BarelyBreathing

by Lacey Thorn

  “Vince Towner is actually Vincenzo Antonio Giordano. Towner was his mother’s maiden name. I found her in the files he’d accessed. Twenty-five years ago she was shot and killed while her husband was gone, working with my dad. Vince would have been just a boy then. They never found out who did it. Seemed like a random act of violence. One of those wrong place, wrong time kind of things. And my dad checked. Thoroughly. I read the file. Apparently, Vince’s dad never recovered. He left my dad, took his son and disappeared.”

  “And it would seem he blamed your dad for her death.” Roman shook his head, looking sad. “Bad stuff happens. It sucks. But even the most prepared can’t always stop it.”

  She nodded her agreement. “I heard the hate in his voice, and trust me there was a lot of it. Reflected toward my dad and me by association.”

  “Is this why you don’t want your dad involved?” Trust Chetan to cut to the heart of it.

  “I can’t shake the feeling maybe I was meant to overhear the conversation. It was just too perfect in its timing. I think he wanted me to hear and put a call in to my dad for help. I think he expected it.”

  “But he wouldn’t expect you to run.” Jack sighed.

  “No, he wouldn’t. I’m predictable it seems. It galls me to think of someone putting together a file on me.” She caught their grins and heaved a sigh. “I know. Funny coming from me. He would have known I’ve lived in that cabin for years. That I don’t veer far from it and how my dad keeps in constant contact with me. I think he expected me to tell my dad about him right away. When I didn’t, he pushed my hand. Or at least thought he did.”

  “How long had you known him?” Chetan again. She seriously wanted to kick him under the table as she felt the tension in Griff. She shook it off. Griff knew she wasn’t innocent.

  “A month.” She felt Griff relax and knew what he was thinking. She had known Vince a month and hadn’t slept with him. She’d known Griff less than a day and had sex twice and already swallowed after giving him a blowjob. Like that wasn’t going to go to his head. Fuck.

  “Did you bring the information with you?” Roman stood up and pushed his chair in.

  She reached into her pocket and pulled out the little flash drive. “It’s all on here.”

  Roman walked over and took it from her. His hand dropped to her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll just take a look.”

  She should be offended he was digging in to double check, but then, she would do the same thing in his shoes. Hard to fault him for it. So she just nodded and sat still while he left the room.

  “I’d like you to lie low for a while.” Jack stood and looked at her. “Chetan checked the hotel room this morning. No one’s been there. He made sure the room was paid for the rest of the week. If Mr. Giordano comes after you, hopefully, he’ll follow the trail there.”

  “What am I supposed to do?”

  “Whatever you did last night.” Jack shrugged his shoulders. She could feel Griff’s grin without even looking his way. She would not fucking blush. No way Jack knew what they’d done. No fucking way.

  “Yea,” Chetan added. “Let Griff entertain you. I’m sure he can come up with some stuff to keep you from being bored.”

  Her gaze jerked to him. He couldn’t know that she and Griff had sex. But the look on his face said he just might. That he might know exactly what she and Griff had been doing. There was no holding back the blush now. She could feel it rising up her neck to suffuse her cheeks with red. When did she become such a fucking girl? Griff squeezed her thigh, letting his fingers slip to rub the inside. Since him, and only with him.

  She just nodded as Jack left the room. Chetan smiled, stood and after a shared look with Griff she wasn’t even going to try to interpret, he left. She turned to look at Griff. His smile was exactly as she imagined. He leaned in and nipped her bottom lip right there in the conference room where anyone could walk in and see them.

  “I can think of a number of things we could do to keep you busy and entertained.”

  She sighed. And she’d enjoy every fucking one of them she was sure. “I guess I’m not supposed to see Stace yet?” She hadn’t missed the fact Shep and Stace hadn’t been involved in the meeting.

  “They left last night to check on Chloe. She’s been having some bad nightmares since she was rescued. She doesn’t leave the house much anymore. Stace worries.”

  Honor nodded. “I bet.” Didn’t sound like Chloe at all. She had always been such a happy girl. Always smiling and chatting a mile a minute whenever Honor had seen her or spoke to her. It hadn’t been often, but still, it had left an impression. She hoped Chloe would find a way to deal with things and move forward.

  “So, you ready to head home?” Griff pushed his chair back and stood, holding his hand down to her. She felt her heart catch at his careless use of the word home. It was his home. But the way he’d said it had made her think just for a minute about something else entirely. Something that couldn’t be.

  “I’m not having sex with you again right now.” She flushed when she heard someone clear their throat by the door. She looked up and cringed as she noted Jack standing there.

  “We’ll talk again later. See what we can find out between now and then. I was going to tell you to stay off the computer. I’m guessing Griff will take care of that.” With those words Jack turned to leave, firmly shutting the door behind him.

  Honor cringed, closing her eyes with a groan. Griff just laughed. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She was damned if it didn’t feel almost perfect.

  * * * * *

  Jack sat behind the desk in his office and punched in the number on the paper in front of him.

  “Midnight. I was expecting to hear from you earlier.”

  “She’s still in my office building as we speak.”

  “So what’s going on?”

  “About twenty-five years ago a member of your team lost his wife while he was gone. Giordano. Ring a bell?”

  Silence for a few beats and then a weary sigh. “She was gunned down. Wrong time, wrong place. He swore it was a hit because of his job. I checked. Double checked. Triple checked. It wasn’t.”

  “They had a son.”

  “Shit.”

  “Yeah. Seems like the son has a hard-on for you. Blames you for his mom’s death. And thought Honor was the perfect way to get revenge.”

  “That’s why she didn’t call me.”

  “She’s trying to protect you.”

  “My little girl loves me.” There was pride in the voice.

  “Yeah, she does. Not sure why. You’ve always been a bastard as far as I’m concerned.”

  A chuckle flowed over the phone. “Takes one to know one.”

  Jack smiled. “She asked me not to call.”

  “Sometimes lies are inevitable.”

  But it still made Jack feel badly. Honor made him think of his daughter, Moira. And that was why he’d called Zach.

  “I’ll keep her here, busy, while you take care of it.” He wasn’t going to tell Zach about the little bit he’d overheard at the conference room door. Or the fact the sparks between Honor and Griff had made the meeting earlier damn uncomfortable.

  “I’ll call when it’s safe.”

  “She won’t go back to the cabin.”

  “It’s compromised.” Zach echoed Jack’s thoughts. “I’ll find her a new one.”

  Jack didn’t say anything. If the sparks he’d seen ignited, he wasn’t sure Honor would be leaving anytime soon. Threat or not.

  “Call my cell.”

  “Take care of her.”

  The line went dead and Jack looked at the picture on his desk. Moira had just had it taken. It was a portrait of her and his granddaughter. They were stunning. She’d had it done for Gil, but she’d given her dad a copy too. Looking at her, he knew he’d done the right thing by contacting Zach immediately. It was what dads did.

  He stood up and pocketed his cell phone. He’d pick his wife up for lunch and see if
he could talk her into a compromising position. Or two.

  Chapter Seven

  Honor paced the floor. All this downtime was driving her crazy. Chetan had stopped by and asked to see her laptop. She should have known better but she’d given it to him. The bastard had taken it and smiled, actually smiled at her. Told her to enjoy her free time then had the gall to grin at Griff before leaving. Men could be such jerks.

  Griff had done his best to keep her entertained. He’d ordered Chinese and made a picnic on the floor. They’d watched two action movies. He’d held her against his chest and kissed her but not pushed for sex. Maybe that was half the problem. She expected him to bring her back to his apartment and take her straight back to bed.

  “Do you want to have sex?”

  Griff looked startled at her blunt question. But she wasn’t good with beating around the bush about stuff. It was a side effect of having only a father growing up, and his band of merry men.

  “I thought you were still sore.” She would swear he was blushing. She had to be wrong. A man wouldn’t blush. But then, what man would be considerate because he thought she was sore? Very few, in her opinion.

  “Oh.” A stupid response but all she could think of. What was the correct response to chivalry? This was why she stayed holed up with a computer.

  “Come with me.” He held his hand out to her and grabbed his keys with the other one.

  She almost jumped toward him. She needed to go, to do. Anything. Otherwise, she might just attack him and have her wicked way.

  “Where are we going?”

  He tugged her out the door and down the stairs. He pulled her out the side door and into the lot where she’d parked her car. Before she could go check her baby out, he pulled her toward another car. He beeped it unlocked and opened the passenger door for her. He really was a gentleman. It made her heart stutter when he did things like this.

  “Where are we going?” She asked the question again when he got behind the wheel and started the car.

  “For a ride. I’ll show you some of the town. Maybe go for a walk or something.”

  “I thought I was supposed to lie low.”

  “We will.” He shrugged, focused on the road as he pulled out of the lot. “My windows are tinted. No one will even see you in here. We’ll see the sights and talk.”

  “What do you want to talk about?” He glanced her way and she didn’t miss the grin on his lips. It sent a slow tug through her stomach and down between her suddenly moist thighs. What was it about Griff Daniels that had her dreaming of things, things she’d never really thought about other than in the abstract?

  “Tell me about you.” He prompted her when she just sat there staring at him. Good grief, she must look like a lovesick fool. And didn’t just the mere thought of love associated in any way with Griff make her a bit queasy.

  She didn’t really believe in love. Lust, a resounding yes. Commitment, if you worked at it. But love? That she wasn’t so sure of. And she definitely didn’t think it could happen at first sight. No way. She just had a really bad case of intense lust for Griff. Really intense.

  “Honor?”

  She glanced up and flushed as if he had been party to her thoughts.

  “You pretty much know about me. I grew up with my dad. He was gone a lot. I learned early on the boogeyman not only exists but he comes in all shapes and sizes.” She smiled. “Dad taught me how to fight. Hand-to-hand combat, guns, knives. You name it. I can fight with it if I have to.”

  “What about your mom?”

  “She left when I was just a baby.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window.

  Griff’s hand trailed down her arm and he linked his fingers with hers, tugging her hand over to rest on his thigh. She had no choice but to turn with it.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

  She softened. “It’s okay. I tell myself it doesn’t matter.” She shrugged. “But I guess it does. Still, my dad was pretty amazing. I didn’t want for anything.”

  Griff did his best to bite his tongue. She didn’t want for much! Did she actually believe the bullshit she spouted? What kind of family life had she grown up with? Yet here she was because she was trying to protect her dad. He wondered how long it would take her to figure out Jack had called her dad. He’d known it as soon as Jack stood to leave. It’s what he would have done as well.

  “Tell me about your family.”

  He glanced over at her. Her palm was soft against his and the heat of their hands bled into his thigh. He wanted her. It was taking all he had to keep his hands from ripping her clothes off and taking her again and again and again. He was afraid of what he might have done if they had spent another minute inside his apartment.

  “Well, there’s my older brother Gil.”

  “My dad spoke of him. Gil married Jack’s daughter, Moira, right? They have a daughter?”

  He grinned. His brother would have a coronary if he knew someone had put a file together on him and his girls. He nodded. “Yeah. Abigail Rose. We all call her Abby. She’s beautiful, just like her mother. I think you’ll like Moira. She’s pretty fantastic.” Anyone who could put up with and even love his demanding older brother was a saint in Griff’s opinion.

  “Then there’s my brother Doug.” Hmmmm… How did he explain the relationship between Doug, Damon and Cass? His brother didn’t exactly have a conventional life.

  “Is he married?”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t put a file together on him.” It sure would have made this conversation easier. He laughed when she blushed. Did she have any idea just how beautiful she was?

  “Doug has a different kind of relationship.”

  “Is he gay?”

  Griff couldn’t help the laugh that rolled out. If he had a nickel for every time someone asked that! He knew Doug and Damon were used to it. Hell, even Cass laughed about it.

  “No. He’s in a committed ménage relationship.”

  “Ménage?” His cock pulsed at the interest in her eyes. But was quickly followed by a fuck no. He wasn’t sharing. Ever. And didn’t that just throw him! He wasn’t really the possessive type. Honor. She just did things to him, made him feel things.

  “Yeah. He’s legally married to Moira’s best friend, Cass. But they had a separate ceremony where she pledged marriage to Doug’s best friend, Damon.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It seems to work for them. Damon even had his last name legally changed to Daniels.”

  “So do your brother and Damon? You know?”

  Griff shuddered. “No. Not that I’m aware of. And, no, I’ve never asked.”

  She laughed and rubbed the back of her hand along his thigh. A few inches higher and she’d find his perpetual boner. At least when he was around her.

  “You’re such a guy. I bet if Doug was married to two women, you’d be all questions.”

  He grinned. He might. But chances were he’d just accept it and move on. If it made his brother happy, he was happy.

  “Any kids?”

  “Cass had twin boys a month before Abby was born.”

  “Twins! Wow, I bet that took some getting used to.”

  “Yeah, the boys are a handful.”

  “So do they know who the dad is?”

  He knew what she meant. Hell, everyone in town who was aware of the threesome wondered. “It doesn’t matter. They both are.”

  He was surprised when she nodded her head, easily accepting it. “Makes sense.”

  And with those words he felt a tiny squeeze in his heart. There was just something about her.

  “And you have a sister too?” She formed it as a question but she’d put a file together on him. If she didn’t know the specifics of his family, he was pretty sure she knew all the basics.

  “Katie. She married Ben Marcum. They have a son, Michael Thomas, but they call him Mikey.”

  Michael had been named for Mick Daniels. Griff’s heart ached sometimes just thinking about his dad. Mick
had been so full of life. And he’d loved kids. He had four grandkids now. Those kids were missing out by not having Mick to hold them and spoil them.

  “And your mom is remarried.”

  “Yes.” His voice was clipped and he blew out a breath. He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t.

  “Why does it make you mad?”

  “I’m not mad.”

  She snorted and he glanced over to see her giving him a look that screamed liar.

  “Yeah, you are. But I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t you want to see your mom married and happy?”

  “It’s not that. Of course, I want my mom happy.”

  “But why can’t she be happy as your mom?”

  Bingo. Someone finally got it.

  “You can’t be that selfish.”

  So maybe she didn’t get it. He wasn’t selfish. He shook his head but she nodded hers.

  “Yes, you are. Why should your mom’s life end with your dad’s? Why can’t she have a second chance? Doesn’t she deserve to feel loved? Cherished? Needed?”

  “She had all those things. With my dad.”

  “So what? She was supposed to bury her heart with your dad? That’s not fair, Griff. Not to her and not to your dad.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Think about it. Did your dad love your mom?”

  “That’s a stupid question. She was his entire world. He was completely devoted to her, and us. They were perfect.”

  “They never fought or argued?”

  He laughed. “They’re Irish. Of course they fought. It’s in the blood. Everything with passion, he used to say. Even fights. But he never did more than raise his voice. And he never went to bed angry or with mom still angry. He said it was important.”

  “He sounds like an amazing man.”

  “He was. The very best.”

  “How did your mom handle it when he died?”

  “It devastated her. But she had four kids. She focused on us.”

  “Still, it must have been hard.”

  “I remember catching her crying a few times. She tried not to show it often. But I’d catch her.”

  “Then she met Roman.” She squeezed his hand with hers. “Don’t do that.”