13. Audrey
AUDREY
I stop pacing. “I should go—”
Robert looks up from his phone. “No.”
I stare at him. “You didn’t even let me finish.”
He shrugs and looks back to his phone. “I know what you were going to say.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “My father wants me.” I shove my thumb to my chest. “I’m the one that should be in danger, not Bennett and Knox.”
Robert’s expression hardens. “You think they can’t handle your dad?”
I tilt my head. I’m sure that Bennett and Knox are capable of things I know nothing about, but I’ve only seen their sweet and caring side. My dad is pure evil. “But—” I start.
“No buts. You’re staying here.”
I shake my head. “Mr. Kingston—”
He looks at me again. “Robert.” He pulls his glasses down and looks at me over the rims. “I heard we might be related soon.”
My eyebrows skyrocket. So Bennett told him that he wanted to marry me.
I can just imagine how that conversation went down.
“Robert, this is exactly what I’m talking about.
My father is after me, so anyone close to me is in danger.
If you’d just let me turn myself over to him, Bennett and Knox will be out of danger. ”
He leans back in his chair and measures me with a look. “So you would turn yourself over to your father to save Bennett and Knox.”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Yes, if you just let me go then—”
He shakes his head. “You’re not going anywhere. And this is something you need to know, Audrey. Bennett and Knox are Kingstons, and Kingstons know how to handle danger.”
I open my mouth, but Eleanor comes up beside me and loops her arm through mine. “Come on.”
I glance at her. “Where are we going?”
She smiles and appears to be completely calm, which I don’t understand. Her son is out doing who knows what right now. “To make tea.”
I almost laugh. “Tea?”
She pulls me along. “Yes. Because pacing around Bobby’s office isn’t helping anyone.”
Robert grunts. “She’s been asking me every five minutes if I’ve heard something.”
I look at the clock on the wall. “Because it’s been hours.”
Robert glances at his phone again. “And I told you they’ll call.”
Eleanor tugs me toward the door. “Come on, honey.”
I reluctantly follow her to the kitchen. She picks the tea pot off the stove and fills it up with water. She points at the stool by the island. “Sit.”
I give her a look. It has to be a Kingston thing because even Eleanor is bossy.
She laughs. “Sorry. I’ve been around controlling Kingston men too long.”
That makes me smile despite myself. I sit down, and she starts pulling mugs from a cabinet. For a few minutes, neither of us says anything.
Finally, Eleanor puts a cup in front of me. When she sits on the stool next to mine, she blows on her hot tea. “You love them both, don’t you?”
My mouth falls open. “What?”
She gives me a knowing smile. At this moment, I wish I was anywhere but here.
“Uhhh—” is all I get out.
“You do,” she says knowingly.
Heat rushes to my face. “Well, it’s complicated.”
She laughs softly. “Anything involving a Kingston man usually is.”
I stare at her, wondering what I should say. “I care about them a lot.”
She sips at her tea. “Both of them?”
I tense. “Does that bother you?”
Eleanor doesn’t even hesitate. “No. Not at all.”
That surprises me. I honestly expected this to freak her out. “Really?”
She nods. “Really.”
I should stop now, but I can’t. Before I can think about it, I blurt out to clarify, “You’re okay with your son sharing a woman with his best friend?”
She raises an eyebrow. “Bennett and Knox have been inseparable since they were boys. I stopped trying to understand those two a long time ago.”
I laugh.
She smiles. “But I know my son, and I know Knox. They love you. I can tell by the way they look at you.”
I am about to argue, but she continues. “Do you know that in all his years, Bennett has never defied his father… until yesterday.”
She blows on her tea some more. “Robert was uh, surprised, when Bennett told him he was going to marry you.”
I shake my head. “I can only imagine how well that went over.”
Eleanor doesn’t try to sugarcoat it. “Robert was, uh, concerned when he heard that a Sterling would be joining our family, but he’s come to terms with it.”
I shake my head. “The last thing I want to do is come between Bennett and his family.”
She waves her hand in front of her. “You won’t. Plus, you will be part of the family now.”
I lift my chin. “I didn’t give him an answer.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Oh. I just assumed.”
I can’t help but smile. “You assumed that Bennett would make his demands and I would just say yes?” I shake my head. “I don’t do well with being ordered around.”
She stares at me and then smiles widely. “I see why Bennett and Knox have fallen for you.” She tilts her head to look at me. “I think you will be good for them.”
With that, we sit in silence and enjoy our tea the best we can. Hours pass, and I’m back to asking Robert if he’s heard anything. When my phone does finally ring, I almost drop it as I push buttons to answer it. “Hello? Bennett? Knox? Is that you?”
Bennett’s face fills the screen. He’s in his SUV, and Knox is sitting beside him.
My whole body relaxes just seeing them. I let out a relieved breath. “You’re okay.”
“We’re okay,” Bennett says.
“Did you find Grant?” I ask.
Bennett’s expression changes, and the phone moves to my brother, who is sitting in the back seat.
“Grant,” I say softly. He looks awful. His beard is longer and unkempt. His eyes are red, and he looks as if he’s lost twenty pounds since I saw him last. I say his name again, and he looks like he can barely hold his head up.
His voice is just a whisper. “Audrey.”
I put my hand to my chest. “Oh my God.”
He starts to cry. “I’m so sorry.”
“No.” I shake my head quickly. “No, don’t apologize.”
He starts crying, and Bennett moves the phone so I’m looking at him and Knox again.
“I know I promised we’d bring him to you, but he needs help, Audrey. I’m able to get him into a rehab facility just an hour from town, and I’m going to take him there if that’s okay with you.”
I let out a strangled gasp, but I know it’s the right thing to do. “Okay.”
Bennett’s voice softens. “I’ll take you to see him in a few days when they say it’s okay.”
I nod into the phone. “Let me talk to him again.”
Bennett turns the phone, and Grant looks at me.
“I love you,” I tell him.
He starts crying harder. “I love you too.”
“You do what they tell you, okay? You get better.”
He nods.
When Bennett and Knox appear back on the phone, the need to see them and be in their arms is overwhelming. “Come get me.”
Knox smiles. “As soon as we make sure your brother is settled, we’ll be on our way.”
It’s a few hours later when there are headlights appearing in the driveway. I want to walk outside to meet them, but Robert tells me to wait inside because they’re coming up through the cellar.
My thoughts instantly go to my father.
Bennett and Knox come through the door, and I run to them, wrapping them both up in my arms. Bennett strokes my back, and Knox holds me tightly.
“Well?” Robert asks.
Bennett says, “He’s all yours.”
My body practically drops in relief. I don’t want to know what happens next with my father. I don’t want to see him or hear his voice. I just don’t want him to ever be able to hurt anyone again.
Bennett touches my face. “You okay?”
I nod, and then I look between them. “Take me home.”
Bennett’s expression softens, and Knox pulls me closer.
I wave to Eleanor and Robert as Bennett and Knox practically carry me out of the Kingston home and into the SUV.
I don’t want all the gory details of what happened tonight.
I just need to be held by the two men that have made me feel truly loved for the first time.