Trusting Danger: Romantic Suspense (Book Two of the Danger Series)

by Caila Jaynes

  Claire wasn’t a spoiled rich girl. She was a kind, caring person who deserved much better than the way he’d been treating her.

  But he’d think about that later. Right now, he had work to do.

  Eli was on his way back and should be arriving soon. When Grayson had reached him by phone earlier and relayed the news, the boss had remained professional, even though Grayson knew he had to be devastated.

  “Your apartment’s a good idea,” Eli had said, his voice gravelly with emotion, “especially with Camden there to help you. But take precautions. We’ve still got nothing concrete on who’s behind the kidnapping attempt. Whoever put out this contract may have hired someone else.”

  Grayson had agreed, feeling his own throat constrict with emotion as he hung up.

  This miserable night was far from over. Eli still needed to notify Jeremy’s family, a duty Grayson didn’t envy him. It was the worst part of the job, and not for the first time, Grayson was glad he was only an agent and not responsible for the entire team.

  Chapter Thirty

  On the drive from Springfield to DC, Claire couldn’t stop crying. Grayson reached across the console and took her hand, murmuring words of comfort, his low voice soothing.

  She sobbed, her heart feeling like it would break as they sped down I-395, and tried to collect herself but didn’t ask questions when Grayson pulled into a parking garage near the Justice building. When he helped her out of the SUV and settled her into the front seat of a nondescript silver sedan a few rows over, it hardly registered. And when he started the car and drove through a tunnel before exiting a block away from where they’d first pulled in, she didn’t really care. Misery had made her numb.

  When they arrived at his apartment in the wee hours of Friday morning, Grayson surprised Claire by introducing his friends who were staying there, Camden and Autumn. They looked equally stricken, having learned the news from Grayson by phone earlier, and had waited up for his arrival home.

  After the introductions, Grayson walked Claire to his bedroom and got her settled in. Camden and Autumn were staying in the guest room, he said, and he would sleep on the couch.

  After just a few hours’ sleep, Claire felt a little more human. She crawled out of bed, blinking against the bright morning light streaming through the bedroom window, and tugged on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt Grayson had left folded on the dresser for her with a note.

  Sorry, but we had to send all your things to the lab. These might be a little big, but they’ll have to do for now.

  The clothes were obviously Grayson’s, much too big for her, but she’d make do.

  She drew the pants’ drawstring as tight as she could, then studied herself in Grayson’s bathroom mirror. One cheekbone was a bit purple, swollen and tender from where she’d been hit the night before, and her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed. Basically, she looked as washed out and miserable as she felt, but at least she didn’t have a concussion or any other injuries.

  She sighed as she turned away from the mirror. Despite the change in location, she couldn’t stop thinking about Jeremy.

  By now, his mother and brothers had to know. How were they taking the news? Had his ex-girlfriend found out too? Thoughts of their grief made Claire want to crawl back into Grayson’s bed.

  He’d shown a completely different side of himself in the last several hours. So much so that the accusations she’d previously made to him filled her with shame.

  No longer wanting to be alone, Claire opened the door of the bedroom and wandered through the living room to the kitchen. Grayson’s modern apartment was bright with light, contemporary with a masculine feel. The kitchen was outfitted with subway tile and chrome fixtures, just like the master bath. It was all very attractive but cold, much like her first impression of Grayson.

  “I should have been there.” Grayson stood in the middle of the kitchen’s slate-tiled floor, rubbing a hand over the stubble on his face as he spoke with Camden and Autumn.

  “You sound just like Eli,” Camden said. “It wasn’t his fault, and it isn’t yours either.”

  “I was doing a half-assed job on the case, going back and forth to my mother’s the way I was.”

  Autumn turned her head and spotted Claire. “You’re up.”

  Grayson spun around. His gaze met Claire’s and his expression softened. “Were you able to get some rest?”

  Claire blinked several times, surprised again by his concern. She nodded as she walked over.

  She’d barely said anything to Camden and Autumn the night before when Grayson had made introductions. Her throat closed up as she remembered why she was here, but she couldn’t think about that now. Maybe a little small talk would get her mind off her grief.

  “Do you all live here?” she asked Camden, studying him with curiosity. He was a little shorter than Grayson but looked to be just as fit, with brown hair and dark eyes and an open, welcoming expression.

  “No,” Camden said. “But Gray and I used to be roommates. Autumn was living up north when we met, and once we got together, I left the team and we decided to move.”

  “Where do you live now?”

  “Bonnersville, a small town in Virginia,” Camden said. “But Gray’s been nice enough to let us stay here for a while.”

  The glance he exchanged with his wife made Claire wonder what the reason for their stay was . . . and why they’d make such a drastic move. Her curiosity was killing her, but she didn’t want to be rude and ask intrusive questions.

  An awkward silence fell between them until Grayson said, “Didn’t you guys say you were thinking about getting a dog? Claire has a golden retriever.”

  Despite her melancholy, Claire gave him a smile. She missed her fur-baby, and since she couldn’t be with him right now, talking about him was the next best thing.

  What would Charlie do if he were here? He’d always been able to sense when she was upset, and right now, he’d probably try to crawl into her lap even though he was much too big for that now. He’d lick at her face, wanting to give her sloppy kisses, anything to help her get over the misery she was feeling.

  Autumn encouraged Claire to sit down with her and Camden at the kitchen table. When she did, Autumn smiled. “Mind if we ask you a few questions?”

  “Of course not.”

  “How old is your dog?”

  “Charlie’s a year old.”

  “How much does he weigh?”

  “About sixty pounds, but I expect he’ll put on a little more weight this year.”

  “He’s friendly?” Camden asked.

  Claire smiled again. “Incredibly.”

  “We’ve heard teething is brutal.”

  “It can be, depending on what they like to chew on. Shoes were a favorite of Charlie’s. So much so that I had to keep him in a kennel when I was out.”

  “What about at nighttime?” Autumn asked. “Did he stay in the kennel then too?”

  “He didn’t need to. From day one, he was big enough to jump down from the bed when he needed to use a pad.”

  Grayson looked like he was trying to suppress a smile. “Your dog sleeps with you?”

  When she met his eyes, her body’s reaction surprised her. What was going on with her? Every time she looked into Grayson’s eyes now, she felt a jolt of heat.

  She nodded and quickly looked away. Her emotions were in a jumble and she wasn’t thinking straight, that was all. Grayson had given her a shoulder to lean on, but it was only due to circumstances. She shouldn’t read anything more into it.

  “Who’s taking care of your dog now?”

  Claire’s attention snapped back to Autumn. “My dog sitter.”

  It had been almost a week since she’d seen Charlie. How much longer until she was home?

  A knot of stress formed inside Claire’s stomach at the thought. After the last twenty-four hours, it was hard to imagine her life ever being normal again.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  After a pre-dawn call on Friday mornin
g from his aunt Mary, Grayson phoned Eli. Not surprisingly, his boss said he’d send their teammate Alex over to guard Claire and insisted Grayson leave as soon as he arrived.

  “By the way,” Eli said, “the perp you shot at the safe house? His prints were in the system. Name’s Jack Lawson. He’s got an impressive rap sheet that includes burglary and assault.” His tone sharpened as he added, “And now he’ll face a murder charge as soon as he gets out of the hospital.”

  “How about his partner?” Grayson asked softly as he paced the living room.

  “Still in the wind. Lawson’s lawyered up; won’t say a word. We’re working to find a link between him and Gabe Rogers.”

  “Damn it.”

  “The lab couldn’t find anything in Claire’s belongings, so I’ll send those over with Alex. We still don’t know how these guys found the safe house, but we’ll figure it out.”

  Grayson cursed under his breath, clenching his free hand into a fist.

  “Don’t worry, Gray. We’ll find his accomplice. More importantly, we’ll find whoever set this entire kidnapping plot in motion.”

  “We have to,” Grayson forced out from between clenched teeth. “Jeremy died keeping Claire safe, and I’ll be damned if we let his killers go free.”

  “We’ll get them.” Eli’s voice was colder than Grayson had ever heard it. “Someone will pay for this. I’m getting on a plane to Chicago today to take a young man home to his mother so she can bury him. I’ll have to stand next to her and her sons as they cry at the funeral, and try to keep my shit together so I don’t cry like a baby with them.”

  “I wish I could be there with you. Please tell Jeremy’s mother that.”

  “I will,” Eli said. “She’ll understand when I tell her you and the rest of the team are here chasing down every lead to find the other man who helped killed her boy.” He sighed, signing off with, “Keep me updated.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Grayson wasn’t around when Claire walked out of the bedroom her second morning at Grayson’s. She still felt a little awkward being in his apartment, but having Autumn there had made a huge difference.

  The petite, soft-spoken blonde was about Claire’s age and incredibly friendly. Her sweet nature made her easy to talk to, and she was a wizard in the kitchen. Yesterday, she’d taken Claire under her wing and kept her distracted by teaching her how to make pies.

  All the while, Camden had stayed close, teasing his wife gently with good-natured humor. At times, Claire had just watched the two of them, entranced by their easy relationship. The love between them was evident, and she envied the long glances and affectionate touches that came so easily to them.

  Now Camden was seated at the kitchen table with a black-haired man of about thirty wearing a pale blue button-down shirt and gray slacks. After taking a sip from his coffee mug, the new guy fixed his blue eyes on her and gave her a welcoming nod. His tall, muscular physique and assessing gaze reminded Claire of all the men she’d met from Phoenix so far, even Camden.

  As Claire walked in, Camden lifted his chin in greeting. “Claire, this is Alex Nabokov,” he said, tilting his head toward the newcomer. “He’s with Phoenix, and will be helping keep an eye on things here. Gray had to go out of town early this morning to see his mother.”

  Claire nodded her hello to Alex, but her heart rate picked up at the serious expression on Camden’s face. “Has her condition worsened?”

  Camden confirmed it with a nod. “From the way it sounded, she’s not doing well at all.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “I’m sorry too. She’s a very nice woman. Too young to be facing all of this.”

  Alex stood up and excused himself, saying he needed to make a call. As he stepped out onto the large balcony that led off the living room, Claire poured herself a cup of coffee, feeling Camden’s gaze on her back. When she turned around, he met her eyes.

  “Listen, Claire . . . last night Gray mentioned something to me about you guys not getting along. I know how intense he can be under normal circumstances, so I can only imagine how it’s been the past few days. But you should know something. He’s a really good guy.”

  Claire blinked in surprise. Why was Camden telling her this?

  As if he’d read her mind, he gave her a small smile. “Anyway, Grayson should be back tomorrow. Alex will be here on duty until he returns, and I’ll back him up. Oh, and the lab released your things. Alex brought them with him. At least you’ll be able to wear your own clothes again.”

  He pointed behind her and Claire swung her head around, thrilled to see her suitcase, tote, and purse resting on the floor next to the front door.

  Autumn walked into the kitchen, catching the tail end of the conversation. “She’s pretty much rocking Grayson’s clothes,” she said with a grin.

  Claire felt her cheeks warm and tugged self-consciously at the hem of the Henley shirt of Grayson’s she was wearing that fell to the top of her thighs. She’d paired it with the smallest pair of his sweatpants she could find, but they still swamped her. Autumn was so slim and petite, several inches shorter than Claire, none of her clothes would fit, even though she’d offered them.

  Camden put an arm around his wife’s waist. “You should tell Claire how it was when you and Gray first met.”

  Autumn tilted her head a moment, thinking. “If I had to use one word, I’d say intense.” She turned her gaze to Claire. “Camden was injured at the time, and Gray was being protective. He didn’t trust me at all.”

  Claire widened her eyes in amazement. “How could someone not trust you?”

  “Gray had his reasons,” Autumn said, avoiding her gaze.

  Not for the first time, Claire wondered what her story was. Instead of voicing the question, she asked Camden, “Did you and Grayson grow up together?”

  “No. Gray grew up in Pennsylvania, and I was raised in Virginia. We met in college.”

  Curious, Claire glanced at Autumn. “Did you grow up in Virginia too?”

  Autumn shook her head. “I’m from Minnesota.”

  “Is your family still there?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t really have a family anymore.”

  When Autumn didn’t elaborate, Claire looked toward Camden, but his gaze was still fixed on his wife. Not wanting to intrude on what seemed to be a private moment, Claire excused herself, murmuring that she needed to change clothes.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  By the time he pulled into his parking space at his apartment complex late Saturday night, Grayson’s emotions were frayed. It had been his worst visit to Scranton yet. There had been the scare with his mother’s blood count being too low again, and even though that was now under control, her complete lack of energy was devastating to see. Just the thought of it had tied his neck and shoulders into knots.

  Eleanor no longer had the strength to go anywhere. Not to doctors’ appointments, not out to the backyard she loved, not even to the bathroom.

  He recalled her embarrassment when his aunt had brought a bedpan into her room. Grayson had left to give them some privacy, and it had been long minutes before he’d been able to reenter the room after they’d called him back in. He’d needed the time to compose himself.

  He forced aside the painful memory as he unlocked the door to his apartment and walked inside. Although he’d assumed everyone but Alex would be asleep at this late hour, he saw Claire sitting at the kitchen table, sipping something from a mug.

  “Everything okay here?” Grayson kept his voice low as Alex met him at the door.

  Alex nodded. “No problems. You need me to stay longer, let you get some sleep?”

  Sleep would be elusive tonight after the day Grayson had had. “No, you go on home. Thanks for covering for me.”

  “Anytime.”

  Rather than ask about Grayson’s mother, Alex clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed hard before he picked up his backpack and slipped out the front door. The quiet gesture of sympathy touched Grays
on, reminding him how his team members were like brothers. That thought led him to think about Jeremy and people dying too young, which brought him full circle to his mother again.

  At that, Grayson shut his thoughts down completely, not willing to go down that road right now. His jaw tense, he set down his duffel bag as Claire came out of the kitchen.

  “Hi,” she said softly.

  Heat flooded Grayson’s body as he gazed at her. The whole time he’d been at his mother’s, Claire hadn’t been far from his thoughts. He couldn’t shake the look of vulnerability she’d had the other night, or the way it had made him feel. Even more inappropriately, he couldn’t stop thinking about how much he’d enjoyed holding her, comforting her, how natural it had felt.

  As she walked over, Grayson noted she was wearing her own clothes again, that tunic and leggings that clung to those curves he itched to wrap his hands around. Her cheek wasn’t as swollen as before, thank God, and the bruising was starting to fade.

  “How’s your mom doing?” Claire asked.

  He forced himself back to reality and raised his gaze to meet hers. “Not so good.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No. That’s okay.”

  While he appreciated her concern, just thinking about his mom these days rattled him, threatening to destroy his self-composure. It was an emotional place he was extremely uncomfortable with, especially with Claire. Her kindness threatened to be his undoing.

  Needing to do something, he tugged some clothes from his duffel bag and headed for the washing machine. Claire was still watching as he turned around.

  The light from the kitchen illuminated her face, bringing out coppery highlights in her long, wavy hair, and the force of his attraction hit him all over again. But it wasn’t only her beauty that intrigued him. Her intelligence, her backbone, her kindness . . . all of it combined to form a powerful draw that was difficult to resist.