Written in Ink (Montgomery Ink #4)

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  And then she’d practically tripped over her heels to run away from him when he’d wanted to go back to the bedroom—when he’d asked her to stay the night. Why the heck had he asked her to stay the night? They were casual. No strings. That’s what he wanted. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to have a full-on relationship like his other family members had. He might have thought it was nice in some respects, but he liked things the way they were. Or the way they had been. He may not have been writing as he should, but he’d been somewhat happy. And yeah, Autumn had come and blown his routine to smithereens, but he was writing now.

  He frowned, his nail scraping absently at the label on his beer bottle.

  He was writing.

  He was actually enjoying his job again.

  He’d had a path for his character to get through the death of his girlfriend. His character Jensen had been through hell, but he was going to get through it. It wasn’t going to be easy—it sure hadn’t been easy for Griffin all those years ago when it came to Lauren—but it was something that could be done.

  Autumn was helping him, and he had no idea what to think about that.

  Jake and Decker cursed at each other as they kept up the pace on their turn of the game, and Griffin waved them off when they offered him a turn. He needed to think, needed to figure out what his next step was. Because he could either chase her down and make her come clean with her secrets, or let her walk away like she had always planned to do.

  Honestly, he had no idea what he wanted.

  And that scared him.

  He had always known what he wanted, and one look at Fall and he had lost it.

  Perhaps that wasn’t quite true, though. He hadn’t been able to write without her there to help his thoughts. He hadn’t been able to do a lot of things. What would happen when she left? What would happen when the book ended?

  She was hiding something from him, he was sure of it. But then again, he was hiding something, too. He might have told her about Lauren, but he hadn’t told her about everything to do with his feelings on it. Hadn’t told her about his passion for writing and how he’d almost lost it. The secrets had almost cost him this book and they still could, but he knew Autumn held more secrets than that.

  If he went to her and asked her why she ran, then they’d have to talk about their relationship, and Griffin wasn’t sure if he wanted to do that. He liked what they were. He liked having her in his bed when he could and getting through work with a smile on his face, even if he sometimes wanted to pull his hair out. If that changed, well…that would suck. It would also hurt what they had, and he wasn’t sure what they had to begin with.

  She had told him she was a nomad but hadn’t told him anything else about her life. And when he’d asked, she’d pushed him off, changing the subject. How many times could he let her do that before he gave up or pushed harder? It hurt that she wasn’t completely honest with him, when he’d at least told her about some of his past. There was something hurting her, he knew it, and there was nothing he could do about it. Like with his hand, he’d broken it trying to protect her in the car accident, yet it hadn’t been enough. He’d broken himself, and it had been luck that she hadn’t been hurt.

  She was always so scared. So skittish.

  And he wanted to know why.

  He needed to figure out what he wanted first before he peeled off her layers. Because no matter what, he didn’t want to hurt her. And from the look in her eyes, she’d been hurt before.

  What did he want with Autumn Minor?

  And, maybe more importantly, what did she want with him?

  “Hey, you okay?” Jake asked as he leaned into Griffin’s shoulder.

  “What’s wrong?” Decker asked.

  “I…I can’t talk about it.” He played with the label on his beer again.

  “If it’s Autumn, you can talk with us,” Jake said softly. “I know we joke that us guys aren’t supposed to talk about relationships, but that’s bullshit.”

  “Let us help,” Decker added.

  Griffin swallowed hard, shaking his head. He didn’t want to betray Autumn’s confidence by even voicing his concerns. She may not have told him a damn thing, but he didn’t want to make her feel she couldn’t. The fact that his friends were there to help, though? That made him feel slightly better, and part of his chest untightened ever so slightly.

  “I can’t,” he said softly. “Yet,” he added when Decker stared at him.

  “Okay, then,” Jake said after a moment. “When you’re ready, we’re here. Or, hell, any of the Montgomerys would be. Just remember that.”

  Griffin nodded and set down his beer. “Thanks.” He cleared his throat and let thoughts of Autumn settle into the back of his mind as they were prone to. She never quite left his thoughts. And that worried him, as well. “Now, whose ass do I get to kick?” he asked as he stole Jake’s controller from his hands. “I’m playing one-handed so I get extra points to start, right?”

  “Asshole,” Jake mumbled. “It was my turn, but whatever. Play Decker, and I’ll play the loser.” He winked. “Or the loserest loser.”

  Decker rolled his eyes and Griffin groaned. “Jesus. We need better comebacks. We’re too old to sound like eight-year-old boys playing Minecraft.”

  “Truth,” Decker added. “And no, Griffin. You don’t get extra points. You break the hand, you deal with the consequences. And the losses. Jake, go get us a couple more beers since you’re twiddling your thumbs over there.”

  Jake flipped them off then went to the kitchen while Griffin settled into the couch. He might not know what he was going to do with Autumn, but he at least knew he had something. He could breathe for the moment.

  And when he let the thoughts come back in full force, he’d worry about Autumn.

  He would figure it out.

  He had to.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Autumn’s hands hurt from the amount of typing she’d done that day without actually speaking to Griffin beyond a murmured assent here or there. It was awkward as hell, and she didn’t know how to fix it. They hadn’t even kissed during their breaks.

  Had she broken them?

  Had he?

  Hell.

  She needed a hot bath.

  And her bed.

  Her bed sounded wonderful. Magical even.

  And it had nothing to do with his bed. She would be able to breathe and enjoy the rest of her night, which would include leftover pizza and sleep. She couldn’t wait. And when she did all of that, she’d ignore the fact that Griffin hadn’t done anything different to her except what he hadn’t done. He’d acted the same as always, and yet she’d wanted more from him. That was on her.

  She’d run, and he’d let her.

  She’d run, and now she didn’t know what to do next.

  Autumn hated not knowing what to do. She’d run before because of it, and people had gotten hurt. She only had herself to blame.

  But maybe she didn’t have to leave…maybe things were different this time.

  That was the first time she’d ever thought something like that. It was dangerous.

  She knew she shouldn’t have run like she had when Griffin had asked her to stay the night. She’d been practically naked at the time, and running around in heels and no panties with her skirt hiked up over her hips just made her look like an idiot. An idiot with secrets to be kept. Griffin had asked her before what her secrets were, even going as far as to try and kiss them out of her, but she’d held strong. But she hadn’t missed the curiosity in his eyes, the hurt that he felt because she wouldn’t tell him.

  She couldn’t tell him.

  He loved solving mysteries, and Autumn Minor was the greatest mystery of all.

  She pulled into her driveway and grabbed her bag. It didn’t surprise her that even as she’d run out of his home nearly naked and dressing quickly, she’d grabbed her bag on the way out. It was her life, her sanity. Without it and the things in her trunk, starting over once again wouldn’t be nearly imposs
ible.

  Autumn groaned as she shuffled to her postage stamp of a front porch. She was just so tired. She hadn’t slept the night before with thinking of Griffin and how she’d left things. Then today she’d spent most of her energy trying to act like everything was normal when it clearly wasn’t.

  She was so in her head that she’d almost missed the fact that her front door was cracked open. She froze, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She calmly and methodically pulled out her pepper spray. She didn’t go inside—she was smarter than that.

  He could be waiting for her in there.

  He could be waiting for her out here.

  She quickly looked through her window since she was close enough to see, and bit her lip so she wouldn’t call out. Someone had trashed her place. Her couch was on its side—ripped open with what looked like a very sharp knife. Her books and clothes were in shreds on her floor, and everything that had been in her fridge was smeared on the carpet and walls.

  There would be no going back inside to get what was left of her belongings. There would be no more Denver for Autumn. She gripped her weapon in her hand, the pain from typing all day all but forgotten as her adrenaline surged. She looked over her shoulder then ran to her car.

  Before, she would have gone slowly, trying to act casual, but not this time. She didn’t have the strength to not call attention to herself. As it was, her neighbors obviously hadn’t even noticed a strange man tearing up her house. She knew full well it could have been a robbery in this neighborhood, but her instincts were screaming to run and find a safe place. This wasn’t random.

  This was him.

  Her hands shook as she unlocked her car door with the plastic fob and jumped inside. Her bag ended up underneath her in the rush, but she didn’t care. She slammed her car door shut, locked them all, and had the vehicle started by her next breath. She peeled out of the driveway, at least cautious enough to look behind her in case she hit another car or something. Anything that would keep her in his presence longer couldn’t happen.

  She’d thrown the pepper spray on her passenger seat so she could have both hands on the wheel as she made her way down the street. Her body was shaking, and her teeth bit her lip, cutting into it. She tasted blood but ignored it. The pain kept her present and not in the past where screams and fear overwhelmed. She was stronger now than she ever was before.

  Far stronger.

  Her heart ached at the same time it raced. She would be leaving Denver. Leaving the Montgomerys.

  Leaving Griffin.

  All without so much as a goodbye. But she couldn’t afford to stay. The man that had haunted her nightmares for far too long had found her and it wasn’t safe to stay. She’d go somewhere warmer like she’d thought before. Denver was too cold for her anyway. It was good she was going to see new places. She’d learn so much and gain new friends—the new ones not as close, of course. She couldn’t afford to have her heart break like this every time.

  She licked her bit lip and winced at the taste of blood and salt from her tears. She had her forged documents in her bag and her emergency kit in the trunk of the car. With that and her almost full tank of gas, she didn’t need anything else. She never did.

  She didn’t need anyone else.

  Autumn was on the road, her mind on getting out of Denver when she realized where her subconscious had led her. Fifteen minutes, she inwardly screamed. A fifteen-minute drive, and look where it had led her.

  Not to safety. Not to a far-away place where no one would know her.

  But to a driveway she knew better than her own. A house she spent more time in than hers. She pulled in, but didn’t let her foot off the brake, didn’t put her car in park. She shouldn’t be here. It wasn’t safe. Her body shook, and tears poured down her cheeks as she tried to gain the courage to drive away, to do what she always did.

  Run.

  Only she didn’t have the energy. She was just so tired. She didn’t want to do this on her own anymore. But what if he’d followed her? What if he was there now, watching her in front of this house. She swallowed hard, her lip still bleeding slightly. For all she knew, the man had watched her all this time and already knew about this place. He knew enough about her to be able to trash her home when she wasn’t there.

  “Oh, God,” she cried out. What was she going to do?

  A knock on the window forced a scream out of her and her foot fell off the brake. The car lurched forward, almost hitting the garage door. She quickly pressed down on the brake again and put the car in park.

  “Autumn! Unlock the door. What the hell is going on? Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head, but didn’t let her hands leave the steering wheel, didn’t turn off the car. She needed to go. It wasn’t safe here. She kept saying that over and over to herself, even as Griffin pounded on the car door.

  Griffin cursed and called her name, but it was as if she could barely hear him, her mind going to her safe place. Only it wasn’t safe there, not when she needed to be on the road and out of Griffin’s life forever.

  “I will break this window, Autumn. Open the fucking door. Now.”

  She turned to him, her mouth opening and closing, but she didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. This was what shock felt like. She’d felt it before, but it had been a while. He hadn’t been this close before.

  Griffin put both palms on her window and rested his head between them. “Autumn, baby. Open the door. Please. Please let me help.”

  She studied him. Oh, Griffin. He tried so hard. Tried to help her, and she refused to let him. It would have been better if he’d never offered, never tried. It was too hard now.

  Carefully she lifted one hand from the steering wheel and placed it on the glass mirroring his. His fingers twitched as he met her gaze, his eyes dark with worry.

  “Please, baby. Please, Fall. Open the door for me. Let me in.”

  Let him in? Could she do that?

  Let him in to see everything?

  She wasn’t sure she could, but she knew she couldn’t drive right then. She’d hurt someone or herself if she drove in her condition. With her eyes on him, she turned off the car, watched the way his shoulders relaxed marginally. Then she unlocked the doors. Before she could open her mouth to speak, he had the door open and her in his arms.

  “You weren’t even wearing your fucking seatbelt, Autumn,” he growled in her ear. His hands went down her body, checking for injuries it felt like. “You’re bleeding,” he whispered, his hand on her chin.

  “I…I can’t be outside.” She pressed her lips together, the sting of the cut pulling her a little more out of her fog. “I need…I need…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t know what she needed.

  Griffin nodded then reached around her and closed her car door. “You have your bag on you still so that’s something. Anything else you need out of the car?” He took her keys from her then surprised her by tucking his hand under her knees and pulling her to his chest. He carried her that way, kicking his front door shut behind him. Apparently, he’d left it open as he’d stormed out to her.

  That made her heart clench, warmth spreading through her, but she tried to tamp down those feelings. It wasn’t smart to feel that. She shouldn’t be in his arms, shouldn’t let him carry her…but it had been so long since she’d let another help her, let another take her burden.

  It wasn’t fair to let Griffin do that now.

  He set her on the couch so carefully that she almost cried again.

  “Lo-ck…lock your doors.” She couldn’t get the words out the first time. As it was, she was barely holding it in. Tears still fell from her eyes, but she wasn’t sobbing uncontrollably. Yet.

  That would come unless she got a handle on her emotions.

  Griffin cupped her face and forced her gaze to his. “I’ll do that, Fall. Anything else you need?”

  She tried to open her mouth to say something, but she didn’t know what it was. Instead, she swallowed again and let him release her. Sh
e would not feel sad at the loss of his touch. Griffin locked the door, slid the deadbolt in, and hooked up the chain. He lived in a safe neighborhood but seemed to have more security than her.

  When he clicked a few buttons and the security system she didn’t know he had beeped, she almost wept harder.

  “You’re safe in here, Autumn,” Griffin said when he walked closer. “Give me a minute. I’ll be right back. I promise.”

  She nodded, her eyes on the locked front door. There were more entries into the home, but she could feel safe at least for the moment. Right? No. She couldn’t think like that. She needed to drive away and keep Griffin safe. He was more important than her. She couldn’t let another person get hurt because of her.

  Griffin was back before she could figure out what her next step was. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a tumbler of amber liquid in the other. He also had a first aid kit tucked under one arm and a bottle of water under the other.

  If she hadn’t been crying already, she’d have started then.

  This man…this man.

  “I just made this pot,” he said as he handed her the cup. “Though you look wired enough that maybe coffee isn’t the best idea. So I have whiskey, too.” She frowned. “Good whiskey. I can even add said whiskey to the coffee if that helps.”

  He sat on the coffee table in front of her and sighed. “Just tell me what you need and I’ll do it.”

  “I…I could use the whiskey,” she whispered, her voice oddly hoarse. “But I can’t drive after I do.”

  He met her gaze, his eyes pleading. “Don’t drive anywhere. Not tonight.” He set the whiskey down next to him along with everything else. “Please.”

  She licked her lips, winced when her tongue hit the cut.

  “Please,” he repeated.