Falling with Grace

29. Grace

29

Grace

H is fingers traced my belly, and I giggled when he brushed over my last rib, causing my entire body to spasm.

"You're ticklish?"

"Yes, but be careful. My ribs are still sore."

" Hmm ." He dipped down and laid his kisses across my sides, inducing a giggle I hadn't exuded in years.

"That's a good sound." He peppered kisses over my belly, then trailed up my chest, between my breasts, until he touched my lips with the faintest of touches.

My finger curled around the longer strands of hair on his head as I stared into his dark brown eyes.

"Did you know tickling induces the same response as torture?" I laughed as I studied his raised brow.

"Is that right?"

I nodded with a mischievous grin.

"Think of all the shirts I could have saved with that knowledge?" He rolled onto his back, and I followed him, tucking into his side. My finger traced over the faded reaper tattoo on his chest.

"What does this mean?"

"Brotherhood."

"Hmm…Like best friend bracelets?"

He chuckled. "Something like that."

"Who has the matching tattoo?"

He snagged my hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissed my knuckles, and then dropped it back to his chest, his hand covering mine. "An old friend I grew up with."

"Sounds like a story. "

"Maybe one for another time." Elias glanced toward the clock on the nightstand and sighed. "We need to get up."

"But it's barely morning." I snuggled in closer to him.

Don't let the moment end.

I need to stay here…in this space with him.

"I would have been up already if it weren't for you."

My hand slid down his taut abdomen and dipped below the sheet, the gash on his side scabbed over. "I can fix that for you."

"Another time." He gripped my wrist as my hand wrapped around his stiffening cock with a baritone growl. "Trust me." He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and tossed the sheet as he rolled out of bed.

"I could stay here forever." I stretched my arms out and moaned.

"I'm sure you could." He bent over and pulled on his briefs, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "But some of us have worlds to conquer."

"Sounds entirely too important for such an early hour." I dragged the sheet above my chest, covering my naked breasts, and then tucked my palm under my cheek.

Elias snagged his weapon off the dresser he'd somehow put down without me noticing, and dressed in the clothes strewn about the floor.

A heavy weight settled over my soul as he buttoned his pants and pulled his shirt on.

"Get up and take a shower." He walked over to my side of the bed and placed his hand on my rounded hip. "We're going out today."

My cheek pulled from my teeth. "We?" I raised a brow and pointed to my chest. "As in me and you?" My finger bounced between us.

"Yes." His hand moved over my ass, squeezing the sore flesh. "I'm taking you to lunch."

"You want to be seen with me in public?" I gave him a side eye, my heart thumping hard. "Don't you think that's too soon, considering what happened last night?"

He dipped his gaze down my body, then swiped a hair from my cheek with an exhale. "I have no reason not to be seen with you, do you?"

I sat up, keeping the sheet to my chest. "No, but won't people talk? You're kinda like a celebrity among the people in the city."

"A celebrity?" He snickered. "I haven't heard that before."

"Oh, please." I snorted. "It's true. People know who you are, Elias." I inhaled a deep breath, my hand running down his wrinkled shirt. "You don't want them gossiping about it. What if it gets back to Nadia? She'll have even more reason to hate me than she already does."

His brows furrowed as his jaw clenched. "Let me worry about my sparkling reputation and Nadia. You…" He stood with the sheet in his hand and ripped it from my clutches, tossing it to the floor. "Take a shower and get ready."

I tucked my hands over my chest, despite him touching every inch of me last night and the time before, as he marched into my closet, flicking on the light.

"What are you doing?"

"I want you to wear this." He emerged with an outfit on a hanger, then laid it on the bed before me. "This color looks good on you."

Heat bloomed in my cheeks as I examined the ivy green midi dress, its soft cotton fabric adorned with delicate white and gray flowers cascading down the length. A matching strap wrapped around the front, knotted with a subtle charm.

He disappeared into the closet again as I fingered the material and reappeared with more items in his hand.

I rolled my lips, my belly flipping. "I didn't take you as a personal dresser."

"I like what I like." He shrugged.

He laid the soft, light gray cotton cardigan over the dress, plopped a pair of black flats on top, and coupled it with a necklace too expensive for anyone like me to wear.

"Wow."

"We leave in four hours, so you have time." He took two steps toward me, bent over, and kissed the top of my head. "Make sure you're ready. I hate waiting."

I nodded, nipping at my inner cheek, a slight metallic zing hitting my tongue. "Okay."

"It'll be okay." He opened the door. "Just follow my instructions."

Elias gave me a clipped smile, then closed the door behind him.

Follow his instructions?

Where are we going?

Why is he taking me out?

I glanced at the outfit he laid out before me.

Thank God it's not a black-tie event.

I slipped off the mattress and placed the top of the dress at my neck, letting it hang down to my knees, my arm pressing it to my body.

This is for a woman of a higher class …

Sighing, I put the dress back on the bed right where he'd left it, grabbed my robe tossed over the hook on the closet door, and stepped out into the hall.

I paused, my bare feet chilling against the marble.

Where are the guards?

My eyes scanned the hall as I moved toward the banister and looked down into the foyer.

They're gone.

My shoulders sagged, and a lightness left my chest.

He removed the guards.

A smile bled over my face, and I sucked in my bottom lip, stopping it from spreading any further as I disappeared into the bathroom.

My stomach fluttered, my heart a gentle thud in my chest.

I stared at myself in the mirror, analyzing every healed knick, bruise, and scrape.

My testimony of escape no longer spread across my face. I was a normal girl going into town with a not-so-normal man.

But, the last time I'd been outside of these walls…

My pulse thundered in my ears.

Jorge's face flashed in my eyes as he collapsed to the ground—Sarah's blank stare, death in the church.

I clutched my aching chest as I leaned against the counter, gulping in breaths.

It isn't safe out there.

How can he protect me?

What if he can't?

My vision narrowed as my chaotic breaths caused my head to spin. I sunk down.

I'm okay.

I'm safe here.

"You're being ridiculous, Grace. You've been through worse."

Elias will keep me safe.

I balanced on my toes, and my knees bent as I clung to the edge of the bathroom counter, the pain in my chest subsiding. "I can do this." I stood.

Inhale.

One, two, three.

My lungs expanded tight against my chest, filling to the brim.

Exhale .

One, two, three.

The pressure backed off, and I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my lips pursed.

I swiped at the stray tear with the back of my knuckle, and my gaze stuck on the girl in the mirror. "I'm fine."

Clearing my throat, I nodded, accepting my weak affirmations, then stepped into the shower and scrubbed and shaved every part of my body until I was squeaky clean and smooth, the panic evaporating with the scalding water.

I cinched the towel around my chest and another in my hair, then walked out into the hallway and into my bedroom.

The dress flowed around my hips with a loose embrace, and the shoes fit—as did everything else in the closet. The diamond necklace hung heavy around my neck, and the soft cardigan warmed my chilled skin as I walked back into the bathroom.

I styled my hair the best I could without a blow dryer or curling iron, then walked into the silent downstairs with my guts twisting in knots.

Where is everyone?

Catalina and Mariana hauled handfuls of linens towards the closet at the far end of the hall as I turned into the kitchen and snagged a banana in the basket, then set out for the conservatory.

Rosa's fingers trembled around the small puzzle piece as her gaze swept the surface of the table, searching for its rightful place.

"You started without me." I pulled the chair out from the table, sat, and peeled my banana.

"I was in the mood."

Rosa kept her gaze cast toward the table, her head sweeping side to side like those lifeguards at my city rec center. Their heads moving in a grid pattern, searching for drowned individuals.

"Can I help you?" I leaned in, tipping my head so I could see her face.

"Always, mi hija ." She continued her search, her voice monotone as she glossed over the space it belonged.

"Can I tell you where it goes?"

"Better let me find it myself."

I smiled. "Fair enough." I picked up my puzzle piece and searched the center for a blue space in the middle of the sky. "It's not as easy as it looks." My knuckles rubbed my eyes as I continued my useless search .

"You get the hang of it after a while."

Rosa dragged her concentration away from the puzzle after fifteen minutes of me sitting with her and glanced at my dress, her eyes shifting from my knees to my covered shoulders. "You look beautiful today. What's the occasion?"

A pang shot through my chest.

She didn't mean it that way.

She's always been kind.

"Elias is taking me out."

Her hand dropped to the table as she sat back in her seat, her brows raised. "He's doing what?"

I sunk in on myself, cowering away from the little lady who'd become the sweetest person in my life.

My hand caressed the rosary in my pocket and nibbled on my inner cheek. "He told me he was taking me into the city today."

"That boy." She pushed her seat back from the table with a screech as she mumbled under her breath.

"I-is there something wrong, Rosa?"

"Rosa?" I jumped from my chair and stood in front of her, blocking her exit. "Should I not leave?"

Did I say something wrong?

Rosa placed her hand on my arm, patted it with a smile, then shuffled around me. "Wait here."

What the hell was that?

Did she know something I didn't?

My heart spasmed as I sat in my chair, crossed my legs, and smoothed over my dress.

Where were the guards?

Javier?

Elias?

The air around me thickened. Sweat lined the creases of my palms, my spine sat ramrod straight as I waited…and waited, my hands wringing in my lap.

Movement shifted in my periphery, and Elias turned around the corner with his mother at his side, his white button-up shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow. I followed his buttons to his waist with a black belt and further down to his cream dress pants and black shoes.

Each article of clothing took my breath away as it hugged the curved muscle on his thighs, chest, and biceps.

Rosa narrowed her eyes at me as she sat, my gawking vaporizing.

"I knew it would make your eyes shine." Elias stood beside his mother with his hand in his pocket, staring down at me.

Heat prickled along my neck, leading up to my cheeks as I tucked my chin into my chest. "Thank you." I swallowed and braved a glance at him. "Is everything okay?"

He scrunched his chin and tipped his head to the side. "Are you ready to go?"

"Already? I thought we had another hour?"

Rosa focused on her puzzle with a smile as though she hadn't said something to Elias.

"Change of plans."

What the hell happened here?

Rosa placed her puzzle piece down, spun it upside down, then slipped it into place. "Enjoy your time."

This woman gives me whiplash.

" Adios , Rosa."

Elias walked me out of the conservatory and through the front door, my heart rate tumbled into overdrive.

"What did your mother say to you?" We moved towards a sleek black Mercedes, which sat low to the ground.

His convoy at the ready behind him, four G-wagons, loaded with men, no doubt armed to the teeth.

"She's just concerned. No need to worry."

"I'm not worried."

I'm freaking out.

"Good." He gave me a warm smile.

I walked around the front of his car as he opened the passenger door for me and sunk inside, my dress sliding against the fine leather. "But is it dangerous to leave?"

"Then I'd never leave my home."

He closed the door, rounded the front of the car, and dropped into the driver's seat.

"I didn't know you drove."

Elias chuckled. "I do on rare occasions."

"So, is this a rare occasion? What is so special about today?"

He put the car in drive, and I snagged my seatbelt, locking it into place.

"I didn't say it was."

My stomach fell.

It's special to me.

My first time out in weeks…and with Elias by my side.

"That's not how that was supposed to sound." His hand gripped mine and squeezed as we zoomed down the roads. "It's just lunch, and I wanted to drive."

I winced.

"I'm messing this up."

"You don't have to explain." I laid my hand over his. "I'm nervous. I haven't been around anyone for weeks now, and I didn't have such a great experience the last time."

"Don't be nervous. You'll be fine." His hand slipped over my thigh, his silver watch shining in the sun. I gripped it with two fingers, tipped it up and down, and studied the watch face.

"This looks expensive."

"It is."

I removed my hand as though I'd tainted it.

"Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"No." I shook my head. "Why should I be uncomfortable with your success?"

"Some people are."

"I'm not some people. There are more important things to find offense over in this world."

"You're a rare breed."

"Thank you…" I snorted. "I think."

"It was a compliment."

I gave a wry smile. "When you lose everything, you find it petty to be upset over the small things."

Elias veered into a turn-off beside a colossal building adorned with glass walls. Potted green foliage embellished the entrance and adorned the walls. A see-through veranda, entwined with vines, covered the entrance, creating a canopy of forestry that blocked the sun, reminiscent of strolling into the Brazilian rainforest without the hair-frizzing humidity.

"This place looks expensive."

"Grace, just enjoy yourself."

My stomach swirled with an inevitable doom as he put the vehicle in park and stepped out. A valet opened my door.

"I don't know how to act in places like these."

"Act? As in eat?" He rounded the vehicle and walked me inside, his hand on my lower back.

The ambiance inside matched the opulence outside, leaving my nerves on edge. "These places usually have dress codes." I leaned in closer to ensure the hostess couldn't understand, even if I spoke English with him. "And, like, five forks. Right?"

"Relax." He snorted. "It's just us."

White cloth chairs were tucked beneath thick, stained wooden tables. The bright lights and swirling steel ceiling set a slight blue hue against the windows.

"Why isn't anyone here?"

"They aren't open yet."

"So that's why you aren't so concerned about the danger?"

The hostess guided us towards our table nestled at the far back, a quiet sanctuary from the windows.

He leaned in, his breath on my ear, his large hand warm on my hip. "I always worry about the danger." Elias pulled out my chair, and I took my seat before he pushed me in.

Javier walked through a door on the far wall, his gaze scanning the vacant space.

Gone was the carefree man who lounged around the house, talking business on the phone by the poolside or eating dinner with the family.

Today, he was a man with a serious job—keeping his boss alive—and it showed.

Javier wore a stern face as he pointed to three men standing across the room and then to three new locations, their feet moving as directed.

"Hey…" Elias took my hand.

When did he sit?

"They know what they're doing."

"Sorry." His thumb caressed the top of my hand before he pulled it away. "I've just never seen Javier so serious before."

He inhaled through his nose as he leaned back. "There's no room for error where he's concerned."

"I see that now."

A woman approached our table. Her black hair was slicked back and fashioned into a taut bun at the base of her skull, reminiscent of the hostess at the entrance. She carried a substantial cast iron tray with handles on each side and positioned it in the center of the table while another attendant filled our glasses with a rich red wine.

"Holy crap." My eyes widened as the full tomahawk steak came into view, the rib bone trailing off the sizzling slab.

"Have you ever had one before?"

"Can't say that I have." I shook my head.

He used his fork and knife to cut off a small slice. "Open."

My hand slipped over his, holding the fork as he slipped the cut of beef into my mouth.

Warm, spicy juices exploded over my tongue, the meat succulent and tender. I groaned as I chewed, tucking my hand over my mouth for propriety's sake. "Wow."

"It's good, right?"

"I don't think I'll be able to eat another steak again without drooling over this." I swallowed the meat and died for another bite. "I can't eat all of this."

Elias raised a brow. "This is meant to be shared." He leaned in. "Do you know someone who could eat all of this on their own?"

"I thought maybe you could." A lopsided smile tugged on my lips.

"Not without exploding." He cut off another slice and fed it to me, the rush of endorphins hitting my belly, swirling with desire for more than just the meat he presented. He sliced another. This time, he bit it off his fork, then swirled his wine and sipped.

"I think you'll be finishing most of this, anyway. My stomach isn't big enough for all of this."

"It doesn't need to be finished."

I stared at his wine glass, leaving mine untouched, a smidgen of sadness ruining the moment.

"My mother used to grow grapes in our backyard." I inhaled, my shoulders rising. "I'd eat so many of them in one sitting I'd get a bellyache. But it was worth it." I gave a gentle laugh.

"She made wine?"

"No." A numbness settled in my chest. "She'd make grape juice or just eat them. My mom was a box wine sort of girl."

Elias scrunched his nose as he sipped his glass.

I blinked back the emotions dampening the moment, shook it from my mind, and straightened my spine with a smile. "Anyway. That just reminded me of it."

We ate the steak one bite at a time, my wine glass untouched until nothing but the bone remained.

A waitress cleared the tray from the center. She replaced it with a decadent four-layer chocolate-on-chocolate cake adorned with nuts scattered throughout, culminating in a blackberry garnish.

"Wow. That is the most gorgeous cake I've ever seen."

"They're renowned for their steaks and cakes." He dipped his fork in and took a bite.

His jaw muscles expanded and contracted as he chewed, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

"Are you going to eat some?"

"Sorry." I shook my thoughts from my head. "I was enjoying the view."

He gave a muted chuckle, dipped his fork in the luscious cake, and took another bite.

"You'll feed me steak but not cake?" I stuck out my lower lip.

"Your doe-eyes won't help you this time." He put another bite in his mouth. "This is too delicious not to be greedy."

I rolled my lips and bit down at the coy smile forming on my face. I picked up my fork and took the smallest bite.

Sugar, rich dark chocolate burst across my tongue. Acidic fruit cut the sweetness with a delectable knife. "Oh, my God. This is better than anything I've ever had in my life."

He raised a brow. "Is that so?"

I swallowed with a nod and reached for another. "My mother never cooked, not like yours." I sunk my fork into the soft cake and ate it. "We lived on take-out or easy meals like mac and cheese or casseroles."

“Yeah, but she made grape juice…”

I laughed.

"Tell me about your parents."

My stomach flipped, and the cake turned to ash in my mouth.

Why was it easier to mention them in passing but not when he's digging for information?

Javier stepped forward, and Elias waved him away with his two fingers.

"Um…" I sucked my upper lip between my teeth and pulled it free, then switched to my inner cheek as I sat back in my seat, crossing my arms across my belly. "They were great parents. They didn't deserve a pain in the ass of a daughter like me, but they did the best they knew how."

"I don't know a single teenager who wasn't difficult at some point. "

"You know many teens?"

Elias sighed and nodded to Javier. "Let's go."

"Oh. Um …okay."

He stood, and I followed him with my eyes as he reached out for me with his hand.

I slid my chair back, draped my small hand in his large one, and glanced around. "Where are we going?"

Did something happen?

"Mamá needs some things from the market."

I frowned. "But…won't that be busy?" He led me out of the restaurant, leaving the leftovers on the table, the delicate cake on the surface, crying out to be eaten. "What about my cake?"

Elias chuckled. "They'll pack it up for you."

He opened my door and helped me inside the car, then rushed to the opposite side and took his seat behind the steering wheel.

"You didn't answer me. Won't it be too dangerous going there?"

"You're so concerned with danger."

I hid my frown. "Look what I've been through."

He lowered his head with a subtle nod. "Do you think I'd take you somewhere that would endanger you?"

My hands fiddled with the rosary in my pocket. "No."

Yes.

I don't know.

How could I put all my faith in him when, a few weeks ago, he threatened to torture me, share me with his men, and drown me if he didn't get his answers?

Yes, things had morphed into something more complicated than I could have ever predicted, but that didn't mean we had a strong branch of trust. It was more like a delicate threat strung through space and time.

The more he treated me as though I weren't an asset, the thicker the thread grew.

And that scared the shit out of me.