Mandy rolled her eyes. “You’re getting off on torturing him, aren’t you?”
“That’s a horrible thing to say about your husband.”
“Not if it’s true.”
James decided to change the subject. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”
Mandy smiled. “No, but it’s always nice to hear.”
“Well, in that case, you put every woman in this place to shame.”
“Emma is here,” Mandy countered.
“I saw her.”
“Emma is a model,” Mandy added.
“So?”
“She’s obviously prettier than I am.”
“I wish you wouldn’t say stuff like that,” James said. “Emma is beautiful. You’re perfection.”
“Sometimes I think you’re blind.”
“Blinded by love,” James cooed, kissing her ear.
“See, even when I want to be mad at you I can’t be,” Mandy said, giving him a quick kiss and then reaching up to wipe the remnants of her lipstick from his mouth. “I guess that’s why I love you.”
“Is that the only reason?” James teased.
“No,” Mandy said. “Although, I do love hearing how awesome I am.”
“Then I’ll tell you every day for the rest of our lives.”
“Oh, you two are officially disgusting,” Grady said, pushing between the two of them and grabbing a cherry tomato from the vegetable tray.
“I see you dressed up,” James said, regarding his brother’s suit with a dubious look. “Did you rent that?”
“I happen to own three suits,” Grady said. “When you’re as handsome as I am, you want to show it off.”
“Then how come you didn’t cut your hair?” James asked.
“Don’t hate the hair,” Grady said. “You’ll hurt its feelings.”
Mandy smiled, enjoying the interplay. “Where is Sophie?”
“She saw some lawyer she wanted to press for information,” Grady said. “This is why I hate coming to these things. She always has an angle, and that leaves me an orphan.”
“Oh, poor Grady,” Mandy said, squeezing his cheek. “All dressed up and no one to fawn all over him.”
“You’re mean sometimes,” Grady said.
“I’m sorry,” Mandy replied, contrite. “You’re very handsome. Almost as handsome as your brother.”
“Oh, please,” Grady said. “Everyone knows I’m the best-looking one in this family.”
Ally snorted as she joined them, tugging an uncomfortable looking Jake behind her. “That title belongs to me.”
“In your dreams,” Grady said.
“Jake, who is prettier, Grady or me?”
Jake made a face. “I am not answering that question.”
“It’s because he doesn’t know,” James teased.
“It’s because there’s an obvious answer,” Jake countered.
“Me, right?”
“No one is prettier than you, angel,” Jake said.
“Ha.”
“You can’t ask the guy you’re sleeping with to be the judge,” Grady said. “We need a neutral third party to vote.”
“There’s a room full of people,” Ally said, looking around.
“Stop it right now,” Mandy hissed. “This is a charity event.”
“We know,” Ally said, pouting.
“This is a charity event for abused women and children,” Mandy said. “Stop acting like moronic imbeciles.”
Ally opened her mouth to argue, but a quick shake of James’ head told her now definitely wasn’t the right time.
“I see some people I have to say hi to,” Mandy said. “When I come back, every single one of you had better be acting like an adult.”
“What’s her problem?” Ally asked, not bothering to keep her voice down.
“I think it’s you,” James said.
Once Mandy was safely away, she leaned against the wall to catch her breath. She had no idea why she was so angry – she just knew she was. As a worker in the county court system, she’d heard horrible stories at every turn. Something about this particular case was setting her teeth on edge. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Oh, Ms. Avery, I didn’t know you were coming.”
Mandy straightened, pasting a smile on her face as she regarded the prosecutor standing in front of her.
“Heather,” Mandy said, extending her hand. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” the woman said. “I didn’t know you were such a philanthropist.”
“I like to give to a good cause,” Mandy said, straightening when she felt a familiar presence move in at her side. “Have you met my husband?”
Heather looked James up and down. “I hadn’t heard you got married. How charming.”
Mandy kept her face placid. “Yes, we’re a charming couple.”
James extended his hand. “I’m James Hardy.”
“I’m Heather Harrington. I’m a prosecutor with the county.”
“Oh, that’s how you know my wife,” James said, tightening his arm around Mandy’s waist. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Your wife is a diligent civil servant,” Heather said. “She provides a very important function.”
“She’s the best,” James said, rubbing Mandy’s back as he looked the woman up and down. “That’s why I married her.”
“And what do you do for a living, Mr. Hardy?”
“I run a security business out of Sterling Heights.”
“Security? What kind of security?”
“Just general security,” James said, his tone pleasant. “And what kind of cases do you prosecute?”
“I’m the head of the sex crimes division,” Heather said. “That’s why I’m here.”
“Well, that must be gratifying.” James didn’t know what was going on, but the slouch of Mandy’s shoulders told him that something was off. “It’s good that you’re doing something to help those who need it the most.”
“I agree,” Heather said. “So, how long have you been married?”
“Two wonderful months,” James said, brushing his lips against Mandy’s forehead. The prosecutor wasn’t overtly hitting on him, especially with Mandy in such close proximity, but there was something predatory about her demeanor.
“Well, you’re a lucky girl,” Heather said. “However did you manage to snag him?”
“She snagged me,” James answered, his dislike for the woman growing with every passing second. “I’m the lucky one.”
“So it would appear,” Heather said. “And who is this?”
Grady pulled up short as he met Heather’s gaze. “Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt. I was just coming to see what my brother was doing.”
“Still lost without Sophie?” Mandy asked.
Heather narrowed her eyes. “Sophie? Not Sophie Lane?”
“She’s my girlfriend,” Grady said, smiling congenially.
“Well, that seems like a waste,” Heather said. “You’re much too … handsome to be tied down to a mouse like her.”
Mandy scowled. “Sophie is not a mouse. She happens to be … .”
“She’s a reporter,” Heather said, cutting Mandy off. “We all know that reporters are just rats in disguise.”
“I’m sorry, who are you?” Grady asked.
“I’m Heather Harrington,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m the head of Macomb County’s sex crimes division at the prosecutor’s office.”
Grady glanced down at her hand, unsure. He wasn’t about to make nice with the woman who had just insulted his girlfriend.
“Sophie isn’t a rat,” Mandy said, her voice firm. “She’s a good person, and she has a hard job to do.”
“She’s a rat,” Heather said. “She makes a living off the misery of others.”
“Don’t you do the same?” Mandy pressed.
“I protect people from misery,” Heather countered. “You should realize that. You’re in the court system, too.”
&
nbsp; “I recognize the importance of Sophie’s job,” Mandy said. “I don’t think your job is somehow better than her job.”
“I guess that’s why you’re a clerk,” Heather said.
James moved his hand up to the back of Mandy’s neck, snapping her to his chest. He was worried she would rip Heather’s hair out in front of people she liked and respected. While he would have applauded the action, he knew his wife would be mortified by the ramifications.
“We’re all very fond of Sophie,” James said. “She’s part of our family.”
“But you’re not married, right?” Heather directed her question to Grady.
“They live together,” Mandy said through gritted teeth.
“Living in sin is not marriage, Ms. Avery,” Heather said. “Now, shush, this is between Mr. Hardy and me.”
“My name is Avery-Hardy,” Mandy countered, pointing to the rings on her left hand. “I’m married.”
“It’s a good thing, too,” Heather said. “Now you have a husband to support you.”
Mandy opened her mouth to argue, but James silenced her with a hard squeeze. “We support each other,” he said. “That’s what marriage is about.”
Heather rolled her eyes. “That’s sweet.” She turned back to Grady. “So, what do you do for a living?”
“I work with my brothers,” Grady said, refusing to take a step back even though he felt Heather’s presence start to invade his personal space. “We’re security experts.”
“Yes, your brother mentioned that,” Heather said. “I’m not sure I know what it means.”
“It means we work security.”
“So, what, you’re security guards?”
“There are many different aspects to security,” Grady said. “It’s hard to explain.”
“I have a master’s degree,” Heather said, shooting a hostile look in Mandy’s direction. “I’m educated. I’m sure I can grasp it.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t,” Grady said. “It’s just not very interesting to talk about.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re just playing coy,” Heather said, extending her hand and rubbing Grady’s forearm appreciatively. “Why don’t you just try me on for size?”
“Now just a second,” Mandy said.
“What’s going on here?” Sophie moved to the spot next to Grady, her gaze traveling down to Heather’s hand as it caressed Grady’s arm.
“Grady here was just about to tell me about his job,” Heather said, not bothering to move her hand away. “He’s very fascinating.”
“I’ve noticed,” Sophie said. “In fact, I notice every morning when I wake up.”
“Lucky girl,” Heather said. “You must be catching him on his way up.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well, I mean that there’s probably no way you could maintain his interest for the long haul,” Heather said, competition flashing in her eyes. “Especially when he finds out about your foster father.”
“I know about her foster father,” Grady said, jerking his arm away. “What is going on here?”
“You know about her foster father?” Heather asked, surprised. “Oh, is that the type of security you do? Well, that’s disappointing.”
“Don’t take your problems with me out on him,” Sophie said. “I know what you’re doing. Don’t think I don’t.”
“What problems?” Mandy asked.
“I wrote a story about her brother about a year ago,” Sophie said. “He was picked up for drunken driving – after going the wrong way on the freeway and hitting an elderly couple. Ms. Harrington didn’t think it was news and went to the publisher to try and have the story buried. He refused, and she’s been after me ever since.”
“That is completely untrue,” Heather said. “I did no such thing.”
“Oh, please,” Sophie scoffed. “The publisher called me into his office the second you left. You’ve been trying to cut me out of trials ever since.”
“You should be very careful about what you accuse people of,” Heather warned, wagging her finger in Sophie’s face. “I could have you brought up on slander charges.”
“Don’t you threaten me,” Sophie shot back, reaching for the woman’s finger.
“Okay,” Grady said, grabbing Sophie around the waist and pulling her away. “I think we’re going to get going.”
James snagged Mandy’s hand with his and followed. “We’re all going.”
“It was so nice to meet the two of you,” Heather said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. “You have horrible taste in women, but you’ll learn that on your own in time.”
“Thanks for the tip,” James said, grimacing as he fought to keep Mandy in check. “Have a nice … life.”
Eleven
“Well, that was interesting,” Grady said, focusing on the road as he navigated through the busy Gratiot traffic.
“That’s not the word I would use,” Sophie shot back.
“What word would you use?”
“Insulting.”
Grady sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, considering. “She’s not a very nice woman. I’m surprised she’s risen so far in the county system with her attitude.”
“Her father is Bill Harrington,” Sophie replied.
“The Michigan Supreme Court justice?”
“Yup.”
“Ah, well, that explains it,” Grady said. “She’s riding her father’s name, and everyone is too scared to take her on because that will mean taking him on.”
“Pretty much.” Sophie’s face was blank as she stared out the window.
“Are you okay?”
“Do you mean am I okay with you flirting with the woman who has sworn to end my career? Yeah, I’m just peachy.”
“I wasn’t flirting,” Grady protested. “She was talking to me.”
“And she had her hands all over you.”
“She had her hand on my arm,” Grady said. “It’s not like her hand was in my pants.”
“Oh, well, I suppose you wouldn’t care if I let everyone in the free world put their hand on my arm while they were flirting with me,” Sophie countered.
Grady had never seen Sophie so worked up. He didn’t know what to think – or say. “Sugar, you know I would never cheat on you, right?”
“You’d better not,” Sophie muttered.
“Of course I wouldn’t,” Grady said, irritated. “And, quite frankly, I’m a little disappointed that you think I would.”
“I didn’t say that,” Sophie seethed.
“You kind of did.”
“Oh, Grady, stop it,” Sophie said. “You’re being a baby.”
“I’m being a baby? You’re the one flipping out because some woman touched my arm.”
“Not some woman,” Sophie said. “Heather Harrington. She hates me.”
“I think you’re taking this too personally,” Grady said. “She just seemed like she was being a typical woman.”
“What does that mean?”
“She was just flirting to get a rise out of you,” Grady said. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s a big deal to me.”
Grady sighed, pulling into the driveway of the house they shared. “I have never seen you act like this.”
“And how am I acting? Like an emotional woman who likes to play games to get a rise out of people?”
“Yeah.”
Sophie’s mouth dropped open, hurt swimming through her eyes. Grady immediately wanted to take it back. “Sugar, I’m sorry,” he said. “I … that was uncalled for.”
“I can’t deal with this right now,” Sophie said. “I’m feeling ridiculously stupid – and angry. I know it’s not your fault, and yet I’m just … I’m going to take a bath.”
Grady nodded, remaining mute.
“I just need a little time alone,” Sophie said, refusing to meet Grady’s eyes.
Grady watched her go, his heart sinking. He wanted to call out to her. He wanted to stop her. He didn’t. The only
thing he could say to make her feel better was the one thing he couldn’t find the courage to say. Again.
SOPHIE’S skin was starting to prune. She’d been in the tub so long she’d had to drain it and refill it twice to keep the water warm. Ever since Grady had purchased the hot tub, she’d grown accustomed to long soaks – and that was precisely what she needed to clear her mind.
She knew she was being unreasonable where Heather was concerned. Grady had never shown the slightest inkling that he would cheat on her. Still, watching another woman put her hands on the man she’d given her heart to had jolted her.
The problem was, while Sophie knew that Grady cared about her, he’d never said the one thing she longed to hear. Of course, Sophie had never said it either. She was terrified he wouldn’t say it back. And, if she put the words out there, she could never erase them. How could she knowingly live with a man who didn’t love her?
So, Sophie kept putting off the inevitable. She kept hoping he would say it to her. She kept praying that he would take her in his arms, brush her hair away from her face like he so often did when they were being intimate, and say those three little words. Everything would be okay then. She would be able to relax. The longer she waited, the harder it got to deal with.
Something had to give.
Sophie sighed and pushed herself to a standing position, grabbing a towel from the nearby rack to dry off. She caught sight of her reflection in the steamed mirror, her bedraggled hair curling around her angular features. She looked … unhappy. Sophie knew there was only one way to fix her predicament. She had to apologize.
She found Grady on the couch, his gaze fixed on the television – even though his eyes had a faraway look in them. He glanced up when he saw her come into the room, the towel tied tight around her breasts.
“Hey, sugar,” he said. “How was your bath?”
Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but the only thing that escaped was a strangled cry as she burst into tears. Grady reached for her, pulling her into his lap so he could hold her close. Sophie wasn’t a crier. In the year they’d been together, Grady could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen her cry. He didn’t like it. She didn’t like it. Now, every tear spilling down her cheek was like a hot dagger to his heart.
Deadly Questions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 8) Page 8