Camden’s brows slid together. “I don’t hate you. I don’t feel anything toward you at all. And like I said, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. I wouldn’t blindside you with an attack. You’d see me coming.”
“I don’t care what anyone says, it. Was. You.” Grant again lunged at Camden, but Joaquin once more blocked his path.
Havana growled. “Not in my fucking yard. You want another duel with Camden, you challenge him after you’ve rested and got your head straight, Grant. Fighting while you’re weak and angry would be damn stupid. You’re not stupid.”
Bailey snorted and uttered, “Don’t be so sure of that.”
Tim sidled up to Grant and tentatively touched his arm. “Havana’s right, man. This isn’t the time. Come on, let’s go.” He began to lead the enforcer away.
Tate looked at his brother, who nodded and followed the two males.
“He was behind it, Luke,” Grant said to him as they skirted the corner of the house. “I know he was. It had to have been him.”
The voices soon faded as the four males disappeared.
Aspen’s bearcat gave her body a little shake, settling her ruffled fur. Well that was unpleasant.”
Bailey puffed out a long breath. “No matter what he says, I’m not convinced Grant didn’t stage the whole thing, hoping Camden wouldn’t have an alibi for every second of the day or—at the very least—that Grant could convince people that Camden hired someone else to do it.”
Tate rubbed his jaw. “Grant’s a better person than that. But … Havana was right in what she said the other day—he’s currently grieving the future he thought he might have with Aspen. People often aren’t themselves when they’re grieving. I’d be a fool to overlook that. Still, I don’t know if Grant would come up with such an elaborate plot. At least not unless he’d covered all his bases to ensure it was believable. This was ill-thought out.”
“Assuming Grant didn’t stage it, do you think it could have been Wayland who sent the car careening into the lake?” asked Aspen. “He might have been hoping to stir up trouble for Camden or something.”
“Maybe,” said Tate. “I can’t think who else would have done it. Grant’s popular among the pride and doesn’t have any major enemies.”
Soon, Luke returned. “I just spoke with Sam on the phone. He confirmed that he and Tim collected Grant from a motel just over half an hour ago. He said Grant was soaked to the bone and had injuries consistent with a car accident.”
“Sam wouldn’t lie,” said Deke.
“No, he wouldn’t,” Tate agreed, sliding his arm around his mate’s shoulders. “So something definitely went down earlier. And I can only conclude that Wayland was behind it.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Following Aspen into the living area of his apartment, Camden watched her closely. “You’ve been quiet.” She hadn’t spoken a word since they left the Alpha pair’s house. Her silence ruffled his cat’s fur and made Camden wonder … “You don’t think I arranged for someone to run Grant off the road, do you?”
She whirled to face him, and her head drew back slightly. “What? Fuck, no. You do your own dirty work. And causing someone to crash their car isn’t your style anyway.”
His insides relaxed. “Then why have you been so quiet?”
“I’m still kind of stunned by what went on with Grant. It never occurred to me that Wayland would target him. Now I’m worrying that he might hurt others around us. Wayland seems intent on dragging this out. Intent on making you and me suffer in whatever ways he can.”
Camden stalked toward her. “It is possible he’ll use others to do it. But your girls are well-protected, since Tate put extra guards on Havana—those enforcers will also watch over Bailey. I doubt anyone could get the drop on Corbin, but we’ll warn him to be more vigilant. There’s really no one else who could be used against you.”
“Wayland could go after one of your old pride members in the hope of hurting you, such as Sheridan or one of your cousins.”
“Maybe. But he trespassed on their territory several times and never harmed anyone. If he was going to hurt one of them, he would have done it by now.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Deciding to put it all out of her mind for now—it took up too much of her mental space far too often these days—Aspen asked, “Are you okay after the ugly scene on the patio deck?” She tossed her purse on the sofa. “Grant had a good, long rant at you.” Which wouldn’t have hurt Camden’s feelings, but it was never pleasant to have someone sling seriously shitty comments at you and, moreover, try to blame you for something you didn’t do.
Camden gave a flippant shrug. “I was expecting him to come at me again. He’d warned me it wasn’t over the night we dueled, and I knew there was a good chance he’d be pissed about that brand on your neck unless he’d fully accepted that you aren’t his. I don’t think he’s quite there yet. Which would explain why he hasn’t yet gone on that vacation his cousin mentioned.”