11. CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 11
SCARLETT
I love my family, but sometimes they can be exhausting.
It’s not that I don’t understand their concern. If I got a call in the middle of the night telling me one of them was hurt—attacked by an intruder in their house, no less—I’d be worried too.
But to my already overprotective dad and brothers, this took it to an entirely new level. Ryder must have broken every law in the book to get here, considering they got here in under two hours when it usually takes well over two and a half to drive from Saratoga Springs to Sleepy Hollow. Heath looked distinctly pale when he got here, and even my usually unflappable dad seemed a bit shell-shocked.
“Even if I got pulled over, no one would ticket me,” Ryder explained with a wry smile. “Not once they realized I work for the sheriff’s department.” Then he gently ruffled my hair. “Nothing was going to stop us from getting here as fast as possible.”
When they first got to the hospital, I was just dozing off after a nurse had been in to check on me. Like he’d been since I was admitted, Grant was sitting next to me, holding my hand. Maya had just left to check on Clara, promising to come back first thing in the morning with my favorite blueberry muffins from Sleepy Delights.
Before she left, she quizzed Grant, “Do you need one of the guys to come relieve you? Leo and Zane are in town. You know they’d be happy to keep an eye on Scarlett.”
Grant set his jaw and scooted his chair even closer to the bed. “Thanks. But I’m staying. For as long as Scarlett wants me to.”
I wasn’t going to argue about that, even though I knew Grant had to be exhausted. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see that masked man looming over me, feel his hands on me, remember the absolute terror when I thought he might actually kill me. But then Grant would stroke my hand, or my hair, or my uninjured cheek, and he’d say soothing things like you’re safe and I’m not going anywhere and everything is going to be okay .
And then my family came rushing in—the same trio of tall, intimidating men that never failed to scare off any boy that was interested in me back in high school.
Not so much this time. As my dad and brothers huddled around my bed, asking how I felt, I didn’t miss how they kept taking turns shooting threatening glares at Grant. But Grant wasn’t cowed in the least. He stood just off to the side, but never offered to leave.
And when my dad turned to Grant and pointedly suggested that he head to the cafeteria to give us some privacy, Grant held firm. He just shook my dad’s hand and said, “I promised Scarlett I’d stay with her. My priority is making sure she feels safe. So I’m not leaving unless Scarlett asks me to. ”
That broke the tension a bit. Then they all introduced themselves and once my dad learned Grant wasn’t just a former SEAL, but also a volunteer firefighter and paramedic, there were no mentions of Grant leaving again.
Once Ryder heard exactly what happened at my house—this was told in low tones in the corner of the room while they thought I was sleeping—my taciturn brother actually got emotional. In a thick voice, he told Grant, “I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t been there… I know Scar thinks we’re overbearing. But she’s my little sister. And I’m damn glad you were there to protect her.”
So I guess for a first introduction to my family, Grant passed with flying colors. It’s just too bad I had to get attacked and end up in the hospital to do it.
But now that the initial shock of seeing me has worn off—after my first glance in the bathroom mirror, I vowed not to look again—my dad and brothers have shifted into their default mode, which is wrap Scarlett in bubble wrap and protect her from everything .
My dad keeps quizzing every nurse or doctor who comes in here, asking them about their qualifications and how long they’ve worked in Sleepy Hollow and the worst was when he eyeballed my doctor and asked skeptically if he was still in medical school or if he was a real doctor.
Ryder hasn’t stopped texting all his contacts in the sheriff’s department, intermittently muttering, “I knew this place was too close to the city. This never would have happened upstate. ”
And as other visitors have started trickling in, Heath has appointed himself my unofficial bouncer. Poor Ian had to go through an interrogation in the hallway before I overheard them and made my brother let him in the room.
It’s nice that they care so much, but I think in their minds, I’m still thirteen instead of thirty-three. And no matter what I say to them, like reminding my dad I’m an actual trained nurse and I know the proper treatment for a concussion, I can tell he still doesn’t entirely believe me.
All through it, Grant’s been my constant. Quietly doing everything in his power to make me comfortable, like icing my swollen cheek at regular intervals and checking my shoulder to make sure it’s supported in the sling just right. Holding my hand, his rough thumb stroking gently across the back of it. Showing me photos of Jasper and Wilson; the last of which showed the two dogs sprawled across Dave’s legs while they all lounged on the couch.
Grant’s protective, too, but he’s quieter about it. His protectiveness isn’t overwhelming. It’s comforting.
Although. He wasn’t quiet about it when he came bursting into my room last night. He looked every bit the highly trained SEAL he was. Like Maya’s Cole, and all the guys at Blade and Arrow, Grant is incredibly gentle until someone he cares about is in danger. Then all bets are off. And I’m okay with that.
“Are you doing alright?” Grant leans closer to me, lowering his voice so only I can hear it. “How’s your head? Your shoulder? Do you need more pain medication? ”
I appreciate his subtlety. In the six hours my family has been here, Grant’s already picked up that any mention of me being in pain is akin to waving a red flag. If I tell my dad my head is still hurting, he’ll search the hospital until he can browbeat a neurologist into giving a second opinion.
But right now, it’s the perfect time to ask. Heath is texting with his wife, Wendy, Ryder is talking quietly to his boss, and thoughtful Maya is over by the window, distracting my dad with photos of Clara.
I meet Grant’s silvery eyes and my breath catches at the depth of affection in his gaze. “I’m okay.”
His brows draw together, and he lightly smooths a finger across my forehead. “Baby. I can tell you’re in pain. It’s okay to ask for more medication. The doctor said so.”
Sighing, I say, “I know. But Oliver is supposed to be here soon. And if I take more, it’ll make things all fuzzy. Once he leaves, I’ll take something then.”
An unhappy expression creases his features. “I just don’t like seeing you hurting.”
I cup his cheek, rubbing my thumb over his soft stubble. “It’s okay. It could be worse.”
Grant’s lips thin into a line. “You shouldn’t be in pain at all. And you need more rest. You’ve barely gotten any sleep.”
Regret stabs through me, and emotion makes my throat get tight. “We were—” My voice wobbles before I can stop it. “We were going to sleep together. And it all got ruined. ”
“Oh, baby.” Something dark flickers through his eyes for a second. Then his gaze softens. “I’m sorry. I wish I’d been there.”
“It’s not your fault.” I don’t want Grant feeling guilty about anything. “I just… I wanted to sleep next to you.”
“And we will. As soon as you’re out of here, and feeling up to it. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms all night.”
“Hold who?” Ryder jerks his head in my direction. Apparently, he’s off the phone and now paying closer attention to Grant and my conversation. His eyes narrow in suspicion. “What about all night?”
Eeep. While I’m a full-grown woman who has every right to sleep with her boyfriend, it doesn’t mean I want to talk to my brother about it. “Um.”
A soft rapping on the hospital room door saves me from having to answer. “Hey, guys.” It’s Oliver, dressed in his regular clothes instead of a uniform, and he casts a soft smile in my direction. “Scarlett. How are you feeling?”
Everyone in the room tenses. Not because of Oliver, exactly—I’ve known him for ages and so has my family, by extension—but because of what he represents. Oliver isn’t here for a friendly visit. He’s here with news about my attacker.
“I’m okay,” I tell him. I force a small smile. “Feeling better. The doctor says I should be able to leave this afternoon as long as everything still looks good.”
“Good.” Oliver shoves his hand through his dark hair and comes to the side of my bed. Gently, he adds, “I have some news. If you’re feeling up to it. ”
“You can talk to us, instead,” interjects Ryder. “I don’t want Scarlett upset and suffering a setback.”
“Agreed.” Heath exchanges a quick look with Ryder before turning back to Oliver. “Scarlett’s fragile right now.”
Frustration bubbles up, and my jaw clenches. Which doesn’t feel great when you have a concussion. But I force back the discomfort and glare at my brothers. “ Scarlett is right here. And since I’m the one who was attacked, I think I’d like to hear anything the police have discovered.”
Grant chuckles quietly.
Heath frowns, then says apologetically, “Sorry, lil’ sis. I just—”
“It’s fine. But—” I focus on Oliver, who’s now standing at the end of my bed. “I’d like to know. Even if it’s not great.”
Grant’s hand tightens slightly around mine.
“Okay.” Oliver nods sharply. “So. We have the guy in custody, obviously. At this point, he’s refusing to talk. We have to wait for him to meet with his court-appointed attorney before we can question him further.”
Ryder grits out under his breath, “I’d like to have half an hour in a room with him.”
Oliver’s lips twitch, but he keeps going, his dark blue eyes holding mine. “We checked out your house and discovered how he got inside. He used a glass cutter on the laundry room window, deactivated the window sensor, and came inside that way. ”
“Shit.” Grant tenses. His mouth pulls into a scowl. “And let me guess, the exterior cameras don’t catch that part of the house?”
“They do, actually.” Oliver sighs. “But it appears the rear camera was bypassed. We have our tech guys looking into it, but our initial thoughts are the intruder used a jammer to disrupt the Wi-Fi signal.” He glances at Maya and gives her a tiny chin lift. “Unofficially, Cole has Leo looking into it as well.”
“They can do that?” My dad sounds more than a little pissed off. “I thought those cameras were supposed to help keep us safe. Keep Scarlett safe.” He looks at me. “I thought you said you had a good system? And now this?”
“I do, Dad. Window sensors. Cameras out front and back. My Wi-Fi is password protected. Cole helped me set it up. Why would I ever think someone would—”
Maya looks miserable. “I knew I should have found you an apartment, Scarlett. Something with more security.”
“I’m not sure this is helping.” Grant’s expression is equally fierce, but his tone is calm. “The important part is finding out why this man broke in. And if Scarlett is safe now that he’s in jail.”
“Right.” Oliver nods. “That’s what we’re working on. And—” He takes a deep breath. “We want to find out if this is related to the previous robbery at the Cunningham estate. There was no reason to think so before, but given what happened last night… We have to consider it.”
“An accomplice?” Grant asks. “Someone who thinks Scarlett knows something? Or do you think—” His mouth snaps shut.
“What?” I tug Grant’s hand. “What were you going to say?”
Oliver answers my question instead. “We have to consider that you were the target all along. So we need to investigate the Cunninghams, look into your contacts, see if there’s anything that seems suspicious.”
“Oh.” My voice goes small. Cold tendrils of fear work their way down my back.
“It could be nothing,” Oliver soothes. “It’s more likely this is just a terrible coincidence. But we have to look into it.”
“Then you can’t go home,” Heath announces. His thick arms are crossed across his chest. “Not that you should anyway, not injured like you are. You need to stay someplace safe. Where people can take care of you.”
“It would be a good idea.” Oliver gives me an apologetic look. “Out of an abundance of caution. Just until we get some more information.”
“You can come home with me,” Ryder says definitively. “You’ll be safe up in Greenwich. And I can take some time off work—”
“No. Scarlett can stay with me.” My dad’s features are set. “I think it’s best if she’s away from this town for a while.”
“But if Scar stays with me, Wendy can help take care of her.” Heath whips his phone out, no doubt seconds from texting his wife to give her the news .
That smothering, panicky feeling is building inside me. My head throbs with each beat of my racing heart.
When I was younger, I used to give in. It was just easier than arguing with them. But I’m not that person anymore. Firming my voice, I say, “No. I don’t want to leave Sleepy Hollow.”
My brothers’ heads swivel towards me in unison. “What?”
“I don’t want to leave.” From my brothers to my dad, I meet each of their gazes. “Sleepy Hollow is my home. This is where my life is now. I want to stay here. I’ll figure out a way to make it work.”
Maya moves from the window to stand beside Grant. “You can stay at Blade and Arrow. You know you’ll be safe there. And everyone will be so thrilled to help.”
As much as I love Maya, the idea of living with so many other people is a little overwhelming. Still. It’s an option. “Where would I stay? There’s no room in your apartment.”
“Well…” Her brows pull into a V as she thinks. “The client apartment is on hold right now—the client for the pro-bono case they’re working might need to stay there. But Nora and Jackson have room. So do Rylan and Charlie. Or Zane and Elle. Any of them would be glad to have you.”
It’s a solution, but I don’t feel great about it. I really like all the people who live at Blade and Arrow, but I’m not close to them like I am with Maya. It feels like it would be an intrusion. “I’m not sure…”
“You can stay with me.” Grant draws my gaze. “You can stay in the guest room; set it up however you want. Jasper and Wilson get along great. I have security; you’ve seen all the alarms and cameras.”
My heart jumps, but I sternly command it to settle. Grant and I have only been dating for a little while. Is it too soon to insert myself into his life like that?
“Don’t you have a job?” Heath asks. “Who will protect Scarlett then? And you think you can provide better protection than the guys at Blade and Arrow?”
Grant looks at him steadily. “I own my business. I can take time off work to stay with Scarlett. And if this continues for a while, she can come to work with me. Or go to Blade and Arrow while I’m working.”
To my dad, he explains, “I served as a SEAL for nine years. And I’ve kept up my training. Daily workouts. Weekly practice sessions on the gun range. With the security I have at my house and my skills, I am confident I can keep Scarlett safe.”
Turning to me, his tone gentles. “If you want, Scarlett. Whatever you choose, I’ll support you. But if you would feel comfortable staying with me,” A vulnerability softens his expression. “I’d really like it. To have you there. To help you recover. To keep you safe.”
As I look into Grant’s eyes, any hesitation falls away. All his feelings are right there, out in the open, showing me just how much he really wants me to stay with him.
“Yes.” I squeeze his hand. “I want to stay with you.”