Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
GREG
My phone vibrated with a call just as I got out of my therapist’s office. When I saw it was Tony, I smiled and shook my head. He was the very definition of a mother hen. I swiped to answer. “Hello, handsome. What’s up?”
“I was just checking in. How did your appointment go?”
I walked to the elevator, pressing the down button when I reached it. “It was fine. She gave me homework.”
“Homework? What kind of homework?”
I braced myself. He wasn’t going to like it. “She wants me to try to take the subway from here to my apartment.”
As I expected, he ground out, “No fucking way. Doesn’t she know what happened to you?”
I rolled my eyes as I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. “Of course she knows what happened to me. She also knows how anxiety works. The more I avoid doing it, the worse my anxiety about it will be.”
“But it’s only been three weeks,” he objected.
The elevator reached the ground floor, and I stepped out into the lobby. “I know, sweetheart. But I have to be able to get around the City.”
“And I can get you around the City without you having to take the subway,” he insisted.
I sighed. “Tony, I love you, but you being overprotective isn’t going to help me recover my sense of safety.”
He let out a string of curses. “Fine. But I want you to text me as soon as you get on the train. I’ll be waiting for you at the station.”
“It’s a deal,” I replied.
I knew Tony was struggling too. Initially, he’d resisted going to therapy, saying he wasn’t the one who’d been stalked and kidnapped.
That all changed after we had a huge argument about me going back to work at City Lights.
He’d insisted it was too soon. I told him I wanted to put joy back in my playing instead of only remembering the fear.
He finally broke down and told me how scared he was that someone else at the club would see me and start stalking me.
After a lot of crying and some awesome makeup sex, Tony agreed to find a therapist. He’d had his first appointment a week later.
He was still anxious about me being out in the world by myself, but he was getting better.
I was glad because it was enough for me to manage my own fears, without also having to manage his.
It was a beautiful day, the early June sun warm on my skin as I made my way to the subway station. I found myself smiling, eager to get to my apartment. Today was moving day, and I couldn’t wait.
Another agreement that had come out of our argument was that I move in with Tony.
I was spending all my nights there anyway, so it made sense for me to be there officially.
I’d decided to sublet my place since my lease wasn’t up until the end of December, but I hadn’t gotten around to advertising it yet.
It wouldn’t take Tony long to get to the subway station to meet me because he and his brothers were already at my apartment waiting to help move my things.
I’d told them I would call when I got home, but they insisted on getting there early so we could get done quickly.
I knew they originally wanted to move everything while I was at my appointment, but I’d insisted on being there because it was my stuff, dammit.
When I got to the stairway leading down to the subway platform, I paused.
Was I really ready to do this? I took a breath and took the first step down.
One after another, I made my way down the stairs to the subway turnstiles.
I used my phone to pay the fare and walked onto the platform, joining the other passengers waiting for the train.
I blew out a breath. I’d made it through the hard part.
An announcement came over the speakers that the train was approaching the station, so I sent Tony a text like I promised.
Getting on the train. See you in eight stops.
I’ll be there.
As I expected, the ride was uneventful. The hardest part had been going into the station. I hadn’t been able to understand why at first, but my therapist had explained that those were places where I’d feel more vulnerable. It made sense.
As promised, Tony was waiting for me on the other side of the turnstiles. He hugged me tightly. I kissed his cheek and said, “Let’s go get me moved.”
When we got to my apartment, I was surprised to see not only Marco and Michael, but also Dante and Hunter. I gave them all hugs, especially Hunter and Dante, since they’d essentially helped save my life.
Marco, in his usual gruff manner, said, “All right, hugfest is over. Let’s get Greg moved out of here.”
The other men rolled their eyes. “Yes, Chief,” they said in unison.
Everything I owned was packed in clearly labeled bins or boxes. I was leaving the furniture except for the mattress, which they were bringing out to the curb for pickup. Whoever sublet the apartment would want their own mattress anyway.
I should have known the former military men would be exceptionally efficient about moving.
They had a system, and everything went out the door in a certain order from which they did not deviate.
I gave up trying to help carry things. Instead, I went through the apartment to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.
I was checking the bedroom closet when Tony came in. “Hey, babe, could you come out to the living room?”
The tone of his voice was strange. “Sure.”
The living room was empty except for the furniture—and my keyboard. “Fuck,” I whispered.
I’d barely touched it since the day I’d been kidnapped.
I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was working on it with my therapist because there was no way I’d be able to be a working musician and not use an electronic keyboard.
I’d only gotten as far as resting my fingers on the keys with the instrument turned off.
I had no problem at all playing an acoustic piano, except I didn’t own one. So when I wanted to practice, I had to go to Juilliard, which got expensive since, up until today, I’d been taking taxis to get there.
“Do you want to just leave it here?” Tony asked.
I shook my head. “No. I have to be able to use it. It’s one of my therapy goals.”
“Okay,” he replied. “Where’s the case?”
“In the closet by the door. I’ll get it.”
I pulled the padded vinyl case out of the bottom of the closet and brought it to Tony, who took it from me without a word and packed up the keyboard. I collapsed the metal stand, and we handed both to Marco when he came back to get more boxes.
“Is that everything?” he asked.
“I think so,” I replied. “I’m going to do a final walk-through to make sure.” He nodded, took the keyboard and stand, and headed back downstairs.
I went through all the rooms one more time. There was nothing left I wanted to take with me. “That’s it. It’s time to go.”
“Greg?” Mrs. Harrison’s voice came from the open doorway. “You’re moving out?”
I went over to her with Tony in tow. “Yes,” I said regretfully. “But it’s a good thing.” I pulled Tony forward. “This is my boyfriend Tony. I’m moving into his place.”
Tony held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Harrison.”
“Nice to meet you too, young man.” She turned her attention back to me. “Are you going to sublet your apartment?”
“I am. Do you know someone who wants to rent it?”
She nodded. “My niece has been looking for a place.”
“That’s great.” I handed her my phone. “Put your number in my phone, and I’ll text you. Then you can give my number to your niece.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Greg. I’m sorry you’re leaving. I’ll miss your music.”
I felt my cheeks heat. “Thank you, Mrs. Harrison. Next time I play a show, I’ll get you tickets.”
She patted my cheeks. “Such a nice young man.” She looked at Tony with narrowed eyes. “Make sure you take good care of him.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tony said.
The drive to Tony’s apartment was its usual weekday traffic mess, especially with a cargo van and a large SUV.
Tony had called ahead to have security hold a space in front of the building for us to unload, but we had a time limit.
Once again, military efficiency came to our rescue.
They unloaded the contents of the van and SUV onto the sidewalk and stood guard over my things while the vehicles were parked.
Tony and I went up ahead of them to prop open the apartment door. When we got to his apartment, Tony hesitated outside the door. “So I did a thing.”
I looked at him with a raised brow. “A thing? What kind of thing?”
He unlocked his door and opened it. “You’ll have to see for yourself.”
“Okay,” I replied, elongating the word. I entered the apartment, walking past the picture of Tony in his police uniform and into the living room.
My breath caught, and I stopped short. There, sitting in the corner of the room, was a gleaming ebony studio upright piano.
“Tony,” I whispered. I whirled around to face him, tears in my eyes. “You got me a piano.”
Unbelievably, he looked nervous. “Do you like it?”
“Like it?” I threw my arms around his neck. “I love it. I love you. You’re the most amazing person I know. Thank you.”
“I love you, Greg. I just want you to be happy. I want you to feel like this is your home.”
I kissed him tenderly, then rested my forehead against his. “Whenever I’m with you, I’m happy. Wherever you are is my home.”