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I blink. “I don’t understand.”
“When a Kingston is involved, that brain of his goes swimming in shark-infested waters where any productive thought dies. He needs reasons to think outside those waters. That’s me and that’s you. You’ll stay close to him and so will I.” He starts to walk away to follow Davis, and I catch his arm.
“Wait.” He turns to look at me. “His thoughts aren’t the only thing that goes swimming in those shark-infested waters. If you force his hand, if you put yourself in harm’s way, he’ll find a way to end this and I’m not sure either of us want to know where that leads him. You don’t know—”
His jaw clamps down. “I might not know the entire situation, but I do know him. I know him far better than you think I know him. He won’t go to that dark place when I’m with him. He won’t go there when you’re with him either. Keep him close. I damn sure am.”
“You said he was fine at the apartment.”
“His father wasn’t lying in a hospital bed, either.” He pulls away from me and starts walking, and it’s clear to me that Grayson really does know Eric, even better than I do. Because he has seen the dark side of Eric that I have sensed, but rejected. And he’s worried that dark side will dictate Eric’s actions.
“Coffee?” Mia suggests, as if she’d read my plan.
I force myself to turn to her. “Yes,” I say, battling a need to go to Eric, but remembering my commitment to him as well, to useMia to get Grayson out of here, though I’m not certain that’s smart right now. I manage a weak smile. “Coffee is good.”
“I know where the coffee shop is. I was here for a client’s mother a while back.”
I don’t move. I don’t want the coffee. Damn it, I have to talk to her. “Great,” I say. “Lead the way.”
“Of course,” she says and we start walking, but suddenly I just know Eric is near. I stop and turn to find him, Davis, and Grayson, entering the waiting room we just left. They huddle up and start talking and as if he senses me looking at him, his attention shifts, and suddenly I’m captured in his intense stare.
Seconds tick by and I can’t explain it, but the world just shuts down, it shrinks, and pulls us together. There is so much between me and this man, so much to learn, to know, to experience. So much to lose and I have a horrible feeling that’s where this is headed.
Pain.
Loss.
Goodbye.
I need to do something I’m not doing.
What? What do I need to do that I’m not doing?
Chapter eighty-three
Harper
Protect Grayson and Mia, I tell myself. That’s what I need to do and with that, I force myself to turn away from Eric, and rejoin Mia, and the two of us fall into step together, and round a corner that leads us toward an elevator. A few minutes later, we’re sitting in a desolate cafeteria at a tiny table, with coffee in front of us, her keen eyes studying me. “He really matters to you.”
“He really does. And that’s why I’m going to get straight to the point. Grayson’s right. Eric is swimming in shark-infested waters, and while Grayson feels he needs to be with him to protect him, I believe that any risk or backlash against you or Grayson is what will send Eric over the edge.”
“Define over the edge.”
“He’ll protect you and Grayson at all costs. He needs room to breathe. If Grayson’s by his side, he won’t breathe. He’ll feel the pressure to end this before Grayson gets in too deep. And I mean, end it however he has to end it.”
She sits back, looking as if she were punched in the chest before she leans forward. “However he has to end it?”
“Yes. However, he has to end it.”
She lifts a hand. “I’m not going to try to define what you might be implying. The bottom line is that Grayson loves Eric like a brother. He doesn’t want Eric to feel alone. He won’t leave his side.”
“Eric doesn’t feel alone. He knows he has Grayson. He speaks of him as blood, family. A brother. He can’t lose him. That’s what Grayson needs to understand. Eric can’t lose him. He can’t be a part of taking him down in some way. And you need to understand how dangerous this is, Mia. They tried to kill me and we don’t know who ‘they’ even are. Now his father was poisoned. Eric has every reason to believe that danger is a living, breathing monster, readyto attack at any moment. He won’t sit back and let Grayson get hurt.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Get Grayson out of here. Even if it’s just for now. I know Grayson feels that he needs to be here but now, now is not the time. He’s putting himself on the wrong radars and that’s putting Eric on edge. Please. I beg of you. Pull him back.”
“I don’t know if I can,” she proclaims solemnly.
