with. There was only one way they could know that. THEY were watching. "I want what's mine. Give me that and this will all vaporize. Go on with your life. Fuck with me, and you won't like the way I recoup my lose," the voice threatened, hissing out each syllable. "I don't know..." she began, only to be silenced by a growl. Her eyes went to Dom again, gesturing for her to hand over the phone. She shook her head negatively. "Cameron, don't disappoint me. Nicola tells me your a smart girl. I want the cases and he says you'll know where to find them." A slow menacing laugh came from the phone. "That is, he told me before I made sure he won't be telling anyone anything again." She began to pull air into her lungs in big gasping breaths, trembling. "Relax. He's alive. Minus his tongue. H�brido." The insult to Nico's parentage spat across the signal. "NO! GOD, NO!" She dropped the phone, her features ghostly pale. Only Dom's quick reflexes kept it from shattering on the cemented floor. Dom watched the one sided conversation unfold, Cam growing more scared by the second. His hand clenched and unclenched at his sides. Once she dropped the phone he shoved it to his ear but the signal was long gone. Striding to the big double doors, he scanned the area not really expecting to see anyone. "I gotta go. Gotta go now." She turned, looking frantic, pacing to the garage door and back. "Come on, I'll take you. You can tell me what the hell that was..." He started to take her hand, connect with her again. Cam's mind clicked in quick sucession. Dom, Mia, Brian ... her mind snapped off the names of the team. She couldn't do this to them, couldn't pull them into the unknown. She jerked her hand away from Dom and turned on him, her index finger planted hard against his chest. "No. You're not. This is on me. I won't be responsible." Jessie stumbled into the scene, his only intention to spec the engine mounts and clearance ratios of the car, the new job. His ears tuned to Cam's voice, he couldn't quite place the timber. He scribbled measurements on the pad in his hand, head jerking up as Cam called his name. "Take me home, Jess?" He looked between the two until Dom nodded his head. "Yeah, give me a sec." He turned and headed back to the office. "Cam," Dom tried to reason with her. "Whatever it is..." "It's none of your business," she spat, eyes hard and uncompromising. Dom turned slamming both his fists across the sheet metal that was to be the car's hood. "Don't lock me out like this, Cam." He shook his head. "WE can handle this. The both of us." "It's not your problem." She presented him with her back. The talking was done. ************** Jessie stepped though the door of the office and both Mia and Vince turned their attention on him, stopping their conversation. Grabbing the keys to his car, he waved them off. "Hey, where you going?" Mia asked. "Taking Cam home." Mia looked back to where Cam stood in the bay of the garage. "Why isn't Dom doing it?" Her questions continued, following Jessie's line of site. "Think they're fighting." He shrugged, breaking from the office before he was subjected to more questioning. Vince got up from the stool where he was sitting and look through the glass at the two. "No doubt, they ain't gettin along." He glanced at Mia. "What's the story with those two anyway?" Her brows furrowed as she sighed. "When you find out tell me and then we'll both know." ************** "Stop. Let me out here, Jess," she told him as they rounded the corner at the end of the block, her block. "Shit! I can't......" Jessie sputtered, not wanting to leave her. He didn't want her to walk, not after he saw her tears. "No. It's better if I get out here. And don't say a word to Dom about this." He watched her stalk down the street, hands shoved in her pockets, head down. He sighed and drove past her fighting indecision. Would, should he tell Dom she'd been crying? Should he tell Dom she made him leave her at the end of the street? Dom rolled up at the end of the block. He sat watching her walk down the street, Jessie just turning the opposite corner. Running a hand across his bare head he struggled with the same questions he had in the garage. How hard should he push her on this, push her to let him in? Was he even willing to lay it on the line for her? ****************** Cam stepped from the shower, water cascading from her limbs. Toweling her hair dry, she let her mind wander. The strains of something low and throbbing came from the stereo near the bed across the room. Nico again warred with Dom for attention inside her head. One needed finding, one needing forgetting. "Can't do that to him," Cam whispered, thinking how many complications she presented to Dom as she tossed the towel aside and switched to brushing out the tangle of copper. Once she wokred the last strand into compliance she ambled to her bed and fell backwards, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh, Nico. What have you gotten us into this time. Where are you?" She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, asking those questions for the hundredth time. With sudden clarity she bolted upright on the bed. Twisting around, she searched the room for her jeans. Finally spying the hem teasing her from behind the open bedroom door she moved to retrieve them. Plunging her hand into the front pocket, she fished out the card she had tucked away there. She perched on the bed near the nightstand and looked over the card again before pulling the directory from the drawer near the phone. Pausing, her attention was captured by the phone. Off the hook, and had been that way since the last call she'd recieved. Gingerly picking up the reciever she returned it to the cradle and it immediately it began to ring. With a speed created from desperation she jumped off the bed and stood over the ringing omen of trouble. She jerked the cord from the wall and the ringing was cut off, only the faint trill from the phone below in the kitchen could be heard now. "Leave me the fuck alone!" She tugged at her damp hair in fustration. Folding herself onto the bed, she opened the directory and searched along the listing until she came to what she was looking for. Pulling in a deep breath of nervousness she closed the book and dressed, again tucking the card into the pocket of her faded jeans. She bounded down the stairs going to the phone in the kitchen that still rang incessantly. Picking up the receiver from the base, she disconnected the called and quickly dialed in a number. ************* The sun had set hours ago and Dom's restlessness had reached an all time high. Mia had set dinner in front of him and he'd eaten two bites and picked at the rest for half an hour before Mia got fed up with watching him and pulled the plate away from him. The car hadn't provided anymore distraction than anything else, only seeming to compound his aggitation. Serval foul shouts had been heard through the open back door as Dom went about timing adjustments. "Go talk to her Mia," Dom had ordered after making his way back into the house. "What? Talk to who? About what, Dom?" She looked up from where she was snuggled into Brian's arms on the couch. "Cam, damn it!" he barked, moving to the window and staring across the street just as a cab pulled in front of the her house. He watched her race out the front door and into the waiting car. "SHIT!" he hissed, rushing out of the house. Seconds later Brian and Mia heard the Mazda scream out of the drive. ************** Cam walked into the dimly lit club, hoping she didn't look as scared as she felt. Watching a woman on the raised stage spin around the pole in the middle, nude, she sighed thinking this was just Nico's style. She pivoted in the direction of the bar and took a seat ordering straight vodka. Just as the glass was set in front of her a tall dimple cheeked blonde approached her. "Hi." The blonde breached the small gap between them running her fingers along the back of Cam's long hair. "How ya doin, hon?" came the sugary southern twang. "Ummm...Fine...Thanks..." Cam tried shrugging off her touch, her heart speeding up inside her chest as the woman leaned in whispering, "Want me to dance for you, Darlin?" Whoa! Whoa! Got the wrong idea lady! Wrong person! Lucky for her Cam's mind began that rapid fire process she had of reasoning out things. It all hinged on the cars, Tiffany the name of the car Nico had scrapped was the same as the club. She took a blind leap turning to the blonde, thinking of what Nico called the Camero. "No thanks. I'm looking for Darlene." The blonde plasted a practiced pout on her face. "You sure?" "Yeah, you don't know just how fuckin sure." She gave the woman a quick smile before lifting the vodka to her lips. "Fine," she sighed. "I'll go get her." Cam tilted the glass again as it was refilled, waiting. "Peaches, says your looking for me." The woman that was obviously Darlene materilized beside her. "Yeah, actually I thought you might be able to point me in the direction of Nicola Iova........" she started to explain only to find the woman scowling at her. "Sorry. I can't help you." Darlene's reply was far to abrupt by Cam's estimation. The woman turned and began to walk away but Cam wasn't giving up that easily. Pushing from the stool, she grabbed Darlene's arm. "Hey! It's important I find him," she spat. "Please!" She changed tactics, beseaching the other woman with turbulent eyes. "WE ARE DONE HERE!" Darlene said loudly, shaking off her hold and looking to where the pillar of a man was rising from his place at the end of the bar. "Shit!" Cam hissed as she headed for the exit. Outside she paced in front of the doors running her hands through her hair. The bitch knew something that was for sure, in to much of a hurry to get rid of her. She couldn't just go back in. She'd meet with the same results no doubt. Dom had pulled into the parking lot seconds behind the cab and had seen Cam go inside. He knew the club, been there a time or two ... more like a dozen. But Cam ... what he hell was Cam doing here? The logical conclusion stuck in his head and he tried to shake it loose. He'd seen her exit the club, he stepped from the car and closed on her. Cam chewed her lips and continued to pace, working on another angle that would get her some answers. "Think you could've mentioned you're into....." he laughed coming up behind her. "Don't you dare finish that sentence, Toretto!" she hissed swinging on him. "What the hell are you doing here?" She sighed, tired and defeated. "I followed you." He kept it real simple for her. "Goddamn! Has it totally escaped you that I'm trying to keep you outta this monumental fuck up? It's not your problem. You have Mia and the rest to worry about." Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him, ready to drive him farther away if she had to. "I have you to worry about." She shook her head, giving up the battle for now and handing over the card she pulled from her jeans. "I found it in the Camaro" she explained her theory adding tidbits of what she knew for certain. "She knows something, Dom." He nodded and pulled her back into the club with him. "What the..." She stumbled after him trying to yank her hand free. Inside he turned to her, backing her against the wall, leaning in to flick his tongue across her lips. "Keep your eyes on me and stay right here. You'll have to follow me." Several more feet into the club Dom grabbed the first topless feminine form that came near him. From where she was Cam couldn't hear what he said but the brunette slithered off and moments later the girl she knew as Darlene approached him. Inclining his head to her ear, he whispered something and they moved off across the club with Dom motioning to Cam behind his back. She followed as closely as she dared, not wanting Darlene to get a good look at her again. She came to a halt outside the doorway to the private room, Darlene already peeling off the long black satin cocktail dress she wore as Dom watched. "Oh man!" Cam's eyes narrowed, seeing the woman straddle Dom's lap and begin to grind against him ... her string like thong covered buttocks rolling in time to the heavy thrum of the music. Cam turned away for the briefest second, her insides twisting painfully. Looking back, the scene got worse as the twin spheres of Darlene's full breast were thrust inches from Dom's face. Cam's eyes went wide, jaw clamped tight, as she watched the interaction play out ... an inward groan echoing through her head. She didn't want to be feeling anything as she watched and waited, least of all the glacial cold that clenched hard at her stomach. He was smiling at the woman, his lips moved as he said something in that deep voice of his. It took a supreme effort of will to keep herself from being sick, unfamiliar feelings rolling through her hard and unrelenting as her throat constricted and moisture formed at her lashes. Dom happend to glance at Cam just before he began questioning the woman above him, purposely avoiding looking at her until that moment. He'd looked forward to seeing the expression on her face, surpise, jealousy, even excitement was what he had hoped for. But he didn't expect to the see the hurt and disgust she tried so hard to hide. He thought he'd seen just about every look she could use against him but he was wrong. He hadn't seen this one, the one that felt like a well placed kick in the gut. His wide hands wrapped around Darlene's upper arm and squeezed slightly. "I'm gonna ask you a few questions and you're gonna tell me what I wanna hear. Got it?" She began to struggle against him and she gave her a slight shake. "Listen, you can either talk to me now or Costus later," he bluffed, trying to get her compliance. She stilled, her eyes narrowing. "What ya wanna know?" Cam released her pent up breath as she watched Dom bring the show to an end. His rough treatment of the woman gave her an acute feeling of satisfaction, seeing the woman shaken, seeing her surprise, and angry. Darlene didn't have Dom's attention any longer, not the way that she longed for it. She moved into the room just as Dom waved her in. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that security was making a move towards the room. "Make it quick!" She hitched her thumb over her shoulder. Dom nodded. My friend...." he paused, thinking just how inappropriate that word sounded when talking about Cam. "She's looking for someone. Nicola Iovanni." "I told her...." Darlene cut her eyes to Cam, glaring, "that I couldn't help her." "Cameron, doesn't buy the bullshit, darlin," he sneered, pinning her with a hard glare of his own. "Cameron?" She gasped. "That's your name?" Darlene's eye shifted between the two. "Yeah. That's my name." Cam spat, just as security popped a head through the door way. "Gotta problem in here?" Dom released Darlene's arm and she slinked off his lap. "No. Not at all. Just finishing up." She gave security a placating smile. Darlene swung on Cam. "Why didn't you tell me who you were? Nicola said you'd show up sooner or later. And here you are!" She smiled, glancing over her shoulder at Dom. "Who's he?" Hands planted on her hips she let her eyes slide over Dom as he stood. "Mine. That's who," Cam said, directing the answer back to Darlene, who laughed at Cam's response. "It's just a job. That's all, hon." "Yeah, whatever." Cam squared her shoulders and demanded the information that she'd come for. "What'd ya know about Nico?" Darlene leaned down and retrieved the cocktail dress from the floor, producing a key. "I haven't seen him for more than a month. But the last time I saw him he told me to give you this." Taking the new silvery key from her, she turned it over in her hand, examining it. "This is it?" "No. He told me to tell you this." She paused, searching her memory. "Hide. 12107396455770. That was the last thing he said to me." Shrugging, she walked past Cam towards the doorway. "Good luck finding him. I think he was in some sorta trouble. There 've been guys in here askin about him almost every night." *********** "Yours?" Dom smirked, eyebrows raised, his attention divided between her and the rolling black asphalt. "Don't give me shit about it, Dom." She sighed, kicking off her Nikes and shifting so that her legs were curled against her, back to the door, watching him. "I didn't...." She'd almost said she hadn't meant it but she did mean it, wanted it, wanted him. "You were jealous," he accused, laughter in his voice. "I was not!" She nearly choked on the words, knowing they were a lie. "No?" He pinned her with a knowing smile, self confident . "Really?" "Really! I'm not jealous!" She kicked out at his shoulder, making light contact with her target. "You can't lie for shit, Cameron." He snagged her foot where it rested against his bare skin. Pulling it down into his lap he began to run is fingers across her ankle. "Have any idea what the hell she was talkin about with all those numbers?" Tilting her head back against the window her eyes slid closed as she felt herself slipping into the warm pool of Dom's touch. She could have been absorbed in that sweet oblivion for seconds, for minutes, she didn't have the slightest idea. "Cam?" Dom prompted, hearing her a content sigh issue from her lips. "Yeah, huh?" Her glazed eyes popped open, coming to rest on Dom. "The numbers?" "Oh, yeah. Sorry." She chewed her lips as she thought about the numerical sequence. "Part of it's real easy. A simple code Nic and I used in Venice. It was an "I'm in trouble" type thing. The other numbers are gonna take a little longer to sort out. But bet your ass I'll figure it out." "Hell, I don't doubt you will." He smiled, moving his fingers along the top of her foot then gave a downward swipe across the bottom. "Shit!" She jerked, attempting to pull her foot away but was stayed by his hand. Her unrestrained laughter filled the space between them as Dom's hand went back to her ankle. Half an hour later they sat in the Mazda outside Dom's just drinking in one another, falling into the downy comfort of being near one another. And to, his surprise, she leaned towards him in the seat sealing her full lips against his. Her tongue took its own path as he opened his mouth drawing out the onslaught of her eager mouth, kissing, lapping at him in turn. Tangling his hand through her long mass of hair, he fought for dominance, his tongue slipping into the heated confines of her mouth. With a groan of regret, she pulled hesitantly back, whispering against his lips. "Thank you, Dominic Toretto. " A sigh whispered over his lips. "You have no idea how much you're appreciated." Running his tongue along her lower lip, he asked, "This means you're over trying to keep me outta this?" She lowered her head nuzzling at his neck. "Kinda outta my hands now. Toretto does exactly what he wants too. That right?" ************** Dom strode through the back door, still feeling the lingering heat where Cam's hands and lips had been. He'd come to a decision while they kissed, an easy one having her wound around him. It was time to have a talk with Letty. It was time to bring things to an end between them. He was beginning to realize there wasn't much left to salvage anyway. But now all he was looking forward to was a long hot shower and easing the tug of desire inside the tight confines of his jeans. Downstairs the lights were all out and the rooms hung in a stale silence. No one was home, Brian and Mia must be at his place he reasoned. He took the stairs, unhurried, for the fist time in months, actually enjoying the quite of the house. He paused in the hallway just outside his room, hearing first and then seeing the couple in his bed. Her dark hair hung unbound to the middle of her back, swirling as she rode the thrusting body below her hard and fast. Her moans filled the room mixed with the deeping sound of male pleasure. From his vantage point, Dom had a unobstructed view of the their joined bodies. The lamp at the beside shone on the distinct tattoo on the arm that pulled her downward, kissing, stroking. Standing there, leaning on the doorframe, watching the two, everything fell into place. The weeks of Letty's in attention, at times avoidance, tumbled into place. Vince hardly made even the briefest eye contact anymore and now it was easy to understand why. Dom pushed away from the doorway as Letty moaned Vince's name. "Change the sheets when your done. This ain't no fuckin motel." He ran the gambit of emotions as he retraced his steps back down the hall and out of the house but the only one that held true was relief, sweet encompassing relief. ******************* Cameron slipped out of her jeans and sunflower yellow tank, exchanging them for her usual oversized T-shirt. Bounding down the stairs, she rounded the corner into the kitchen, still floating from the intimate contact with Dom. A dreamy smile tugged at her lips as she opened the refrigirator searching the contents and knocking the small carton of milk to the floor in the process. She jumped back as the cold white liquid splashed across her feet and pooled on the floor. "Where's a cat when ya need one!" She giggled, reaching for a dish towel and tossing it on the spill. Kneeling, she began to swipe at the spreading milk. There was a long exagerated sigh issued from behind her and instinct told her who it was. She glanced over her shoulder, bright blue eyes taking on the smokey gray of desire. "You have any idea what you're doing to me?" Dom's large frame detached from the surronding shadows, a predatory gleam in his eyes, stalking as the hulk of his form moved nearer. Turning she planted her butt against the cold wet tile, legs pushing out in front of her. "No. Why don't you tell me," she replied, seeing the hungry strain in his features, thinking he was more hungry then she could ever remember seeing a man. "Think I'd rather show you." He stood over her, hand extended down to her. She chewed her lower lip, creating a sensual aura around her that grew by leaps and bounds. Taking his hand, she tugged him down to her, his knees anchored on either side of her hips, chilled milk soaking into his jeans. She should push him away, guilt rushing in at how weak she was. The same moral compass pointed directly at Letty and their relationship. "We shouldn't. You know that, right?" "It's over, Cam. There's nothin between Letty and me." He reached out brushing the hair from her neck, watching the stands fall over her shoulder. "Just you and me now." Her hand wrapped in the fabric of his T-shirt pulling his lips down to hers. "You and me," she whispered, taking his tongue deep in her mouth, sucking, nipping at the welcomed invasion. Dom's thorough attention to her mouth increased to a frenzy of thrusting and retreating as her heady moan filled his mouth. Impatient hands went to her thighs easing upwards under the hem of the T-shirt and he was elated to feel she was bare beneath. Kneading fingers traveled to the juncture of her thighs, caressing the downy curls, all the while his hardening length pulsed in response inside his tight jeans, gripping him so tight it was painful. He'd wanted a slow drawn out session of pleasure with her but he was quickly realizing it wasn't happening, they were both in too much need to prolong this. Cam's hand were now plucking at his tank trying to get it off him, hands trembling against him. Easing away from her long enough to pull the tank over his head, he tossed it across the floor, not caring where it ended up. Her T-shirt followed, allowing him to see all of her from the high round globes of her tits topped with dusky pink nipples to the almost concave plane of her stomach, even lower to the coppery thatch between her legs. Cam's sigh was long and lusty as her hands went back to the hard wall of his chest, tracing the flat disks there. Trailing her fingers downwards she began to work at the button of his jeans, only to stop and caress the thick bulge below. His warning growl had her smiling against his lips as they decended again in another frenzy of giving and taking. He hadn't felt her hand leave him or heard the sound of the zipper but abruptly the gripping pain of denim was gone giving way to a softer gentler pressure. With supreme effort he remained still as she began to stroke along his quivering shaft. Remained still all except for his fingers that dipped between her fleshy lower lips, sliding inside her tight opening. She was so wet, so ready, his head spun with the sucking heat that surrounded his fingers, urging him deeper. Pressing in all the way a rhythm began, a rhythm that kept time with her strokes as she brought him closer and closer to the brink. The whimpers and panting that came from her throat made him crazy with the need to be inside her, fully inside her. She couldn't have known exactly what he was feeling but suddenly she was on her back and he was poised above her, head angling down to clasp a swollen nippled between his lips, pulling at it, suckling. He moved from one to the other, dividing his attention as long as he could. Shivering with the contrast of cold below her and the inferno of heat above she caressed his head. Hooded eyes watched as he devoured her sensitive nipples, clasping his neck to bring more contact. Her thighs spread wide to accommodate him as he settled, the tip of his weeping cock nudging her slicked tunnel. Pushing his jeans over his hips she managed to grab the taunt flesh of his ass. With rolling of thick muscles, his hips thrust forward and he was buried inside her to the hilt, searing heat enveloping him. There was a moment of adjustment as she stretched to accomadate him and he trying to grasp what control he could. They remained locked there until she began to move beneath him, urging him on, the milk below her making a odd suction sound each time she moved. In a measured pace he thrust into her, battering her deep feminine barrier. Her mouth sucked roughly at his neck, branding him. Cam was lost in the tidal pool of tactile waves as her body coiled preparing for the hard orgasm to come. It crested like a mammoth wave pulling her along with the hard spasms that gripped Dom so mercilessly. She was shouting his name, arching into him, hearing it from what seemed like miles. Feeling the boiling roll of fire along his pounding cock he clenched his jaw tight, head rolling on his shoulders, moaning growling undistinguishable words. How long had it been since he'd felt something as incredible as this? Cam was what he'd been missing and now he knew it as he came in a drenching surge inside her. Slowly they drifted back to one another through the fog of sated desire, ragged breathing stopping anything spoken between them. Dom pushed his weight from her, turning onto his back on the floor beside her and cringing with the feel of the cool liquid below. Pulling her against him to be cradled against his shoulder, they lay there, both waiting and wanting the renewed craving for one another. Suddenly Cam broke the silence giggling. "I need a shower." She sat up, pushing her wet hair off her back. Reaching out, her finger tip glided along his growing erection, teasing. "Want some company?" He smirked up at her, knowing the answer before she opened her mouth. "Yeah, unless you got better things to do." She sighed. "Hell, no. Not tonight, not tomorrow, not any other night," he replied. It was as close to any declaration of emotion she could hope to hear. She'd take that or any little part she could have of him because she knew exactly how she felt. She was falling hard for Dominic Toretto. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 5 The kitchen filled with bright morning sunlight. Squinting, Cam stretched and reached for the box of coffee filters. Popping the thin paper into the basket, she deposited the coffee and turned intending to snuggle into bed for a couple of more hours, wrapping herself around Dom awhile longer. But the knock at the back door was a quick sign her plans had just been derailed. Padding across to the door, she saw that it was Mia. "Have you seen him? Is he here?" the other woman asked, moving through the open door, turning anxious eyes to Cam. "I assume you mean Dom?" Cam closed the door and motioned for Mia to take a seat at the counter. Mia nodded with a heavy sigh. "There a problem?" Crossing the kitchen Cam pulled two cups from the cabinet and filled them with the hot steaming brew, strong black coffee. "Could be. Letty's looking for him. I thought I would find him first and give him a heads up." Accepting the cup from Cam, Mia blew at the liquid trying to cool it. "What's going on, Mia? Why she looking for him bright and early like this?" Cam's eyebrows drew together, a suspicious frown lining her lips. "Well, from what I know, Dom came home early this morning and found her and Vince in his bed. Letty's got it in her head that she can fix things. That she wants him back and that V was just some big mistake." Mia threw up her hands. "I can't believe she thinks she can fix this. And poor V ......" she sighed. Cam finally spoke up. "He's here. Upstairs. But he's still asleep." A bright hopeful smile crossed Mia's face. "Yeah?" "Yeah." Cam replied, turning to dump her coffee in the sink. "I'll go wake him." "NO!" Mia smiled, coming around the small kitchen island and stepping to her. A quick hug and she moved away. "Probably could use the rest." Cam stood there blinking in quick repetition. Mia was a friend, that was unquestioned, but she hadn't expected the warm show of affection from the other woman. She nodded returning the smile. "Just make sure he's in a good mood when he leaves for the garage." The other woman giggled, a slight flush creeping into her cheeks. "I'll see what I can do." Cam shook her head, laughter in her voice. She followed Mia towards the door. "Oh, Dom left this in the garage yesterday. I thought it might be yours. Didn't look like his." Cam took the cell phone Mia handed over, looking at it like it were some sort of venomous snake. "Thanks." She cringed as she turned back into the house. Walking through the kitchen, she stopped long enough to shove the compact phone into the freezer just as it began to ring. *************** Dom woke slowly, enjoying the lingering lethargy from the first real night's sleep in weeks. He sensed Cam watching him before he opened his eyes and reached out for her but encountered only the cool cotton sheet. Prying his eyes open, he scanned the bed beside him and then further down. She was sitting there, near the edge, staring at him, a cup clutched in her hand. Shoving pillows behind his head he returned her stare finally, reaching out to touch her only to have her pull away before his fingers could make contact. "Cam?" He pushed up in the bed as she stood, setting the cup on the night stand. He didn't know what to think. She didn't really looked pissed, not like he'd seen Letty or Mia. She wasn't hurting, no tears. He quickly thanked god for that, one of the few things he was very bad at dealing with. "You should've told me." She went about the room picking up his clothes from the floor. Now she had his full wakeful attention. "Told you what?" "Letty and Vince." She turned, tossing the clothes on the bed. Determined steps took her to the bathroom and she twisted the shower knobs. "I told you there's nothing between us anymore. Isn't that good enough for you? My word doesn't mean shit?" He stalked into the small room behind her. Turning, she was met with his fully nude form and quickly glanced away before she became distracted. "So, there's nothing between you. Why didn't you tell me what happened last night? Why did I have to find out from Mia? I felt...felt like...UGH!" She through up her hands, pushing past him back to the bedroom. Grabbing the remote for the TV, she clicked it on, muted it and busied herself with anything besides dealing with Dom. "Mia was here?" He came out of the bathroom hands on his hips. "Yeah," she sighed, smoothing her hands over the pillows as she replaced them neatly against the headboard. "She was looking for you." "There something wrong?" he asked, again moving on her from behind. His hands went to her hips and turned her to face him. "What's wrong, Cam? What's got this all twisted around this morning?" She dropped her head, trying to remain detached, emotionless, but it was impossible. Her hands balled against his arms. Eyes filled with angry hurt turned on him. "Letty's looking for you, too. Mia says she wants to FIX things between the two of you. Wants you to know that V was a mistake." "It's over," he growled, running his wide hand the length of her back. "I don't like repeating things." "And I don't like having doubts," she countered, her eyes boring into his. "Get dressed, Dom." "You're not serious. You're throwing me out?" he shouted, grabbing his jeans from the bed. "No, just telling you to go. Telling you to make sure things don't look different today than they did last night. No doubts." She turned back to the bathroom before his reaching hand could draw her against him again. "I got no..." he tried to argue. But she made sure he didn't finish the sentence. "Just go, Dom. Get it over with." Slamming the bathroom door she slipped into the cleansing water of the shower. "FUCK!" he hissed, shoving into his jeans and snatching up the rest of his clothes, hurrying to get out her house. Hurrying to get away from the room he would have gladly given up the rest of the day to. So engrossed in each other, they hadn't spared the crisp images on the TV screen the briefest attention, hadn't see the top story of the hour. The reporter standing in front of a club they had visited the night before was ignored as he regurgitated information about the brutal crime there ... about a stripper that had been murdered and disposed of in a nearby dumpster. They would have easily been able to put the description of the woman and her name together, Darlene. ****************** Dom entered the garage only to be met head on with the residual effects of the night before and his mood already teetering on the edge of bad took a sharp turn south. Vince stood near the office, waiting. It was obvious he was nervous, edgy. Dom watched him pace in short strides before he entered the cool shadows of the garage. Vince's head popped up at his foot steps on the concrete floor. "Dom," Vince greeted, looking every bit like he was about to face a firing squad. Dom's eyes narrowed as he stalked past Vince. "Where is she?" "Looking for you." He followed after him. "What the hell for?" Dom asked, over his shoulder, moving towards the small office. "She wants to talk to you," Vince replied, steeling himself against the blast of Dom's temper he knew was sure to come, provoking it with the next words off his tongue, he was sure. "Need to talk, too. I know I should've said something..." Dom turned on him then, eyes filled with the raw fire of anger. He shoved Vince hard sending him scrambling backwards for footing. Dom's hand flew up gesturing between them."Goddamn right, Vince instead of disrespecting my house. Disrespecting my bed. Disrespecting me, man!" "I got no excuse. What we did was wrong. I'm sorry, brother." He dropped his head, cutting his eyes up to the other man, someone he'd practically known his whole life. "I forgive, Vince. I don't forget and trust is a damn hard thing to earn back." Dom sighed, his anger draining away in slow degrees. He took a few tentative steps towards the office and then turned back to Vince. "I love her, Dom. I know she don't give a shit about me, but I love her." He shrugged, finally confessing the feelings that had an iron clad hold on him. "She's made her choice, V. Whether she knows it or not ... and so have I. We're done with this shit." Just when he was certain he had said all there was to say, Letty came stalking into the garage. "Shit, Dom. I've been looking for you everywhere." She crossed the garage towards he and Vince, glaring at the latter. "Looking in all the wrong places. Mia didn't have any problem finding me. I wasn't hiding, Letty," he ground out, jaw clenched tight, feeling the need to end this quickly, with as little discussion as possible. "I was with Cameron. Across the street." "I knew it! I knew you were gonna fuck her to get back at me. That fuckin skank!" she shouted, advancing on Dom, eyes sparking with a deep seething rage. "We could've saved this." "No. It was over long before this. I know what I want and with who." He shook his head, grabbing her arms and gently squeezing. "I'm only saying this once, so listen good, Letty. There is no more us. We're both over it." He leaned in whispering. "Give V a shot." She twisted away from him, jerking hard against his hands. Vince stood, hands in his pockets, ready to retreat into a dozen or so coronas. He'd hoped to talk to Dom and be out of the garage by the time she showed up, putting some distance between them. But now he was trapped there, wanting to go but wanting to be there on the remote chance Letty actually needed him. Cam couldn't have had worse timing, stepping out of the Jetta, smiling across the roof at the teasing comment Jesse had just delivered. The two continued in conversation as they strode through the doorway of the garage. Before she realized what or who was rushing towards her she felt the brutal blow delivered to her face, splitting her lip. Stumbling backwards she fell hard on her ass and a brief glance assured her that indeed it was the one person she suspected, Letty. The other woman was on top of her holding her down as another shot connected with her right eye. She wouldn't take another jab without giving tit for tat. Jerking her elbow upwards, it connected directly under Letty's chin, snapping her head back and giving Cam a moment to shove her off. There were precious few seconds before Letty was coming at her again. She managed to make it to a crouch before Letty was on her delivering a kick to her ribs. "Fuck!" she hissed, as her breath rushed from her lungs a second before her foot shot out, heel swiping at Letty's ankle with enough force to send her pitching to the hard unforgiving cement. There was a sickening thud and to her surprise Letty didn't even pause, knocking her onto her back. They were rolling, each searching out the better gasp on the other, the better body blow. Then they were being roughly hauled apart. "Enough!" Dom yelled. "Get her outta here, Vince." Vince lifted a struggling Letty off the ground and strode toward his car, curse after curse following in their wake. Dom loosened his hold on Cam as she shoved against his restraining arm, knowing Letty wasn't coming back of another shot. "So much for pulling hair and scratching." Jesse said, jaw hanging slack, surprised that Cam had held her own with Letty. He couldn't remember another girl ever coming close. Dom glared at him and followed Cam as she headed for the tattered water hose beside the garage. Brightly oxygenated blood oozed down her chin, staining the white cotton of her shirt. Moving behind her, Dom rested his hand against her back as he washed the blood away. She held up her hand warning him off, trying to rein in the flood of adrenaline through her system. "Come on, Cam. Let me have a look." He forcefully turned her, gently probing the rent in her lip he smiled. "Not bad." "Oh, thanks." She pushed at his hands. "What the hell was that about? BESIDES the obvious." "Letty getting it through her hard damn head that there's nothing to fix." He pulled her into the garage with him, into the office. "What are you doing here in the first place?" he asked, lifting her into his lap as he sat behind the desk. She shoved two fingers in front of his face. "First, I wanted to tell you I missed you." She made the mistake of trying to deliver a gentle kiss to his neck but instead yelped in pain as her lips made contact. "Easy, baby." He took her chin between his fingers and pulled her lips to his, carefully supplying an unequaled kiss of tenderness. "What's the second?" His grin was filled with a teasing confidence, knowing he obliterated anything else in her head. "Huh?" The smile she returned seemed a little less than sober. He pulled her hand back up in front of him and folded all but two of her fingers. "Two things you were gonna tell me?" "OH! Yeah!" She mentally shook herself. "The second ... I figured out the numbers. Nico's numbers. It's a storage place. Not far from here." ********** Half an hour later Dom was pulling up in front of the Hide Away storage complex, eyes scanning the storage units for just the right number. "There!" Cam pointed out a set of numbers ahead. "That has to be it...the numbers are the same as Nico's birthday." Doms eyebrows rose, grinning. "He couldn't be more original?" "Hey, I never said the boy had a great imagination." She shrugged. Cam's stomach began to flutter with a barrage of butterflies as they left the car and moved to the door of the unit. Fishing in her pocket for the key, she tried it in the lock. As it popped open, Dom pulled the wide door upwards. Cam stared into the contrasting darkness for a brief moment then cut her eyes over to Dom, questioning if they should actually be doing this. There, inside the roomy unit, was a car, dust cover in place. Dom wasted no time in stalking inside and whipping the cover off, looking the car underneath over with a disgusted glare. There was more than one perfectly formed hole in the body and one directly through the passenger side windshield. Inside, a dark stain fanned out across the headrest and streaked lower across the seat. "That what I think it is?" She shuttered, paling, skirting around the car not wanting to get any closer. "Looks like." He leaned in for a closer look, finding there were other stains, other particles. It all lead him to believe the car had been the last ride for someone. "Those are bullet holes." She backed even further way, nervous. Turning, she took stock of the rest of the storage, finding two cases against the far wall. "Dom." She pointed them out. Coming around the car, he took her hand and proceeded toward the only other objects in the room. Cam dropped to her knees and reached for the first case, fingers fumbling with the latch and the sinking feeling that was taking over mind and body. Suddenly the case popped open in her hand and she scrambled backward, gasping, staring wide-eyed. Dom turning in a quick semicircle, hands clutching roughly at his smooth head, disgusted and afraid ... afraid where this was going. He turned taking another long look at the carefully wrapped bundles inside. White powder. He didn't even want to begin to guess at the value of what he was looking at or what had gone down to get it here, hidden. "I'm so screwed, Dom. If this is what they want..." There was a hitch in her words as the tears began, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Nico. What the hell is going to happen to him?" She knew the answer but couldn't bring herself to let it sink in. She turned red rimmed eyes to Dom as he lowered himself down beside her handing over a white envelope. "What...?" He pointed at the open case. "Probably from Nico." Opening it, she read the few simple words printed there, tears rolling along her cheeks. Cammie, I'm sorry. Do what you have to now. Love always, Nico _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 6 Nico's head was filled with a cottony thickness, a drug induced stupor. The room was dark and quiet, quiet all except the sound of flesh impacting flesh and the resulting grunt of pain. The smell of sweat and blood was thick. Across the room he was being carefully watched, eyes noting the pain with every new blow, enjoying it with the relish that only a deep seeded need for vengence produced. "Nico, it could have been so good for you. All you had do was play by the rules. Play by MY rules." The deep bourbon smooth voice filled the room just as another fist impacted his face, splitting the skin above his eye, the other already closed from swelling. "You listenin' you piece of shit?" the hard accented voice came from above him, then another blow. "Shut the fuck up, Anthony," came from across the room again. There was the shuffling of feet in the room but Nico couldn't turn his head even if he wanted to. "She have it?" Sala Costus turned leaning forward, arms resting on the large marble desk in front of him. Pinning the two men he generously employed. Pinning them with a deadly glare from the deep wells of his obsidian eyes, knowing the answer before they even opened their mouths. "The stripper?" "Don't know. She left the garage with that punk Toretto. We lost him." Both the men seemed suddenly preoccupied with the buttons on their Armani jackets. "The stripper is ice. Dumped what was left in a dumpster." Sala nodded, standing from the desk crossing in front of it. "Don't know? Lost him?" Crossing his arms over his wide chest he waited for them to give him a long list of excuses. "He's a damn good driver, fast even when he ain't racin . But I don't think he knew we were tailing him." "And this is your expert opinion?" he said calmly moving toward the two, arm going around the shorter of the two, a random choice. Leading him across the room he clapped the man reassuringly on the opposite shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's not gonna matter one way or another to you." A melicious grin split his lips as he neared the large floor to ceiling window, overlooking the city. "Yeah?" "Of course," Sala responded right before he stepped away from the man giving him a brutal shove that sent him careening through the panes of glass to the parking area six stories below. Stepping up to the window, he took a moment to appreciate the broken body draped across a forklift below, dark blood contrasting the yellow paint of the machine. Swinging around, he pointed at the remaining man. "Clean that fuckin mess up. Do it right. If I see so much as a hint of blood your next. I swear to Christ," he growled low and menacing. Turning on Anthony his smile returned to the that of pure joy. "Finish it." Anthony moved toward Nico, long dark hair falling into his face, but Sala's voice stopped him. "Take him down stairs. I don't wanna hear his screaming." Then he swaggered over to where Nico was strapped to the chair. "With your last breath....." He paused, sighing, turning his head away before he leaned in to whisper in Nico's ear. "Think about my nephew. Think about Carlo. Think about how he trusted you." Sala's hand snaked out and tangled in the other man's matted hair, he snarled. "That car. Where Carlo's head was blown apart. I'm gonna find it and I'm gonna bury that little girl friend of yours in it," he promised to Nico's muffled shouts. It was too much of a temptation being this close to the target of his rage and not inflicting a small measure of pain himself, he delievered the next blow and the next. ****************** Dom stepped out of the car, his mind still on the problem of the storage unit and its contents. Cam opened the passenger side door as Mia flew down the back steps of the house. "Where've you been?" she hissed, arms crossed over her chest, her brows knitted with worry. She paused in front of Dom . "Busy. Why?" he asked, confused, not use to facing an inquisition from his sister. He wound his arm around Cam as she moved in close beside him, still unnerved by their discovery. Mia nodded her head in their direction, trying to be discrete. "They've been sitting over there for two hours now," she whispered, cutting her eyes between Dom and Cam. Glancing over his shoulder, Dom noticed two suits crossing the street toward them, their dark Sedan parked in Cam's drive. "Oh shit!" Cam gasp, trembling against Dom. "Easy," he whispered his lips near her ear, fanning his warm breath against her skin. He gently pushed her toward Mia. "Go in the house." "But, Dom ..." Mia shook her head, on the verge of refusing. "Go!" he growled low in warning. Turning to face the two coming up the drive toward him, he was a human barrier between them and what was his. Cam hurried after Mia, fear holding her in its icy grip. She thought of all the things that they could want, the people they could be but no amount of imagining could prepare her for the next few moments. "Cameron Alexander?" one of the men called over Dom's shoulder. She stopped dead in her tracks, a scared glance at Mia and she turned. "Yeah. That's me," she said, remaining rooted to the spot. Dom's eyes bore into her like a hot poker, trying to ignore him she shoved her hands into her back pockets. "Miss, could we have a few minutes of your time," the same man asked, reaching into his jacket and flipping out a badge. She shoved down the gasp she felt in her throat, schooling her features in innocent sweetness. "Sure." Walking towards them, Dom's gaze shot up a few degrees if that was even possible. "We're sorry for intruding on your afternoon, Miss. But this morning... Well, we tried to contact you by phone and was told the number had been disconnected, so we had to contact you personally. This morning there was a body brought into the morgue." The officer gave her a few seconds to process what he was saying before he continued. She could feel Dom moving up behind her, his concerned anger quickly dissipating. "The only personal possession on the body was a wallet, there was no identification. Only a scrap of paper with your name and address." Cam began to shake uncontrollably, knowing the only person that it could be. Dom's hands rested comfortingly on her shoulders, squeezing comfortingly. "We need you to come and..." "I'm comin with her," Dom spoke up, knowing what they wanted and how much she would need him there if what he suspected had happened. He guided her around the car. "We'll follow," he called, and the officers nodded and turned towards their car. As Dom drove he glanced at Cam every few minutes, still shaking her eyes staring blankly ahead. "Cam." "Hum?" She asked, not even turning to look at him. "You ok?" "Yeah, sure," she answered with the hollowness of emotional detatchment. "You know, it might not even be him, Dom." She shrugged, eyes ahead, barely blinking. "Yeah, it's probably not." He cringed as he agreed with her, gut instinct telling him they were wrong, deadly wrong. *************** "They were cops. They wanted her to look at a corpse." Mia cringed, cleary horrified, looking up to meet Jesse's eyes. "I felt so sorry for her. Think it really is someone she knows?" Jesse shrugged, feeling as bad for Cam as Mia. "Probably, else they wouldn't have bothered with getting her to take a look." "Dom went with her?" Leon asked, looking between the other two. "Yeah, she looked pretty shook up," Mia answered, looking up as a deeper voice intruded. "Who's pretty shook up?" Vince strode through the back door with Letty trailing behind him. "Cameron," Mia answered, quickly explaining what she knew about the situation with the other woman, which to her fustration wasn't much. Mia noticed the gloating smile filling Letty's face. She shook her head and stood from the table. "What's your problem?" Letty snarled. Mia swung on her, eyes narrowed, anger radiating from her small frame. "Enough, Letty! Can't you just let it go? She's in real trouble. Someone she knows is dead. What else do you want? What'll make you feel better? Maybe if it were one of us going to identify her body?" "Bitch!" Letty hissed, shoving from the table and stalking to the door. The back door slammed in her wake and Mia turned to Vince. "I'm sorry... But she's gotta..." "I know. You didn't say anything I ain't been thinkin." He stood and followed out of the kitchen, knowing he would find Letty at the garage, the place she always went when she was hurting. She'd never let anyone see it but he knew what she was feeling, knew Mia's words had struck a hard blow. ******************* "This way, Miss Alexander." He was pale, wearing a lab coat, pockets filled with bright blue latex gloves, the name tag read Milton Shribe. She shiver thinking of what he had to touch with those gloves, just the smell of the room alone was enough to make her nauseous. She didn't move, not an inch, as she glanced over her shoulder to where Dom stood. They had asked him to wait for her, not to distract her with his presence. He nodded his head a silent signal letting her know he would be there and that he knew she could do it. She shook her head, refusing, scared beyond reason. "I'm not doing this. Not without him. You either let him come with me or I walk," she stuttered, her arms winding around herself, fighting her own body from head to toe. It was all too much, she couldn't take another thing much less if she had to do it alone. "I'm sorry but..." Shribe began, only to have her turn and start to walk away. "Alright! This goes against my better judgement but FINE." With a shaky smile she motioned for Dom to join her. Making his way across the room in record time, he asked, "What's goin on?" "They agreed to let you come with me," she said wrapping her hand around his. "You mind?" "No." He pulled her close and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Let's get it over with." They followed into a stark white room. Stainless steel tables took up the center of the room, and beyond that were rows of hinged doors. Knowing what was behind them it took all of her self control not to bolt, even with Dom at her side. But just when she was sure she couldn't look at the tray that was being slid from the drawer Dom's thumb began caressing the back of her hand in comforting little circles. She didn't know just when or where the two detectives came from but they were their standing in the background near the morgue assistant. "Do you know him, Miss Alexander?" she heard them ask. Taking a deep breath she lowered her eyes and immediately bile rose in her throat. She shoved backwards and collided with Dom. Dom's hands shot to her shoulders holding her in place, knowing she would be running if not for him. All he wanted to do in that moment was hold her and spare her this. "Ma'am?" She nodded her head slowly her eyes rivoted to the reality of death in front of her, gray skin covered a body brutalized to such an extent it was hard to tell where one wound ended an another began. "Can you tell us his name, Miss....Cameron," one of the detectives asked. "Nicola Iovanni." "Do you have any idea..." Her eyes traveled his body coming to rest in horrified fascination just below his wrists. "Wh....Wh....Where are his...His hands?" she whispered, shaking so badly her teeth began to chatter. "Excuse me?" The detective moved closer trying to hear her. "WHERE ARE HIS HANDS?" The morgue assistant spoke up then. "They weren't found with the body, Miss." She nodded, taking a step closer to Nico's body. "What happened to him?" "We haven't proceeded to the autopsy yet but you can pick up a copy of the report in a week." Shribe gave her the standard line, deciding he had enough of standing there dealing with the deceased's family or friend, whatever the woman was. "FUCKIN TELL ME!" she screamed, pulling out of Dom's grasp, hands balled at her sides. "I wanna know what they did to him!" The detectives moved forward ready to intervine if need be, but the assistant held up his hand. "All right, Miss. It's not pretty but from preliminary examination and blood samples the man was first injected with a large dose of amphetamines. This most likely was done while he was restrained. Then it appears..." "How do you know that?" she asked, needing every scap of information she could gain. "See here? The cuts. It was probably something metal." His gloved hand moved upwards on Nico's arm. "The bruising there? It was the injection site. Probably a couple of hours before he expired." "I don't understand." She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. "Why the Amphetamines if they were going to kill him?" Dom stepped up behind her, for the first time really looking at the man ... the man that had been so important to Cam, now dead. He was no stranger to death in general but this was all together something new. The body looked mauled, mutilated. Someone didn't just want Nico dead, they wanted to send a message. Costus. He tilted his head, thinking, the reason never crossing his mind before that moment. "The only reason there would be for that is to prolong.....To.... Well, to torture him longer. He would be totally oblivious to the pain, quiter victim. And it does appear that he was restrained for sometime, possibly days. " A surreal calm settled over her as she continued to question the assistant, knowing he wasn't the official word on Nico's death but that he knew enough to provide her with the information she wanted. Then there was dealing with the questions leveled at her. The detectives moved in for the kill, hurling question after question at her. ************** Dom paced in his room. Cam hadn't said a word since they left the morgue. He could feel her pulling away into herself and it scared him more than the drugs, the cops, hell even Costus. He could deal with anything but her silent acceptance and he decided to try talking to her again. Down the hall he stopped in front of the bathroom door, hearing the shower inside. Turning the knob he slipped inside, the warm moist air instantly clinging to his skin. "Cameron, we gotta...." "Dom." Her voice was a strangled plea of need, pushing the blue plastic shower curtain away. He stared for a moment watching water roll along her slight curves, pool at her belly button and soaking the down thatch of auburn curls between her thighs. Whipping his shirt over his head he tossed it to the cool lanolium, the rest of his clothes were quick to follow. He stepped under the stream of water with her, folding her in his thick muscled arms. "Oh god, Dom. I keep thinking about what they did to him. His hands. Why the fuck did they do that?" She buried her face against his slick chest. "I'm scared." "I know." he pulled her tighter, feeling her sobs now and he gave a relieved sigh. "Promise me something, Cam." "What?" she hiccupped, another sob logging in her throat. "I don't want you going back over to your place. I want you to stay here with me and Mia." His finger went under her chin and pulled her face up to meet his eyes. "Promise me that." "I promise, Dom." She gave him a weak smile, but it was short lived and she was soon sobbing again. Dom held her there in the warm cascade of water, held her until the water was cold and they began to chill despite their combined body heat. --------------- TBC |
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