The Protector's Promise (The Sinclair Brothers)

by Shirlee McCoy

  “You’ve been through a lot in the past few years, Honor. You deserve to keep whatever secrets you choose.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. But I’d at least like to have a choice about whom I share them with.” She rubbed her arms and Grayson pulled her close, wrapping her in his coat.

  For a moment, her hands rested on his shoulders, and he was sure she planned to push him away. Instead, her palms settled tentatively, her touch so light it was barely there.

  Like the kiss they’d shared.

  Like the longing that seemed to have settled into Grayson’s soul. A quiet whisper that said that this was the right place, the right woman, the right time and he’d be a fool to walk away.

  Honor sighed, settling more deeply into his arms, her hair soft as silk against his chin, her warmth seeping through his shirt, heating his skin, the scent of summer drifting around them.

  “Honor?” Candace’s spoke quietly, but Honor jumped as if she’d shouted, pushing against Grayson’s arms and turning to the open front door, her cheeks cherry red.

  “Yes?”

  “I hate to interrupt, but I’ve really got to get going or I’ll be late for class.” Candace’s words were directed to Honor, but it was Grayson she was eyeing with curiosity he didn’t miss.

  “And I’ve still got to feed Lily. Breakfast got interrupted by the sheriff’s arrival. Have a good day, Candace. It looks like a storm is coming in, so drive carefully.” The words spilled out in a breathless rush, and then Honor was running into the house, carrying the scent of summer with her.

  “Well, that was awkward.” Candace smiled at Grayson, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she looked him up and down, searching, Grayson thought, for flaws.

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s Honor. She doesn’t ‘do’ men.” Candace hitched a backpack onto her shoulder and started down the porch steps.

  “She married your brother.”

  “Yeah. Poor thing. Not only did she get stuck with a lying, cheating rat, but she ended up with me.” Candace smiled again, but there was no mistaking the truth in her words.

  “She loves you.”

  “She loved my brother, too. That didn’t make living with him easy. He was like my dad. All polished and pretty on the outside, but stuffed with rotting, fetid things. Both were parasites who lived off the people around them. My mom had money my dad fed off. Jay fed off Honor’s love. Taking and taking and never giving back. If he hadn’t died, Honor would have found out the truth and it would have ruined her. At least this way, she’s been able to make a life for herself.” She shrugged too-slender shoulders, the gesture so much like Honor that Grayson could almost believe the two were related by more than name.

  “She would have tried to make it work. You might have all ended up a happy family.”

  “Please, Mr. Sinclair, you don’t know my family. We’re cursed. The men are always brutes and the women are always doormats. No one is ever normal. And no one even knows the meaning of the word ‘happy.’”

  “I’m sorry things were so tough for you, Candace.”

  “It’s water under the bridge now. I just pray every day that I won’t end up like my biological family.”

  “You won’t.”

  “No? I’m sure my brother thought the same thing before he cheated on the only woman who ever loved him.” Candace climbed into an old Chevy and drove away before Grayson could ask her for more information.

  What he’d gotten wasn’t nearly enough.

  Candace knew that Jay had cheated on Honor.

  Had she just found out, or was it something she’d known about for years?

  And if it was, had she told anyone else?

  The answer would have to wait until later. Grayson had a meeting in—he glanced at his watch—forty minutes. If he didn’t hurry, he’d be late.

  And if he stayed on Honor’s front porch any longer, he might just decide he didn’t care.

  He chose not to knock on the door and walk back through Honor’s house. Instead, he walked around to the back and crossed the tangled mess that passed for a yard. He had a lot on his plate today. Plenty that needed to be dealt with. Not the least of which were his brother’s accommodations. The bacterial infection was clearing; Jude was getting better. According to Grayson’s parents, that only made their police veteran son more difficult to deal with. A week, two at the most, and then Jude would arrive in Lynchburg. Making sure everything was ready was Grayson’s priority.

  Or one of them.

  Honor had become a priority, too.

  And just like the previous night, Grayson planned to be waiting for her when she got off work, planned on making sure she got home safely. Honor might not “do” men, but she needed Grayson. Whether she wanted to admit it or not.

  And Grayson was beginning to believe he needed her, too.

  A woman like Honor could ground him. In faith. In family. In all the things he’d always known were important, but that had somehow gotten lost in his rush to get ahead.

  God’s plan?

  Grayson was starting to think so, and he was beginning to believe that the path he’d taken, the one he’d thought had brought him too far away from God to ever lead him back, had come full circle. That the things he’d once valued, the things he’d been so sure he’d never have, were within his grasp. All he had to do was have the faith to go after them.

  SEVENTEEN

  Rain poured from the sky as Honor hurried to her car. The night shift had been brutal, with one of Honor’s Alzheimer’s patients going into cardiac arrest. Despite every effort, the seventy-year-old had passed away en route to the hospital. Death was as much a part of her job as life, but Honor never got used to it, and the cold rain and deep black night only reminded her of how sad the night had been.

  She waved goodbye to William and slid into her car, anxious to get home. Lily hadn’t wanted her to leave, and there had been tears. That was unusual enough to worry Honor. Her daughter wasn’t one to cry and whine. Like her father, she was quite good at taking life in stride.

  Jay.

  He’d been on her mind way too much lately. She knew why. Being with Grayson reminded her of what she’d thought she would have when she’d married her husband—a shoulder to lean on; someone to depend on.

  It also reminded her of betrayals she’d rather forget.

  Sharing the story of Jay’s infidelity had been painful. Sharing it in front of Grayson had made her want to climb into bed, curl up under her covers and hide her head in shame. The rational part of her told Honor that Jay’s sin had been his own. The other part whispered that if she’d been a better wife he never would have strayed.

  Foolishness, she knew, but painful anyway.

  She pulled out of the parking lot and started toward home, tensing when a car pulled out behind her. Headlights flashed. Once. Then again. Some kind of signal that she couldn’t even begin to understand. Whoever was following her had been waiting in the parking lot, biding his time until Honor was alone.

  Her pulse raced and she pressed on the accelerator as she fumbled in her purse and pulled out her cell phone. It rang before she could flip it open, and Honor screamed, nearly dropping it in her surprise.

  Could the stalker have gotten her cell phone number? Was it possible he was behind her, calling to taunt her before making his move? “Hello?”

  “Ms. Malone?” The female voice surprised Honor, and her fear was replaced by anxiety. Phone calls didn’t come at three in the morning. Not good ones, anyway.

  “Yes?”

  “This is Deputy Raintree. I’m with the Lakeview sheriff’s department.”

  “Is everything okay? Are the girls okay?” Honor’s heart beat a terrible rhythm, hard and harsh and uneven. There were things she never let herself think about. Things that were too horrible to even contemplate. Losing the girls was one of them.

  “I’m sure they’re fine, Ms. Malone. I’m calling about the car that is following you.”

  “What?” Honor glan
ced in the rearview mirror and eased up on the accelerator.

  “The car that’s behind you. Mr. Grayson Sinclair is driving. He asked me to call and let you know that he’s providing an escort home.”

  “He could have called me himself.”

  “He didn’t have your cell phone number. We had it on file here.” Was this woman for real? Or was this an elaborate scheme to get her to let down her guard? Honor glanced at the caller ID on the cell phone, saw the sheriff’s department listed as the caller.

  Okay.

  Maybe she had let her imagination get the best of her. Obviously, the police weren’t in on the stalker’s scheme.

  “Are you sure it was Grayson you spoke with?” Honor glanced in the rearview mirror again. “Anyone could have called and asked you to contact me.”

  “Ma’am, I’ve known Grayson Sinclair for six years. It was definitely him. As a matter of fact, he promised me a box of Godiva chocolate if I did this favor for him. You tell him, I’m holding him to that.”

  “Right. I’ll do that.”

  “And give him your cell phone number, will you? Sheriff Reed doesn’t pay me to make personal phone calls.” The deputy was laughing as she hung up the phone.

  Honor wasn’t quite as amused.

  Grayson had taken years off her life. Worse, in the short time she’d known him, he’d already become an expected part of her day. Sure, she’d been surprised to hear he was the one in the car behind her, but a small part of her had almost expected it. Like being told the golden light on the horizon was the sun, the deputy’s news had made perfect sense.

  She drove home slowly, mindful of the slick road and the pouring rain, and just as mindful of Grayson following behind. Not too close. Not too far away. The fact that he’d come to Lakeview Haven again, had waited until her shift was over and followed her home, these were the kind of things she’d once longed for from Jay. Her husband had seen her as a strong, capable woman. That had been both a blessing and a curse. While he’d trusted her to handle whatever problems came their way, he’d also counted on her to do so. The responsibility for the well-being of their family had always rested squarely on her shoulders. She’d told herself that it was okay, had tried to convince herself that Jay’s willingness to let her handle things was a compliment. Often, though, it had felt more like a burden.

  More thoughts about Jay.

  More memories she’d wanted to keep buried.

  She’d thought she’d forgiven him and let go of the anger that had filled her when she’d learned of his betrayal, the anger that had eaten at her soul when she’d realized the debt he’d left her. Realized she’d have to move out of her house and rent an apartment in order to pay the bills he’d accrued.

  Maybe she hadn’t, because when she thought of him now, she could only think of the bad memories. Never of the good times. But, then, there had been so few of those.

  She passed a marked police car parked at the end of her street and pulled into her driveway, exhausted and frustrated by her thoughts. In the past month, her life had gotten completely off track and she wasn’t sure how to get it back on again. She wasn’t even sure she knew what the “right” track was. Moving, getting a new job, providing for her girls. Those things were givens. They were already done and nothing could change them.

  But what now?

  That was the question she couldn’t answer until the predator who was hunting her was found. Things were too confusing. Too unbalanced.

  She opened the car door, icy pellets of rain sliding down her hair and into her coat collar. Winter gloom had ruled the day and had given the night an arctic chill. Honor hurried onto the porch, waiting beneath its sheltering roof as Grayson got out of his car and followed. His hair was mussed, his shirt open at the collar, his tie hanging loose around his neck. He looked tired.

  And much more handsome than any man had a right to be.

  Every woman in the courtroom must dream of romance and love when Grayson walked in. Honor could picture the female jurors so caught up in watching the handsome prosecutor, they forgot to pay attention to the evidence.

  She smiled at the thought.

  “What?” He brushed rain from his hair and rubbed his hand down his jaw, the gesture speaking of a weariness that Honor understood only too well.

  “I was thinking that you must be a distraction in the courtroom, what with that GQ model thing you’ve got going on.”

  “Were you?” He smiled, his eyes flashing with surprise and something else. Something deeper and more compelling.

  “Yes. I think someone should make it illegal for the prosecutor to overshadow the evidence.”

  Grayson’s laughter was deep and warm, washing over Honor and reminding her that life didn’t always have to be a serious thing. That sometimes laughter could make the most difficult times bearable. “I’ll have to tell Jude you said that. He’ll laugh himself to good health in no time.”

  “They do say laughter is the best medicine.”

  “My point exactly.”

  “How is your brother doing? Have you gotten an update?”

  “Marginally better. Lord willing, he’ll be headed this way in a couple of weeks.” Grayson yawned, smiling apologetically. “Sorry. Long day.”

  “Don’t I know it?” Honor unlocked the door, but stopped short of opening it. “I would think you’d have gone straight home to bed rather than waiting to escort me here.”

  “I wouldn’t have slept anyway. Not until I knew you were home safe. I’m sure I mentioned that before.” He took a step closer, and Honor could almost feel his warmth through her coat. She tried to back up, and bumped into the door.

  “You can’t escort me home every night, Grayson. You know that, don’t you?”

  “What I know is that you’re a woman in danger, and having me around might just keep you safe. That being the case, everything else is moot.”

  “I keep trying to tell you that I’m not your responsibility.”

  “And I keep trying to tell you that I always keep my promises.”

  “Are we going to have this conversation every time we see each other?”

  “That depends.”

  “On?”

  “Whether or not you stop telling me I shouldn’t do what I know is right.” He smiled, but there was grim determination in his eyes, and Honor knew he meant what he said. Somehow, he’d convinced himself her well-being was his responsibility. Nothing Honor said would change his mind.

  She decided to try anyway, because Grayson’s presence was too unsettling, too alarming.

  Too addictive.

  And it was the kind of addiction Honor wasn’t sure she’d want to break. “I appreciate your concern, Grayson, but there’s a police car parked a few hundred yards away. I don’t think either of us need to be worried about my safety.”

  “There aren’t officers lined up on your route home, Honor. And a lot can happen on a ten-mile stretch of road.” He sounded as tired as Honor felt.

  “A lot can happen if I do something stupid. Like stop to help a stranded motorist or pick up a hitchhiker. I can assure you I’ve got no intention of doing either of those things.”

  “I’m sure you don’t.”

  “Then stop staying up until all hours of the night to protect me. Not getting enough sleep isn’t healthy.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “Not healthy? If you knew what I ate today, you wouldn’t be so worried about how much sleep I’m getting.”

  “Should I ask what you’ve been eating?”

  “Today? Since our breakfast was interrupted, I got a doughnut on the way to my meeting, then I grabbed a hamburger and fries while Jake lectured me on keeping out of his investigation.”

  “He lectured you?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “And you listened?”

  “He was buying lunch, and I was hungry.” Grayson sounded disgruntled, and Honor laughed.

  “Poor you. What else did you eat today? Besides fast food junk.”
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  “A taco.”

  “Fast food?”

  “Is there any other kind when you’ve got a busy schedule?”

  “Yes. And you’re right, your eating habits are as unhealthy as your lack of adequate sleep.”

  “Actually, I did sleep. For about two hours while I was waiting for your shift to end. The sound of your car engine woke me up.”

  “Be that as it may, you still need to get home and into bed. Your busy day will start all over again very soon.”

  “What I need—” he smiled and took a step closer “—is a good home-cooked meal or two. That’ll get me back on track with the right nutrients.”

  “It’ll be good for you to cook one, then.”

  “And here I was hoping to get another invitation.” Grayson’s laughter shivered along Honor’s spine, making her want to lean in and rest her head on his chest, feel the vibration of it against her cheek.

  “Sorry, but I always try to learn from my mistakes.”

  “Is that what this morning’s invitation to breakfast was?”

  “And yesterday.”

  “You mean the kiss that wasn’t?”

  “It most certainly was.”

  “No, Honor. It wasn’t. This—” he took a step closer, closing what little space had been between them “—is a kiss.”

  And then he showed her, his lips pressing against hers, firm and tender all at the same time. His scent surrounding her, his hands settling on her waist.

  And for a moment, she lost herself to his touch. Allowed herself to forget all the reasons why letting Grayson kiss her was a mistake.

  Breathless, she pulled away, staring up into Grayson’s eyes and seeing her own confusion and worry reflected there. “We need to stop this now before one of us gets hurt.”

  “There’s no reason why that should happen.”

  “Of course there is. Isn’t that always the end result of these kinds of things?”

  “What kind of thing are we talking about?”

  “Men and women getting to know each other. Dating. Falling…for each other.”

  “It’s not always the end result. Sometimes people build something great and lasting. Sometimes they make a lifetime together.”