Apprentice (The Gentlemens' Society for Alchemy, #1)

Chapter 17 - Ticking Bomb

I awake the next morning to golden sunlight streaming in through the window and Cameron Cardelloni completely wrapped around me. I'd forgotten that he's like a leech when he sleeps, sticking to the closest warm body like it emits a heat signal. His arms are tucked securely around my waist, his hands splayed across my belly. I feel his stubbly warm face pressed against my shoulder, his long legs intertwined with mine.

"Ahem," I say, as I gently remove his hands from around my waist.

"What?" Cam shoots up in bed, reaching for the night table where he keeps his gun. "What happened? Who's here?"

I put my hands on his chest to calm him, laughing. "Relax. It's just me. We overslept."

Cam narrows his eyes at me.

"Overslept? What time is it, 6:30?" He groans, falling back into bed and covering his face with a pillow.

"Actually,"I say, glancing at the night table where his alarm clock sits. "It's 7 AM. I should have been out running thirty minutes ago."

Cam sighs and swings his long legs over the edge of the bed.

"I don't want you running alone anymore, Liv. It's too dangerous."

I roll my eyes, stretching and standing on the other side of the bed. "Don't be ridiculous. I've been running in the Park almost my whole life."

In an instant, Cam has crossed the space between us and is staring down at me with his no-nonsense cop stare.

"I'm not an idiot, Liv. I know you came here last night because whatever you're mixed up in, it's got you scared. Scared enough that you couldn't even sleep at your apartment last night. I'm not letting you go alone."

I poke him in the chest. "I came here last night because I wanted you to stop being mad at me." I cross my arms over my chest. "I'm not scared, Cam. I can take care of myself. I don't need a chaperone."

I take a deep breath, wondering if he'll buy my bluff. Bluff, bluff, bluff, it's what I'm good at. But Cam knows me too damn well.

"Fine, you don't need a chaperone," Cam says, rolling his eyes.  "But you do need a friend, and I need to work out some frustrations myself, so if you don't mind, I'd like to join you."

Twenty minutes later, we're already making our way toward the park. Cam lives maybe ten minutes away, so we laugh and talk on the way there, keeping our pace idle. The morning is extra chilly today, and it's so bright and wonderful out that I can almost forget than anything unsavory happened the night before. I put Ezra's offer out of my mind, almost completely convinced that I'm going to decline.

I can't let myself belong to anyone. I can't give up free reign of my life. What would happen to mornings like this with Cam? I've never been different my whole life, why should I start now?

Now if I could just clear things up with Emily, my life would be back to normal.

"Can we stop at my apartment first?" I ask, realizing it's right down the street. "I need to get my running shoes."

We walk into my building, waving at Morris, who gives me an appraising eye.

"You alright, young lady?" He asks, even though I haven't felt better in weeks.

"Yes, sir!" I chirp, practically skipping to the elevator. "How are you, Morris?" 

He smiles shyly and winks at me. 

"Never been better, Miss Golden. Let me know if you need anything." 

When we get up to my floor, I know something is wrong almost immediately. There's trash in the hallway, trash that looks very much like...