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“Then make sure you have your ears and eyes open with the right team in mind.”
I turn and exit his office, and my nerve endings are prickling in all the wrong ways. I head down the hallway with one destination in mind: Eric’s office. When he’s not there, I return to my office, shut my door and call him. “Hey, Mia. What’s up?”
“I brought Kevin Murphy to take on my old cases. He was my supervisor at Ri’s firm and with Ri for ten years.”
“I’m aware. And?”
“And I trust him, I do, but I just got a weird vibe from him. Maybe I’m paranoid after our talk this morning, but my trust just doesn’t feel good enough. Not when he might burn Grayson. Can you have Blake check him out?”
“Already done. So far he’s checked out.”
“Are you sure? Because I can’t be the reason something bad happens to Grayson, Eric. I can’t.”
“You, Mia, are the good in that man’s life. You are not bringing any bad on him, but you did the right thing. Better safe than sorry.”
“I love him.”
“And he loves you. Give Kevin a hard case. Let’s see what he’s made of and if he fails, fuck him.”
I laugh. “As long as he doesn’t do that to us.”
“Such a lady. Can’t even say fuck. He’s not going to fuck us. Now, go get comfortable. You’re here to stay.” He hangs up.
I smile. He’s right. I am here to stay.
I start making a list of all the things I need to do today and all the things I need to update Grayson on later when we’re alone, including my feelings on Kevin Murphy.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Mia
It’s nearly noon and Kevin and I are still in the conference room, but thankfully I’ve just finished handing over my caseload to him. “That’s it,” I say. “Let me know if you have questions and welcome to the team.”
“You really belong here, don’t you?”
“Yes. She does.”
At the sound of Grayson’s voice, my gaze lifts to the doorway to find him gorgeously consuming the entryway. “Hi,” I say.
“Hi,” he says, his eyes twinkling with the exchange. “How about some lunch?”
“I’d like that.”
“Ah hi,” Kevin says awkwardly, standing up. “Nice to meet you, Grayson.” He’s quick to round the table to meet Grayson, extending his hand.
I’m quick to move to Grayson’s side. By the time I’m there, Grayson shakes his hand. “I’m not Ri.”
“And that’s a good thing,” Kevin replies.
“And yet you worked for him for ten years.”
“Until Mia joined the team, I barely saw the man, but once she joined my group, he came around often, and harassed her just as often. I did my best to protect her.”
The air crackles sharp and hard, and Grayson narrows his eyes on him. “Did you now?” Grayson is not a man to outwardly respond to anything. He’s calm and cool, genius and kind, but he’s not a pushover. He succeeds for a reason. He acts swiftly, powerfully, and without regret.
Kevin obviously reads that in him now because he holds up his hands. “We’re friends. Mia started her first day at work by telling me she loved you and would always love you.”
“And gentlemen that you are, you never saw that as a challenge.”
“Grayson,” I warn softly.
“I didn’t, actually,” Kevin replies, without hesitation. “We just never had that kind of connection. And because I need to earn your trust, I’ll go on when I would otherwise find that inappropriate. My fiancée died in a car crash a few months before Mia came to work for me.”
“Oh God,” I murmur. “No one said anything.”
“She worked for Ri,” Kevin says. “She crossed Ri, threatened to report him for falsifying evidence. I believe he had her killed. I hated him. I was only there for revenge. Check it out. It will all check out.”
I blanch, stunned by this confession. The air crackles for several beats before Grayson asks, “Did you get that revenge?”
“No, but I would have, and I’m not sure I should be proud of that but I wouldn’t have regretted it. I asked Mia to talk to you for a reason.” He turns back to the table, grabs a file from his briefcase, and offers it to Grayson, lowering his voice for our ears only, though the conference room is set apart from the offices anyway. “A list of people that I know visited our offices after they came to work for you. I know he’s dead, but I wouldn’t trust any of them.”
Grayson accepts the file. “But I should trust you?”
“Yes, but I understand why you don’t. I’ll gather my things and leave.” He hesitates. “If that’s what you want.”
I suck in a breath, waiting for Grayson’s reply, heavy seconds pounding in the air, before Grayson says, “Stay.” He pauses a beat and adds, “For now.”
Relief washes over his features and he nods. “I’ll get to work on my caseload.”
