I took her hand in mine. “And thank you for saving me.”
Had anyone said to me six months earlier that I would meet a girl at a bar, fall in love, and then end up thousands of miles from home with a brand new, worry-free life and a baby on the way, I would have laughed in their face. Somehow, with everything Grace and I went through just to be together, it made our ending that much sweeter.
I wanted to hold her forever, to never let her go, and I would’ve done just that.
Except that’s when the doorbell rang.
“Who could that be?” Grace said.
“I really have no idea. Did you meet anyone when you were at the store?”
“Ryan, I didn’t talk to anyone.”
She was getting worked up; I needed to calm her down. “I’m sure it’s just a neighbor, dropping by to welcome us to the neighborhood.”
“You’re right.” She smiled at me. “Why don’t you put a shirt on, and I’ll go answer the door?”
The doorbell rang again.
“No, I’ll answer it.”
“Ryan, it’s no one. If we are going to enjoy our new, easy-going lifestyle, we have to get better at not expecting the worst.” She kissed me and left the room, leaving me to worry on my own.
I tore through the dresser, trying to find a t-shirt.
“Ryan, can you come here?” Her voice was strained. What was wrong?
I raced out of the bedroom and saw Grace standing beside the open door. There was a silhouette in the doorframe.
“Hi. How can we…” As my steps approached the door, the face of the figure in the frame became clear. A woman, probably mid to late forties, was staring back at me. Her eyes locked on mine as if we were caught in a trance.
“No,” I heard Grace whisper. “No. It can’t be.”
I turned my gaze to her. She was holding a letter. “What is that?”
Grace looked up at me, tears beginning to fill her eyes. She handed me the paper in her hand, turned around, and solemnly sat in the window seat. My mind was racing; what could’ve gotten her so worked up? And what did this woman standing in my doorway have to do with it?
“What is this?”
“Ryan, just read it,” Grace snapped.
I unfolded the letter and took in the words.
Grace and Ryan,
Did you really think I wouldn’t be able to find you? Come back to Philadelphia, or I’ll come to you.
~S
P.S. Congratulations on the baby.
I flipped the paper over. That was it. That was all that was written. “Where did you get this?”
The woman just stared at me.
“I said, ‘where did you get this?’” I threw the paper in her face.
She shrank in front of me. “From your uncle.”
“That’s impossible, he’s dead!” By the end of my sentence, I was screaming.
“Ryan,” Grace stood up from the window seat, “do we know that? Did we actually see him die? No. We heard an explosion in the distance. We assumed he was dead.” She started to break down. “We just assumed.”
“No, no, Grace. Don’t give up on me just yet.” I cradled her collapsing body in my arms. “We’ll get through this. We always do.” I whispered in her ear.
She looked at me and nodded. “I just thought it was over.”
“I did too, Grace. I did too.”
“Excuse me,” The woman interrupted, “I’m supposed to bring you home.”
I stood to look at her. Something was strange about her, oddly familiar. I tried to shake it off, but the feeling in the pit of my stomach lingered. “What does he have on you?”
She shook her head.
“Answer me,” I demanded.
“He has my children.”
“And now I’m supposed to put my family in danger to protect a stranger’s?”
Grace touched my shoulder. “Ryan, we have to. We should have stayed. We should have finished it ourselves.”
“No, Grace. I am not putting you back in harm’s way for this woman.”
“I know I’m asking a lot of you, but…” the woman stuttered, “Ryan, they’re your family too.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Sean… he has your brother and sister.”
As my eyes widened at my conclusion, the woman in the doorway nodded.
“Mom?”
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Also From The Blood of Cupids MC Series:
Blood of Cupids (The Blood of Cupids MC #1) by Sophia Kenzie
Betrayal of Cupids Page 16