“When did you know you loved her?”
“When I knew she was in trouble and the idea of trying to live without her scared the shit out of me.”
“So, you knew that night with Troy?”
“I did.”
“When did you tell her?”
“That night. When we got back here, when she was safe, I just felt it and I needed to say it.”
Grady was fidgety. James was answering his questions – but his answers weren’t what he was really looking for. “When did you know that you wouldn’t be looking for an escape route?”
“Are you worried you’ll be looking for an escape route with Sophie?”
“I don’t know.”
“Does she want you to have an escape route?”
“I don’t know.”
James tilted his head to the side, his eyes unreadable. “What happened tonight?”
“We kissed.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“We were going to do more, and then she changed her mind,” Grady admitted. “She said she needed to think. She said she didn’t think she was a one-night-stand girl.”
“She’s just being honest,” James said. “You need to be honest, too. What do you feel?”
“If I knew how I felt I wouldn’t be here asking you questions,” Grady said. “By the way, you haven’t answered the last one. When did you stop looking for an escape route?”
James sighed. “Once I went back after the incident I was never looking for an escape route. I don’t think that it was a conscious choice. It just … was.”
“When did you know it was okay not to be looking for an escape route?” Grady asked, wringing his hands. “At some point you must have realized that you were done looking for that exit door.”
James muted the television, leaning forward. “Okay, here’s the situation. I’m going to tell you, but it has to be just between us.”
Grady nodded mutely.
“She has these underwear.”
“I don’t want to hear this.” Grady covered his eyes in disgust.
“It doesn’t get dirty,” James said. “Just listen. She’s got these underwear. They’re different than her regular underwear.”
Grady rolled his eyes. “Are we talking black lace and thongs?”
“No,” James said. “Those are what she wears every day. Something about panty lines or something. I forget. She had some big, long explanation. I like those underwear. Those were the underwear I was trained to like. She’s got these black garters that she wears with them under her little skirts and they drive me crazy.”
“I’m uncomfortable talking about Mandy’s underwear.”
James ignored him. “She has these other underwear. They’re the ones she wears when she’s just hanging around the apartment and wants to be comfortable.”
“Like granny panties?” Grady’s mouth tipped into a frown. “Don’t tell me that. That’s a picture I’m never going to be able to get out of my head.”
“They’re not granny panties,” James said. “They’re cotton. They look like men’s briefs. They’re fancier, though. They have little cartoon characters on them.”
“I don’t think I understand.”
“They cover her whole rear … I know, they sound awful,” James said. “They’re not, though. Some of them have Wonder Woman on them. Some have Hello Kitty. There are Grinch ones, and Oscar the Grouch ones. She’s got that owl with the Tootsie Pops slogan on a pair, too, and I honestly find those distracting. My favorite pair, though, have a shark on them.”
Grady raised an eyebrow.
“She’s got a thing for Jaws,” James said. “It’s a long story. Anyway, these shark panties have the shark biting something and they say ‘Jawesome.’ I’m not making it up.”
“I still don’t understand what her underwear has to do with anything.”
“One day, when she was wearing them, I realized that I was just as happy snuggling with her in those stupid underwear as I was stripping the black, lacy ones that match the garters off of her with my teeth,” James said. “That’s when I knew there was no escape route – even if I wanted one.”
“Because of the underwear?”
“I think the underwear is just a symbol.”
Grady rolled his neck, considering. “You still want to take the underwear off, right?”
James snorted. “Of course. I’m not a woman.”
“Just making sure,” Grady grumbled.
“I think you need to decide if you want see Sophie’s underwear,” James said.
“I think that’s my problem,” Grady shot back.
“I know you want to see the fancy underwear,” James replied. “Do you want to see her comfortable underwear, though? That’s the question.”
“And what if I don’t know?”
“Then you need to figure it out – and you can’t do anything until you do. You’ll just screw everything up if you move too fast. Trust me. I know.”
“The incident?” Grady asked.
“The incident we’re never speaking of again,” James agreed.
“So, I have to decide if I want to see her underwear,” Grady mused. “Thanks. You’ve given me something to think about.”
James was glancing back at his bedroom. Obviously Grady had given his brother something to think about, too. “You want to go and see what underwear she’s wearing, don’t you?”
James was on his feet, switching the television off. “Turn off the lights and lock the door on your way out.”
Grady couldn’t be sure, but he was almost positive he heard James humming the theme music from Jaws as he moved toward his bedroom.
Thirteen
Sophie slept fitfully, finally giving up on the attempt and showering while it was still dark outside. She pored through the files again, sipping from a mug of coffee at her dining room table, but her mind was unfocused.
Thoughts of Grady Hardy were confusing her, making her mind busy, convoluting her normal morning routine.
How could a man she’d met two days before have turned her life upside down?
Sophie refused to give in to the melancholy. She booted up her computer and checked her email. Most of it was inconsequential. Her editor wanted an update, which she typed out and fired back to him. She deleted all the spam. No, she didn’t need a bigger penis. The one under Grady’s jeans was more than enough for her to focus on. One message, though, managed to catch her attention.
She opened it, her heart skipping a beat as she read.
You’re looking into things you ought not to be looking into. You have no idea what you’re doing. If you don’t stop, you’re not going to like what happens. I can promise you that. Pick another story and move on.
Sophie searched the email for some form of identification, but she couldn’t find any. Whoever had sent it had created an anonymous account on Yahoo. There were ways of tracking that information down – but going to the police didn’t seem like a smart move – and she wasn’t sure where else she could turn in this instance.
She only had one option, and the empty house seemed to be urging her to engage that option.
She was in her car, her laptop sitting on the passenger seat, and heading toward Hardy Brothers Security just as the sun breached the horizon.
“DID you finish all the searches last night?” James found Finn sitting behind his desk a little after 7:30 a.m. The youngest Hardy brother’s diligence didn’t surprise him.
Finn shook his head. “No. They’re taking a while. You know how it goes. I got through about half of them.”
“Well, we’ll run the rest of them today.”
“Where’s Mandy?” Finn glanced around.
“She’s sleeping. She’s not a morning person.”
“I figured she was on the payroll now,” Finn teased.
“I’m paying her in different way,” James replied, glancing up when the bell over the front door of the lobby jangled. He’d unlocked it when he came down b
ut, since business hours were posted on the door, he wasn’t expecting anyone for at least another hour.
Sophie shuffled into the room, her laptop clutched to her chest. She looked nervous. “I’m sorry to bug you so early.”
James took a step toward her, reading fear and doubt on her naked features. “That’s okay. Did something happen?”
Sophie handed him the laptop. “Someone sent me a threatening email.”
James passed the laptop over to Finn and then focused on the dark-haired reporter. “Sit down. I’ll get you some coffee.”
Sophie did as instructed, thanking James when he pressed a warm mug into her hands. “I didn’t know who else to bring it to. I thought about the cops, but I didn’t think they would do anything.”
“Even if they did, it would take weeks,” Finn said, focusing on her laptop. “It’s this top one?”
“Yeah,” Sophie said. “Don’t read the others. They might be private.”
Finn grinned. “I’ll try to refrain from going through your personal stuff.”
Sophie glanced around the room. “Where is Grady?”
“He’s at home,” James replied. “He had a late night. I don’t expect him for a few hours.”
“Oh.” Sophie looked disappointed. “It was stupid to think he’d be here.”
James looked her over, considering. “He stopped back by last night. After he made sure you made it home safely, I mean.”
Sophie shifted uncomfortably. “He did?”
“Yeah. He was … kind of keyed up.”
Finn glanced between Sophie and James curiously. “Why was he worked up? Was his hair not bouncy enough?”
James shrugged. “He just likes a mystery.”
“He was always like that,” Finn agreed. “This might take some time. It looks like a generic Yahoo email.”
“Can you track it?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah. We have a guy.”
“You have a guy?”
“A computer guy,” Finn said. “He won’t be up yet. He’s a night owl.”
“I’ll call him,” James said. “Why don’t you go back to Sophie’s place and make sure the security there is up to snuff.”
“My place?” Sophie balked. “You don’t think someone would really come there, do you?”
“We’re just being careful,” James said. “Besides … um … I thought you might want to change into something else.”
Sophie glanced down at her clothes, cringing when she realized she was still in her sleep pants and T-shirt. She hadn’t even bothered to put on a bra. “Oh, crap. You guys must think I’m a total freak.”
James shook his head. “No. I think you were just surprised and did what came naturally.”
“I’m usually not like this,” Sophie apologized. “I just … after the shooting and everything … .”
“It’s not a big deal,” James said. “Finn will follow you to your house and make sure that it’s secure.” James turned to his brother. “If anything needs to be updated, call Stu and get him on it today.”
Finn nodded, easing out from behind James’ desk. “You got it.”
“When Grady comes in, I’ll get him up to speed,” James said. “Why don’t you stay at Sophie’s until you hear from us, just to make sure?”
“I’ll take one of our laptops and keep running searches there,” Finn replied. “It’s no big deal.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
GRADY FOUND Mandy and James together in his brother’s office when he arrived to work a little after ten. They were bent over a computer, their faces serious.
“What’s up?”
Mandy exchanged a wary look with James. “We were just looking at Sophie’s computer.”
Grady was instantly on alert. “What do you mean? Why would you have Sophie’s computer?”
James told him about Sophie’s early morning visit, a tale that set Grady’s teeth on edge. “Why didn’t she call me?”
“She thought you were here.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” Grady pressed.
“I thought maybe you needed some sleep,” James replied pointedly. “You were up late last night.”
“I’m the one who brought her in,” Grady said, fighting to tamp down his anger. “She’s my responsibility.”
Mandy raised her eyebrows. “You mean you like her.”
“Mandy,” James warned. “Don’t.”
“What did he tell you?” Grady exploded.
Mandy took an involuntary step back. “Nothing.”
“Then why do you think I like her?”
“Because I have eyes.”
“Grady, I didn’t tell her what you and I talked about last night,” James said. “That was between you and me.”
Grady was flustered. “Then why would Mandy think that I like Sophie? That seems like a really random jump.”
“Because you’re acting like a crazy man,” James said. “Even before today, though, she told me you liked her. She told me yesterday after watching you with her for five minutes. She’s a woman. They have a feel for these things.”
“We do,” Mandy agreed.
“I don’t like her,” Grady said irritably. “I just don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”
Mandy held up her hands in mock surrender. “Fine.”
“I don’t like her.”
“I believe you.”
Grady sank into a chair, sighing. “You don’t believe me.”
“Yes, she does,” James said.
Mandy shook her head, her blonde hair brushing against her shoulders. “No, I don’t.”
“See.”
James flicked Mandy’s arm. “I told you not to push this. You just can’t help yourself from meddling, can you?”
“I’m not meddling,” Mandy protested, rubbing her arm.
“You’re meddling. Grady will make his own decision about this. You can’t influence him.” James dropped a kiss on the spot by Mandy’s elbow where he had flicked her.
Mandy rolled her eyes. “She looks like a lilies kind of girl,” she offered. “Buy her some lilies. Women love flowers.”
“What kind of girl are you?” James asked. “I mean, what kind of flowers do you like?”
“I’m old school,” Mandy replied. “Roses are nice. Just not red ones. I don’t like the color red. I like those new blue ones that I keep seeing.”
James placed his tongue into his cheek. “I’ll keep that in mind for the next time I’m in trouble.”
“Some women like flowers even when a man isn’t in trouble,” Mandy pointed out.
“Hey, I made you chicken and stars.”
“Duly noted.”
“Will you two stop?” Grady asked. “All this fake hostility is starting to bug me. If you’re going to do it on the desk, I’d rather not catch the pre-show.”
Mandy shifted, turning her attention to Grady. “If you like her, you shouldn’t fight it. Look what that did to your brother.”
James groaned. “I knew this would come back to bite me.”
Mandy ignored him. “You’re just going to drive yourself crazy, Grady.”
Grady blew out a sigh. “Where is she? Is she upstairs?”
“Finn took her back to her place,” James said. “She rushed out of the house so fast this morning she forgot to change out of her pajamas. I sent him with her to make sure the house is safe.”
“You sent Finn to her house?” Grady was back on his feet, an emotion he wasn’t familiar with tightening his chest.
James was taken aback. “Was that wrong?”
“What do you think they’re doing?” Grady asked, his tone reflecting worry.
Mandy smirked. “I think you should go and find out.”
“Don’t,” James warned, extending a finger in her direction. “You’ve done enough.”
“Seriously, why is he still over there?”
“He’s working from there today,” James said. “He called about an hour ago and said that Stu
was there upgrading the deadbolt.”
“And he’s just going to work there all day? From her house?” Grady was positive now. The emotion he was feeling was jealousy.
“I don’t think anything is going on,” James said.
“There better not be,” Grady grumbled, moving toward the door irritably. “I think I’ll go and take over, just to be on the safe side.”
James watched his brother, a mixture of amusement and mild concern flitting across his face. “Okay.”
Grady was almost to the front door when he heard Mandy chime in again. “Don’t forget the flowers!”
“You’re such a pain,” James said.
Grady didn’t hear the rest of their conversation. He had a reporter on his brain – and a brother to evict from her house.
They’d better not be naked.
Fourteen
Stu’s dilapidated gray van was pulling away from Sophie’s house when Grady pulled up. Grady waved distractedly, killing his engine, ultimately pocketing his keys as he exited the truck.
Sophie’s car was parked in front of the house, with Finn’s SUV sitting idly a few feet behind it. The sight of their cars together was enough to push Grady over the edge – although he had no idea why. It was just so … cozy.
He stalked to the front door, banging on it loudly. Sophie opened it a few seconds later, her face registering surprise when she caught sight of him. “Oh. I thought you were Stu coming back because he forgot something.”
Grady pushed his way into the house, ignoring her mumbled protests, stalking through it until he found Finn sitting at the dining room table.
“Hey,” Finn greeted him, obviously not sensing his brother’s mood. “You finally showed up to work, huh?”
“I’m not technically working today,” Grady shot back.
“You always show up, though,” Finn replied. “I figured you’d want to see how the searches were progressing.”
The fact that Finn was focused on the computer and not him was only adding to Grady’s frustration. “Why are you here?”
“James wanted to make sure the house was secure,” Finn replied, his tone bland. “He told me to stay here until we had a plan of action.”
“We have a plan,” Grady replied, glancing over at Sophie. She was hovering in the hallway – wringing her hands nervously – watching him.
Deadly Intuition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 2) Page 8
