by A. P. Jensen
“Your boutique? What about this baby? You’re gone from six in the morning till six in the evening or later. The first week I was with you, you came out every couple of hours to check on her and now I can’t even reach you by phone. What the hell happened at that party?”
Grace went to the kitchen and made a cup of tea with shaking hands. “I’m doing what’s best for her future.”
“How is this best for her?” Maggie challenged. “She needs you!”
Grace whirled to face Maggie. She was tired, stressed and in constant pain. “I’ve worked my ass off to be where I am today and if you don’t like the way things are, you can walk out that door and I’ll find someone else.”
Maggie was unimpressed by the flash of temper. Honestly, she was delighted to see it. Ever since the party Grace turned into a quiet, professional stranger who held Evie at an emotional distance. She’d lost weight and her eyes were hard and stony.
“In my day, women were housewives.”
“In this day, I have no choice,” Grace informed her coldly.
Grace thought of the way she had to push beyond that stigma about female business owners, how she fought daily to stay on top. She couldn’t imagine a life without the struggle. Could she have lived in the day Maggie’s time where she stayed home, raised kids and cleaned the house?
“You’re working yourself into an early grave. I hope there’s someone else to watch after Evie if you die too,” Maggie said flatly.
Grace froze. “No. There’s no one.”
It circled her thoughts back to Vicky who hadn’t returned her call. How many times had she called, certain she must have the wrong number or that her mom hadn’t gotten the voicemail because what person would ignore that their child had passed? It was another layer of anger she was carrying and couldn’t shake off.
“If you keep up what you’re doing Evie’s going to grow up without even seeing you. Pouring all of your time into work isn’t living, honey. Can’t you see that?” Maggie gentled her tone.
“Don’t judge me, Maggie. You have no idea what I’ve been through. I work so I can give Evie what I didn’t have- stability, an inheritance, money for college. I don’t want her to grow up being afraid of the world. I want her to walk with her head high, knowing exactly who she is, what she wants. I didn’t have that. I had to figure it out for myself.”
“And you turned out fine, didn’t you?” Maggie countered.
“I sweated blood and tears to be where I am today,” Grace said through gritted teeth.
Maggie nodded. “I know. I gave in and googled you today.”
Grace stared at her blankly.
“That man you left must have done a number on you. He’s gorgeous.” When Grace just gave her a level glare she added, “I know you’ve clawed your way to where you are today but Evie needs you. How much money do you really need? All Evie wants is you. She lost her mom and no matter how old she is, she can feel it. You can’t hold yourself back from her.”
Maggie’s words struck her core. She remembered yelling at Mitchell in Texas, telling him that children cared more about empty water bottles than the most expensive toys. She opened her mouth and frowned when the doorbell rang. She glanced at her watch. It was almost nine.
She walked to the door and froze. “Mom?”
Vicky was a model once upon a time but a broken heart and a bitter outlook on life carved lines in her face. Her still red hair wasn’t brushed and there were stains on clothes that were two sizes too large for her. Her faded jade eyes were wild with panic and anger. She pushed past Grace and paced the living room, muttering to herself. Grace was dimly aware of Maggie standing in the kitchen doorway but she didn’t care. She was angry and wary that Vicky was here.
“Mom?” Grace said carefully. Had she just received her voicemails about Casey’s death?
Vicky looked up and finally focused on Grace. “Where is she?”
“Where’s who? Are you looking for Casey?”
Vicky waved a hand that dismissed Casey as if she was nothing. Any sympathy she may have felt for her mother vanished instantly. Vicky hadn’t changed and she could care less that her daughter was gone from this world.
“Where’s Casey’s daughter?” Vicky’s voice was raspy from smoking.
Grace folded her arms across her chest and blocked the hallway. She wouldn’t let Vicky near Evie, she vowed. Even as Vicky read the resolve on Grace’s face, desperation and a healthy dose of rage flashed over Vicky’s face and it was directed at her.
“You!” Vicky said wrathfully. “Ever since I got pregnant you’ve been the bane of my existence. If you’d been a boy, he would have left her but you had to be a girl.”
Grace wasn’t impressed by her mother’s tirade. She had the blame heaped on her head her whole life. She wasn’t going to waste her time listening to a woman who cared for no one but herself, even if it was her own mother.
“You know about Casey,” Grace said, trying to keep her voice even.
Vicky waved an impatient hand. “I don’t want to talk about her.”
“She was your daughter!” Grace felt her anger rising dangerously fast. “Don’t you give a damn about anyone but yourself?”
Vicky considered for a moment. “No. That’s not why I’m here. Ray cut me off.”
At that moment, Grace made a vow to herself. She would never allow herself to be as callous as her mother, even if it meant opening herself up to more pain. She would never dismiss Evie’s needs no matter the cost to herself.
“That’s why you’re here? Money?”
“Of course. Why else would I be here?” Vicky sneered.
“You won’t get a dime from me.”
“Ungrateful bitch! I could have aborted you but I kept you, didn’t I?”
“To blackmail him. You kept me to punish him.”
Vicky moved in agitated circles. “He says he won’t pay me until you stop seeing Mitchell Price.”
“I’m not seeing him,” Grace said numbly.
Vicky whirled so quickly, Grace didn’t move away in time. Vicky’s fist caught Grace on the cheek and she staggered backwards. Maggie gasped and raced out of the kitchen as Grace quickly steadied herself and faced her mother. Years of abuse and anger rose up in her. She wouldn’t take anymore.
“I’ll call the cops if you don’t get out of here,” Maggie snapped.
Vicky smiled at her so innocently Maggie was stunned speechless. Vicky wasn’t at all fazed by the scene. She had an objective and until she accomplished it, she wouldn’t be satisfied.
“Don’t get between me and my daughter. You have no idea what’s going on here.” She switched her gaze to Grace. “Hiring help? My, you really think a lot of yourself.”
Grace ignored her throbbing cheek and faced the woman who was now a stranger to her. She saw the reckless edge in her mom and moved in front of Maggie. Her mom was unstable, always had been. She was capable of anything.
“Get out of my house,” Grace said.
“I need money,” Vicky complained.
“Then maybe you need to start looking for a job.”
Vicky came at her, hand raised to strike again and this time Grace rushed forward until she was nose to nose with Vicky.
“You strike me again and I will hit you back,” Grace said in such a lethal voice that Vicky hesitated. “I dare you.”
Vicky glanced down the hallway as Evie let out a cry. Her eyes were calculating and cruel.
“You’re not going to share your money with your own mother?”
“No.”
“Then I guess I have to take the kid.”
Grace’s blood ran cold. “You’re not taking Evie.”
A crafty gleam appeared in Vicky’s eyes. “I need money and since Ray won’t give me what I need, I’ll have to take my granddaughter. Don’t you think the judge will choose me over you? After all, you’re the one in and out of relationships lately. It’s all over the papers. The judge will see you as unstable and I’ll be granted
custody.”
“You’re out of your mind,” Grace breathed. “There’s no way you can take Evie from me.”
“You work over fifty hours a week. You’ve never had children of your own. The judge will rule in my favor,” Vicky said confidently.
“Not when I tell him you’re a drunk.”
Vicky shrugged. “You can’t prove that. It’ll be my word against yours. I’ll be seeing you, kiddo.”
Vicky walked out of the condo as quickly as she’d come. Grace watched the front door close behind her and felt sick to her stomach. Vicky couldn’t take Evie from her… could she? She couldn’t breathe. She leaned over to take several deep breaths as panic filled her.
A hand rubbed her back. “Grace?”
She brushed away Maggie’s hand. She didn’t want to be touched right now. Just that short amount of time with Vicky left her feeling dirty and miserable. She walked into the nursery and watched Evie for several minutes but fear had her by the throat and she needed to hear that there wasn’t even the smallest possibility that Vicky could get her hands on another innocent child. She was so frightened she didn’t know what to do. She was frozen with indecision. Could Vicky convince the court she was sane? Yes. Vicky was a master at manipulating people. It was how she trapped Ray. Could Vicky convince Ray to help her with this plan just to spite her? He might… If they teamed up against her could they reveal that they were her parents and tell the judge that as her concerned parents, they didn’t want their grandchild to be raised by Grace? Was she overreacting? She needed someone strong enough to go against her parents, that would help her fight for custody. She straightened abruptly.
“I need to go out,” Grace said and walked past Maggie who rushed after her.
“Where are you going? Are you okay?” Maggie said as Grace opened the front door.
“If she comes back, call the cops. Don’t open the door for anyone. I have my key,” Grace said and closed the door behind her.
She rushed to the elevator. There was no one around at this time of night and she waved away the doorman who insisted on calling her a cab. She needed to walk, needed to get her thoughts in order. She stopped in front of an impressive building in the heart of New York and looked at the bellman who nodded to her and let her in. She rode the elevator up to the highest floor and put in the code Mitchell hadn’t changed since she left. When the elevator doors opened she saw Max standing in front of the door to the penthouse. When she stepped out he rushed forward and grabbed her face.
“What the hell happened to you? Were you attacked?” Max demanded.
She forgot about her face. Her face was swollen and would probably bruise. She took a step back to the elevator. She didn’t want Mitchell to see her this way. Before she could press the button for the elevator again, the front door of the penthouse opened. Mitchell stood in the doorway in a pair of sweatpants and nothing else.
“Grace?” he said in a nonplussed tone and then his eyes narrowed. He rushed forward. “What the hell happened? Max, call the police.”
“No,” Grace said, lurching forward to grasp his arm. “Don’t. It was nothing.”
Mitchell gently turned her face up to the light and cursed. “Somebody hit you and you think that’s nothing?”
His voice was thick with disbelief. Grace pulled away from his hold.
“That doesn’t matter right now. I need to talk to you,” she said urgently.
Mitchell nodded brusquely and put an arm around her and led her into the penthouse. Only when she was brought up against his body did she realize she was trembling from head to foot. Her hands were clammy with shock and the heat Mitchell projected felt comforting and heavenly. She didn’t protest when Mitchell boosted her onto the counter in the kitchen and pulled out a frozen bag of peas and wrapped it in a dishtowel before placing it against her cheek. She was too deep in thought to notice.
“What happened?” Mitchell asked, staring into her glassy eyes.
Grace focused on him and the bag of peas fell to the ground with a plop. “I need your help.”
The naked vulnerability and fear on her face made him tense. Gone was the self-assured Grace who took the punches of life and kept walking. It was the first time he’d seen her falter and she looked suddenly very young and weary. Gone was the mask she wore in public. She looked defeated and it made all of his protective instincts vibrate with anger.
“I can help you,” he said gruffly. He would do anything for her. Didn’t she know that?
She didn’t seem to hear him. “I know I’ve been pushing you away and we have our issues but this is bigger than that. I know you won’t let her take Evie from me.”
He stilled. “What?”
Grace leapt off the counter and paced the kitchen. “My mom wants Evie.”
“Why?”
“She needs money so she wants Evie. She thinks she can convince the court that I’m this loose woman, a workaholic who doesn’t have time to raise Evie,” Grace’s voice was hoarse with tears she refused to let fall. “I can’t let that happen.”
“The judge won’t give your mom custody. She’s an alcoholic. Even Ray found that out.
Ray hadn’t used an investigator. He’d told Mitchell all he knew from personal experience but they didn’t need to talk about that right now.
“You don’t understand. My mom’s a chameleon. She can convince anyone of anything. That’s how she got-” she stopped before she said “Ray.”
“She can’t just take Evie from you.”
“That’s why I’m here,” Grace said urgently and grasped his arms. “I know I’ve been an ass and we’re not really talking but you’re the only one I know who fights dirty enough to go against her. You have lawyers at your beck and call. Can you ask them what it’ll take to make sure Vicky doesn’t get custody?”
He looked down at her. “Yes. I can do that.”
She limped with relief. “I’ll pay you. I know you like Evie and you won’t let my mom take her from me. How soon can you find out? I’m so freaked and I just want to make sure-”
To stop the frantic note in her voice and her wildly gesturing hands he wrapped his arms around her. He braced himself to be pushed away, for her to start shouting at him. Instead, she melted into him as if she couldn’t hold herself upright a moment longer. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest.
“I’m sorry,” Grace murmured. “For before.”
Where Maggie’s touch had felt wrong and intrusive, Mitchell’s arms around her felt so right. She felt as if she had a bunch of weights strapped to her back but once she heard his agreement to help she went limp with relief.
“Did your mom do that to your face?”
She didn’t answer. He drew back and looked down into jade eyes drenched in tears. She didn’t make a sound.
“Did she?” he pushed, needing to know.
“She’s not my mom anymore,” Grace whispered. “She got my messages about Casey and she didn’t even care. The only reason she came to see me was money. I’m not like her.”
“I know you’re not,” he soothed.
He held her securely until the shaking stopped. When he felt her knees buckle he picked her up and took her to the couch. He sat in the corner and sprawled her over his body. She was fast asleep. The bruised side of her face enraged him and he reached in his pocket and took pictures of her face with his phone and forwarded them to Max so he would get them to the police as evidence against Vicky. He would convince Grace to do a police report but right now she needed to rest.
He made himself comfortable and relished the fact that she was in his arms, that she’d come to him. He spent way too much of his time trying to think of a plot that would force Grace to come to him and now fate had finally shown him mercy. He couldn’t imagine Grace coming to him yet here she was. There was naked pleading and trust on her face which brought out his protective instincts and he vowed Vicky wouldn’t get near Grace or Evie. They were both under his protection. He mad
e a call to Grace’s home phone.
“Hello?” said a cautious female.
“My name is Mitchell Price. I assume you’re Maggie.” He wouldn’t tell Grace how closely he’d been keeping her monitored. She would be pissed.
“Yes. Grace is with you?” she sounded relieved.
“Yes. She’s gonna stay with me tonight. Were you there when Vicky came?”
“Yes. She’s a mean bitch,” Maggie said acidly.
“Are you willing to make a statement?”
“Of course.”
“Good. I’ll send someone tomorrow. How’s Evie?”
“She misses Grace but she’s okay.”
“Grace will be back tomorrow,” Mitchell said and closed the phone.
He sent a text to Max to make sure he sent some men to Grace’s place. He didn’t move for fear of waking her. He sent things in motion even though it was near midnight. He made several phone calls to his lawyers and knew that by tomorrow he would have the answer to Grace’s question.
He couldn’t take his eyes from her and he ran his hands up and down her back. She was thinner than he remembered and there were dark circles under her eyes. Damn, she was stubborn. If he hadn’t found Casey’s pregnancy test would they be married now? Would they have a child or would they still be the content couple they’d been? He took her for granted a year ago. She was strong, constant and ambitious. She stood beside him and didn’t bitch about his schedule or his past lovers. She had enough confidence in herself to stand up to him and be his equal. How had he been so blind to the fact that she was utterly unique and perfect for him?
“I’m not letting you go,” he murmured into her hair and drew in her scent before he drifted into the first easy sleep he’d had in a year.
Chapter Eleven
Grace came awake with a start. She raised her head from the heavenly couch she was well acquainted with. It had been her choice to buy it and although Mitchell had objected at the time, she knew he loved it. One side of her face felt swollen and raw and she sat up slowly. There was no sign of Mitchell and she was grateful she had some time to pull herself together.
