Midnight Sins by Lora Leigh Read Free Book Online

in the
    apartment,” Rafe told him. “If she’s not there, then
    she’s at her parents’. I just want to be sure.”
    After stopping behind the apartments long
    enough to quickly change into the fresh jeans and Tshirt
    his uncle had thought to bring him, Rafe headed
    upstairs to Jaymi’s apartment.
    He still had the key. She had never asked for it
    back. Unlocking the door, he stepped inside before
    closing it securely behind him and staring around
    silently.
    If he hadn’t known Jaymi was dead, then he
    would have expected it the minute he entered the
    apartment. Her presence had always been there
    when she was alive.
    It was gone now, replaced with the heavy weight
    of grief that wrapped around him and seemed to
    permeate the entire room.
    He had hoped Cami would be at her parents’.
    That was where he had expected her to be. He
    damned sure didn’t expect her to be there alone. As
    he stepped to the open bedroom door, he saw how
    wrong he was. She was here alone, huddled in the
    bed, exhaustion marking her sleeping face.
    But at least she had her medicine and beside the
    bed was a glass of chilled water. Someone had been
    checking up on her at least.
    Breathing out roughly, he sat on the side of the
    bed and tucked her blanket around her shoulders
    gently.
    Instantly, feather-soft lashes lifted, and soft, blueringed
    dove gray eyes filled with an overload of tears.
    “Rafe.” Her breathing hitched as the tears
    overflowed.
    “Come here, Cami-girl.” He opened his arms to
    her, his throat tightening as she threw herself against
    his chest, the sobs tearing from her as he closed his
    eyes and fought against his own pain.
    “Go ahead and cry, sweetheart,” he whispered
    gently as he laid his cheek against the top of her head
    and ignored the trail of liquid warmth he felt ease from
    his eyes. “Cry for both of us.”
    He’d lost his best friend, and he was damned if
    he knew how to handle it. He hadn’t been able to
    protect her as he’d sworn to Tye he would do. He had
    broken the only promise the man who had called him
    brother had ever asked of him.
    As he held Cami, rocked her, and felt the grief
    that tore through her, he wondered why Jaymi had
    thought to entrust him with her sister’s protection when
    he’d just failed to protect Jaymi.
    How could he even trust himself now to protect
    this little waif who had managed to worm her way into
    his heart?
    He’d promised. He’d find a way to do it.
    Jaymi couldn’t have known what she was asking.
    She had no idea he and his cousins were signed to
    go into the military. They’d all chosen the Marines.
    And who did that leave to look after Cami?
    “Oh my God!”
    The frightened squeak had his head jerking
    around to see Ella Flannigan, Cami’s father’s sisterin-
    law as she stood poised just inside the doorway.
    She looked like she was ready to run screaming.
    “Rafer Callahan, you just scared the shit out of
    me.” Her expression turned chastising rather than
    terrified as she noticed the way her niece held on to
    him as though he were a lifeline.
    Compassion and sorrow filled her eyes.
    “I promised Jaymi.” He swallowed tightly as
    Cami’s sobs began to ease as exhaustion seemed to
    tax her weakened body. “I promised to look after her.”
    She blinked quickly before nodding. “I’ll be in the
    living room with Eddy.”
    Her husband hadn’t been here when Rafe
    entered the apartment and he hadn’t heard anyone
    come in. Ella looked as though she had just woken
    up, so he sincerely doubted her husband was here.
    But he would be here quickly enough considering their
    small house was only blocks away.
    He nodded, his hand stroking down the back of
    Cami’s head as he felt her relaxing marginally.
    She would be asleep in a minute, he thought. The
    bronchitis medication was obviously keeping her
    sedated enough to allow her to rest.
    “I miss her, Rafe,” she whispered, her weary and
    tear-thickened voice slicing across his heart.
    “So