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)
“I’d like that. I would. I do love criminal law though and I have to take this case all the way. I believe in my client.”
“Then you will take it all the way and you’ll win. I’ll get the case moved. Under the circumstances that won’t be an issue. I’ll make the calls right after I call a mover to get your things.” He folds me against him. “You belong here with me.”
“Yes,” I say softly, trying not to think about that awkward moment when I didn’t know what to call Grayson. “I do.”
He strokes my hair from my face. “I’m your future husband,” he says. “Don’t forget that. I don’t plan to.”
All those weird feelings fade away. Of course, he’s not going to ask me again the morning after we were both covered in a dead man’s blood. He’s not going to ask me until this is over, because he still doesn’t get that I will go to hell and back with him, but I’ll have a lifetime to show him that I’m here to stay. I will show him every single day.
Chapter forty-five
Mia
The rest of the day goes by in a whirlwind of press and chaos. The interviews with the police, however, are uneventful, at least for us. And as Grayson expected, Blake and his team are wonderful. Our team is just as wonderful, including our attorney who I barely know. By the time we leave Blake’s office, Grayson has me moved back into the apartment, compliments of a big tip and a moving company. My father stops back by that evening to help us unpack. We’re standing in the kitchen, while Grayson takes a few calls in his office, both of us drinking coffee. He tells me about all the new business he has, a woman he might keep seeing, and I pack up some things for him that I don’t need now that I’m here.
“Mia,” he says, stepping in front of me and taking my hand to shove something in it. “Thank you. I’ll never put you in that position again.”
I look down and stare at a check for fifty thousand dollars. “The money I owe you.”
“You keep it and invest it in your business.” I press it back into his hand.
“No. I’m never putting you in that position again. I won’t let you make decisions for me.”
“And she won’t have to,” Grayson says, appearing at the bottom of the stairs that lead to his office. He crosses the room to join us, standing beside me, his arm at my waist. “Mia has all the money she could ever need and so do you. Keep the money and we’ll talk about how to expand your business.”
“No,” my father says, holding up his hands. “I never asked you for anything, Grayson. I’m not going to start now.”
“But I’m offering and I had planned to offer before Mia and I broke up. We’d talked about it but you’re prideful just like your daughter. We’ll tread cautiously, but I have money, Mac. Your daughter is the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. We’re going to support your business. I want to have Eric look at your books, if you’re okay with that. He’s got a magical mind. Let him help you with a five-year plan and I’ll invest the money.”
“No, I—”
“Dad,” I say, hugging him. “Let him help.” I pull back to look at him. “He really wants to and I didn’t ask. He did this himself. Just talk to Eric. Get excited about not struggling anymore.”
He looks at Grayson. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’re going to be kinder to my football team this year.”
“Damn Patriots,” my father grumbles.
Grayson and I laugh. “That is a little kinder than normal,” Grayson says, and the two of them head to the balcony with beers in hand to talk about those damn Patriots.
I finish unpacking because I’m home to stay.
The next morning, after much debate, Grayson and I decide that his offices don’t need the press we would bring to them but we can’t avoid their obsession with us. We agree to a press conference with law enforcement present that is held at Blake’s offices. And once again, Grayson shelters me. He takes the heat of the questions for a solid hour before he says enough. Eric takes over from there and we hurry to a car that drives us to the airport for our escape to the Hamptons with not one, but two of Blake’s men with us, just to be safe.
By the time we land in the Hamptons and we’re in Grayson’s Porsche that he’s left at the airport, we have the legal approval for us to take over my client’s case from Ri’s firm. I call my client who is relieved. Next up, is a call to Kevin, my ex-boss, who I’ve discussed with Grayson in depth. “Mia, how the hell are you?”