Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
LUNCHBOX
“Gracie,” Alphabet called, his aggrieved voice my first warning that she was even at the warehouse. Pivoting, I wanted to swear. It was bad enough that Doc’s lady was just out here wandering around to get some air. Now Grace was here?
“Grace,” I said as she charged right toward me. The air around her seemed to practically crackle with energy. Her brilliant blue eyes were narrowed as she closed the distance. Then before I could say anything else, she cracked her right palm against the left side of my face so hard, my eye watered.
The blow stunned me more than it hurt. With a wrathful glare, she darted around me and didn’t let me reel her back in and made a beeline for Doc’s dancer.
“Son of a bitch,” I muttered, then cut a look at Alphabet. “Thanks for the warning.”
His bland expression was less than helpful. “Told you not to ditch out on her this morning.”
Really? An I told you so?
“Grace Black,” she said as she introduced herself to the dancer and I didn’t groan, I really didn’t. “I know you,” she continued. “You’re Emersyn Sharpe.”
“Goddammit, Gracie,” Alphabet said, though his crooked grin held a lot more amusement than irritation.
“You’re a dick,” I informed him under my breath.
“A dick she isn’t pissed at.” Alphabet clapped me on the shoulder. “How sad for you.”
“Ignore them,” Gracie said with determination. “I intend to.”
To her credit, Doc’s dancer seemed to study her for a moment before she shook her hand. They weren’t even five full feet away so it was hard to miss any nuance.
“Nice to meet you.” Emersyn shot me a wary look before she released Grace’s hand and resumed the “walk” she’d come out here to have.
Grace fell right into step with her, because of course she did.
“Sorry to stage a raid on your—what exactly are we doing?” The openness in her question, and the genuine warmth was like an itch on the inside of my brain.
The shift in positions also gave me a fantastic view of her ass which was beautifully shaped by the jeans she was wearing.
Jeans and—why was she in heels? They weren’t particularly tall heels, but still.
“Walking,” Emersyn told her. “And I don’t mind. I already had company.” Well, company was better than labeling me the watchdog that I was. “I’m sorry if we met before or if I should know you. You look familiar, but…”
“Why did you bring her?” I shot Alphabet a look, every single nerve on alert now that she was also present.
Because it meant if a threat showed up, we had to protect both of them.
If it came down to Doc’s lady or ours—no, we didn’t let it come down to that.
It was the other reason we kept her from being here.
“We discussed this.” No way Bones signed off on this little jaunt.
“We haven’t really met,” Grace answer, her voice drifting back to tease me.
The long braid she’d pulled her hair into highlighted her delicate cheekbones and just made her look even more fragile if that was possible.
“Well, we met briefly when we got here, but that was before the funeral, and it’s been a little busy. ”
A very brief meeting while we made a united front for Doc and kept his—and by extension the Vandals and his girl—covered.
“I recognized you because I’ve been to one of your shows.” The wistful note in Gracie’s voice intensified the itch in my brain. “And I probably look familiar because I did the campaign for Enchanté last year.”
“You’re a model,” Emersyn said unhurriedly. “I never knew your name—sorry.”
Rubbing a hand over my face, I dug my phone out of my pocket, but caught Alphabet typing on his. When I raised my brows in silent inquiry, was he pinging Doc? Alphabet nodded. If Doc could secure his girl, we could take care of ours.
“It’s fine. It’s the face that sold.” Gracie just shrugged. I never forgot her face, but I had learned her name. “I guess you’re not performing anymore?”
“Taking a break.” The girls weren’t really sharing much and that still seemed like too much for either of them at the moment. “I’m guessing you’re not modeling?”
“No, at least not right now. I might go home—eventually.”
Might go home? I didn’t miss the frown on Alphabet’s face. That was news to him.
“Nonetheless, I want to find my sister, and these brutes are certain someone is looking for me.” Despite her use of “brutes,” there was still affection in her voice that made me sigh. She wasn’t pushing us to wrap this up.
There was also no denying that she was in a holding pattern.
“I’m sorry,” Doc’s dancer said. “Where is your sister?”
"I think she was taken by the same type of people who took—”
“Little Bit,” Doc said, the interruption stopping both women. The dancer spun and she locked her stare on Alphabet briefly before looking to where Doc approached. “Can we talk?”
“You okay if I step away?” Emersyn asked. It really wasn’t an unfair question considering the icy lasers Grace fired our way.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “It was nice to meet you again. Maybe next time, some people can mind their own business and let us walk.”
“You are our business, sweet cheeks,” I told her, a little over the attitude. I got it. She was pissed. I could take the lumps, after we made sure it was safe. “And so is the little dancer. Now stop proving how difficult you can be, and let these two go talk.”
Far from chastised, Grace rolled her eyes but it was hard for her to hide the hint of a smile on her lips. She might be pissed at us, but it was more about the moment.
I could work with that.
As for Doc’s girl, she just snorted. “I’d like that—being a little dancer and all—I need my little walks.”
Alphabet huffed a laugh even as Gracie grinned. Right. Those two didn’t need to become friends. We had enough trouble keeping Gracie’s sassy mouth out of trouble. Doc lifted his chin as he guided the dancer back inside the security of their residence and Grace folded her arms as she faced us.
“I’m not apologizing,” she informed me after Doc and Emersyn were secure and I could focus on her.
“Fine.” I shrugged. I’d taken worse hits. “You being here is bad for me.”
She frowned. “AB mostly explained that.” It wasn’t an apology so much as an acknowledgment. “But you should have still told me rather than sneak out.”
“Accepted.” I nodded once. “Tactical error. Won’t make the same one again. Doesn’t mean I’ll ever apologize for wanting you to be safe.”
“Fine,” she said, the soft bow of her mouth pursing into the hint of a smile as she mimicked my earlier tone.
“Excellent,” Alphabet said as he slung an arm around Grace’s shoulders. “You’ve seen him and lodged your complaint. Time to go, Gracie.”
She tilted her head back to look up at him, but he wasn’t playing. In fact, he was deadly serious. As much as I wished he hadn’t dragged her right into the middle of this, I got it.
“Okay,” she answered in a low tone before she glanced at me. “Do you need anything? Before we go? Food? Drinks?”
“Back massage?” It was a tease and I had to remind myself to keep my head on a swivel rather than just stare at her like I wanted.
“Hmm, you’ll have to earn that reward.” The invitation to play was right there in her voice.
“Yeah, I made her coffee and got a kiss.” Alphabet grinned. “You’re lagging behind.”
I just flashed him a middle finger without taking my gaze off Grace. “I just need you to be safe and secure so I can keep my mind on this job. I’ll talk to you when I’m back and I promise, if you’re asleep when I plan to leave again, I’ll wake you up.”
It was a concession and based on the very real relief sliding through her eyes, I wanted to kick myself.
“Alphabet?” I asked in quiet undertone.
“I got it. Take five,” he gave Grace a squeeze then pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “You be nice. He’s taken his punishment like a good boy.”
Her snort in no way detracted from her smile. Even as Alphabet took the perimeter, I narrowed the distance to Grace further and cupped her face in my hands.
“I’m sorry if I worried you,” I said. “While I’ll never apologize for putting your safety first, I shouldn’t have hurt you to do that.”
She covered my hands on her face and let out a shaky breath. “I know I’m not easy.”
“Don’t see any of us asking for easy, do you?”
“No.” Her tremulous smile wavered. “I just need to do something and to feel useful.”
The itch in my brain started up again. “Or you feel guilty because you’re basically sitting still.”
“And Amorette seems to get farther and farther away.” She licked her lips. “I’m not saying we need to drop helping Doc or these people and leave. You have been helping me look for and protect my family. I meant what I told AB, I want to help you with yours.”
“But you’re not doing anything.” Yeah, fuck, I could see that.
Looping an arm around her waist, I picked her up so we could be face to face.
That and I loved the feel of her pressed right up against me.
“I get it, Gracie. Waiting is the hardest damn thing any of us does. You may think you’re doing nothing, but you’re not.
You’re staying secure so we can focus on protecting them and digging up the assholes who killed his sister and are threatening his girl. ”
“And you guys don’t want me around…” She waved at the warehouse.
“Yes, but none of us want to have to choose who we protect, you or them.” Because I loved Doc like a brother and I would do anything, but I wasn’t losing Grace to do it.
“Don’t come at me with your passion-fueled logic.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. “I am sorry I slapped you so hard.”
“No, you’re not.” I teased her and her soft laugh told me I was right.
Then I nuzzled a kiss to her jaw. “Now, do me a favor and get the hell out of here. Go work on research with Alphabet or we’ll find another task for you.
As hard as staying still and doing nothing is, Gracie, you are helping us. I promise.”
She stroked her fingers over my scalp, the caress light but it still sent electricity through my my system. “I do want to help—I want this to work. Whatever this is.”
Yeah, so did I. “You know we want you.”
“AB said I was one of yours too.” A small smile. “Still not one hundred percent sure how it will all work out. There are four of you and then there is me and—”
“We’ll make it work,” I promised her. Another kiss and then I made myself put her down. “Be good for Alphabet, okay?”
“No promises.” She wrinkled that adorable nose of hers. “Sweet Cheeks?” At the doubtful tone, I laughed for real.
“You were trying to get under my skin.”
“And it worked.” She practically dared me to deny it.
“Hence the sweet cheeks.” When I raised my eyebrows, her grin just grew almost impossibly wider.
“I know, I’ll go and be good.”
She took three steps and I caught her arm to tug her back to me. “Grace…” Wrapping an arm around her shoulders to pin her back to my chest, I dipped my head to murmur. “Do you still love me?”
“Yes.” No hesitation. Not even an element of teasing to make me work for it. “Yes, I love you, Legend. I love all of you.”
Honestly, every fucking time she said it, it took me out at the knees. The ease, the way the words flowed off her tongue, but more the depth and the meaning.
“That’s how we make this work,” I said more determined than ever. “Trust me?”
“You drive a hard bargain.” But she rubbed her sexy little bottom right against my crotch as if to emphasize the words.
“You really are asking for it,” I growled and she laughed.
“Time for me to go now.” She pressed a kiss to my jaw before she pulled away. “Off to be a good girl with AB.” The jaunty little salute just made me shake my head.
Brat.
She was a brat and I didn’t want her any other way. She was also—happier. Color flushed her cheeks, and I made a mental promise to not ditch the conversations next time. Grace had all the words for us. She was putting herself out there and I needed to do the same thing.
Alphabet lifted his chin as Grace reached him and I nodded. “Look after her,” I mouthed the words and he nodded. No arguments there.
I made my way across the warehouse as they left via the side door. I needed to return to my circuit, but I also wanted to make sure they got off safely. Once they had, I returned to the quiet of the warehouse and resumed my vigilance.
Grace deserved a hell of a lot more than we were doing right now. Once we got all this done, once we wrapped this for Doc, found her sister, and dealt with the traffickers. I would prove to her how we could make this work.