by Maggie Thom
"I didn't steal you." Dorothea looked at him beseechingly.
"Let her sleep, Gram." Guy gently touched Dorothea's shoulder. She was slouched in the big overstuffed chair beside the bed that she'd put Bailey in to recuperate.
"Come on. I'll take you to your room." Since she didn't argue nor offer resistance, an indication of how tired she really was, it was easy for Guy to help her to her feet and escort her to her bedroom.
"It's a day of no more secrets." Looking at him with pain filled eyes, she patted the stool in front of her. "Come. Sit. There are some things you need to hear."
Frowning, he did as she asked.
"In this family there are too many stories. Too many half truths. Too many lies" She bowed her head. He squeezed her hand, in reassurance. Tears streamed down her face and dripped off her chin, yet she made no sound.
He gently brushed away the moisture. "Stop. You can't go back and change anything. Beating yourself up isn't helping anyone."
"I know but I can't stop. He was my brother. I knew he was evil. Well, not evil? maybe mean. A bully. I never thought he'd hurt others like he did. The stories that are coming out about him. They can't all be true. Can they?"
Guy pursed his lips but didn't answer. He was sure that they hadn't even touched on the horrors that Geoff had inflicted. Guy put his arms around her and let her rest on his shoulder. The newspapers were having a field day with stories about Geoffrey. The gates to Geoff's life had been blown wide open. It was hard to sift through what was fact and what was fiction but Guy didn't doubt that a lot of it was true. He just hadn't wanted his grandma to learn of them that way.
Five prostitutes had been found in a marshy field a few miles further east of the house he'd blown up. Prostitutes, who would never go to the police, were telling the media about the sick and depraved man that had visited them regularly. None of them were ever sure if they'd be alive when he'd finished with them. All had been beaten by him and he'd done things that weren't right for anyone to do.
Then there were the people he'd bilked out of money. He'd stolen their life savings. Then brutalized them so they'd been too scared to go to the police. The only person who'd had anything half way nice to say about him had been his receptionist. He'd been distant but fair with her. She never commented on whether she believed what was said about him or not. The horror the man had inflicted on so many people made Guy sick to his stomach. Too many people had been terrorized by the sick bastard.
"I don't know, Grams."
"You're a good person, Guy. I'm sure he left his scars on you too."
He shrugged, not really wanting to discuss with her what that man had done to him.
"There are things I should have told you."
"It's okay-"
"This is my tale to tell. You just listen. No more half-truths." She pressed her hand to her chest. "Anna was a maid here. She got pregnant. Rather than tell us about it she just left. I tried to find her but couldn't. A few years later, I had a private investigator track her down. And found you. There were rumors that she'd been raped and as to who the father was but Anna never told us. She was a beautiful lady. Her mother, your grandmother, Maria, had worked for our family for forty years but when she retired, she was bitter, hated this family. She blamed this family for her daughter's fall from grace. I think Anna was in love and her mother didn't approve of the relationship. Maria became nasty and made up stories."
His eyes widened and he could tell from her anxious look that she was waiting for his reaction. He knew most of what she was telling him. Geoffrey had felt it important that he know his lack of heritage. He schooled his features and smiled warmly at her.
"She was urging Anna to sue us. To say that it was Joseph, your grandfather, who was the father. He wasn't. Anna made that clear to us. And I know he would never have stepped out on me. She fought her mother. But when your mother died in a car accident, your grandmother wanted to use you as a pawn and make some money. I couldn't stand what she'd done to Anna and then what she was trying to do to you." She sighed heavily. "I loved you like you were my own. Unfortunately, you had become a piece of property. I didn't steal you but I went to her and told her I'd pay but only if I got to raise you."
"Very lucky for me."
She curled into herself, her head dropping to her chest. Startled, he leaned forward, just as she raised her eyes to him. "It was lucky for me, too. Joseph died two years later and if it hadn't been for you, I'd have been alone. Gina was grown and gone and not wanting to have much to do with me. You were my son. My grandson. I hope you know that hasn't changed."
He hugged her. How long they sat there he had no idea but at some point he became aware of her sagging against him in exhaustion. She was sleeping. He picked her up and laid her down on the bed. He called Penelope to sit with her.
Guy left them alone, relieved that his grandmother was in good hands. Not only did she have a loyal staff but good friends as well. She'd need them. Stopping on the third floor, he walked out on the balcony rather than go back to Bailey's room. He took in several deep breaths of the cool morning air
"Craziest week I've ever had."
He spun around and faced his friend and partner. "Yeah, not one I want to repeat any time soon. God, Graham."
"I know. We all have our skeletons but whoa I don't know anyone who can top your Uncle's. Geoffrey was one sick puppy... if everything they say is true."
Guy shoved his hand through his unruly, thick hair that badly needed washing. He winced at the movement.
"How's the arm?"
"It's aching but it's just a deep scratch. I didn't even need stitches."
Graham hooted. "That's only because the Doctor and Godzilla, the nurse, couldn't strap you down long enough to do that. God, the look on that nurse's face when you grabbed her and kissed her on the mouth and then told her it had been a long time since you'd had a real woman. I thought she was going to be a puddle at your feet. Yeck!"
"Uh, but it got me out of having stitches." He smiled. "Man, I need a shower. You?"
"Yeah. I guess I should. I'm just going to finish my beer. Sure you don't want one?"
Guy shook his head and headed back into the house. He went to Bailey's room to check on her. She was sleeping soundly. The raw indents around her right wrist from the plastic tie wraps looked like a neon sign against the white coverlet. His whole body tensed as he thought about what his uncle had put her through. Had put all of them through. Not wanting to wake her he stepped back, gently closing the door and heading to his room beside hers. He stripped and got in the shower. He turned it on as hot as he could and soaped himself down four times before he just stood there and let the water cascade over him. He shut his mind to all that could have happened and focused on the fact that Bailey was safe. That everything had turned out okay. That he wasn't the outsider Geoff had always wanted him to believe he was. Dorothea's trust, the craziness of all that had happened, meeting Bailey, was like a kick in the pants. One he'd probably needed for a while. It didn't matter where he came from. This was his family, his responsibility. He'd never really been sure where home was but he knew now.
There was a distinct plopping sound.
Guy opened his eyes and turned his head, cocking his ear.
It was repeated.
He froze, having no idea what that noise was. At least not coming from inside his bathroom. He reached out with his left hand when the curtain was suddenly whipped aside. He jerked backwards, his feet did a fancy shuffle that kept him from landing on his butt. Bailey, in all her glorious skin and one white bandaged calf, climbed in beside him.
"I?" He tried to keep his eyes on her face, beautiful though it was it wasn't quite as strong as the lure of the rest of her.
She put her finger to his lips. "I'm not asking. I'm taking. I've had a bitch of a week." She shook her head and smiled. "But you were always there for me. You saved me."
"So this is a pity fu-"
Her hand pressed over his mouth, muffling his response. Her slick body
slid against his and that was just about enough to undo him. Groaning he pulled her in tightly, letting his hands roam over her back and down over her tight butt. His lips devoured hers. Her hands slid down over his shoulders and although there was a short jolt of pain reminding him of his injury, he ignored it and continued to explore all that she was offering.
He wasn't sure what brought him to his senses, maybe her brushing his wound, the whimper she let out when she stepped wrong on her injured leg or good old guilt. Breathing hard, he gently pushed her back. His hands slid up to cup her face, as he kissed her ravaged mouth.
Heaven.
He pulled away, gently extricating himself from her grasp and smiled sadly at her. "You are one sexy lady?"
"Is this your brush off? Don't worry, I can take a hint." Turning quickly, she stepped out of the tub, staggering when she landed on her injured leg.
He shut off the water and then grabbed two plush, white towels. Handing her one, which she immediately used to cover up, he wrapped the other around his waist.
She bent down to pick up her clothes - a white, mid calf nighty, one that his grandmother had purchased for her at a store she'd insisted they open at 4:00 a.m. Bailey's jerky, quick movements suggested she was very angry with him. He pressed his hands together and put them over his nose. Breathing deeply, he took a moment to tell himself he was doing the right thing. She looked him in the eye. The hurt in the depth of those blue-green eyes was like seeing waves break upon the beach. All the hope was gone.
"To hell with it." Groaning, he threw all caution to the wind and pulled her into his arms. She was rigid.
"Look. I was trying to be a gentleman and not take advantage of you. You've had the week from hell. I don't want this added to your list of regrets."
She smiled and leaned into him. "I'm taking advantage of you. I plan on celebrating the end of several lousy days. I thought you might like to join me. If I'm wrong?" With that she stepped back, dropped her towel, opened the door, walked across the dark green carpet and slid beneath his sheets. Her limp and the cuts all over her back caused him to hesitate for a second but the sight of her sliding into his bed was his undoing. He dropped his towel and followed like a well trained puppy. The only thought going through his mind - there is a God.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT