“Gray…” Rayden said, shaking her head, her eyes reflecting the turmoil in her head.
Grayson shook her head again. “It’s okay,” she told Rayden. “Like I said, I knew that this was possible… Do you love her?”
Rayden looked back at Grayson, shaking her head. “No, I care about her… but I’ve never gotten over you, and I never intended to…” She held up her left hand showing Grayson the black wedding band.
Grayson looked at the wedding band, wondering why she hadn’t noticed it before.
“You’re still wearing it?” Grayson asked her tone awed.
“I never took it off, Gray, and I never plan to. My heart and soul always belonged to you.” Tears gathered in Grayson’s eyes then and Rayden moved around the table to sit next to her. She put her arms around Grayson and whispered in her ear.
“I love you, Gray that never changed… I was completely lost without you… You are never leaving my sight again…”
Grayson cried then, and Rayden held her, not caring who was looking or what they thought. When Grayson had calmed down, Rayden leaned back, looking down at her.
“You okay?” she asked softly.
Grayson nodded, doing her best to wipe at the tears and not mess up her makeup. Rayden saw what she was doing and grinned.
“So what other questions do you have?” Rayden asked.
They spent the better part of an hour going over everything that had happened since Grayson’s “death” and Rayden brought her up to speed.
“So you’re an actual peace officer now,” Grayson clarified.
“Yeah,” Rayden said, nodding.
“Wow,” Grayson said, her eyes sparkling. “That’s kinda hot…” she said then, sounding like her old self suddenly.
Rayden laughed out loud at that.
“And the house…” Grayson asked.
“I sold it, I couldn’t be there,” Rayden said, “not without you.”
Grayson nodded. “Is that why you left the Service?”
“No.” Rayden shook her head. “There was an incident,” she said, her look pained.
“What happened?” Grayson asked, knowing it wasn’t going to be something she wanted to hear.
Rayden blew her breath out. “Someone took a shot at POTUS,” she said, using the acronym for the president, in case anyone was listening.
“Was he hit?” Grayson asked.
“No, I blocked the shot,” Rayden said.
“Oh God, Ray…” Grayson said, knowing what that meant. “How badly were you hit?”
“To my way of thinking then, not bad enough,” Rayden said her look pointed.
“Oh Ray,” Grayson breathed, shaking her head, a grimace on her face.
Rayden shook her head. “Anyway, it was enough for me, so after I recovered I put in my resignation.”
Grayson nodded, knowing how hard that would have been for Rayden. She’d loved working for the Secret Service and she’d loved protecting Obama. It said a lot about how much Rayden had changed after Grayson’s “death.”
“So we live here now…” Grayson said, her voice trailing off as she looked around the restaurant.
Rayden nodded. “I bought a house,” she said. “Hopefully you’ll like it.”
Grayson chuckled. “Well, fortunately you have good taste, so it’s highly likely.”
“So what happens with the Air Force?” Rayden asked then.
“Well, as of right now I’m discharged,” Grayson said. “Apparently being dead causes that kind of thing.”
Rayden rolled her eyes, nodding.
“I have the option of going back in. They said they’d reinstate me pending a medical clearance… I’d get my wings back, and be right back to normal…”
“And God knows where…” Rayden muttered.
Grayson looked at her for a long moment. “What do you want me to do, Ray?” she asked, her tone completely open.
Rayden looked back at her. “I don’t want you to go back into the Air Force,” she said, her tone strong. “They could station you anywhere. I really don’t want you anywhere but here with me.”
Grayson bit her lip, trying not to cry again at the words Rayden used. She nodded.
“But is that going to be okay with you?” Rayden asked.
Grayson touched Rayden’s cheek tenderly. “After what you’ve been through for the last year, anything you want is okay with me, Rayden.”
Rayden closed her eyes slowly, breathing a sigh of relief. Grayson smiled sadly at the gesture. She had a feeling Rayden had been through a lot in the last year.
She found out more later that afternoon when she talked to Shenin.
Ray was a mess,” Shenin said, shaking her head. “You know how strong she usually is, but there was no consoling her. She stayed with us at first, but then she moved back to base.”
“She hates the dorms,” Grayson said.
“She hated being at the house without you more,” Shenin told her. “I had to practically drag her there just to get clothes and stuff. It was really awful.”
Grayson shook her head. She was surprised to hear how openly distraught Rayden was. It made her feel worse about everything.
“How badly was she hurt with the Obama thing?” Grayson asked.
“God, I don’t know, Gray, I was already here. So was Ty by that time.”
“So she really had no one…” Grayson said, her tone sad.
“I’m sorry, Gray,” Shenin said. “We should have taken better care of her, but there was so much going on with us at that point…”
“No, it’s okay, Shenin,” Grayson said. “I just feel so awful about all of this.”
“It isn’t exactly your fault, Gray. I seriously doubt you meant to crash and be in a coma for eleven months…”
“No,” Grayson said, shaking her head, “but it doesn’t change the fact that Ray suffered so much from it.”
“So,” Shenin said, shrugging, “you spend the rest of your lives making it up to her.”
Grayson grinned. “You’re right about that.”
Shenin reached out and hugged Grayson again. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Gray.”
“Thanks, it’s really nice to know I have at least a couple of friends here,” Grayson said. Then she gave Shenin a hesitant look.
“What?” Shenin asked.
“How well do you know the girl Rayden is dating?”
“I really don’t,” Shenin said. “I mean I’ve met her, but I don’t know her at all.”
“What is she like?” Grayson asked.
Shenin frowned, wishing like hell that she could tell Grayson that Jazmine was awful. “She’s actually pretty nice.”
Grayson nodded. “Is she pretty?”
Shenin winced and nodded.
“Well, Rayden doesn’t do things halfway, does she?” Grayson asked.
“I know she was staying at the house with Rayden for a while… I don’t know if she still is though.”
“Well, that’ll be awkward,” Grayson said, rolling her eyes.
“You can stay with us…” Shenin said her tone conciliating.
“I may have to take you up on that,” Grayson said. “I don’t want to cause a big scene.”
“You are Rayden’s wife, Gray,” Shenin said, her tone strong.
“Technically I’m not anymore,” Grayson said. “They dissolved the marriage to settle the estate and pay Ray death benefits.”
“Oh,” Shenin said, grimacing. “This is a real mess.”
“Yeah,” Grayson said, nodding.
“Well, did Ray say she wanted to stay with Jaz?” Shenin asked.
“Jaz?” Grayson asked.
“Yeah, that’s what most people call her,” Shenin said, knowing that Grayson was particularly sensitive right now, and understandably so.
“Rayden says she loves me, and that she always has.”
“Okay,” Shenin said, nodding, “then she just needs time to break the news to Jazmine.”
Grayson shook her h
ead. “I just don’t know what’s the right thing here…”
“Well, what do you want, Gray?” Shenin asked.
“I want my wife back,” Grayson said without hesitation.
Shenin smiled. “Then let your wife do what she needs to do to handle things and trust her.”
Grayson nodded.
***
At three that afternoon, Jazmine walked out of the building where the dance studio was being built, and saw Rayden standing by her car smoking. Rayden had texted her to tell her that they needed to talk. Jasmine had hoped it would be a good thing, but if Rayden was smoking, something she rarely did, then it wasn’t likely to be good.
“Well, this doesn’t bode well…” Jazmine said, smiling at Rayden as she reached up to kiss her cheek.
Rayden hugged Jazmine with one arm, extending the hand with the cigarette in it away from her. When Jazmine stepped back, she saw the look of regret in Rayden’s eyes.
“Did you hear about Raine and Natalia?” Jazmine asked.
“No, what about them?”
“They’re back together and getting married,” Jazmine said, smiling wistfully.
“Oh, that’s great,” Rayden said, smiling. “Does that mean Natalia is back in?”
“Yeah,” Jazmine said, smiling. “Yeah she is.”
“Good,” Rayden said, smiling. “That’s a good thing.”
Jazmine nodded, knowing that Rayden was trying to gain her nerve to tell her something.
“What is it, Ray?” Jazmine asked her look searching.
Rayden blew out a stream of smoke. “I got kind of a shock today…”
“Okay…” Jazmine said her tone leading.
Rayden looked at her unsure of how to say it. “Jaz… Grayson is alive.”
“What!” Jazmine exclaimed, shocked.
“Yeah,” Rayden said, nodding. “Trust me it shocked the hell out of me too. She showed up at the office today. I just about passed out,” she said her voice strident.
“Wow,” Jazmine said, shaking her head. “Where has she been?”
“Apparently in a coma for like eleven months on some tiny little island somewhere,” Rayden said looking as shell-shocked as she sounded.
It was clear to Jazmine that Rayden was struggling with everything and trying to break up with her was just part of it.
“That’s amazing news, Ray,” Jazmine said, smiling, even as her thumbnail dug into the palm of her hand.
Rayden nodded, looking pained.
“Hey,” Jazmine said, moving to touch Rayden’s face gently. “Don’t worry about me, okay? This is Grayson, the love of your life… It’s amazing.”
Rayden blinked a couple of times, and then narrowed her eyes slightly at Jazmine.
“What?” Jazmine asked, careful to keep her tone perfectly normal, and her expression light.
“You’re okay with this,” Rayden stated warily.
“Ray, it’s Grayson, she’s your wife. I know how you feel about her, of course I’m okay.”
Rayden was pleased but surprised by Jazmine’s reaction. She watched as she spoke, trying to see if there was anything she wasn’t saying. Jazmine was very careful to keep her eyes on Rayden’s, knowing if she looked away Rayden would know how she was really feeling. Finally, Rayden nodded, as if accepting what Jazmine was saying.
“Jaz, if you need me…” Rayden began, her voice serious. “You know I’ll be there for you, right? No matter what.”
Jazmine smiled, nodding “Yes, I know that.”
“Okay,” Rayden said, her look still wary.
“Okay, I gotta get back in there before Dakota and Cassandra kill each other.” She reached up to hug Rayden, kissing her on the cheek again. “I’m very happy for you.” With that she turned and walked back into the building without a backward glance.
Rayden watched her go and shook her head slightly.
She didn’t see that Jazmine never went back upstairs to the studio. Instead, she went out the back door and waited until she heard the Jaguar start up and leave. She then went to her car, got in, and drove away.
Three hours later, no one had heard from Jazmine. Dakota had texted Rayden and said she’d never come back to the studio. Rayden was sick with worry. She called Jericho and had an APB put out on the silver Honda that Jazmine drove.
“Goddamnit!” Rayden cussed, as one more person said they hadn’t heard from her. She was still in her office, and Grayson was sitting watching her wife freak out, over another woman. “I knew she was upset, but I let her fucking sweet talk me… Damnit!” she yelled, throwing a stapler across the room.
Grayson jumped at the violence Rayden was exhibiting. She hadn’t seen Rayden violent too often, so it always shocked her to see her temper. She was doing her best to keep out of the way and not ask too many questions. She knew that Rayden had gone to see Jazmine and that Jazmine had accepted Rayden breaking up with her quite easily. Things were fine until an hour later when Rayden had gotten a text from someone named Dakota. Then things had gone south quickly.
“Ray…” Grayson said hesitantly.
Rayden looked over at Grayson and saw her uncertainty. She blew her breath out and knelt down in front of where her wife sat.
“I’m sorry honey,” she said. “I’m just worried.”
“I know,” Grayson said, nodding.
“And you think it’s because I’m in love with her,” Rayden guessed easily.
Grayson blinked a couple of times, looking sad as she nodded.
“Oh babe…” Rayden said, moving to take Grayson in her arms. “No, it’s not that, okay? It’s not… I just feel like shit, I screwed her over once before, and now this… And I just feel like hell right now, okay?”
“How did you screw her over before?” Grayson asked.
“When I left for Iraq, I literally left her a note, six months’ rent and a kind ‘I’ll call you’ kind of bullshit. And I never talked to her again.”
“Ouch,” Grayson said, grimacing at what Rayden said.
“It’s how I was then,” Rayden said, shrugging. “But I was hoping not to do that to her again, and here I am… doing it again.”
“I think the circumstances are a bit different this time, Ray…” Grayson said.
Rayden blew her breath out. “I know, you’re right, but if something happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“I know,” Grayson said, feeling better about the situation now she understood why Rayden was so upset.
Rayden’s phone buzzed. She looked at it and sighed in relief.
“Dakota found her,” she said.
“Good,” Grayson said, smiling.
Rayden nodded, looking immensely more relaxed suddenly.
“I think it’s time we go home, Mrs. Black Wolf,” Rayden said, standing up and putting her hand out to Grayson.
Grayson bit her lip, smiling up at Rayden as she stood up taking Rayden’s hand.
Rayden drove into the garage at her house, still feeling a sense of unreality. Grayson looked over at her as she turned the car off and Rayden smiled softly.
Rayden got out of the car and walked around to open the door for Grayson. Then she led the way into the house and turned off the alarm. Grayson walked into the house and looked around. She smiled, seeing some of the things they’d had together in their old house. There were other things that were new, that were very much Rayden’s style. Rayden reached into the refrigerator for a beer, looking over at Grayson in askance.
“Yes,” Grayson said, smiling.
Having a beer when they got home from work together was always a routine for them.
Rayden took out two beers and opened them both, then handed one to Grayson. She leaned against the kitchen counter watching Grayson look around their house.
“There are two other floors,” Rayden told her.
“Okay,” Grayson said, smiling as she took a drink of her beer. “Which floor is the bedroom on?” she asked simply.
Rayden’s mouth dropped open.
Then she grinned.
“This way,” she said, motioning with her head for Grayson to follow her.
Grayson followed Rayden upstairs. In the master bedroom, Grayson put her beer down and slid her hands over Rayden’s shoulders. Rayden slid her arms around Grayson, pulling her to her and kissing her lips gently. Grayson promptly wrapped her arms around Rayden’s neck, and moved closer to her. Rayden deepened the kiss and Grayson moaned against her lips.
Grayson unbuttoned Rayden’s shirt, pulling it open as Rayden pulled Grayson’s blouse off over her head.
Grayson’s hands stilled Rayden’s movements as she stared at Rayden’s chest, where the tattoo with the “Gray” was.
“Ray…” Grayson breathed, seeing the peace symbol tattooed next to her name.
Rayden looked down at her, there were tears in Grayson’s eyes. She put her hand to Grayson’s cheek, her thumb brushing from her cheek to her temple.
“I lost you,” Rayden said simply. “I needed to keep you close somehow.”
Grayson bit her lip, tears dropping from her eyes as she shook her head. Rayden pulled her into her embrace then, hugging her, and kissing her temple and cheek. Grayson wrapped her arms around Rayden tightly, her head resting against the tattoo.
“For as long as I live,” Grayson said, her voice a whisper, “I’ll never fully know what this did to you, will I?”
Rayden hugged her tighter, closing her eyes for a long moment. Then she leaned back and looked down at Grayson.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “You’re here with me now, Gray, and that is all that matters.”
Grayson nodded, trying to take in what Rayden was saying, not wanting to spoil their reunion with her remorse. It was clear Grayson was struggling with feeling bad about what her “death” had done to Rayden. But she was also trying to be in the moment with her wife.
She captured Grayson’s lips again and kissed her until she was breathless and unable to think of anything other than their bodies together. Minutes later, they were lying on the bed making love and remembering how much sexual chemistry they’d always had.
As they lay together afterwards, Rayden’s eyes looked over every inch of her wife’s face. She reached out and touched her cheek, her eyes reflecting amazement and wonder.
Gray Skies (WeHo Book 8) Page 17
