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She was more accepting of him than I’d thought she’d be. Or maybe the idea of freedom was making her happy. I’d chosen him for a few reasons.
He’d worked with us for years, so his loyalty wasn’t a question. And he was older. Grandfatherly with salt and pepper hair and a gray beard.
He was still physically fit, but not too intimidating. I didn’t want Grace to be afraid of him. Although I knew he could protect her. He had to.
I’d already seen her in a hospital bed once, and I’d barely survived. It would kill me if it happened again.
17
Grace
My heart fluttered in my chest, but it wasn’t because of the nice older guard standing before me. It was the man at my side. The one who had cupped my cheek, like I was precious. Whose hand now hovers over my low back, overwhelming me with the insane urge to lean into it.
I didn’t understand how I could feel this way about him. For years, I’d harbored a quiet fear of Vander. Of all men, but he was second on my list.
Why was he the one to make me feel something? The first one to make me feel whole. Well, not whole, but maybe less damaged.
My skin tingled as I felt the heat of his body so close to mine. Before I could give in to the urge to touch him, the elevator dinged again.
My chest constricted as Vander looked at the door in confusion. He didn’t know who was behind it, either. We should be safe here. The elevator required a fingerprint to start. All the guards could enter the building and take the elevator anywhere except for the top four floors where the Kent homes were.
Maybe it was Alessandra or Cole. It had to be a family member; nobody else had access.
The tightening in my chest became unbearable when I saw who was behind the doors. It was family, alright, but not one I ever expected to see. It was like seeing a ghost. One that whispered nasty things into my ear. Venomous words, I was supposed to take with silence.
“Mom?” Vander smiled as he crossed the room to her. I immediately felt the loss of his warmth. His protection. It left me feeling naked. Exposed.
My throat clogged. I was a fucking idiot. He didn’t protect me. It was a veil. An illusion.
“Son.” She patted his cheek even though he’d opened his arms for a hug. God forbid she embrace her son and mess up her pressed dress.
Undoubtedly, it was some expensive brand, with the entire outfit costing more than some people’s rent. From her polished shoes to the diamonds sparking in her ears, she broadcasted the money her son and nephews made for her. She had no problem spending it without caring it was covered in blood.
“What are you doing back?” Vander asked as he took her purse and coat, hanging them on the rack. She didn’t live in Sayton City, choosing to be where there weren’t seasonal changes. Or she’d wanted to escape the filth of this place. It oozed from every crevice.
“Wondering why I wasn’t invited to my son’s wedding.” Her green eyes, a shade or two lighter than Vander’s, widened in pain. But even from my distance it looked practice. Or maybe it was the amount of Botox in her face that made her appear expressionless.
“Who told—.” Vander sighed, shaking his head. “Cole.”
“Of course. I’m closer to my nephew than my son.” She breezed past him, coming further into the apartment. Her heels stopped when she saw Mike and I. Her eyes swept over me in a dismissal that I almost missed as she focused on the guard, but it had been there, slicing into my self-confidence. “Mike, I thought you died with the last generation.”
My lips parted at the callous way she spoke to the older man. Not that he was much older than her. Only a few years, but she battled with the effects of aging.
“No, ma’am.” He spoke politely, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Hmm, good.” She turned her attention away, giving him the same dismissal as me.
“You can go. Thank you for stopping by,” Vander told him.
“Of course. I’ll talk to you soon, Mrs. Grace.” He nodded at me before heading into the open elevator.
“Grace, I didn’t see you there.” That was her only acknowledgment of me as she turned back to her son. “So, who is the lucky woman?”
My stomach twisted as nausea bubbled up. Not even Vander stepping around her to my side could make it disappear. “Actually, you know her.”
“I do?” She looked on, curious. The air thickened as her eyes bounced between us.
Vander’s hand hovered over my back again, and I wondered what would happen if he touched me. Would I fall apart? Or would it comfort me?
