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her reticence possibly the result of Grayson’s disfavor with her as well.
The question still remained; what to do about it? By the time Caden brought Connor out, his brother’s face ashen, his right shoulder bulky from the bandaging under his shirt, Avery had come to a few conclusions. She yearned to get back into Master Grayson’s good graces, see that probing, intent gaze focused on her again, hear that deep voice commanding her to let go, and to trust him. Past disappointments taught her not to expect anything more from this relationship or the interest and time he had gifted her with, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t try for more of both.
She needed to confide in Sheriff Monroe about what she knew about Darren and his partner and take him up on his offer to help her. Her safety and future depended on seeing them punished for what they had done.
And she longed to find a place for herself among these people, far away and so different from everyone she knew and everything she’d grown up with.
But before any of that could be even a possibility, she wanted to shove her cowardice aside enough to help herself first. Pushing to her feet on legs gone rubbery with her decision about taking the next step toward those goals, she ran shaking hands down her thighs and sucked in a deep breath as Grayson moved toward her.
“He can go home?” she asked, her eyes lingering on Connor’s disgruntled, pain-lined face.
“Doctor finally agreed after realizing how stubborn the son-of-a-bitch is,” Grayson grumbled, warming Avery’s insides with a direct, heated look that curled her toes until he issued an order that rubbed her wrong. “Go back to Willow Springs, Avery. A storm is blowing in soon that’ll turn the roads slick, and we’re warning people off them until tomorrow.”
Stepping back, she averted her suddenly watery eyes, wishing his concern was for her rather than just another citizen in his county he’d sworn to protect. “Don’t worry, Sheriff. I know what I need to do.” She started to turn and happened to glace over at Connor as he looked her way and winked. Nothing could have hardened her resolve to take this first step as much as that silent gesture of gratitude and friendship. Feeling Grayson’s eyes following her, she left the hospital; first stop, the library.
Swearing under his breath, Grayson watched Avery walk out of the hospital, her eyes bruised with fatigue, reflecting both uncertainty and hurt that ate at him, and pissed him off. He didn’t believe in coincidence, at least not of this magnitude. There was no doubt in his mind she was his troubled mystery woman, the soft voice over the phone who had haunted his nights these past weeks, driven here because of his offer to help her. So why hadn’t she revealed herself to him? Was she feeling him out, getting a sense of how much she could trust him? Possibly. Even likely. But that didn’t mean her subterfuge sat well with him, only that he could understand her reserve. Now, what to do about it?
“We’re heading back. It looks like that storm is moving faster than predicted,” Caden said as he and Sydney stood on each side of Connor, waiting to help him if he needed assistance.
“Are you sure you don’t want to bunk here tonight?” Grayson didn’t like the gray cast to Connor’s skin or the grimace of pain when he moved despite the meds he’d been given.
“I’m sure. All I need is a little recovery time and I’ll be back up.” The younger by a year Dunbar nodded to his well-meaning friends as they all headed out to the emergency room parking lot. “It wasn’t necessary, but thanks guys.”
“It was necessary,” Sydney told him, squeezing his forearm. “You’ll be staying with us for now. I hope you’ve learned your lesson, though, about chasing after these guys by yourself.”
Dan snorted as he grasped Nan’s elbow. “I doubt it. Our Connor may be easy going most of the time, but he’s also the most stubborn.”
“Bite me,” Connor returned, his voice clipped, but his lips curled up at the corners.
Laughing, Dan slapped him on the back as they reached their vehicles. “I’ll save that for the subs you will enjoy tormenting right back. Grayson, give me a call once this storm passes and I’ll ride out with you. I lost three head last night, despite Connor’s best efforts.” He opened the passenger door for Nan and ushered her in, out of the cold wind.
“I’ll take you up on that next time you’re at the club, Connor.” Nan smiled and gave them a finger wave as Dan shut the door.
Grayson nodded, wrapping his gloved hand on the door handle of his cruiser. “Will do. Let’s hope this weather keeps the bastards from returning any time soon.”
Shoving aside worry over his friend now that Connor was in good hands with his brother and over-protective, soon-to-be sister-in-law, Grayson’s thoughts switched back to Avery. He would make her wait one more day and then confront her about her identity, he decided on the drive back to Willow Springs. Tonight, he would be busy monitoring weather and road conditions. After returning to the office and logging in a report on Connor’s shooting, he planned to spend the evening in front of a blazing fire with a good book until his duties required him to ensure crews were out clearing the roads and no one had gotten stranded by the storm once it passed.
It was going to be a long, unpleasant night with only his irritation and thoughts for company.
Avery huddled in front of the library computer, her finger shaking as she hovered over the send key, her stomach churning with nausea over what she was about to do. Even though she’d set up a temporary, dummy e-mail account to use this one time, she didn’t doubt Internal Affairs would eventually suspect her of sending them these conflicting reports. Pressing that button would start the ball rolling on an investigation, but where it would lead, or who it might end up pointing to was up in the air. Darren and Chad were cagey enough, smart enough to have gotten away with their evidence theft so far, and she’d bet they had amassed a sizable sum from their lucrative crime spree. Enough money to get them out of the country and leave her the one in the hot seat, answering all the questions.
But what other choice did she have? If she hadn’t heard that conversation in the parking garage, if she had been brave enough to stay and come up with a plausible excuse for her snooping that would have kept her safe from their threat instead of running like the coward she was, she wouldn’t be stuck in limbo right now, sweating this decision. After sending a message to her landlord to rent her furnished apartment to someone else following his message threatening eviction because of non-payment, she now had no home or job to return to in Chicago. She knew Marci would help her, but there was no way she would repay her kindness and support by embroiling her in this mess or risking her safety.
After overhearing their conversation, Avery wouldn’t put anything past her ex and his partner.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she hit send and then took down the e-mail. A good hacker could find it again and trace it to this library, but that would take time, and not necessarily lead to her. Shoving back from the computer, she prayed Grayson not only meant it when he offered to help her but could come up with a solution that would protect her.
The air held a hint of moisture with the darkening clouds as she dashed to her car and flipped on the heat, for what good it would do. She was still shaking when she reached the highway, whether from the inclement weather or fear, she didn’t know. Gripping the steering wheel, all she could think about now was getting to Grayson. She not only wanted Sheriff Monroe’s help but found herself needing Master Grayson, and what he could do to her in a way she’d never needed from another man.
The anonymity, her loneliness and stress had made getting off over the phone under his command easier. She appreciated Master Grayson’s slow introduction into the BDSM club scene, but now that he’d broken her through the ice and she had not only experienced the pleasures giving up control offered but witnessed the close bond of everyone she’d met that extended outside of the club, she wanted more. She craved everything he had to offer, desired everything he was willing to give her. If he was still willing to continue with her sexual education. His cool attitu
de at the end of Friday night and again today didn’t bode well for that, but now that she had unearthed a small iota of hidden bravado, she intended to milk it for all it was worth.
All he could do was say no, to either her request for help or to continue on with her, right?
The sudden shrillness of sirens coming up behind Avery caught her unawares, and a quick glance at the speedometer pulled a low groan from her tight throat. With her mind whirling in trepidation over so many things, she hadn’t been paying attention to her speed. To add even more misery to her day, the first spittle of sleet pelted the windshield as she pulled to the side of the road and prepared to face the consequences for her inattentiveness.
Five minutes later, she was back on the road, this time crawling at a snail’s pace, fighting both her nerves over getting a ticket and driving on the rapidly icing road. Since she intended to go straight to Grayson’s cabin, she wouldn’t have to travel all the way into Willow Springs, which shortened her trip by about ten miles. At this point, she would take what she could get.
