Ties and Spies

Chapter 40

CAMMIE'S POV

"Grant? Grant, what was that?" I asked frantically. In the main foyer of the ball, everything looked peaceful and graceful; so unlike the mess within the mansion. Behind me, I could see Jonas coming at a fast pace, urging me forward with his hand. He mouthed to me, "Find Grant!" 

Without hesitation, I took off toward the first door I could find, cursing the long material I was wearing. A gun was in my hand by the time I reached an empty hallway, where a figure emerged running toward me. My finger pressed on the trigger, but it took only a fraction of a second to realize it was Grant. The gun shifted only an inch and pierced the wall behind him, safely. 

"Someone's on edge," he muttered reaching me, and taking the arm from my hands. 

My voice shook, completely close to losing it, "What happened?" 

"Someone got her attention, she got out of the room, I lost her somewhere in a hallway, but before I could take out who was with her, someone else attacked the person. Cam, there are three groups in on this right now. We are compromised." 

"Oh, God. Grant, we have to go now. Jonas-" 

Through the comms he said, "I've got my things. I'll meet you in the west corridor in five minutes. Get out, and do it fast and clean. No evidence." 

My head was in my hands. How did we screw this up? 

That was when his yelling started. 

"Weren't you supposed to have an eye on her from behind? Cam, I was counting on you!" 

"I did! I swear I turned around for a second. I just... I thought I saw something." 

"Enough of that! This isn't the Gallagher Academy, you can't screw up!" 

"Don't you think I already know that? Look who you're talking to, Grant. I know what I'm doing." 

We continued on like that. Up until I accused him, and his face changed. From being hard and angry, to hungry and whole. He stared at me so differently my voice went dead. The air around us hung emptily, and our ragged breaths intertwined. And somehow, out of no where, I found my hands against Grant's chest and my back against the wall, and his lips coming down on mine in a feverish manner. 

The light material of the dress tore under his harsh grabbing on my legs. The kiss felt so familiar... So real and so alive. Yet nothing at all like a kiss to me should have felt. Because I was not kissing Zach. So with as much will as possible, I pushed Grant away from me, and we stared at each other horrified, my hand coming up to my lips where they tasted blood from where he had bit them. My hand trembled, realizing what had just been exchanged between us. 

"Cam, are you-" Before he could even finish his sentence, my hand struck the side of his face. Hard. 

"Cammie?" I'm not exaggerating when I say I jumped at the sound of Hale's voice to the left of the hall. I'm also not exaggerating when I say I nearly fell at the sight of Zach's pained face, and the thump of something hitting the floor on my right. 

Bex. Not bex alone, but Bex dropping an unconscious Dempsey on the ground at her feet. 

"Cammie, what are you doing here?" Bex asked. Her controlled glare did not reach Grant. Hell, she couldn't look at Grant. Her eyes were glassy and her fists were shaking. "I- CIA. Bex, Oh god." 

I couldn't bring myself to walk over. But being as strong as she was, her bravado never changing, she came over to me and embraced me. She looked stunning. Her skin was smooth and toned, the red dress she wore brought out every curve and feature on her body. "I- I'm really-"