Camden also had no wish to talk with the woman who was currently busy staring at him with sadness in her eyes. Gustavo was grinding his teeth and looking like he would love to be anywhere but there. Well, Camden would rather they weren’t there as well.
He doubted they were surprised that he’d refused them entry into his building. If it was rude, fine, but there was no way he’d welcome them into the apartment he presently shared with Aspen. So he’d met them outside the entrance of the complex, hoping to get this over with.
His beast was sincerely pissed that they’d come here. To his territory. Particularly since he didn’t want them near his bearcat.
Aspen had gone to have dinner with her girls at Havana’s house, but she’d be home any minute now. Camden had plans for them that involved wine, her favorite cupcakes, and the rooftop. He wanted the two tigers gone before she returned. But so far, neither of the tigers had spoken a word.
Deciding to get things moving, Camden folded his arms across his chest and prompted, “Well?”
Judith shook herself out of her stupor. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. You just look so much like Dirk, it takes me off-guard each time I see you.”
Her mate winced at the note of longing in her voice, but she didn’t seem to notice.
She licked her lips and flexed her grip on the plastic bag she held. “Your uncle told us he believes Julius seems to now be targeting you and, well, I wanted to check on you.”
Camden felt a frown tug at his brow. Check on him? Like he mattered to her? Like he would even care if he did? “As you can see, I’m fine.”
He waited, hoping there was more; hoping she’d announce she was also here to relay info he could use. It didn’t seem likely that she’d come all this way merely to “check on” him. But she made no such announcement and said nothing to fill the silence.
Yeah, Camden really should have turned them all away when they showed up at the center. “Well if that’s all …”
“Actually, it’s not.” Judith took a step toward him. “There’s something else.”
“Which is?” he prodded when she didn’t elaborate.
She cleared her throat. “Well …” Again, she fell silent.
He sighed. “Either go, or say what you came to say. I have plans.”
Gustavo bristled. “There’s no call for rudeness.”
In complete disagreement, Camden’s beast bared his teeth.
Judith slid her mate a sideways glance. “He has every right to be so intolerant of us, Gustavo.”
The male’s face hardened. “You didn’t do anything wrong by letting his grandparents take him away. He wasn’t your responsibility.”
“He was a cub,” said Judith. “He was the entire pride’s responsibility.”
It was clear by the way they spoke that this wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation. Instead of letting it go, they continued to dispute the matter right there in front of Camden.
He would have simply walked away, but then Bailey’s car pulled into the lot. That quickly, his inner tiger went from pissed to watchful, knowing Wayland could be lurking close by. Camden carefully scanned his surroundings for any signs of the polar, despite knowing that the lot was now extremely well-monitored.
Soon, Bailey and Aspen were sliding out of the vehicle. His tiger tensed, uneasy with their bearcat being out in the open after the clusterfuck at Wayland’s property a week ago.
The two Crescent tigers were still engaged in their little dispute when she and Bailey walked toward the entrance. Camden was purposely aloof when greeting the females, making it clear to Aspen that he didn’t want her to head his way. More specifically, he didn’t want to introduce her to the tigers. They’d seen her bearcat, but they hadn’t seen her human form. Camden preferred it that way. He didn’t want them touching her life.
Understanding, Aspen greeted him as simply as she would greet any pride mate as she passed him and headed into the building with Bailey. Only then did his tiger lose some of his tension. Camden would have followed the females, but then Judith turned to him with a sigh.
She blushed. “Sorry about that, Camden. Um, where were we? Yes, so …” She rolled back her shoulders. “Well, you see, it struck me when I was cleaning away the remains of the bench your father gifted to me that you probably don’t have anything of his. Any photos or keepsakes.” She held out the plastic bag. “I have a few things here I thought you might like. You might only keep them in a box somewhere, but at least you’ll have them.”
The fuck? Camden briefly glanced down at the bag. She’d come all the way here for this? Seriously? No wonder she’d been reluctant to say it aloud. She’d known he wouldn’t trip all over himself in desperation to take whatever she’d brought. Unlike her, he didn’t live in the past. “What is it you’re trying to do here?”