by Jerry Cole
“Easy,” Natasha said, and she placed her hands on his shoulders with more strength than he was expecting. “Stay down, Grant, you’re still recovering.”
“What happened?” Grant asked, even though he was starting to remember everything with a clarity he didn’t want.
Staring around the room, he saw Natasha sitting by his bed in the B&B, a washbowl on the stand next to the bed with red water and some half-cut bandages next to it. She had clearly been in the process of changing his bandages and cleaning him up. Morgan was hovering next to her, looking small and sad, cheeks red and wet with tears that made Grant want to hug her and assure her that he was fine. It would have been a lie considering the difficulty Grant was having just breathing, but the want remained.
Natasha rinsed out a cloth. “You were ambushed in the forest. Morgan ran here to find Robert, but Sval and Derek found her first. Sval came to get you and Derek went with Morgan to Robert. The guys had gone when Sval arrived, but he managed to carry you back to where Robert and Derek were on their way.”
It was a convoluted explanation for Grant’s already stressed brain, but he got the gist of it. “Morgan, I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Grant,” Morgan said with a shaky voice. “The bad man shouldn’t have hurt you.”
Grant was worried that she was going to cry again so he held out a hand for her to grab. When she did, crowding close to the bed, she scrunched up her face in an effort not to cry. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. You did a good job running when I told you to.”
Morgan nodded, leaning on the bed so that he could kiss Grant’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re awake, Grant. Daddy will want to know.”
“Where is your Daddy?” Grant was desperate to see Robert.
Natasha made a face, and Morgan looked annoyed. Natasha rested a hand on Morgan’s. “Why don’t you go and tell him that Grant’s awake?”
Morgan nodded immediately and with another kiss to Grant’s cheek she dashed out of the room. Grant didn’t have to be told to know that Robert hadn’t exactly set up a constant vigil next to his bed, but it would have been nice to have seen something of him.
“He’s an idiot,” Natasha told him, and she tugged down his shirt. Grant hadn’t realized it had been pulled up and he figured it was going to take some time for him to get back onto an even keel.
Grant grunted, not wanting to comment one way or another.
“He was worried about you,” Natasha said, her voice a little lower. Her expression was serious, so Grant paid attention to her. “He did sit with you at first, worried about what had happened and whether you were going to be okay.”
“What changed?” Grant asked, shifting in the bed and groaning as pain shot through his stomach and chest. He gestured to the rest of the room, where the absence of Robert was obvious.
Natasha rolled her eyes at his dramatics, but she squeezed his arm gently, whether trying to reassure him or keep him still, Grant didn’t know. “He talked to Morgan. She was crying so hard when they first found you that I don’t think it registered what had happened. Morgan didn’t want to leave your side, but obviously she had to be cleaned up and we had to make sure you were cleaned up. When she came back in the room, she and Robert talked about who had tried to hurt you and Robert disappeared and didn’t come back out.”
Grant had no doubt that Robert was somewhere in the B&B blaming himself for what had happened. To be fair, Grant wasn’t sure himself that he didn’t. If Robert had explained what was going on with him, then perhaps Grant would have been able to help and prevent it from happening. Then again, he hadn’t pushed Robert, content instead to let whatever happened do so in its own time. He was as much to blame for the fight as Robert.
There was the sound of Morgan’s footsteps thumping on the stairs and then she burst into the room, looking angry and sad. “Daddy said he’s happy, but he can’t come and see Grant right now.”
“Did he,” Natasha said, but it wasn’t a question. She gave Grant a pointed look. “Make sure you stay as still as possible until your ribs heel, Grant Kelly, or I’ll know about it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Grant said, tossing her a mock salute and then wincing when it pulled on his chest. Natasha gave him an unimpressed look and stalked out of the room. Grant was thankful she was turning her anger on someone else, even if that someone was Robert. When she had shut the door behind her, Grant patted the bed next to him. “Come on, sweetheart.”
Morgan didn’t hesitate in climbing up on the bed next to him, looking apprehensive and trying to be careful about where she was lying. Grant shuffled her around, ignoring the pain in his chest—something he was going to have to get used to, it seemed—and making sure she could cuddle against him in a way that wasn’t going to hurt him and yet give her the comfort she needed. “I’m sorry, Grant.”
“What did I say about that?” Grant admonished gently. “You don’t have to be sorry about something that wasn’t your fault.”
“That man knew my name,” Morgan said quietly, turning her face into Grant’s arm. “He’s scary.”
“I know he is,” Grant said. “He probably heard it when your Daddy and I were talking, all right? You don’t have to be scared of him anymore.”
“He isn’t going to hurt you again?”
“No,” Grant said, and he might have felt guilty about lying if he wasn’t certain himself. He would be ready the next time, no matter what Robert’s explanation was. “I promise, darling, he won’t come back here to hurt you.”
“Okay,” Morgan whispered, and settled against him. “I hope you don’t run away.”
“I’m not,” Grant said, lifting his arm as best he could to rub it over her back. “I’m staying here right now, okay?”
It wasn’t a lie in the moment; he had to stay in bed and recover, and then he would have to make sure he left everything in order. He wasn’t totally sure whether he was going back to Chicago, but he didn’t want to make that kind of promise until he was sure—and until he was certain where he stood with Robert. There would be more fighting in their future, of that Grant was certain, but he didn’t know yet whether it was the kind of thing they could recover from.
Morgan didn’t take long to fall asleep, and it was only when the room was silent that he could hear Natasha and Robert’s raised voices downstairs. He couldn’t make out what they were saying but he could imagine well enough what the subject of their argument was about. He would find out soon enough. Eventually there was the slam of the front door, but Grant couldn’t say whether it was Robert or Natasha who had walked out.
Not long afterward, there was a knock on the door. “Grant?”
It was Robert. Grant looked down at Morgan and then at the door. “Yeah?”
Robert poked his head around the door. He looked tired, hair disheveled and dark smudges under his eyes, but Grant had little sympathy for him. Robert’s eyes darted to Morgan and then back up. “Sorry, I didn’t realize she was in here.”
“If you leave, I’m gonna lose it,” Grant told him, when it was obvious Robert was going to shut the door.
Robert froze, looking at Grant like a deer in the headlights. The anger took up residence in Grant’s chest, thankfully distracting him from the pain, and he looked pointedly at Morgan. Robert sighed, coming into the room and shutting the door behind him.
“The only reason I haven’t yelled yet is because she’s here,” Grant told him. “Believe me, I want to so very much.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Robert said, looking uncomfortable as he took the seat Natasha had just recently vacated. “I’ve already heard it from Natasha.”
Grant raised his eyebrows. “I doubt you’ve heard what I want to say from Natasha.”
Robert had the grace to look ashamed and he ran his eyes over Grant’s body, from the bandage on his face – the one Grant was starting to become aware of with every word he spoke – to the bulkiness under the sheets that denoted where the other bandages were located. “I’m sorry.”
“Uh-huh,” Grant said, and he didn’t mean to be so nasty about it, but it was the only way to translate the anger currently pressing against him. “I’m sure you are.”
Robert winced again, obviously aware that he had a lot of explaining to do.
“You should put her to bed,” Grant said, gesturing at Morgan. “If we’re going to talk about this—and we are—I don’t want her around to hear it.”
After a hesitation, Robert moved to comply, apparently reading correctly that Grant wasn’t going to accept anything else. He was careful with Morgan and Grant couldn’t help the clench of his chest that had nothing to do with his ribs. If nothing else, he would always appreciate the love and attention Robert had for Morgan. With the weight of Morgan removed, Grant was painfully aware of his wounds, but he managed to find a position that didn’t ache, and he was surprised when Robert reappeared in the doorway.
Time had apparently gotten away from him and Grant let out a slow breath. “You wanna tell me just who Tyson is?”
Robert looked surprised, not that he should have been. Grant wasn’t going to give him any time to get out of the discussion. “Grant—”
“Robert,” Grant said forcefully. “That man ambushed Morgan and I in the woods. He had to have followed us and I know you know it. He attacked me with no care for what Morgan was going to see – in fact I think he was counting on it and I hate that he put us in that position, but it could have been avoided if you had been honest with me.”
“That’s not fair,” Robert said immediately, apparently finding his voice just as Grant had known he would. “I didn’t know what he was going to do.”
“Who is he?” Grant said again. “I deserve to know, don’t I?”
Robert nodded, looking devastated. “I didn’t think he would do this to you.”
Grant stared at him, realizing the truth from the Robert’s demeanor. “You thought he would do it to you?” Robert didn’t reply but Grant didn’t need him to. “How would that have been better? Morgan would have been here then too, and she would still have seen. God, Robert, what if anything had happened to her?”
“Don’t you think I’ve thought about that?” Robert snapped, raising his voice a fraction. Grant knew that the only reason he hadn’t started shouting was because he was always aware of Morgan in some fashion and didn’t want to wake her up. “I’m always worried he’s going to do something to her. Why do you think I chose Maine?”
The silence that followed echoed more than any loud noise could have.
“Why did you choose Maine?” Grant asked. “Who is Tyson and what does he want from you?”
Robert breathed out again, this time slowly and his body slumped in the chair so much that Grant wondered how long he had been holding on to whatever he was about to say. Robert rubbed his hands over his face and then stared at the floor, something haunted in his eyes that Grant had seen that very first day. “He’s someone I knew back in New York.”
Grant had been right about that at least, but the victory was hollow. “A loan shark?”
It was a guess but the right one if the surprise on Robert’s face was any indication. “How did you know?”
“I didn’t,” Grant admitted. “I guessed, given how scared you were and the guys he was hanging around with – the ones who attacked me.”
Robert nodded, ashamed, and he shivered. “He loaned me the money I used to buy the B&B.”
Grant frowned. “You just said you fled to Maine to get away from him.”
“I did,” Robert said, but it wasn’t making sense. “Originally I wasn’t going to own a B&B in Maine. I was going to set myself up in New York and paid for a small house there to do just that. It didn’t work out and wasn’t making money and Tyson started coming after me, trying to get me to pay it back. I couldn’t, because the B&B wasn’t making money.”
There was a long silence after that where Robert didn’t say anything else and Grant couldn’t think of anything to prompt him. Eventually, Robert sat back in his chair and met Grant’s eyes slowly.
“I sold the B&B in New York eventually because he was hounding me so much and I know it was the wrong thing to do but at the time, I wanted Morgan to be safe and I thought if I ran here, he wouldn’t find me.”
Grant knew that loan sharks didn’t work like that. If you owed them money, they would find you and they would get money from you, whether they had to drain it from every bank account or beat up your relatives. Some even went to the relatives instead and Grant wondered if they had tried that first, realizing as he did, that he had no idea whether Robert had any other family. Morgan had never mentioned anything. “He did.”
“Not for a long time,” Robert said. “Enough time that I thought he had finally given up. Then he showed up here and started hounding me.”
“But the B&B isn’t making money here either.”
Robert huffed a laugh. “No, and I couldn’t advertise online or anywhere that would have my name attached for fear he would find us. It wouldn’t have mattered if I had lied about my name,” Robert added, and Grant shut his mouth on that exact same question. “I had to buy this place in my name otherwise the lease wouldn’t be valid and while I’m in the habit of keeping myself and Morgan unharmed, I’m not in the habit of breaking the law.”
Grant sighed, unable to hold onto his anger. “Why would you even need to borrow money from a loan shark for the B&B? Why not wait until you were sure you had the money for it?”
“I didn’t borrow it for the B&B,” Robert admitted, wincing. He ran his hands over his eyes. “I borrowed it to pay off Morgan’s other dad.”
Grant froze. That was unexpected and he had no idea what to say in response. When Robert had mentioned the other father, he had been expecting a divorce, not whatever had happened to cause Robert to pay the guy. “Why?”
Robert huffed a self-deprecating laugh. “Because he didn’t want her. He offered to let me have her for money, Grant. What kind of father does that?”
Robert looked devastated and Grant had a hunch that it had more to do with the fact that Morgan’s other father was a complete dickbag than it had to do with having to confess.
“I don’t know what that must have been like,” Grant said, breathless. He was glad that Morgan had one father who so obviously cared about her.
“I wouldn’t have done it,” Robert continued, staring back at the floor. “But I just wanted Morgan to be happy and I couldn’t – I couldn’t raise her in New York with a father on the birth certificate who could arrive at any time and try and take her from me. I don’t want that for her. If she grows up and wants to know who he is, I’ll let her have the information.”
Grant winced, running a hand over his eyes. “You should have said something. You know I would have helped you.”
“I didn’t want that,” Robert said. “I know you like helping people and I didn’t want you to feel obligated to give me anything I didn’t deserve.”
“You don’t get to decide whether you deserve something,” Grant pointed out. “If it’s coming from me, then I get to decide who and what benefits from my generosity, just the same as someone else offering the same thing would get to decide what they want from someone.”
Robert’s lips quirked into a sad smile. “I didn’t want help.”
Grant raised his eyebrows. “Didn’t or don’t?”
It might have meant the same thing for somebody else, but Grant needed the difference; if Robert still didn’t want his help, Grant was going to have a hard time refusing, especially knowing what kind of impact it was having on Morgan. She would always be the most important thing in the situation and though Grant knew Robert felt the same way, he could also understand the need to be self-sufficient. Though, Grant reasoned, Robert had chosen a loan shark to go to. There was a voice in the back of his head that sounded suspiciously like Seb telling him that not everybody had money the same way he did, which would leave Robert with precious few avenues to take.
“Don’t,” R
obert admitted, though he looked ashamed to be doing so. “God, Grant, if I’d had any other way —if I had any other way.”
“Maybe you do,” Grant said.
Robert frowned, clearly not knowing how to take that. “You haven’t even asked how much I borrowed.”
“It wouldn’t matter,” Grant said immediately.
There was such a quick change to Robert’s face that Grant was shocked by it. Standing, Robert clutched at the end of Grant’s bed, narrowing his eyes. “It might not matter to you,” Robert snapped, “But it sure as shit matters to me.”
“Robert,” Grant started, but Robert was already stalking toward the door. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“God, Grant, you’re such an idiot. Just when I think we’re getting somewhere.” Robert gave Grant a sad look, tinged with the anger he still hadn’t let go of. Without saying anything else – or letting Grant explain, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Grant stared after him, not sure what the hell was going on.
Chapter Nineteen
Morgan didn’t come to Grant’s room the next morning.
He was woken by her screaming that she hated Robert as she raced down the stairs, but Grant had no idea what was going on. The door slammed, and he heard Robert mutter something before the door opened and closed again.
They hadn’t left him alone, had they?
He struggled into a sitting position, grunting and hissing in pain as he did so, hating how immobile the situation made him and if he ever got his hands on those damned goons, he would let them know just how debilitating it was becoming.
There was the sound of someone cursing on the stairs and Grant blew out a breath, his panic fading with it, until the door opened, and Natasha’s scowling face was staring down at him, tray of food in hand.
“Good morning,” Grant said, posing it almost as a question.
“Is it?” Natasha snapped, and though she placed the tray gently on Grant’s lap, she sat in the chair with such irritation that Grant didn’t want to touch the food until he was sure she hadn’t poisoned it or something. “You wanna know what time Robert called me this morning?”