by Lea Hart
“That’s an almost impossible promise, Grady. I would never ask you to do that.” Leaning her head against his chest, she felt the last of her energy fall away. “I need to get out.”
“Sorry, honey. Let me wash you up, and then I’ll put you in bed and you can sleep.”
“I can do it.”
He lifted her head again and kissed her gently. “Please let me take care of you.”
“Okay.” She stood still while he efficiently ran soap all over her body. It was a relief when he didn’t make his touch sexual, because she didn’t think she could handle it. Everything that Ang had told her was acting like poison in her brain. The last thing she wanted was to be intimate with him after what she’d heard. How was she going to find her way back to him?
***
Sara snuggled under the covers and kept her eyes closed. Maybe if she didn’t move, then she could fall back asleep and hide from reality for a bit longer. As far as she was concerned, reality sucked, and she was damn tired of it.
The door cracked open, and light from the hall seeped in. She kept her eyes closed and decided to play possum. No need to leave this room until tomorrow. That would be soon enough.
The sound of his footsteps approaching made her realize that he was going to try to get her up. No way.
“Sara, time to get up, honey. You have to eat something.”
Sure, try and lure her with food. Not going to work.
“I ordered your favorite pizza, and there’s ice cream for dessert.”
Her stomach rumbled loudly, and she wondered if that was possible if a person was asleep. She kept her eyes closed and felt the bed dip as he sat down next to her. Maybe she could stay in bed and he could bring the pizza in here.
“I see your eyes moving, so I know you’re thinking about that pizza.”
“You can’t see my eyes moving. That is such a lie.” Slowly she opened her eyes and stared at him.
“Yes, I could, and you were scrunching up your face, and you were not moving. You move around a lot when you sleep, so you gave yourself away.”
Sitting up slowly, she shoved her hair off her face. “I’m going to work on that, so the next time I play possum, it’ll work.”
“It’s important to have a goal.” He gently swept the hair away from her face and gave her a tender smile. “You haven’t eaten in over twenty-four hours.” He picked her up. “Come on. Let’s get you fed.”
He stood, and she grabbed his neck to steady herself. “Let me use the bathroom, and then I’ll come out.”
He set her down gently and made sure she was steady. “Okay. If you’re not out in five minutes, then I’m coming to get you.”
“Yes, sir.” Spinning on her heel, she strolled into the bathroom. Bossy people were starting to annoy her. She’d just about had her fill. The next person who told her what to do was going to get a piece of her mind.
***
Grady sat at the kitchen table with his laptop open as she entered the kitchen. He wore his glasses and was typing furiously. Whatever he was working on was taking all of his concentration. “I’m here as requested.” He flashed her a big smile as she approached. “My stomach is rumbling, so I guess I should eat.”
“Sit down and let me pull it out of the oven.”
When he brought everything over and sat down, she grabbed his hand. “Thank you for finding me and saving my life. I don’t think I told you that, and I should’ve.”
“Honey, you don’t have to thank me.”
“I do. If you hadn’t saved me, then I’d probably be in the hands of the mafia. Did you know Ang has cousins that are part of the family?”
“Yeah, I found out last night.” He opened the box and slid a large piece onto her plate. “Please start eating.”
She did as he asked and took her first bite of pizza. It was delicious, and it made her realize how hungry she was. “Whatever happened to the men who were sent down here? Are they running around Miami looking for me?”
“Sam’s men intercepted them at the airport, and they are spending some quality time with the local Feds.”
“What can he hold them on?”
“They took Angelina’s phone, and they are holding them based on the conversation Ang had with them. I spoke to him about an hour ago, and he said he’s making progress. I don’t know what that means, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon.”
“I would love to meet with Solly D or Pudgy Matassa and have an old fashioned sit-down. I’m tired of running from them. In fact, I’ve decided that I’m not going to anymore.”
“What do you plan on doing?”
“I should advertise who is after me. That way, when and if they do get to me, there won’t be any doubt who is responsible. My story has to be interesting enough for the local news. Maybe I should see if it appeals to anyone. I could make a great headline. Just think of it: ‘Innocent Children’s Book Illustrator Hunted by the Mafia after Discovering who her Biological Father Was.’ They could have pictures from my book next to pictures from crime scenes. That alone would get some ratings.”
Laughing, Grady held her hand. “Who would play you in the movie of the week?”
“Funny you should ask. I was thinking about it last night, and I think this whole thing could be a Lifetime movie. We would include you in the story line as the SEAL who saves the woman from all that threatens her. I think Lyndsy Fonseca should play me. I haven’t cast your role yet, but once I have time to think about, I’m sure I can come up with someone.”
“As long as the movie ends with us having a happy-ever-after, I don’t care who plays me.”
Sara wondered if they did have that in their future. There was still a lot to get through before she would know if they had a chance. Ang’s words played over and over in her head, and she hated it. Sighing, she took another piece of pizza and began eating.
Grady tipped his head and stared her in the eye. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to get us through this, and we are going to get a happy ending. No matter what I have to do to get us there.”
“Time for ice cream.” Sara popped out of her chair and walked over to the freezer. She wasn’t ready to discuss the possibility of them having a long-term future. Her head was spinning from the events of the last twenty-four hours. What had seemed inevitable only a couple of days ago now felt almost impossible. Something had shifted in her heart after she listened to Ang. All her words had created a river of unease that was running through her mind and heart.
Maybe she just needed time and space to figure out what was real and true. After all, she and Grady hadn’t spent much time together, and it wasn’t under normal circumstances. Who knew—maybe the intense feelings they had for one another were a result of the extreme circumstances they’d been in. Maybe they had nothing in common, and once her life became more normal, they wouldn’t have anything left. It was sort of like being on a reality show. Everything was heightened.
Grady brought the dishes in and set everything down. He leaned against the counter and studied her as she scooped out ice cream. “I know that you have just gone through hell and back, and it’s not over yet. But I want you to know that I’m here and not going anywhere. I will do whatever it takes for us to come out on the other side of this. All I need is for you to hold my hand and tell me we have a shot at making a happy ending.”
He straightened up, stepped over to her, and lifted her hair away from her neck. He lowered his head and gently kissed her neck. “Everything can change in a day, and I want all my days to be with you.”
The sound of the spoon clattering against the counter pierced the quiet in the room. Tears fell from Sara’s eyes and splashed on the counter as Grady turned her around and held her against his chest. “I need some time, Grady.”
“I’m not going to take the chance of not telling you how I feel. You take whatever time you need. We have the rest of our lives to figure it out.”
Pushing her face into the soft material of his T-shirt and feeling the beat
of his heart soothed something deep in her soul. The events of the last twenty-fours receded as she breathed Grady in. If she could stay like this, then fear and doubt would never find a way in. His hand slipped under her T-shirt, and he rubbed small circles across her back. Slowly she felt the tension slip from her muscles.
There was no doubt about it. Grady got her. He instinctively knew what to do when she was in the whirlwind of doubt and fear. All he had to do was wrap his arms around her, and she could see her way through.
He kissed her head gently and released her. “Let’s have our ice cream and then watch the final of The Bachelorette. We didn’t get to watch it last night, and we need some reality TV.”
A shot of laughter escaped as she picked up their bowls. “It’s one of the things that pissed me off most about being taken by Ang.”
“The threat of being at the mercy of someone who was ill didn’t make you mad, but missing After the Final Rose did?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to miss it.”
Grady plopped on the couch, held his arms open and caught her as she fell against him. “As long as you have your priorities in order.”
She handed him his bowl of ice cream and took hers. “I’m glad you understand. After this is over, we can start watching the old seasons.”
When he didn’t say anything, she turned around and saw him smile. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because there is no way you are getting rid of me after training me so well. No way at all.”
Shrugging, she turned around and flipped the TV on. He might have had a point. She had invested some time and effort into him, and it would have been silly to throw that all away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Wednesday
Grady rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling. His first and only priority for the foreseeable future was getting rid of the threat against Sara. There had to be a way to get the Outfit to lose interest in her. He just hadn’t figured it out yet. He moved his hand slowly over Sara’s back as he let his thoughts roam free. The key to problem solving was thinking outside of the box. Let every possibility enter your mind and then sift through them until one seemed workable.
Somehow Solly D and Fat Mike were convinced that she had information they needed. The only thing that Sara had been given during the short meal with her father was a locket. Maybe it was time to send the locket to Lucky in the Chicago office. Maybe there was information embedded in a photograph or something. As soon as Sara woke up and had her coffee, he was going to ask her about it. That was the only possibility he could think of, unless there was something that he had missed. Glancing over, he smiled at Sara’s crazy hair. It happened every night, no matter what they did or didn’t do. Knowing that intimate fact about her made him smile. Sara was his the moment she kissed him on the mat in Combative Alliance. And every moment since then convinced him he was right. Now all he had to do was make sure that she felt the same way.
There was something she wasn’t telling him, and he wondered what Angelina had said during those many hours they were together. Whatever it was, he was going to have to be patient. Because if he pushed, then she would retreat even more.
Relax. That was going to be his motto. And if that didn’t work, then he would try something else. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Always worked when he was on the Teams, and it was sure as shit going to work now.
Sara started to move around, and he took the opportunity to roll her into him. He looped his arm around her waist and buried his nose in her hair. When he laid her hand against his heart, he felt himself relax. That’s all it took to make his world right. Sara’s small hand covering his heart. All he had to do now was never give her a reason to stop.
***
Grady opened the door and studied Sam. He looked like shit. Which probably was a result of the last twenty-four hours. Every time he had seen the guy, he was perfectly dressed and groomed. The man who brushed past him and growled was not that man. “Coffee?”
“I’ve had so much coffee over the last twenty-four hours that I should stop. But I can’t because the minute I do, my system will revolt, and I’m not willing to see what that looks like.”
Sara chose that moment to shuffle into the room, and Sam grimaced. “No matter how many times I see it, I can’t get used to it. What in the hell do you do to look like that?”
Sara punched him in the stomach as she passed and laughed when he gulped in a breath. “It’s a good thing that I’m not a sensitive person. Because if I was, then I might be offended by your barrage of nasty comments about my hair.” Patting it down, she smiled at both men. “I hope to God you brought donuts.”
Sam sank into a kitchen chair and cradled his cup. “No donuts.”
“Wow, you really do like living on the edge. You show up and insult me and don’t even bother to buy fried dough dusted in sugar to soften the blow. I may have to see about getting a new handler. One that understands the importance of bakery treats.”
“You just keep talking to yourself, because you’re the only one listening.”
Sara filled her mug, dumped some cream into it and walked over to Sam. “Poor you. It must be bad, because you have a couple of hairs out of place. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.” Taking a careful sip, she then studied him. “We are a perfect juxtaposition to one another.”
His eyes raked over her and he nodded. “We’re the before and after, the do and don’t, the who wore it best.”
Sara lifted her hand and pressed it against his mouth. “It’s rude to give more than one example.”
Grady stood behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I think you look pretty in the morning with your crazy hair.” Kissing her head, he winked at Sam.
“God, you must be in love. That’s the only explanation for that comment.”
“Must be,” Grady said quietly. He didn’t want to discuss his feelings in front of Sam, and he certainly wasn’t going to make a declaration without giving Sara some warning. He was afraid that if he did, then she was going to panic and then rabbit. He was going to play it cool for as long as he could.
“If we’re done discussing this, then maybe you can give me an update about the mobsters who were sent to take care of me.”
“Spending time with Albie the Falcon and Mikey the Fireplug wasn’t as interesting as you might imagine. They’re your basic run-of-the-mill hit men. They’re not even related to anyone important in the organization. This tells me that Solly D didn’t have any serious intention of finding you. Those two would be lucky to find a cortado in the middle of Little Havana.”
“Why did they send such low-level guys if they wanted to take me back to Chicago and find the password?”
“Exactly. But they couldn’t ignore the call they received from Angelina. That would be showing weakness. Something that would never happen.”
“So, what does this say about my value to the family?”
“It says that they don’t consider you a high-value target anymore. But they can’t just let it go.”
Sara glanced over at Grady and shrugged. “What do you think about all of this?”
“I think you should go to the media. Make yourself as difficult a target as you can. Once we get you on the news, then we go to Chicago and ask for a meeting. I don’t wait for shit to knock on my front door. I hunt it down and take care of it. Face-to-face tells us what their agenda is. If they make a move, then we have reasonable cause to react. The Outfit understands a show of force. So let’s show them.”
Sara sat up and grinned. “I like it.”
Sammy sat up as well as shook his head. “It’s not that easy.”
“It’s not that hard either. I’m not living in fear anymore. I’ve had enough nonsense from these people,” Sara wailed.
Sam sat back and rubbed his head. “All right. Give me a week to put this together. I’ll work some contacts for a couple of interviews, and let’s see if we can get you on the news by the end of the week. I’ll set the meeting fo
r a couple of days after that. This is crazy enough to work.”
“I’ve seen a lot of crazy lately, and I have to say, it seems to be working,” Sara responded.
“Just do something with your hair before you go on camera.”
Sara patted his hand and grinned. “I’m going to be so perfectly poised and groomed that you’re not going to recognize me.” Looking at Grady, she laughed. “I need to get my car back, because I have to get started right away if I’m going to be ready in time.”
Grady squeezed her hand. “I have someone cleaning it out, and we should have it back by this afternoon.”
“Perfect.”
“Why does this scare the shit out me?” Sam asked.
“Because you’re a smart man,” Grady responded. “The lady is in charge of her destiny, and we’re just along for the ride.”
“Amen,” Sam added quietly.
***
Sara sat in Grady’s truck and fumed. “I could’ve driven myself. You should be at work and not chauffeuring me around.”
“You were kidnapped the day before yesterday. You will not be out of my sight for a very long time…if ever.”
“When you wake up from that particular fantasy, let me know.” Turning her head, she stared out the window and started humming.
“Remember when I told you that we go together like milk and cookies?”
Slowly she turned to gaze at him. “Yes…”
“I’m amending that statement. We are stuck together like Velcro. I’m not going to let something happen to you again. Your kidnapping is all on me, and I can’t let anything else happen to you.”
“Velcro? That doesn’t seem like a good thing. How about marshmallow fluff and peanut butter? That sounds like something that I can live with.”
“Fine, fluff and peanut butter.” He reached his hand over the armrest and took hers. “I died a thousand deaths when I realized you had been taken. I will never forgive myself for allowing it to happen.”
“You’re not responsible for the actions of a crazy person. And I say that with the utmost respect for people who are suffering from psychotic disorders. Angelina is sick, and I just happened to get in her way. It wasn’t up to you to predict where her crazy was going to take her.”
