Chapter 32 Gracie Mae
Gracie Mae
Steven stands there with an air of superiority and a deceivingly kind smile. His charms no longer work as I have done seen the man behind the mask.
He goes to take a step closer and that’s when Oak gently pushes me behind him in a protective manner.
He’s being the shield he promised he would be.
But this time I’m done cowering from Steven and appeasing him because of fear.
This time I’m fighting back.
I move from behind Oak but his hand catches my wrist in a firm grip. With his head turned to the side and tipped downwards he offers me his side profile. He then says in a low voice, “I don’t want him near you.”
I squeeze his hand with my free one. The touch of his skin igniting my blood and giving me strength. “But I need him to see me. I need him to see that I’m done playing his game.”
Oak’s eyes change and in them I see pride. As much as I love how he wants to fight my battles I’m not the kind of woman who will ever let him to do it for me.
I come to stand beside him then. And I feel more powerful, stronger being by his side. Being seen as his equal.
“I’ve been waiting here for you,” Steven says to me in a caring tone that I don’t fall for. I don’t miss the low rumble of a growl coming deep from Oak’s chest. I know he’s fighting himself not to tear him apart limb by limb.
“What did you do to her, Steven?” I ask him, cutting pleasantries.
His eyes widen, a part of his innocent act, as he asks, “What are you accusing me of?”
It takes everything in me not to scream at him from the top of my lungs. “Why were you with my mom?”
“Why are you questioning me like I’m a suspect of something?” He counters.
“Why are you evading the question?”
He smiles then, a placating smile that does absolutely nothing. All of his charms, all of his tricks up his sleeves, they’re all useless. “Grace, please. I was at the trailer home to do an impromptu visit on Connor.”
My eyes narrow, already detecting the lie. “You never do impromptu meetings. Not once since you’ve been his social worker.”
His eyes glance over to Oak and then back to me. They then glance back over to him as he says with disdain, “The new company you keep has my concern for Connor at a high.”
“Bull-fucking-shit,” I spit out, not being able to hold it back.
“Grace,” he admonishes and I’m fucking done.
I take a threatening step towards him with Oak behind me like a shadow. I point my finger at him like it’s my very own weapon. “You’re abusing your power Steven, and I’m fucking tired of it.”
He laughs anxiously, his eyes fleeting around the hospital to the unseen patients and visitors. This must be killing him inside. His false prestigious image cracking for bystanders to see.
“Everything I do is for you, Grace,” he says to me and I literally want to hurl. “If I was abusing my power-”
“You are,” Oak harshly corrects him.
Steven levels him with a glare as his jaw ticks. “It’s only to keep Connor from being taken away. You and I both know he isn’t safe in your mother’s care.”
I seethe, “And you and I both know I should have been granted custody of Connor months ago.”
“It isn’t that simple.” God, I hate his condescending tone.
I feel Oak’s hand lay atop of my shoulders as his front comes flush to my back. “It is that simple if you were doing your fucking job right.”
Steven’s nostrils flare. There’s an unmistakable heat in his eyes that reveals his fury. He cocks his head to the side ignoring him. “What did I say about you being involved with him, Grace?”
“This is exactly what I’m talking about!” I point out to him. “You can’t threaten me. You can’t dictate who I can and can’t see. You can’t hold this kind of power over me.”
“I can if Connor’s well-being-”
At that I cry out in an outburst, “You don’t give a flying fuck about Connor! You only care to get in my pants and to have me under your thumb!”
He’s stunned silent for a minute. And within that minute the tension builds and the anger between the both of us is about to reach its boiling point.
Then everything changes.
There’s a shift in the atmosphere and I don’t like it. Not one bit.
Especially when Steven’s smile turns vindictive and his eyes are punishing. “The last thing you should do is fight with me, Grace. You’re walking on a very thin line.”
“I’ve always been walking on a tightrope with you, Steven. Only this time I’m not afraid to fall. I know I have people that will catch me.”
He scoffs, “Do you honestly think you’ll recover? I’m your only chance at a life with Connor.”
“No,” I disagree with him, “you’re the only one who is in my way.”
“Who do you think the judge will believe? You?” He laughs as if he’s heard a grand joke.
Counting off with his fingers he says, “You’re mother is a drug addict, you work in a seedy strip club, you haven’t shown enough to be financially independent, and you hang with deplorable bikers and old ladies.
Not to mention you’re romantically involved with one.
One that has the FBI on his tail.” His smile is as proud as it is sinister.
“You honestly think you’ll be granted custody once I present all this to the judge? ”
I’ve been biting down so hard on my tongue that the tangy metallic flavor blasts in my mouth. And I’ve never really been a violent person, but right now I want to do more than just bodily harm. I want to kill him.
In a calm yet low and menacing tone I threaten him, “If you utter one more word about taking Connor away from me I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass that it will be coming out of your fucking mouth.”
He nostrils flare, the tendons in his neck straining. Yet still, his sardonic smirk remains. “Are you really threatening me, Grace? Is that really the smart thing to do?”
“You have been threatening me the entire time you’ve been Connor’s social worker. Forgive me for finally returning the favor,” I spit with venom.
I feel Oak press against my back, the warmth of his body helping mine loosen the over tight muscles. “What do you think will happen when the other two women come forward?” Oak asks him lowly.
Steven’s eyes narrow up at him as his mouth twists. “Excuse me?”
“They made claims against you, Steven. Do you not remember that?”
“They were dropped if I remember correctly.”
Oak snuffs out a laugh that sounds bleak and hollow.
“Because you threatened them, just like you’re threatening her.
But those claims will show again when she takes you to court.
Just like the pictures and videos you have of her on your phone.
” Steven’s complexion pales and my eyes widen in horror.
I feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as the taste of acid sits bitterly on my tongue.
I swallow roughly, my voice coming out on a shaky breath, “You have videos of me?”
He opens his mouth for a reply, one that’s most likely a lie, but Oak doesn’t allow him to speak.
He intercepts him with more damning evidence, “That isn’t professional is it, Steven?
What will the judge say about that? Not to mention you making visits without the child present, or how frequent they are.
And why were you with her mother tonight at her home, Steven?
” Oak pauses for effect before continuing, “It wasn’t for professional reasons, that’s for fucking sure.
And believe me, fucker, I will prove you did this to Vivian. ”
“If you’re accusing me of injecting Vivian with heroin to cause an overdose then good luck proving it. In fact good luck proving all what you said,” he says stiffly.
But he just outed himself, proving that Oak is right. God, I feel fucking sick to my stomach. “How could you do it? How could you do that to her?”
“Your mother is a drug addict, Grace. She does it to herself all the time. If you think a judge will believe her testimony maybe you’re using what she does.”
Before I can even stop myself, before my brain catches up with logic and reason, driven by emotion my hand strikes out and cracks against his face.
The sound is loud enough to hear for everyone to turn their attention to us. The waiting area of the hospital becomes silent and all I can hear is the erratic beat of my heart.
The imprint of my hand is splashed across his face in crimson. I can see a welt already starting to form on his cheek.
How fucking dare he ever accuse me of using when I’ve seen what the addiction has done to my mother and how much I’ll never touch a drug because of it and my love for Connor.
The red haze starts to clear as I see Steven lift his arm, then defense kicks in mixed with alarm.
Before I have a chance to defend Oak swiftly pushes me behind him.
Peeking from behind Oak I see him sneering down at him. “If you fucking touch her you’ll be dead before you can blink.”
Steven bristles. “You’re threatening me?”
“Take it however you want, fucker. You touch her or even think about it, you’re dead.” And maybe I shouldn’t feel flattered, maybe my heart shouldn’t swell, but it does. It’s one of the many things I love about Oak. His fierce protectiveness will always get to me.
Taking Oak’s hand in my own I intertwine our fingers and come to stand by his side.
Steven’s eyes glance down at our hand with disgust and he vibrates with a silent rage. He inhales thinly, his jaw incredibly tense. “You’re making a grave mistake,” he warns me in a steely voice.
“No. I’m finally fighting back and you don’t like having your power being threatened,” I say to him with a voice that’s calmer than I how I really feel.
“You’re going to lose and you will only have yourself to blame. I tried helping you, lied on the files for you, but now, now I’m going to make sure Connor will never be under your care.”
“And I’m going to make sure you lose your fucking license. You’re done, Steven. And when I’m finished with you you’re going to wish you never set eyes on me.”
Fuming, he turns on his heel and leaves. With each step he takes further away from us I’m finding it easier to breathe. The tension in my muscles lessen but not completely. I feel the pressure of a headache coming and mentally I’m so fucking exhausted.
“We’re going to win, baby,” Oak assures me in a soft voice. He turns so that we are facing each other. Ice blue eyes look down at me with so much love and affection. I can drown in those eyes and die happily.
Bringing my hand up he untangles our fingers and presses a firm kiss to the inside of my hand. The feel of his lips against my skin sets off an electric current that zaps all throughout my body.
The air between us hums with electricity. I can feel the energy pulling us closer. Truth is we will never be close enough.
He presses another tender kiss to the inside of my hand before laying my palm against his chest, right above his heart.
“This heart of mine, it’s battered and bruised, it’s flawed, but it’s yours.
It will always be yours.” His declaration has tears springing in my eyes.
They pool at the brim and his thumb collects a drop before it even has the chance to fall.
“I love you, Grace. And there isn’t anything in this world that I wouldn’t do for you. ”
Love.
The three words I’ve been holding back because I have been waiting for him to be ready.
Ethan “Oak” Barrington loves me.
I can’t help the tears that then fall. My heart feels as if it’s burst out of the cavity of my ribs and land in his hands.
Smiling through my tears I finally tell him what I’ve been wanting to for weeks. “Oak, I love you.”