Grayson
Her lavender scent hit me before she did. I knew she thought I was asleep. I had to force myself not to break the damn door down and wrap her in my arms. To look her in the eyes and make damn sure she understood that we do not sleep apart if we're under the same roof. I don't care how pissed we are at each other. Orgasm denial was her punishment for keeping so many things from me. Things she didn't think I would find out. She'd been a busy bee these past few weeks.
"I think you both have come a long way, Grayson. Give yourself some credit. It wasn't that long ago you were in here sweating bullets about losing her. And now you're practically inseparable. How about that?"
I smiled. That damn Dr. Klein. "How about that indeed." I looked over his shoulder at the bookcase, at the half finished boat. "I thought you two would've finished that by now?" He turned and looked at the model and shrugged.
"Me too. I haven't seen Emmalin this week." I froze at his words.
"She hasn't been coming here?"
He looked at me and shrugged on his sweater. "No. I assumed that was her decision. Tell her I would like to finish that boat, though, and it would be good to see her. I was hoping we would get it done this week. Give her my thoughts?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll do that.”
I headed home, confused. Emmalin didn’t go see Dr. Klein this week. She urged me to see him by herself, and I agreed, yet obviously she didn’t go. Then what the fuck was doing this whole time? I got home just after nine, and she was already in bed. She’d been sleeping more lately. I watched her for a little bit before climbing in next to her. After a while, I began fingering the scarf and gently pulled on the knot, freeing it. I froze. The marks on her neck. I slowly sat up to get a better look. I lightly traced the marks with my hand. These marks weren’t faded like the rest. These marks were new. I fucking swear I could feel my blood boiling. I looked down at her, sleeping peacefully, yet she still had a troubled look on her face. I got off the bed, heading to my office and picked up my phone.
“I want you here now!” I paced the office, willing myself not to punch a hole in the wall. Ten minutes later, the door buzzed. I waited as Heather and Hawkins made their way up, followed by Benny.
“Report from this week.”
Hawkins stepped forward. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Ms. Ross was taken Monday afternoon to Lincoln Park during the luncheon hour. She sat at the park bench for a few minutes, then walked around a bit, before stopping at a nearby fountain.”
“She was acting a bit odd beforehand, sir.” Heather stepped forward.
I looked at Heather. “In what way?”
“I had to stop her from leaving the building. It seemed as if she was trying to be evasive. I called out to her several times, and she just kept going. After I ensured her that either myself or Hawkins had to be present at all times, she looked to be ill, as if she would’ve passed out. I said I would call you, and she said not to concern you.”
I looked to Benny. “From now on, you should always concern me, about anything concerning her; I don’t care what it is. If she breaks her fucking heel, I want to know about it. Her safety comes first.” They both nodded.
“What about her appointment that night?”
“Sir, we secured the building before entry. Alistair waited with her in the lobby while I checked each floor. The only person in the building was Dr. Klein.” I ran my hand through my hair. This didn’t add up. Where the fuck did those marks come from? Could she have just not gone in?
Benny spoke up. “What’s going on, Grayson?”
I took several deep breaths, trying to control my rage. “Dr. Klein says he hasn’t seen her since the last time I was with her. Get Jack here now. I need to know if he’s found anything.” Benny nodded, taking out his phone. I was just about to dismiss Heather and Hawkins when I stopped. “Wait, you said she went to the park during lunch?”
“Yes, sir.”
“By herself?”
“Yes, sir.”
I nodded.
I took out my phone, dialing Tyler’s number. After three rings, he finally picked up.
“You have impeccable timing, Mandrake.” I rolled my eyes.
“Did you see Emmalin the day she got back to work, when we returned from Florida?”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t say anything after that. “And?”
“And what?”
This is where I had to remind myself that I couldn’t strangle the fucker. “And what happened?”
“Nothing, I was seeing how she was doing after being attacked. Asked her to lunch, she said she was having lunch with you, and that was that.”
“Around what time was that?”
“Fuck, Grayson, I barely remember what I wore the day before.” He paused. “I guess about noon. Why?”
I sighed. “I’ll call you back later.” I hung up before he could finish talking. I sat at my desk staring at the clock, listening to the ticking noise it made. All I wanted to do was take that fucking clock and throw it out the damn window.
“Did anyone approach her at the park?” Hawkins pulled out the pictures that were taken. Emmalin on the bench. Emmalin at the fountain. Emmalin talking to…Dale. The fuck? I looked up at Hawkins. “This guy here. He approached her?”
Heather stepped forward.
“He looked to be talking to her as she stood near the fountain. She started to look uncomfortable, and I approached as he started to stand closer. She appeared to be under stress as she kept backing away. I found it my duty to intervene at that point.”
I could feel the blood boiling in my veins. Tick. Tick. Tick. I finally looked up at the sound of someone clearing their throat. Jack.
“Do you have anything for me?” He sighed, taking the chair in front of me. “I wish I did, Grayson. So far we haven’t gotten anything.” I looked back at the clock.
“She knows something. I know she does.”
Jack leaned back in his chair. “Do you want me to talk to her? I have ways of making people talk. You know that.”
“And I’ll fucking kill you.” I reached for the pictures from the park. “Add these to your collection. Maybe you can find something.” He stood up and headed for the door. After he left, I downed a bourbon or four. Enough to get my mind buzzing. Emmalin was still sleep as I got into bed and pulled her close to me. Yet she’s never seemed so far from me.
I changed and got to work. I knew she had a morning meeting, so I wanted to be the first person she saw when she walked into her office. I sat at her desk, making myself comfortable, and thought about last night. She begged. She cried, and I still denied her.
My movements caused her computer screen to go out of sleep mode. I watched as it came into view. I wasn't snooping, but I sure as hell was curious as to what I was looking at.
She had the documents pulled up for her trust fund, and a request for transfer. What the fuck? She never wanted that money. She said it was blood money. Now, all of a sudden she's showing interest in it? I clicked through the paperwork. The only thing missing was her signature. I checked the date on the email. It was sent over a week ago, and if I know Emmalin, she's been hesitating over that signature line. I heard her footsteps and minimized the screen. She walked in, and her eyes grew wide upon seeing me; her feet faltered.
She took a deep breath. "I wasn't expecting you."
I nodded. "I know." I watched as she slowly closed the door behind her, and set the folders down on the desk. She bit her bottom lip nervously, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I sighed, then stood up and walked toward her, pulling her to me. I leaned down to her ear, and said lowly, "I don't care how pissed you are at me. Fight me, yell at me, I don't care. But if we're in the same house, we're in the same bed. Understand?" She tried removing herself from my hold, but I held her tighter. “I said, do you understand?” I lifted her chin so she had to look at me. Her expression was blank, but her eyes were teary. She quickly blinked them away.
She took a deep breath. “Yeah. I get it.” She looked back down to her hands.
Her voice was monotonous. I noticed the silk scarf around her neck, and my blood boiled. But that would have to wait. “I have a bunch of meetings today, so I won’t see you again until later tonight. I’ll be home late.”
She shut her eyes and nodded before turning and walking to her desk. I stared at her a moment before leaving.
I sat at my desk, staring at the screen, when my thoughts were interrupted by a half-assed knock.
“Well, shit. By the look on your face, I would say someone died.” Chace smiled before sitting in the chair in front of me. Then he sobered up. “Oh shit, did someone die?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. Something is going on with Emmalin. I think she was attacked again.”
Chace sat up higher in his chair. “You haven’t killed the son of a bitch yet? What the fuck, man?”
I rubbed my hair. “That’s the thing. She hasn’t said anything. Not a fucking word. Almost as if she’s hiding it from me. That’s what I don’t understand. I think we’re fighting.” I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling.
“What’s going through your head, Grayson?”
I sighed. A minute went by before I answered him. “Doing some really fucked up shit to her that’ll push her over the edge. Shit that may cause me to lose her for good. But I’m ticking so fucking bad, and she’s the only drug that can cure me.”
My phone dinged. I looked at it. Fuck.
Unknown: My husband died; the least you could do is pay me your respect. I’m at the wine bar around the corner. You can spare twenty minutes.
I frowned and looked at Chace. “Something’s come up. We’ll talk later.”
Ten minutes later, I was at the wine bar. Ashley was sitting in a corner. If there was an award for grieving widow, she sure as fuck played the part. She would take home the fucking Academy Award. She was dressed in all black, with the biggest black hat, huge dark black glasses, and cherry red lips. She tilted her head up slightly for the cheek kiss when I approached. I briefly hesitated, but gave in.
“Mrs. Stewart. I’m sorry for your loss.”
She nodded as I sat and wiped the tears that weren’t there.
“It was sudden, but as you know, he was up there in age.”
He was fucking seventy. I nodded. “Yes. We’re sorry he’s gone. He was a very good businessman.” I watched as she dabbed again at the fake tears, and I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes. “What can I do for you, Ashley?” Her eyes snapped up to mine.
“His will was read.”
“Okay?”
Her eyes grew wide. “I’m not in it.” She looked around quickly, as if someone else might’ve heard her. “He left his money to charity and to his damn kids, but none of it to me; where it should’ve went to, to begin with.”
I leaned back in my chair. “What does this have to do with me? This isn’t my problem. He probably knew you were fucking around on him. It was pretty obvious, Ashley, you didn’t exactly hide it.”
She scowled. “I’m broke, Grayson. I have nothing. What am I supposed to do now? That money was mine, and there’s nothing I can do. I’ve tried everything, but the judge won’t overturn it. I’m fucked.”
I got up. This visit was done. I paid my respects. “Get a job.” With those final words, I turned and left.