Jonah had never seen his boss involved with anyone other than Irelyn. Since Irelyn hadn’t been around in a while, he had wondered if Justice and the handler were involved. The tone of his voice when he was talking about her made him think there was some kind of affection between the two.
The instant the SUV parked, Gabby squeezed his hand gently just once and then pulled her hand from his, moving several inches away. Jonah felt that loss to the bone. It had been her way of separating herself from him. He understood her reasons, knew it was for the best. That didn’t ease the pain.
The windows of the SUV were tinted, so he had no way of seeing inside. The doors didn’t open for a moment, and Jonah tensed. What was the delay? What was—
The doors finally opened, both the driver’s and passenger’s sides. He recognized Justice’s dark hair and broad shoulders immediately. His eyes veered toward the petite young woman emerging on the passenger side. Hair the color of sunshine, a smile that was both sweet and mischievous, and a chin that held more than a hint of Slater stubbornness. She also had the same color eyes as Jonah’s.
Just what the hell was his sister doing here?
Grey watched Jonah’s eyes widen the moment he recognized Lacey. For a lot of different reasons, he had kept the identity of Gabriella’s handler a secret. And because Lacey had made the request. She knew her brothers saw her as a directionless and innocent young woman who needed to be protected from the harsher side of life. She had even admitted that she had cultivated that opinion. She said it was easier that way.
Eyeing the couple standing on the porch, Grey acknowledged another reason he hadn’t told Jonah. The man was hurting. It might not be obvious to others, but having been put through the ringer himself, he knew the symptoms. Denying that your heart was being torn in two had very specific indicators. Jonah Slater had all the symptoms. Having something else on his mind might ease the blow to his heart.
“Lacey, what the hell are you doing here?” Jonah growled at his sister and then glared at Grey. “What’s going on, Justice?”
“Simple,” Grey said as he headed around the vehicle. “Lacey is my employee. She’s Gabriella’s handler.”
Lacey made her signature move, which was to turn on the charm and distract. Grey had seen her do it several times and was always fascinated with the results. He wondered if it would work with her brother, though.
Her smile as bright as her hair, she threw herself into Jonah’s arms. “It’s good to see you, big brother. You look wonderful.”
Jonah showed he was made of sterner stuff. He gave Lacey an abbreviated hug and released her. “I want an explanation. Now.”
“I’m Gabriella’s handler, of course. That’s what’s going on.” She extended her hand to the silent, solemn woman at Jonah’s side. “Guess there’s no need for a formal introduction now. I am very pleased to meet you, Gabriella.” She paused, then added, “Can I call you Gabby?”
“Absolutely,” Gabriella answered as she shook Lacey’s hand. “I’m very pleased to meet you, too.”
There was an awkward silence as Gabriella eyed the man standing beside her. The wariness was understandable. Jonah wasn’t bothering to hide his seething anger. But Grey saw the pain, too. As much as she had wanted a new life, her heart was breaking for the one she didn’t think she could have. He felt badly for both of them, but he had gone as far as he could in interfering. They would have to work out the rest by themselves.
“Why don’t we all go inside and get some coffee?” Gabriella asked. “This early in the morning, I’m sure we could all use another cup.” Her smile and soft, coaxing voice helped diffuse the tension.
“Good idea,” Jonah said. “But I still want an explanation.”
Rolling her eyes at her brother, Lacey linked her arm with Gabriella’s and headed to the cabin. Despite the anger radiating off Jonah, Grey was glad to have his initial thoughts confirmed. Lacey and Gabriella would get along very well.
Jonah waited until the two women had entered the cabin before growling, “You should’ve told me, Justice.”
“Maybe, but Lacey wanted to surprise you. Seems she thinks you don’t have a lot of confidence in her ability to make her own decisions.”
“That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?”
Jonah shoved his fingers through his hair, thoroughly and completely disgusted with all of it. Not only was Gabby leaving, and he might never see her again, his little sister was in charge of getting her set up. That was a fuckload of shit to take in all at once.
“Let’s go in and talk about what’s going to happen. I think, if you’ll keep an open mind, you’ll see that Lacey will be the perfect handler for Gabriella.”
With an abrupt turn, Jonah headed back to the cabin. If he stayed out here with Justice, he had a feeling blood would be shed. While that might make him feel better in the short term, he’d regret it later.
He walked in the front door to laughter. Both Gabby and Lacey were sitting on the sofa, already acting as if they’d been best friends since childhood. In spite of his anger at being blindsided, Jonah saw immediately what Justice meant. Lacey’s sunny disposition had put Gabby at ease. Before they had arrived, Gabby had worn a pained expression. Now, color bloomed in her cheeks, and there was a definite spark in her eyes. He told himself that this should make him happier.
Pouring two cups of coffee from the carafe on the table, he handed one to Justice and then, taking the other one, dropped down in the chair across from the sofa. The two women barely acknowledged his presence as they continued to chat.
When there was finally a pause in the conversation, Jonah said, “How did you become a handler? I thought you were in France with Mom.”
“I am. Well, most of the time anyway. I do all the preliminary work at the villa. Then, when it’s time for a setup, I go to the location and get things in order. Then it’s meet-and-greet time with my charge.”
Jonah barely refrained from shaking his head. Her charge?
Apparently reading his thoughts, Lacey said in the firmest tone he’d ever heard from her, “Listen, Jonah, this is my job, and I’m damn good at it. Just because you and Eli think I should still be having tea parties and playing with dolls doesn’t mean you’re right. I’m twenty-five years old. I’ve been a caretaker for a woman who was a basket case for several months. I know you and Eli had your own issues, but don’t demean my accomplishments just because they seem easy to you. Because, believe me, they weren’t.”
Shit, she was right. While he’d been focused on finding Teri’s killer, and Eli had been focused on saving the family business, they had left Lacey in charge of their mother. Eleanor Slater was a loving woman, but after her husband’s death, she had been exactly what Lacey called her—a basket case. They had depended on Lacey to handle things without giving her a bit of credit for doing so without complaint.
“I’m sorry, Lace. You’re right. We never thanked you for doing that or told you what a good job you did.”
She gave him a cheeky grin, but he saw the emotion simmering behind the smile. She had grown up, and he had completely missed it.
“So now that we’ve established I’m a mature adult, let’s talk about what’s next.” All business now, Lacey turned back to Gabby. “You’re going to love your new home.”
Her departure happened in an inordinately short period of time. She had already packed her suitcases and art supplies. Chamo’s crate and food, as well as his toys and blankets, sat beside her luggage. With Grey and Jonah doing the heavy lifting, everything was packed in the back of the SUV within a matter of minutes. The only things left were the goodbyes.
With a lump the size of Utah in her throat, she watched as Grey and Jonah shook hands. Then Jonah turned to his sister and enveloped her in a giant hug. The affection between them was real and incredibly sweet. Once, she had longed for that kind of connection with a family member. That had been a long time ago. Now she just hoped to heaven she never saw another member of her family
for as long as she lived.
Grey and Lacey went on to the SUV and got inside. She appreciated their sensitivity. They had known she would want to say goodbye to Jonah without an audience.
Jonah stooped down and gave Chamo a big hug. She heard him whisper in the dog’s ear, “Take care of her for me.”
He stood and held out his arms for Gabby, obviously expecting her to walk into them, as she had so many times before. She couldn’t do it this time. Couldn’t hug him and then just walk away. She would lose it, she knew she would.
Instead of going into his arms, she held out her hand.
“A handshake? Really, Gabby? After all we’ve been through together?”
She stayed silent, her hand frozen in the air between them. Finally, Jonah had no choice but to comply. The handshake was firm and impersonal, just the way she needed it to be. Jonah had made it clear their relationship had ended. What remained was an impersonal and professional acquaintance. Nothing more.
“Thank you, Jonah, for everything.”
“Gabby…don’t.”
“Don’t what? Be mature? Keep the emotions to a minimum? I’m making this easier for both of us. You don’t want emotions? You don’t want love? Then this is what you get. A cool but sincere farewell.
“Thank you for everything, Jonah Slater. For your support, your courage, and your…” She swallowed hard around the lump that refused to diminish one millimeter. “For your…friendship.”
Grabbing hold of Chamo’s leash, she turned and walked away. She knew he watched her, and despite his words, she knew he was hurting. She could do nothing about that. He had rejected her. Yes, partly because of her need to leave everything in her past behind, but she knew it wasn’t all that. They could have figured out something. He just didn’t want to.
She opened the back door of the SUV. Tail wagging, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, excited for the next adventure, Chamo jumped up onto the seat. Without looking back, Gabby got into the vehicle and closed the door. No one said anything. It was as if everyone was waiting for a storm to break.
The SUV started up again, picking up speed as it headed down the drive. The storm broke within her, and she could no longer control its ravages.
“Grey! Stop!” Gabby shouted.
He slammed on the brakes, and the vehicle jerked to a stop. Gabby jumped out and ran to the man still standing in front of the cabin. His face a mass of churning emotions, he opened his arms, and she flew into them.
“I’m sorry, Jonah. I’m so sorry for leaving you like that.”
His face buried in her hair, his voice was muffled. “Shh. Don’t, sweetheart. I understood.”
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Jonah. Even if you can’t love me, I need you to know that.”
“Oh, baby…” The thick words sounded as if they had been wrenched from his chest. “I wish—”
She pulled away slightly to rain kisses all over his face. “I understand. Really I do.” She backed away even more. “I just hated to leave things that way. These last couple of months have been the happiest times of my life. You’ve made so many of my wishes and dreams come true.”
“I want you to have every dream and wish fulfilled, Gabby.” His eyes glittering, he gave her a solemn smile. “The world is waiting for you, Gabriella Mendoza. Go make it a better place.”
She pressed her lips to his, intending the kiss to be one of love and tenderness. Jonah gathered her close and ground his mouth against hers. She opened for him, and his tongue swept through, thrusting, tangling. Creating the soft, sensual world where only they could go. Need, hope, desire, and passion were all there. And there was love, on both sides. Whether he wanted to admit it or not.
Before she lost complete control of her senses, Gabby pulled away. “I’ve got to go.”
Unable to bear more words from either of them, she turned and ran back to the SUV. Jumping in, she wrapped her arms around her middle and bent over double, holding her breath until the pain passed. She was vaguely aware that the vehicle was moving. Chamo made a whimpering sound of sympathy. Gabby wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his neck, and let the grief take over.
Chapter Thirty-eight
Willoughby, Wisconsin
Her name was Jessica Olsen. Her parents had called her Jessie. Those closest to her called her Jess. She was an only child. Her mother, Maria, whose family originated from Barcelona, Spain, had met and married Jessica’s father, Oscar Olsen, while vacationing with her family in Sweden. Both parents were deceased. Oscar died when Jessica was just a baby. She didn’t remember him. Jessica had been twenty-one and away at college when Maria passed away suddenly of an undiagnosed heart problem.
Jessica grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a degree in art history from the University of Michigan, she had worked in art museums for the past seven years. She was fluent in both English and Spanish, and her hobbies included reading, hiking, and painting. She was an ardent animal lover and had a black Labrador retriever named Chamo. As soon as she was completely settled, she hoped to adopt more pets.
She had recently ended a five-year relationship with Ben Limskey, her college sweetheart, and was looking for a change. She hated large cities. Willoughby, Wisconsin, population just under fifty thousand, was the perfect size to start over.
At first, she had feared she wouldn’t be able to pull this off. Becoming an entirely new person with a different background and memories seemed overwhelming. Her heart had still been aching, and for the first couple of days, she’d barely done anything but follow directions.
Having Lacey Slater as her handler was both surreal and wonderful. Even though Jonah was now in her past, Lacey helped to make the transition from brokenhearted to recovering a little easier. Lacey knew all sorts of wonderful things about her brother and had no issues with sharing.
That wasn’t the only reason she loved having Lacey with her. The woman was both smart and savvy and a genius at decorating on a budget. And she knew how to find a bargain. By the fifth day of her move, Gabby had a beautifully furnished and decorated apartment at a fraction of what she had thought it would cost. She also had a fully stocked pantry and a closet full of pretty but sensible clothes that fit her perfectly.
Standing at that closet now, she contemplated what she would wear to her upcoming interview. The Willoughby Museum of Art and Natural History wasn’t large, but it did boast several nice pieces. The most exciting part was that once a quarter the museum brought in exhibitions from all over the world. She was interviewing as the assistant to the director and hoped that her background of traveling to some of the most famous museums in the world would give her a leg up on any competition.
“With your height and exotic features, you could look elegant in a sack.”
Gabby looked over her shoulder at the petite young woman standing at the bedroom door. Dressed in a pair of leggings and a long cotton T-shirt that would make most people appear sloppy, Lacey Slater was the epitome of elegance.
“Then how is it you can wear things that look as though they came from the dumpster, and you still look like a million dollars?”
“Cachet and confidence, my dear.” Lacey waved a slender, elegant hand as if she were a queen waving to her royal subjects. “I am, therefore I am.”
“You and your brother like to speak in riddles.”
Lacey scrunched her nose. “Jonah is the most blunt man I know. If there’s a riddle in him, it’s covered in a ton of cement.”
Gabby laughed at the image. Not only was Lacey incredibly down-to-earth, she had never once held back talking about her brother or her family. Jonah’s sister was a walking encyclopedia on the Slaters and didn’t mind giving her opinion on any of them.
Her brother Adam she called a sleaze. Her brother Eli had a gentle heart and determination of steel. And Jonah, she claimed, was one of the most sensitive, caring men in the world.
Before Gabby could tell her that bluntness and sensitivity didn’t exactly go h
and in hand, Lacey explained, “Prison damaged him, and Teri’s murder just about destroyed him. But beneath that gruff exterior is a kind, loving man.”
Gabby didn’t disagree with her. She had seen the evidence of those qualities herself.
Pulling herself away from the painful and too-sweet memories, she returned to her perusal of her closet. “So what do you think I should wear for my interview?”
“The scarlet red with the to-die-for heels.”
“You don’t think that’s a little too bold for an interview?”
“Go bold or go home. That’s my philosophy.”
Since she hadn’t steered her wrong yet, Gabby reached for the suit and then jerked to a stop. The doorbell was ringing. Their eyes locked. They weren’t expecting any deliveries and knew no one in town. And while it could be a neighbor welcoming them to the apartment complex, both of them knew they couldn’t let their guard down.
Without speaking, Gabby went for the gun in her nightstand drawer. Lacey slid her own weapon out of her purse. Pressing her finger to her mouth, she jerked her head to indicate to Gabby she was going to check.
Gabby glanced down at Chamo, who was lying in the middle of the floor and acted as if nothing unusual was happening. Jonah had told her he would be able to sense danger, but maybe she should have trained him to be more on alert.
Following closely behind Lacey, Gabby went to the front window while Lacey peeked through the peephole at the door. They both gasped at the same time.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Lacey unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open.
“Hello to you, Lacey. Have you missed me?”
When Lacey didn’t answer, Wyatt Kingston stuck his head inside the open doorway, grinning. “Mind if I come in? I don’t think Lacey’s going to invite me.”
Before she could answer, Lacey poked him in the chest with a finger. “You got that right, buddy.”
Too Far Gone: A Grey Justice Novel Page 26