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“I was naive. I chose the quick solution, not thinking about the future, and being stupid enough to believe it wouldn’t be an issue. That’s just so fucking wrong.”
I had watched Max struggle every day with people judging him. And I never understood why it had bothered him so much. I just shrugged off the people who wanted to criticize and judge me. I had been so arrogant that it didn’t even faze me. Not until I had cause to think less of myself, the day I took over a
s VP. It was amazing what a little self-doubt did to the soul. Grace hadn’t been the only naive one.
“I’ve waited my whole life for someone to see me. I’ve spent so much time being someone else that I feel invisible.”
In what world could Grace Nolan be invisible? From the moment we had been forced to make those damn swag bags she’d been the only thing I could see clearly.
“Funny thing is, I lie here with you and I finally feel like me. I thought I might never find her again. But you…”
I grabbed her chin between my thumb and forefinger, turning her to face me. “I see you, Grace, and there is nothing in this world that could make me see you differently.”
Her eyes lowered, a small blush creeping across her cheeks. “You give me hope that there is a man out there willing to move forward with me despite my past.”
I gave her hope, but I wasn’t that man. We both knew that. I was never going to be a woman’s knight in shining armor, because I didn’t believe in happy endings. Grace deserved monogamy. She deserved to be worshipped and adored, and I knew that as soon as I figured out where the hell I stood with White Lace, I would go back to being noncommittal, because it was the only way to ensure that I didn’t let another woman break my heart.
Every day I spent with Grace challenged the way I thought my life would unfold, but if I had any hope of coming out of it with my emotions intact, I needed to remember this moment. I might be the man to give her hope, but I wasn’t the man to give her a happy ending.
But now that I knew she trusted me, maybe she’d let me help her solve whatever problem caused her to show up here in the first place.
“Are you going to tell me about what happened?”
She sighed, letting her head fall away from me. “I made that promise, didn’t I?”
For the first time since we’d snuggled on the bed, she pulled away, and I let her. I had a feeling that she was going to need some space for this. That whatever had scared her was significant enough to have her show up at my front door.
“There’s a guy at my office.”
With only a few words, I didn’t like where this was going. My hands fisted at my sides and my jaw clenched.
“He’s the brother of my boss and…” She hesitated, her eyes lowering to the bed. I hated when she did that. Grace never had cause to look away from me. Not for anything. “I also know him from outside of work. From…”
She didn’t have to explain further. He had been a client.
That uncontrollable urge to claim her came rumbling back, rattling inside my chest.
“He remembers me and I remember him.”
I did not like where this story was going. It had nightmare written all over it. Not to mention rage attack. I might have to pummel someone into the ground.
“Is he threatening you?”
When she didn’t answer, I shot out of bed, my fists itching to punch something, to hit something hard. “Did he touch you?”
She shook her head. Thank fuck.
“I stayed late tonight. It was after hours and there was no one in the office and…He brought two friends.”
“I. Will. End. Him.” My vision went red—violent, bloody red. I vaguely heard Grace call my name from the bed, but my mind was too busy spinning. “You’re not safe there. You need to quit.” My words came out of their own volition. I paced my bedroom, unable to calm the rage that had ignited inside me.
“I can’t quit. Besides, I like what I’m doing there.”
“There’s no other option. I’m coming to work with you. Every day I will drop you off at your desk and pick you up every night.” My thoughts were too quick for my mouth and my words were stumbling out too fast. “He’s going to see me every fucking day.” I stopped. Turning to face her, I leveled her with a glare. “He’s not going to touch you.”
“You can’t show up at my work every day, Ben. He’s hardly ever in the office and the next time I see him will probably be the retirement party and the whole office will—”
“Party?” I cut her off, and she didn’t look impressed with my interruption. “You’re not going alone.”
