by A. P. Jensen
Although she was groggy and her head ached her thoughts were clear and focused. She was so tired. She had so much on her plate and she drained herself to the point of exhaustion and her body shut down in defense last night. There were some reservations in her mind about asking Mitchell for help. She knew there would be a price to pay but she didn’t care. She would do whatever it took to make sure Evie remained safely away from Vicky. The only way she would win was with Mitchell at her side. He was ruthless, powerful and knowledgeable. He also had the world at his disposal. He loved Evie and although his feelings for Grace were uncertain she knew he had a protective streak that would fight dirty if he had to. Knowing Vicky, Grace was pretty sure it would become a requirement.
She went into the bathroom and winced when she saw the bruise on her cheek. It would take a couple of days for it to fade and she didn’t have any makeup with her. She freshened up and walked out of the bathroom and paused.
Mitchell leaned against the back of the couch she slept on. He was dressed casually in jeans and a button up shirt. Her stomach dipped as they stared at one another. His gaze was fixed on her throbbing bruise and she self-consciously brushed her hair over her cheek.
“We need to talk,” he said shortly.
She nodded. Having Mitchell see what type of background she came from made mortification ball in her stomach. It had never been a part of Mitchell’s life. His parents had loved one another and him. Mitchell grew up with his parents supporting him in everything he did. He didn’t understand Grace’s parents.
“Take a shower in your old bedroom. You’ll feel better. When you’re done, come to my office.”
Grace knew good advice when she heard it. She walked down the hallway, looking up at her favorite paintings that she missed. It felt so strange being back in a home she’d left her mark on. From what she could see, Mitchell hadn’t changed anything. Grace paused outside the master suite that had been mostly her room because Mitchell was rarely there. She wasn’t sure what to expect as she pushed the door open and an assault of memories hit her full force. The last time she left this room it was in shambles. Someone had cleaned up the mess and it looked as if it was just waiting for her to walk in.
She passed the closet on the way to the bathroom and stopped. She pulled open the double doors and stared. Her clothes hung undisturbed, shoes and purses lay in tidy cubbies in the back of the closet. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Mitchell wasn’t the type to hang onto a woman’s stuff once she left so what were her things doing here? She assumed he would donate her things and yet here it was. Even when she walked into the bathroom and saw all of her things lined up on the vanity, she still couldn’t believe it. When she looked into the mirror, her eyes were wide with shock. He couldn’t have expected her to return, could he? She couldn’t define the emotion that swirled around in her chest.
She stripped and took a hot shower and then did her best to hide the purple bruise on her cheekbone using the makeup she left behind. As a child, she’d grown used to her mother’s rants and occasional outbursts. It worsened as she got older so she left the house as soon as she could with her mom screaming after her that she would come crawling back, begging to be let back into the house. Grace never had. When she felt human again she sat on the bed and called Maggie who answered on the first ring.
“Maggie, it’s Grace.”
“Thank God! How do you feel?” Maggie burst out.
“I’m fine. How are you and Evie? Did Vicky come back?”
“No. Mr. Price sent his men here so even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t have been able to get off the elevator. Evie was sort of fussy last night. I think she felt the bad vibes but she’s settled down. She’s eating breakfast now,” Maggie chattered.
“Mr. Price’s men?” Grace repeated blankly.
“Yup. He called me last night and not even half an hour later the bodyguards were outside.”
Grace wasn’t sure what else she said but when she hung up with Maggie she stared straight ahead for several minutes, lost in thought. Who was Mitchell? Was he the man who helped her with her business and loved her for two years or was he the man who said she was the last woman he would want to raise her child? People may argue that he’d said that in the heat of the moment but she believed what came out of your mouth was in your heart and now… she wasn’t so sure. Mitchell’s actions contradicted his words and she didn’t know what to believe- what he said or what he did.
She made her way to his office and stood just out of his line of sight as he finished a conversation in French. It was so stupid how nervous she felt. She knew this man. She had slept with him, lived with him and cried in his arms and now… she was so uncertain of him, of herself but she’d made a deal with him and she meant to see it through no matter what. She would give him whatever he asked in return. When he ended the call she stepped into the doorway.
Mitchell’s gestured to the table in the corner covered in silver platters. She wasn’t hungry but she wasn’t ready to face him either so she walked to the table and made herself coffee and nibbled on bits of bacon and toast. She began to feel better and relaxed when he made another phone call, giving her time.
“Feel better?” Mitchell asked after he ended the call.
Grace rose and nodded. He leaned back against his desk, watching her. She walked several paces forward and stopped.
“Thank you for calling Maggie last night. I was too tired to even think that she would worry.” Even to her own ears she sounded distant and formal.
He inclined his head and said nothing. She lifted her chin.
“All of my things are still here.”
Still, he said nothing.
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I always thought you would ask for your things eventually and it wasn’t in my way.”
So, maybe she was making a bigger deal about the clothes than she should, she thought.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Scared, tired.”
“You don’t want your mom to get custody, right?”
Her hands fisted at her sides. “That’s why I came to you.”
“And I’ll make sure of it,” he said in a hard voice. “I got in touch with my lawyers. They should have some answers for me in an hour or so. In the meantime, I want you to talk to the police.”
She stiffened. “Why?”
His face was unreadable. “Your mom is an abusive alcoholic and the court needs evidence. If the cops take your statement, it can only benefit you.”
Her initial reaction was to shake her head in denial. How could she explain the shame that coursed through her? All her life she’d been trained to keep her family’s dark secrets. She hid evidence of her mom’s abuse and her father’s identity because it was her cross to carry. She didn’t want to see the way the news would affect Mitchell if he knew that Ray was her father. For some reason she’d always felt her parents actions reflected on her and it was easier to bear their sins in silence. What he wanted to do now was equivalent to announcing it from the rooftops and she was horrified.
“If you want to make a strong case against your mom, this is the way to go,” Mitchell said.
She swallowed and wiped sweaty hands down her jeans. “Okay. I can do it.”
“Good. Because he’ll be here in a minute,” Mitchell said and walked past her to the living room.
She wanted to thump him but she knew he was right. She was an adult and Vicky had to learn that there were consequences for her actions. If Vicky hit Evie she would have gone berserk so why did she think it was okay for Vicky to strike her? She rubbed her forehead as the doorbell rang.
The police officer was a woman who had flawless dark skin and sharp eyes that went to Grace immediately. As they looked at one another, Grace thought she saw understanding and compassion. They sat in the living room with Mitchell beside her facing the police officer who pulled out a pad and began asking her questions. The officer, Leslie, had a gentle voice that put Grace at ease as she wen
t over the events of last night, glossing over any references to Ray.
“Has this happened before?” Leslie asked.
“Being hit?” A nod from Leslie. “Yes.”
“When was the last time she struck you?”
Grace sat so stiffly she thought her spine might snap. “A year ago.”
“And why did she hit you?”
“She was beating my sister. I stepped in the middle to stop it. My sister was pregnant.” Grace’s voice trailed off.
Beside her, Mitchell went rigid.
“And will your sister testify against your mother?” Leslie pressed.
“She died in a car accident. Evie is her daughter. I’ve taken custody and Vicky thinks if she’s granted custody she can collect on the checks I’ll send.”
Grace took deep, calming breath. She didn’t want to talk about this. She felt a scream building in her chest and she suppressed it with effort.
Leslie’s mouth compressed in a thin line. “Life hasn’t been a picnic for you, has it, honey?”
Grace clutched her hands together in her lap as Leslie asked several more questions and then asked Grace to wash off her makeup so she could take several pictures of the bruise. Grace relaxed when Mitchell took a phone call and went into his office.
“He’s protective,” Leslie said lightly.
Grace blew out a breath. “That’s an understatement.” She tilted her face towards the sunlight and closed her eyes. Her privacy had been so deeply invaded that she felt completely numb.
“I wouldn’t worry about custody,” Leslie confided. “Between Mitchell Price and these pictures, I don’t think your mom’s gonna get close to any children.”
“I can’t take any chances.”
Leslie nodded and handed Grace her card. “If you need someone to talk to or if you need to report anything else, call me.”
Grace swallowed. “Thanks.”
“I know this wasn’t easy but you did the right thing,” Leslie said and Grace saw her out of the penthouse.
Grace redid her makeup because whenever she spoke to Mitchell he focused on it. She had more bruises in her lifetime then she could count and she was an expert at covering them up. She went back to his office and found him waiting for her.
“We need to talk,” he said without expression.
“You talked to your lawyers? What did they say?” Her stomach pitched with nerves and fear.
“Talking to the police is a good start but your mom could still contest that she’s raised a successful daughter and she should get custody of her grandchild.”
Grace took a deep breath to smother the urge to scream. “I’m successful despite being raised by her.”
His face softened slightly. “I know.”
“So you’re saying there’s still a possibility I could lose Evie?”
“Casey didn’t leave a will,” Mitchell pointed out. “Most of the time, kids go with the grandparents.”
“This can’t happen!” Grace shouted and pounded his desk with a small fist.
Her eyes glittered with fury and he was happy to see that her fighting spirit was stirring again. She leaned across his desk and he could feel her will being pushed upon him. From the very first, it was what attracted him to her and her potency hadn’t waned.
“You’re the most ruthless man I know. You will find a way to help me keep Evie.”
It wasn’t a question or request. It was an order that made his stomach clench with want. She challenged him like no else. She believed he could do anything. For her, he would.
“The lawyer did propose something that could keep Evie away from your mom.”
“Well? What is it?” she said impatiently.
He met her eyes, wanting to see her every nuance of expression on her face as he dropped his bomb.
“My lawyer said if you married, presenting a successful couple to take care of Evie, it would appeal more to the judge than a grandparent or single mother. Your mom wouldn’t be able to fight against that.”
Grace went sheet white and staggered back a few steps as if his news had physically pushed her. She sat and stared at him as if he’d grown a second head. For several minutes she mulled this information over. He saw fear and doubt flit over her features.
“Do you think it will work?” she murmured a long time later.
Grace couldn’t read his expression or body language. What was he thinking?
“It makes sense,” he said with a nonchalant shrug.
“So I have to look for a husband,” she said numbly.
Mitchell went rigid in his chair and it was his turn to lean over the desk. The air crackled with anger. “You think Landon will marry you?”
She blinked and opened her mouth to speak but he slashed the air with an imperious hand.
“We don’t need more people involved in this. You came to me for help.”
Grace tried to process this bizarre turn of events. Mitchell was offering to marry her so she could keep custody of Evie? He didn’t want to be tied to her with a child of their own blood but here he was, going so far as to propose a marriage in name only for a child that wasn’t his own.
“You’ll marry me?” she asked, needing to be sure.
He looked pissed but he nodded curtly.
“I can’t do that to you,” she said and his tension increased. “I came to you wanting to use your resources. I never intended for you to get personally involved.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You think you can tell me about your predicament and I’ll go on my merry way? You thought I’d just pass you onto my lawyers? The moment you came to me, I became personally involved.”
“I’m sorry,” she said and rubbed her temples. Of course she knew he wouldn’t brush her off but she didn’t think he would have to sacrifice anything so she could keep custody of Evie. “This wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”
“And it would be fair to give Evie up to someone who wants her only for money?”
She glared at him. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
He steepled his fingers as he watched her. “This is what my lawyer recommended. I’m willing. I don’t want your mom anywhere near Evie. She’s been through enough.” His eyes pinned her in place. “You came to me looking for a solution. This is it. The question is how far will you go to protect Evie from your mother.”
“You make it sound so simple,” she snapped. “And it’s not.”
He shrugged. “It’s simple if you let it be.”
She rose and paced his office. “There must be another way.”
Mitchell shook his head. “My attorneys say this is the best way to go. No court can overrule our guardianship if you marry me.”
She ran her hands through her hair and looked at him wildly. “This is crazy. Don’t you have someone in mind that you want to marry?”
For the first time he looked taken aback. “What?”
“I know you’ve dated since me. I thought you and Ray had some rich heiress picked out.”
He glared at her. “You think I would have slept with you if I was thinking of marrying someone else?”
“I don’t know! You were with me for years without even thinking of marrying me. When I left, I expected you to find what you were looking for.”
“I told you I was upset that day,” he ground out.
“So you’re offering to marry me for Evie’s sake. This is a marriage in name only?” She didn’t know what was worse- tying herself to a man who’d hurt her more than anyone else ever had or facing her mom in court alone. She thought of Evie. She couldn’t take that chance. She needed to be sure.
Mitchell didn’t answer for a few seconds. “I don’t think you and I can do ‘in name only’.”
“I would need to stay married for a while,” Grace said to herself as she paced. “I need to show the court that I can handle being Evie’s guardian and when we divorce I’ll just say Evie is content and rooted in her life with me.”
She didn’t see the dark expres
sion that crossed Mitchell’s face. She was too involved in plotting her fake marriage.
“No divorce,” Mitchell snapped.
Grace whirled. “What?”
“I have to adopt Evie.” At her stunned look he continued, “Evie’s gonna grow up knowing me. What are you going to tell her after a couple of years? ‘Oh Evie, I only married him because I was trying to protect you.’ She’s not going to understand.”
“But Evie isn’t yours,” she said in a confused voice.
“I love her,” he said simply. “It’s hard not to.”
“But what if we can’t stand each other? What if you find someone that you want to marry? Have kids with?” Was she actually having this conversation with Mitchell Price?
“You’re the only woman I’ve lived with and I did that for two years.” He paused and took a deep breath and dropped his emotional barriers as he looked at her. “I told you I want you back. I never thought it would be this way but I’m willing. I won’t force you into this though. It’s up to you.”
“But this isn’t what you want,” Grace said slowly. “It’s not just me you’re getting. You’re getting a baby that’s not even yours. We’re going to ruin your life.”
He let out a startled laugh. “Ruin? I doubt that.”
She sobered. “You won’t ever take her from me?” She couldn’t forget the threats he’d thrown at her a year ago. She had to be sure.
A muscle ticked in his cheek. “I promise. We’ll write it into the marriage contract.”
She stared at him for a long minute before she whispered, “I need time.”
With that, she exited his office. He charged after her and slammed the front door before she could leave. He leaned against it and faced her.
“We’re not finished talking,” he snapped.
She was so tired and she needed to be in her own space where she felt safe and comforted. She needed to see Evie to make sure she was okay. She needed to go home and figure out what she was going to do. She didn’t need Mitchell crowding her.
“What do we have to talk about?” she said, crossing her arms across her chest.