Chapter 20 Grace #2
Everyone stills at my comment, they all have such worried looks on their faces, and here I am telling them everything is fine. Last time they found me I was a mess.
“How did you get free?” Sophie questions me.
“They let me go.”
“What do you mean, they just let you go?” Brooks asks.
“They put me on a plane, and now here I am.” I don’t mean to give them attitude, but they aren’t going to understand what I’ve been through.
“That’s kind of weird, don’t you think?” Sophie asks.
I shrug. Maybe in time I’ll tell them what happened or maybe I won’t. If Maxim does come back for me and they know he’s the one that kidnapped me, they won’t let me have anything to do with him and would probably have me committed.
“Who cares how she got here, Grace is home!” Zoe yells, and
everyone cheers as I’m pulled into the house. Zoe takes my hand and brings me into the living room, everyone is fawning over me, making me claustrophobic and giving me a headache. I’m used to the quiet and solitary noise of Maxim’s villa.
“What happened to you? You called us weeks ago, then you weren’t there. We came for you, Grace,” Sophie says.
“I knew you would, but they found me again and took me back home.” I don’t want my family to think that I’m not grateful for them trying to rescue me.
“Home?” Sophie states, noticing my slip-up. She knows there’s more to the story than I’m letting on, it’s the damn journalist in her.
“I’m confused, today has been crazy. I can’t believe I’m home,” I say, trying to switch the subject.
“Are you okay?” Zoe asks.
I nod, reassuring her. “It wasn’t like last time. They looked after me.”
“They?” Sophie questions.
“They protected me from Dmitri. The people that took me were not on his side,” I try to explain to them.
“Oh, thank god, you weren’t held captive by that monster,” Mum says, clutching her chest.
“Who took you then?” Sophie pokes.
I can see she is trying to join the dots, but it’s not making sense.
“You can interrogate Grace in the morning, Soph. All we should be caring about tonight is that Gracie is home and safe and looks well,” Zoe states, wrapping her arm around my shoulders and pulling me tightly into her side. As if protecting me from Sophie’s questions.
“You’re right. We have so much to celebrate. It’s such a relief to have you home again, Grace. You had us all so worried,” Sophie states.
“I’m so happy to be home too,” I say, putting on my biggest smile and hoping they all buy it.
The celebration of my surprise arrival continues into the night, but I’ve had enough.
“Do you mind if I go to bed, guys? It’s been a lot,” I tell the room.
Everyone tells me to go to bed. They all give me another hug and a squeeze while more bottles of champagne are popped in my honor.
“Come, let me take you to your room,” Zoe says, linking our arms together as she walks me down one of the corridors toward my old room. “We left everything the same, minus the drugs we found.”
I still. I haven’t thought about my old life in such a long time, especially when it comes to my drug use. Will I slip back into my old ways now that I’m back or am I stronger than before?
“This may sound strange, but you look better now than before all this happened. Did you get kidnapped by a day spa?” Zoe jokes.
“I’m clean now. Have been for months and honestly, I feel so good,” I confess.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were struggling so much that you relied on drugs? I would have been there for you,” Zoe tells me.
“You were dealing with your own issues, babe. You couldn’t look after me too.”
Zoe frowns at my comments before stopping outside my bedroom. “You know you can talk to me about anything. You know I would understand more than most.”
“I will, I promise, just not tonight,” I tell her.
Zoe nods and pushes open the bedroom door, and it feels like a stranger’s room as I stare at the bed, then the desk, and all the things I had left behind and none of it makes sense.
“How are the nightmares?”
“Mostly gone.”
“You want me to stay here with you?”
I shake my head. “No, I’ll be fine,” I tell her.
Zoe reaches out and pulls me into a hug. “You seem stronger, happier, lighter. I don’t know what happened wherever you were, but right now all I can see is how well you’re doing. Like I got the old Grace back.” That’s high praise from the strongest woman I know.
“I feel different but in a good way,” I confess to her.
“Enrique will be over in the morning to ask you questions. Rest up and think about what you want to tell him,” Zoe explains.
“What do you mean?”
“You look like you’ve been at a day spa or rehab for the past couple of months. People are going to have questions. Just think about what and who you want to share that information with.”
Damn her, she knows me so well.
“I’ll never judge you, Grace. Whatever the reason is. I love you. You’re my sister, and I’m glad you are home safe.”
I give Zoe one last hug before closing the door behind me.
I suck in a deep breath and let it out. Collapsing on the bed, I stare up at the white ceiling, wondering if Maxim is doing the same thing.
My hand slides into my pocket and pulls out the remaining wad of Euros Sergei gave me.
That’s when I find a number written down on a scrap piece of paper.
I stare at it for way too long before jumping up and urgently searching for my phone.
I search my entire room and remember that I had my phone with me the night I was kidnapped, and it was smashed.
Fuck.
This must be Maxim’s phone number that Sergei slipped to me.
Tomorrow morning, I’m going to ask Zoe to grab me a new phone.
I’ll have to be careful especially around Sophie because they will wonder why I’m so desperate for a phone.
I’ll have to come up with a good excuse in the morning.
I get changed into my old pajamas and slide the phone number into the drawer of my bedside table where I know it will be safe and fall asleep with a smile on my face.