Under His Protection

Twelve

Waking up, everything is dark and cold. I'm not moving anymore and everything is quiet around me. I wiggle my fingers and toes again to make sure I'm actually alive. When I go to wiggle my fingers on my left hand, I feel something in it that I don't remember grabbing. The last thing I remember is being put into a car. When I open my eyes and look around, I see that I'm in a room. A motel? And in my hand is my bullet that I took from Landon. As I go to sit up, pain runs through my whole body and I cry out. Nothing feels broken, but every muscle hurts, horribly from being beaten. Where am I? And where is Crow?

The room is empty, but by the door, I see a duffle bag so I know someone is here with me. No one else would do this except Landon, but why? Why risk his life for me? He didn't even flinch when Crow beat the s**t out of me. He didn't even stick around. I don't even want to talk to him or see him. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I stand all too quickly. My head throbs and everything starts spinning as I'm tripping over the tangled sheet around my body. I stumble to the bathroom, but before I can even reach the sink, I pass out again, hitting the cold tile with dead weight.

"Cam! Wake up, Cam!" I hear someone yelling at me, but I can't open my eyes. Everything hurts and I just want to lie still. The voice picks me up and I tense, yelling out as their hands cause more pain on my skin. I grip their shirt and squeeze hard as they lay me on the bed again.

"Her body is shaking. What the hell do I do?" The voice asks and it tells me that he isn't alone. Who else is with him?

"She's in pain. We don't know how badly that asshole really beat her" That thick accent. Viktor. As I come to, my eyes part and I see Landon standing over me. When he sees me staring at him he smiles softly "Cam."

I don't reply, I just stare at him as a frown forms across my face "Stay the hell away from me" I mumble and his face changes. His expression is pained and sorry. He knows that I'm angry with him for letting Crow beat me like that. He could have done something besides stand there and watch. What is Crow wanted to beat me to death? Then what? Would he have just stood there and watched me die?

Landon straights up and turns, leaving me. Replacing him, Viktor comes and sits next to me. He gently places his hand on my shoulder "Don't be angry with him. He wanted to save you, but he had to think of the bigger picture. If he would have reacted then, we wouldn't have been able to get you out of there"

"I don't care. I hate him" I whisper as beads of sweat develop on my forehead. Viktor takes a corner of the sheet and wipes it away. "He hates himself enough seeing you like this, Cam. Just try to forgive him and me. I'm just as responsible. I wanted to shoot Crow and I could've, but I didn't. So hate me too if you choose"

I could never hate Viktor. Or Landon. Maybe it was just the pain talking, but I am angry. "I don't hate you."

"Good. Then don't hate Landon either. His feelings are quite different than mine when it comes to you. You're like a little sister to me, but to him it's more. I think you know that though". Viktor smiles and reaches over on the night stand. He picks up a small pill bottle and a glass of water that I didn't notice. "Here. Take these. I know you must be is so much pain"

He helps me sit up, slowly with each cringe. I take two of the pain pills before lying back down. I look at the pills in his hand and shake my head "I don't want them"

"Why not? You're hurting. They'll help you get some rest" Viktor frowns a bit.

"I don't like taking pills. They make me feel weird" My reasons for not taking them ran a lot deeper than just side affects. Viktor continues to watch me and I realize that he isn't going to back down. I take the two pills from his hand and take them. "Thanks"

"No problem. Get some rest. We have a long trip a head of us in two days. We're just camping out here for a bit until we get our heads together. We burned the bastard's house down. I don't think he's too happy with us" He chuckles but in his eyes, I see worry.

After leaving me to rest, I fall back to sleep for what seems like forever before being woken again. "Time to eat" Viktor whispers as I smell something divine. Something so amazing and intoxicating that I think I've died and got to heaven. Fast food.

I open my eyes and see a greasy bag. "Please let that be a burger." I mumble, causing Viktor to laugh. "A burger and fries. And I thought you might want a chocolate milkshake"

My eyes light up. After all these weeks with that healthy crap Crow was feeding me, my body had detoxed from Chinese food and burgers that I was used to. Sitting up, I notice that I'm not as sore as I was before. I don't know how strong those pain pills were, but they are doing the trick. Viktor watches me eat slowly due to the fact that my jaw is sore from being slapped multiple times. As I eat, I feel the grease running through my veins giving me so much life.

"Viktor you're an angel" I say as I sip my milkshake.

"No problem. Landon is the one who sent me out to get it" Viktor smiles as he steals a fry from the bag.

"Where is he?"

"Outside keeping watch. I could switch with him if you want to talk"

Sighing, I nod slowly "Yes that would be nice. Thanks again for the food" I smile softly as Viktor gets up and leaves the room. Moments later, Landon comes in. He looks tired and frustrated as he sits in front of me. I don't know how I look, but from his expression, I must look horrible.

"Hi"

He doesn't reply. He just looks at me for a moment. I don't like the tension between us and I immediately feel guilty for what I said to him, but I don't know how to apologize without seeming guilty myself. Instead, I pick up a fry and hold it up "Eat"

Landon shakes his head "I'm good"

I don't move, I hold the fry closer to his lips "I'm not taking no for an answer. Eat the fry. It's good and greasy." I smirk and Landon sighs as he opens his mouth, taking the fry from my fingers. "Happy now?"

"Very." I say as I take a small bite from my burger before holding it up for him to take a bite. We sit there in silence, sharing my food and somehow it's almost better than going back and forth apologizing. Food is the ultimate apology. What says love more than sharing food? Wait, love? No, that's not right. We don't love each other. We just care.

After eating, Landon goes into the bathroom and turns the shower on before helping me up, each cringe causes him to tense. He holds me up and he unwraps the sheet from around me, making sure to be respectful and not ogle. Stepping in the shower, the hot warm beats down on me like a massage from the lord himself. I lean against the wall letting the water wash over me from head to toe. I don't notice Landon presence still in the bathroom until he moves the curtain back revealing his shirtless body. I stare at him for a moment before he says anything "I'm just going to help wash your back."

"Okay" is all I says as if I'm going to object to this sexy man washing me. I'm hurting, but I'm not crazy. Landon takes the towel and lathers it with soap before handing it to me. Slowly, I wash myself, groaning as the soreness in my shoulders, back, and everywhere else. When it becomes a bit too much, Landon takes the hand towel without hesitation. I watch his face as he washes my back and legs with concentration. "Most guys would find it hard to focus with a naked girl standing in front of them" I mumble, trying to lighten the mood.

His expression doesn't change "It's not that hard"

Did he just call me ugly?

"Excuse me then" I roll my eyes and Landon stops "I'm not saying you're not attractive and distracting if that's what you're thinking"

"I wasn't" I lie right through my teeth.

When I'm out of the shower, Landon helps dry me off before pulling on some yoga pants and a shirt that he must've swiped from the house before setting it in a blaze. When I'm all clean, I sit back in the bed, feeling all the energy gone from my body. I feel like I've been jumped by a pack of animals. Sitting there, I watch Landon pull his shirt back on before sitting on the edge of the bed in front of me. "We need to have a serious talk about what's going to happen?"

I nod and he clears his throat "The day after tomorrow, we're going to drive south. I have a few connections that can give us a place to stay. It will be in the middle of nowhere, but it'll give us some time to think of something. You're going to need your energy."

I sit and listen to all the instruction Landon gives me and when he's done, I feel like James Bond. Later that night, Viktor continues to keep watch while Landon takes a light nap. I sit next to him, not moving or making any noises. I don't want to wake him. Staring down at him, I fight the urge to rub his head and neck. Denying myself, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Is my company boring you?" Landon mumbles, opening his eyes slightly to look at him. I don't know why it still surprises me that he knows when I'm staring.

"Not at all. I just had the urge to rub your head. I don't know why. It just felt appealing" I shrug and Landon closes his eyes again. After a few seconds, I lift my hand and gently place it in his head, moving a strand of hair from his face. I run my fingers through his hair, giving his scalp a light rub. Doing so, a light moan comes from Landon. It's makes me feel a way knowing that something small that I do pleases him. I hate that I said I hate him earlier and that I told him not to touch me. He didn't do anything wrong. The only really wrong doing is him saving me. It wasn't assigned as a job description. He went against Crow and took me away from that house. I literally am in debt to him. Landon is risking his life for me.

The next day comes and goes quickly as Landon and Viktor talk and plan while I sit and listen. They pack the little things that they brought and make two phone calls throughout the day. As night falls, my nerves heighten as Landon goes sniper mode. On the bed, he has two guns. A hand gun and a sniper rifle. I watch him load each one in silence. I can't help, but swoon over him while he does it. His large hands working fast, his expression so serious. He's like my personal G.I Joe. When he looks up and sees my nibbling in my bottom lip, staring at him, he doesn't look away immediately. His eyes catch mine and stay there for what seems like minutes.

A thick tension fills the room as he lays the guns on the floor by the bed. Landon comes up to the bed and sits on the edge in front of me "See something you like?" His deep voice makes my stomach flutter.

"Yeah, actually I do" I say with a bold tongue. Tilting my head to the side, we stare at each other for a moment before a smirk spreads over his lips. "Hmm" his hums as he reaches up, cupping my jaw, gently. His thumb runs over my bottom lip. I slip the tip of my tongue out just in time for his thumb to run across it, causing him to clench his jaw a bit.

"You know, I hear that extremely dangerous situations can cause people to want to be close to someone, physically. You know because they feel like it may be the last time they see that person so why not cross a certain line" I mumble as Landon caresses my jaw with his thumb.

"Oh, really? Never heard of that"

"I know. I just made it up to justify me wanting you to kiss me" I watch Landon's eyes go a little darker as he licks his lips before leaning in. When his lips press against mine, I feel warm all over. The fire in my belly starting to grow a little. When he pulls back, I whimper.

"Greedy little thing" Landon whisper.

"Very" I nod.

"I want you to know something" His tone turns serious fast as his lips press together. "Back at the house, when I took the gun, I know you thought I didn't care or that I betrayed you. I saw it in your eyes and it hurt like hell to watch him hurt you like that, but I never stopped caring. I just knew I had to get you out of there and the only way I could was to wait."

"I know that now. But then, I thought I was going to die. I thought you were going to stand there and let him kill me." I look down at my hands and sighs "I was ready to die because I thought you didn't care and that I didn't have any other reason to live."

When I look up, Landon is staring at me, hard. He doesn't say anything, he just leans in and kisses me. I guess he couldn't find his words just yet, but his lips on mine say enough. Leaning in, further, I wrap my hand around the back of his neck as he wraps an arms around my waist. I ignore the soreness, not wanting him to back away. I needed this. I need him. Running my fingers over his low pony tail, I pull the elastic from it. Gripping the hair at the back of his head, I tug gently, earning a deep groan from his. When I grip harder, he bites down on my lip and tugs on it before letting it go "f**k, Cam"

God, my sniper man likes it rough. Yet right now he is holding back, being gentle with me and that's okay. For now.

His hands slip under my shirt, and slide up my back, before moving to the sides of my breasts. The kissing becomes more eager between us and it sends my core clenching and throbbing. For almost two months my s*x drive laid dormant, un-used, disposed of, but this man is awakening it with a vengeance. Sitting up on my knees, I pull Landon's shirt over his head, revealing his hard chest and abs. As I run my fingers down his torso, he leans back on his hands watching me. When I straddle him, it catches him by surprise, his eyes widening slightly. I kiss him hard and lustfully.

Breaking the kissing, I go to pull my shirt over my head and Landon stops me. "Wait, don't."

"Why?"

"You literally have bruises all over. It's a bit of a mood killer when I think about what happened" Landon tugs my shirt back down and I pout. "Oh come on, Cammie. You'll have another chance to seduce me" He chuckles but I continue to pout. Looking around, I spot a tie that belongs to Viktor hanging from his duffle bag. Yanking it out, I start tying it around Landon's eyes. "Let's see how you like being blind for once" I mumble as he smiles, willingly letting me take his sight away.

When I'm done tying, I pull my shirt over my head "Do you see bruises?"

"No, Ma'am" he licks his lips and a chill runs over me. Good lord his lips are sexy. Leaning forward, I catch him by surprise, kissing him. Although he is very much blind, his hands run over my body as if he knows each curve like a map. So focused on him, I barely feel any pain when he squeezes my waist or presses his hands along my ribs. And when it does hurt, I disguise it with a moan. I just don't want him to stop touching me.

Landon's mouth leaves mine and trails down my jaw and neck. I let my head fall back as he kisses my throat, smiling hard when he feels the vibration of my moan against his lips. Finally resting down in his lap, I'm surprised by his hard on, poking me. The feeling of it bulging right under me sends my toes curling. Letting a soft squeal escape my mouth, Landon nips at my jaw line "You feel that don't you?" He whispers in my ear.

Hell f*****g yes, I feel it and I want it so badly. This is so different from our first intimate encounter where I froze up like a helpless puppy and needed him to hold me. Nope, this time I know who I'm turned on for. I know what and who my body wants. Am I ready to s*x him like a mad woman? Not quite yet given the current circumstances. Do I want to jump his bones in a motel that hasn't been decorated since the 70s? Hell no, but this, what we're doing now is perfect.

Pulling me from my thoughts, Landon licks over my neck, causing my hips to squirm and grind over the growing tent in his pants. I hear him hiss softly at the sensation and it only turns me on more. I roll my hips over him, generating a steady pace, this time feeling my own wetness soak through the yoga pants. Gripping my hips, stopping me, Landon pressing his face into my neck and chuckles "f**k, woman. You're going to be the death of me"

We start laughing and suddenly, startling the crap out of me, Viktor opens the door. I gasp and Landon pulls me a bit closer so that Viktor doesn't get an eye full of my breasts. Viktor looks at Landon with his tie around his eyes and raises an eyebrow.

"Um, I was just coming in to let you know that a storm is coming so the timing will be perfect to leave. Crow won't be out in this weather. He and the guys will start fresh in the morning, but well be long gone from this area" Viktor nods and a still blind folded Landon simply gives him a thumbs up, looking everywhere but towards Viktor. When Viktor shakes his head and walks out, I press my forehead on Landon's shoulder. "We should get some rest." I mumble and feel him nod.

After putting my shirt back on and giving Landon back his sight, we lay down. In the dark, I notice small flashes of lightening. I don't know how long in stare at the window, but by the time I hear Landon snoring, I've counted 89 lighting strikes, the last 29 a lot closer together. I can't bring myself to really relax until we're safe. I know Viktor is keeping watch, but I want to be his extra ears. I don't move as Landon rolls onto his side, squeezing my side to his body. I fight back a cringe, but flinch a little. He squeezes me six times in the two hours that he is sleep.

Around 3am, the storm is raging and I'm sitting on the end of the bed watching the guys talk. Sitting in silence, I give in to my thoughts and one particular one comes to mind. I don't want to interrupt so I sit quietly until I find a break in their conversation.

"Why didn't Anderson come with you guys? He was always nice to me. I would think he'd help"

Viktor's eyes widen a little and he gives Landon a look. Landon shakes his head and turns to me "Don't worry about him, Cam. He always went by the book so no matter how much he liked you, he wouldn't have been on our side. I'm sorry"

Sighing, I nod "You don't need to be sorry, Landon. You didn't do anything wrong"

I watch Landon tense up "What? What's wrong?" I ask.

"He wasn't going to let us leave, Camilla" His words make me nervous. I know he only says my whole name when he is about to hurt my feelings. "I don't understand"

Taking a deep breath, Landon kneels down in front of me "He tried to stop me from getting you out and I couldn't let that happen." Landon's voice is soft and calm like he's talking to a child, but he isn't. He just knows how hard I'm about to take this. My eyes water a bit and my chest tightens. "You had to..... You shot him. He's dead?" My voice cracks and Landon nods, reaching up to tuck a lock of my hair back. Trying to hold back my tears, a few escape that I quickly wipe away.

"I'm sorry, Cam" He runs his hand down my arm as I shake my head "No, it's okay. I'm fine. I just feel like it's my fault. All this is for me and Anderson had to die so you could save me" I put my face in my hands suddenly Landon is gone and Viktor is in his place "Look at me, Cam"

His voice is stern yet calming. I look up and he is at eye level. "None of this is your fault. We made these choices ourselves. We wanted to get you out of there. Anderson was responsible for his own demise. He chose to point a gun at Landon and Landon protected himself. Point blank. So don't you dare blame yourself. Understand?" When I don't answer, Viktor gives me a father like look "Answer me, Cam. Do you understand?"

I finally nod "Yes, I understand" I sniff and Viktor kisses my forehead. So un-Russian-trained-killer of him to make such a gentle gesture. After taking a few deep breaths, we pack everything that was brought into the van as the rain poured down.

When everything is cleared out of the motel, we climb into the van and Viktor drives while Landon sits in the back with me. As Viktor pulls off, silence falls over the vehicle. We're officially on the run for our lives. There's no turning back, no rectifying the situation. I can't help, but think how in the beginning these were the last people I wanted to be around and now I'm so grateful for them.

As I stare out the window, Landon pulls me close, covering me with a blanket "Get some rest. It's going to be a long drive" I nod and lean against him, curling up in the seat. As I rest my head on his shoulder, he kisses my temple a few times. Even though the circumstances, I feel calm in his arms. He's given up his own life and safety for me because he cares. Caring is what we agreed upon and that's what I'm supposed to feel for him, but I can't push down an un-recognizable emotion. It's consuming me too faster for me to understand. It's not like what I felt for Ray. This is so different and foreign to me. It can't be healthy to depend on someone this much to keep me sane. Landon isn't a crutch or anything, but when I'm around him, I instantly feel happy and okay.

As I fall asleep, I ponder over what Landon would think or do or feel if I told him around this un-recognizable emotion. Would he pull away or turn his back on me? Would be blame my feelings on some sort of hero worship? All the possibilities will keep me from ever expressing to him that I think I might be kind of falling for him.