by A. P. Jensen
As if following her line of thought Mitchel said, “How far would Ray have to go before you told me the truth?”
For the first time since Ray entered the condo Grace felt tears rise in her eyes. She wore bruises inflicted by a father who hated every breath she took, who cared nothing for her. She looked up at Mitchell, a man who cared so much it frightened her. Mitchell had the ability to do twenty things at once and keep them all in line. He was gorgeous, wealthy and when he set his mind to something he never let up. She admired him and was proud to be seen by his side when they were together that she didn’t want to mar his opinion of her by opening up the can of worms that was her family. Now her worst fears were being played out in front of her and she was ashamed, lost and sore.
“Do you know what it feels like to have parents that hate the very sight of you?” she whispered.
Mitchell watched a tear trickle down her cheek and didn’t speak. He kept his distance across the room.
“I wanted to be my own person. I don’t want you to know about that side of my life. I wanted to keep them separate. My parents are my problem. Can you understand that?”
“What you don’t understand is that you are my problem. Anything that affects you, affects me so even if you think Evie or your parents are yours to deal with, they aren’t. They’re my problem too.”
There was a knock on the door and police and medical personnel came in. A paramedic confirmed that her ribs were indeed bruised, as Grace suspected. She also had a minor concussion from her head hitting the tile on impact. Max brought out a fussy Evie who stared up at Grace with big eyes. Grace held Evie on her lap as Mitchell walked outside to talk to the police, leaving her in the condo with a familiar face. Leslie, the cop she’d seen less than a week ago shook her head when she saw Grace’s newly bruised face again.
Leslie clucked her tongue. “Your life really isn’t rainbows and sunshine, is it, princess?”
“Just when I think it is, it’s not,” Grace sighed and gave her statement.
After Leslie left she opened the door, looking for Mitchell and came face to face with two more guards. Ray had been handcuffed and left with police. There was no sign of Mitchell.
Maggie was open mouthed the next day when Grace confided the latest turn of events.
“Damn. Your life is like a soap opera,” Maggie declared.
“Yup. A soap opera. Not a fairy tale.”
Between Maggie’s fussing, work, Evie and her bruised ribs Grace didn’t give herself time to go over the events with Ray. In her mind, it was done. She was pressing charges for assault and getting a restraining order which she knew would gall him. Ray’s wife called, hysterically demanding to speak to her but Grace waved Maggie away. She wasn’t in the mood to placate or defend herself. The odds were slim that Ray’s wife would be cool with the fact that Ray had a child on her way to thirty.
Over the next week Grace heard through her business connections that Mitchell broke all contracts with Ray. No one in the business world knew what was going on but Grace knew. She found herself staring at the phone, waiting for word from Mitchell but there was nothing. Somehow, Mitchell managed to keep Ray’s arrest under wraps from the press and she was grateful for that. She didn’t know what to think now that he knew all. Was he rethinking the marriage?
She turned to work to calm the panic that wanted to take over. She found herself contacting a lawyer just in case she had to go up against Vicky in court although with the recent police reports she thought she’d have a good chance of winning custody. She worked from home as she healed and forced herself to take lots of breaks to spend with Evie who was alarmed whenever someone knocked on the door. Grace wanted to take off the engagement ring as five days passed without hearing from Mitchell but she kept it on rather than face the paparazzi who would have noticed the missing ring in a heartbeat.
When Amy begged her to meet for lunch Grace agreed and dressed Evie and gave Maggie the rest of the day off. She was extra careful when handling Evie because her ribs were so tender. Going to meet Amy turned out to be a huge ordeal. She had to pack a diaper bag, time Evie’s feeding and nap so that neither would interfere with her outing. She put Evie in a stroller and went to the restaurant that was only several blocks away. When she walked into the restaurant with Evie, Amy let out a strangled shriek and came towards them and hugged Grace a little too hard, making her gasp in pain.
“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” Amy said, pulling away.
“It’s nothing,” Grace reassured her. “How have you been?”
“Desperately needing to see this in person.”
Amy grabbed Grace’s left hand and gazed in wide eyed rapture at the ring.
“It’s gorgeous.”
Grace’s mouth twisted. “Thanks.”
“Hi baby,” Amy said and unbuckled Evie from the stroller and took her to their table.
Grace followed and slowly eased herself into a seat. She ordered their usual and Amy grinned as she bounced Evie on her lap.
“What’s wrong?” Amy said.
“What do you mean?” Grace said, sipping from her water glass.
“Give over,” Amy said impatiently. “I talked to you before you left Paris. I was getting hot and bothered just listening to you talk about Mitchell and now… Something’s off. What happened since you got back?”
Before Grace could say anything, she noticed a man approaching out of her peripheral vision. People looked up as Mitchell walked by, nodding to him respectfully but he didn’t notice. He was focused on Evie. Grace stiffened when Mitchell stopped beside Amy. He never once looked in Grace’s direction.
Amy looked up and started when Evie let out an overjoyed shriek and chanted, “Dada, dada!” Evie’s shriek of excitement dampened the noise in the restaurant. Several people watched dubiously as Mitchell took Evie from Amy. Evie pounded her fists against his chest in excitement and jabbered incoherently as she hung onto her favorite orange teddy bear.
“You’ve missed me, haven’t you?” Mitchell cooed to Evie who leaned forward and rested her head against his chest.
Grace was frozen in her seat. For the past five days she’d been so caught up in how she would feel if Mitchell broke off their engagement she didn’t think of the repercussions where Evie was concerned. Her heart twisted painfully as Evie hung onto Mitchell who never once said a word to either of the women and walked away.
Grace leapt up and immediately regretted that action when her ribs protested. Grace saw Mitchell heading towards a table with several men she knew vaguely. Mitchell sat at his table where his business associates stared at him speechlessly.
“Did he just do that?” Amy said faintly, watching one of the most powerful men in New York conduct a meeting with a red headed baby on his lap. “And did the temperature just drop fifteen degrees? Jesus. What the hell is going on?”
Grace wanted to go to his table and snatch Evie out of his hands but that was the hurt and anger talking. There was nothing she could do about the bond between Mitchell and Evie. She had a sneaking suspicion Evie would raise hell if she tried to pry her from Mitchell so she forced herself to look away. Evie looked so damn cute and content in Mitchell’s lap.
When Amy kicked her beneath the table Grace and explained about Ray’s visit. Like Maggie, Amy was openmouthed and appalled.
“When it rains it pours. That son of a bitch,” Amy fumed and then paused. “So Mitchell knows.”
Grace laughed weakly. “Yes he does and I haven’t seen or heard from him for almost a week.”
“Are you two still engaged?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. If the paparazzi weren’t watching me like hawks I would have taken the ring off already.” She waved her hands as if that would dispel her melancholy and hovering depression. Her life was such a mess. “Let’s talk about the fashion show.”
They talked about clothes and the boutiques and she tried to hide the way her eyes constantly went to Mitchell and Evie who fell asleep in his lap. She ate
although she wasn’t hungry anymore. Seeing Mitchell, brought up hopes and hurt and never once did he look in her direction. That hurt.
“The boutique is doing well and even though you’re not in the office, you still get an amazing amount of work done,” Amy said admiringly.
“Evie’s changed things,” Grace said slowly. “With everything that’s happened, I don’t even know if I want to stay in New York if things don’t work out.”
It was a growing thought she couldn’t stop. She wanted Evie to have a quiet, simple childhood. How could she accomplish that and be an entrepreneur? Evie deserved more than a distracted aunt and Grace wanted Evie to grow up secure and carefree. That was what she and Casey agreed on.
Amy stared at her as if she’d started speaking a foreign language. “What are you saying?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m just thinking about it.”
If Mitchell called off their engagement she wasn’t sure she could handle going to social functions and smiling through the pain. Getting away from her parents was a big plus that made her think even getting out of the States would appeal. She needed to get out and be free. She deserved that, right? Some women did it all. They had the family life and owned their own business. If she wanted that she would need to downsize and starting from scratch without anyone’s influence sounded so good.
“What about the boutique? You built up the clientele and merchandise from the ground up. You can’t give that up! You’ve worked your ass off,” Amy protested.
Grace reached out for Amy’s hand just as Mitchell stopped by their table with a sleeping Evie. He looked from Amy’s distraught face to Grace’s expressionless one.
“Let’s go,” he said without inflection to Grace.
Amy shot up from her chair and poked him in the chest. She didn’t care that he was her boss’s boss. “You better fix this because if she leaves New York I’m quitting and moving with her!”
Amy stalked out of the restaurant leaving Mitchell with Grace who looked anywhere but up at him. He set Evie in the stroller and took the baby bag from her. He walked out of the restaurant with Evie in the stroller and she had no choice but to follow him back to the condo. Neither said a word until they were in her home and Grace put Evie in her crib. Grace came out to the living room and found him looking out of her windows out at the city.
“You want to leave New York?” he asked without turning around.
“I’m thinking about it,” she said and crossed her arms.
“You’re running again.”
She glared at his back. “Maybe I am. Maybe that’s best.”
“What are you going to do about the boutique?”
He couldn’t sound less interested. Her heart sank.
“Amy can take my place or someone can buy the business from me,” Grace answered.
“You can’t sell the business without my consent.”
“Then you do what you want with it. I want better for Evie. After everything that’s happened I think I need to start fresh and get her away from the city. I don’t feel safe here anymore.”
“If you don’t feel safe, what are you still doing here?”
She blinked back the tears that wanted to pour down her face. Did he have to be so cold?
“I was waiting,” she said lamely.
“Waiting for what?”
She shivered and took a step away from him. “Nothing.”
“You only have two days left to move.”
She blinked. “What?”
“If you don’t feel safe here why are you dragging your feet about moving to my penthouse?”
She stared at him as if he’d turned into an alien. “You haven’t contacted me at all. I thought…”
“You thought I was going to back out of our deal?” For the first time his words were filled with anger. “I made a promise and so did you. We have to do what’s right for Evie.”
She lifted her chin. “So we’re not going to talk about what happened with Ray?”
His jaw tightened. “What else is there to talk about?”
“I heard you broke all business ties with him-”
“That has nothing to do with you.”
She blinked. “What are you talking about? Of course it does.”
“No. It doesn’t. All you have to know is he won’t bother you again.”
He turned to leave.
“Wait! We can’t leave things like this between us.” Her voice cracked with strain. “We should talk this out.”
He whirled so fast she took a reflexive step back that made him even angrier.
“It’s ironic that you’re the one that wants to talk when you’re the one with all the secrets. Every time I think I have you pegged, you throw me another curveball. It feels like you’re putting me through an obstacle course and I’m tired of it. I made a deal with you so I’m going to stick to it. I’ll marry you for Evie’s sake.”
The blood drained from her face. “You said you loved me.”
Merciless eyes pierced her own. “How can I love someone I don’t know?”
She staggered back a step because the blow to her heart was so devastating. He watched her for a moment without expression.
“I can’t be around you.” He moved towards the door. “I’ll call the movers. I’ll expect you, Evie and Maggie tomorrow. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” she said hoarsely because she could barely breathe. “I can’t move in with you when we’re like this.”
“If you care about Evie, you will. Staying here is asking for more trouble. It’s up to you,” He opened the door and looked back. “You were going to marry me regardless of how you felt about me. Now the tables are turned and you’re just going to have to grin and bear it. There’s no out for either of us.”
Chapter Fifteen
Grace’s first night back in Mitchell’s penthouse was pure hell. Everything she needed was already taken care of but she felt uncomfortable and restless. One of the bodyguards explained that Mitchell was traveling and he wasn’t sure when he would be back. She knew what that meant- he was avoiding her. Maybe that was best. They both needed time from each other. He would calm down, she told herself. She would wait until he was ready to come back to New York.
She spent two years in this penthouse but without Mitchell it felt empty despite Maggie and Evie being there with her. There was a nursery with a princess theme for Evie and a room right next door for Maggie.
“Just give him time,” Maggie said to Grace.
A week passed without a word from Mitchell. She recovered from her injuries but that didn’t stop her nightmares. She felt exposed, vulnerable and alone. She moved into his penthouse thinking they would be able to work through this only to find he had no intention of being around at all. Had it only been two weeks ago when he declared his love for her? Could keeping Ray a secret erase all the promises and feelings between them?
Grace went to a party she couldn’t avoid. Small talk was all well and good but it grated on nerves that were already stretched to the breaking point. She was relieved when a familiar, friendly face led her outside for fresh air.
“I can’t believe you’re engaged to the bastard,” Landon said, looking down at her ring.
Grace shrugged. “Me either.” She knew she sounded flippant and from the sharp look he gave her, Landon caught it.
“Were you forced?” he asked carefully.
She laughed a little hysterically. Who forced whom? “It was mutual.”
“Then why are you here alone?”
She blew out a breath and leaned on the railing as she looked out over New York. It seemed like years ago when she was at a party like this and reassured Casey she would fly to Texas. She felt a pang in her heart when she thought of her sister. Damn it. She missed her so much. She wished she could talk to her and get her take on what was happening. It was what sister’s did- support each other no matter what the circumstances. She felt as if she’d lost a part of herself and see
ing Evie mimic Casey’s smile was bittersweet.
“I screwed up,” Grace admitted.
Landon’s brows rose as he leaned on the rail beside her. “Was it an unforgiveable sin?”
“Maybe.”
“Hmm. So you’re not talking but you’re still engaged?”
“That’s it in a nutshell. He’s complicated.”
“You don’t say,” Landon said dryly
She changed the subject and he let her. He escorted her for the rest of the night and although she saw the frowns and whispers she didn’t care. She and Landon were friends. Nothing else. She knew that and that’s all that mattered. She went home after midnight to the quiet penthouse and watched Evie sleep.
Grace worked from the penthouse and although there was work and Evie to tend to she found herself constantly checking her phone. After three more days with no word from him Grace couldn’t take it anymore. She called his phone and got forwarded to voicemail. She called his secretary, Max and his pilot. None of them answered her call. When she left a message threatening to leave New York he called within ten minutes.
“Running away from New York isn’t going to stop your mom.”
“I know that,” she snapped. “I need to know what we’re doing.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” she said with exaggerated patience, “that I am living in your home and never once have we been in it together since I moved back. I know you’re angry but we can’t work this out if you stay away from me.”
She felt as if she were fighting for her life here, for Evie to have a father. Even though his voice was cool and detached she kept remembering him in Paris- the naked need on his face, the love. She could have that again, she told herself, as long as she fought for the right to have it. He couldn’t just stop loving her, right?
“I’m busy,” he said icily.
She scoffed. “You took off at a moment’s notice to come with me to Texas and Paris. You know how to make time so I’m begging you, Mitch. Please come back so we can talk.”
