Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 133321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 667(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 667(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“The press, sir?”
“Yes. The press. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I urge Mia into the rotating doors, my hands on her hips, and I move with her, keeping her close.
We exit on the other side and I pull her back under my arm, guiding us to the front desk where Devon, a familiar young guard who knows us both works tonight. “Did Mia’s father sign-in?” I ask.
“He did,” Devon confirms, ignoring my shirt. I liked Devon before. I like him more now. He eyes Mia. “Nice to have you back, Mia.”
“Thank you, Devon,” she says, and I turn her away from the desk, eager to get both of us out of the public eye.
Once we’re in the elevator, Mia inspects the blood all over me. “Your shirt looks horrible.” She presses her hands to her face.
I pull them away. “Your father just needs to know that you’re okay. Put him up in the spare bedroom and we’ll all rest better.”
“You never minded when he stayed.”
“I only cared when you left.”
“Grayson,” she breathes out.
He cups my face. “I’m right here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
The elevator halts and I kiss her, maneuvering us into the hallway as I do, and I keep us moving toward our apartment. We’re almost at our door and I’m about to stop and ask her a few questions about her father when she steps in front of me, her hands on my chest, and damn, I missed her is all I can think of in this moment. “He can’t know that I went to work for Ri for that bonus that saved him from his debt,” she says. “He’ll blame himself for tonight and it’s not his fault. I should never have left you and no matter what, I should have to come to you. I just—I really didn’t want you to think I was just coming for your money.”
“We need to talk about leaving all of this behind us, but I need to know what your father knows before we walk into the apartment.”
“I never told him you cheated,” I say. “I just—I didn’t want him to think badly of you. I never gave him real details at all.”
Because on some level I know she knew I’d never cheat on her. “Then everything is between us and we’ll keep it that way. Ri hated me. He went at you because of me. That will be in the news. We can’t hide that from him. We shouldn’t try.”
“What about us being back together?”
“What about it, Mia?” I don’t give her time to reply. “We’re back together.”
“That’s right,” she says, grabbing my tie. “So, don’t go trying to get killed and leave me, Grayson.” She turns away and I pull her to me.
“I could say the same to you. I was terrified when Ri entered that stairwell.”
“I wasn’t going to go back. I knew we couldn’t take it. I just wanted to get what I could and get back to you.”
“And you are. We’ll talk later, baby. We have a lot to say. I know I do.”
The door behind us opens. “Mia!”
She rotates and runs to her father, throwing her arms around him. The two of them hug and I give them a moment before I join them. Mac catches a glimpse of me over Mia’s shoulder and his eyes go wide. “What the hell?” he murmurs, setting her aside to look at me. “What happened to you?”
“Let’s go inside and talk,” I suggest, motioning them both forward.
“Yes,” he says. “Let’s.”
I follow them into the foyer and Mac turns, waiting on me. Mia quickly joins me, standing by my side. “Dad—”
“What the hell happened to you, Grayson?” He’s a fit man, his hair streaked with gray, his green eyes intense. His worry for his daughter obvious.
“Let’s sit,” I suggest.
“No,” Mac says. “I don’t want to sit. I want answers. Both of you, talk.”
“My boss hated Grayson. He—” Mia inhales. “He—”
“Tried to hurt Mia to hurt me,” I supply. “I hired professional help to deal with him. One of those men shot and killed Ri tonight.”
“Holy fuck. Shot and killed?” He looks at Mia. “Where were you when it happened? Because obviously, Grayson was close.”
“He was—I—” She looks down. “Grayson was holding a gun to his head,” she looks at her father, “because he was holding a gun to my head.”
Mac blanches. “What? He was—what?” He looks at me. “Why did this happen?”
“He knew how much I loved Mia and he was jealous of my success and my relationship with her.”
“You were broken up,” he snaps. “Why are you even back together?”
That statement hits me wrong, almost as if he’s blaming me for Ri’s insanity or that he was secretly glad to get rid of me. I bite my tongue but Mia snaps, pushing away from me. “This isn’t his fault. He didn’t make Ri a lunatic. Ri plotted our break-up. He tried to force himself on me. He is probably behind all the trouble you had last year because he knew if he offered me a bonus to save you I’d take a job with him. And why are we even back together? Really, dad? Really? I love Grayson. I’ve been miserable without him and I know you know that. I don’t need to hear you blame him tonight.”