Tristan pointed out of the kitchen, in the direction I’d come from. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
Grace took a sip of her coffee, then stared into its depths. Avoiding me?
“I wasn’t asking.” Tristan took a step closer, finger still aimed toward the front door.
I headed toward the foyer, Tristan hot on my heels.
When we stopped, his voice dropped low. “She was crying when she got here last night. Like, really crying. Took Izzy an hour to calm her down.”
Fuck. The image of tears streaming out of those green eyes cracked something all too familiar inside my chest. “And you didn’t think to call me? With not one but two strangers circling her?”
“It was the right call. Look at you.” He gestured from my feet to my head and down again. “It would’ve made things worse. She was scared enough already without you losing your shit.”
I flexed my fingers, which were practically cramping because I’d been balling them up so tight. Why was I so upset over this?Because hope and butterflies don’t keep people safe.“So why call me now?”
“We’ve got bigger issues than your hurt pride. This second guy—he knew she’s heading to London tomorrow. He said his employer wants something from her.”
“I don’t like this.” Was she dealing with a stalker? “The Russian was rude, but he only seemed interested in her grandmother.”
“Exactly.” He dragged his hand through his hair, clearly exasperated. ”Izzy had to work, and Arthur has me meeting with the contractors this morning. Grace called in sick. She may not want it, but she needs someone to stay with her.”
“And I conveniently had nothing else going on?That’swhy someone finally called me?” I should have started my drive to DC last night instead of getting sucked into this mess.
“No. You’re the best choice for this job.” He shook his head, as though he couldn’t believe he’d said the words out loud. “Listen, I trust you with my life, Galahad. And this is my woman’s best friend, so who else can I ask?” He sighed. “Can you take her back to her place and check it out? Make sure no one was there last night?”
That was smart. Or it was all a setup, and he was using a pretty woman to convince me to take the job with him and Arthur. But with two different men coming after Grace within ten hours, Tristan’s motives didn’t matter. The threat was real enough thatsomeonehad to dosomething.
“Yeah, okay.”
“But Galahad?” Tristan dipped his chin, his gaze hardening. “You need to calm the fuck down first.”
“I will.” The words came out automatically. She’d calledsomeone, at least, and had been smart enough to stay here. What if someone had been watching her apartment? Broken in while she slept? What if one of these men had backup? My mother had never listened, either.
“Grace,” he called, on his way back to the kitchen. “I want to check out your apartment, just in case.”
“Paranoid much?” she said.
I rounded the corner as she cracked a smile at him.
“Yes, it’s paranoid.” Tristan rested his hands on the back of the chair opposite her. “But I’d feel better if you let me anyway.”
Lethim? He’d just askedmeto do it. Unless we were going together?
“Okay.” She nodded, finally letting go of her coffee mug. “Should we go now?”
He nodded and pushed off the chair. He took two steps and flipped his wrist over, looking at his watch. “Shoot. I forgot.”
As she stood, Grace asked, “Forgot what?”
“I have a meeting in an hour.” He turned to me, feigning innocence, despite obviously manipulating both of us. “Say, Galah— Garrett, would you mind checking her place out for me?”
Her big green eyes met mine, and something stopped me from calling Tristan out. That would have been the angry response, like yelling at her because she didn’t call me. Tristan was right. Fear swam behind those eyes, and the last thing she needed was for me to make it worse.
Make it casual, Garrett.“I don’t mind. I don’t have any plans today.”
Chapter 7
Grace
