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G rayson unclenched his fists. Standing outside the car, helpless to intervene while Harlow was inside with Pressley, went against everything he believed in. He was wired to protect; it was in his DNA. Especially for those he cared about, and he very much cared for Harlow.

That it appeared to be happening with the woman who’d appeared in The Phoenix Three’s office that first day, afraid of her own shadow, was the biggest surprise of all. Even though he’d been lucky enough to witness the emergence of a beautiful butterfly from that brown cocoon she’d cloaked herself in, he was afraid he wasn’t going to be able to keep her.

She’d set an expiration on their time together. They would be over the day he brought her son back to her, she’d said. Even if he lost her the day he put Tyler in her arms, he’d keep his promise. He’d put her happiness ahead of his. That very thought hit him right in his heart. Was that love?

His attention stayed on the two people in the car as the question rumbled around in his mind. He narrowed his eyes. Did she just laugh? Sure looked like it, and that was an unpleasant surprise. She wouldn’t go back to him, would she?

For her son, she would sacrifice her happiness, a nasty voice whispered in his mind. But wait. There was anger in her expression as she said something to him. She got out of the car, slammed the door behind her and strode past him. For a second her eyes sought his, and in them he saw fear and hurt. He came close to blowing his cover by taking a step toward her. When he realized what he was doing, he stilled and let her pass.

He returned to the car. “Where to, sir?” They’d been heading home when Pressley had received a phone call from Delgado that Harlow was out for a walk. That had resulted in a detour to her apartment.

“Home.”

Pressley tended to make phone calls when being chauffeured around town. Some were quite interesting. Like the one to the police chief. Jefferson Proctor had been the chief for twenty-four years, and from the rumors Liam had picked up at the country club, he wasn’t well liked by his officers. There were also whisperings that he could be bought.

Harlow believed Pressley had the police chief in his back pocket and based on two of Pressley’s phone conversations with the chief Grayson had overheard, that was a fact. Pressley was insisting Proctor make life miserable for someone. Unfortunately, he never said the man’s name. Just, “Put the heat on him so hard that he decides there are better places to live than Faberville.”

It was interesting that Pressley was comfortable having the conversations where Grayson could overhear. Grayson thought that over and concluded that Pressley was arrogant enough to believe his minions wouldn’t dare go against him.

“I didn’t like the way she looked at you,” Pressley said.

“Pardon, sir?”

“My wife, I didn’t like how she looked at you.”

Hell. “I didn’t notice. Actually, I don’t think she looked at me at all.” And she’s not your wife.

“She better hope you’re right.”

Grayson gritted his teeth and managed to keep his mouth shut.

* * *

“I’m driving myself today,” Pressley said the next morning.

Grayson fell into an at-ease position. “All right. Is there something you’d like me to do instead?”

Today’s agenda was a meeting with the planning commission, followed by lunch with the mayor and one of the aldermen. Why didn’t Pressley want him driving? Was Pressley suspicious? A part of him wanted to pump a fist in the air and say, “Right on!” Because frankly, he hated driving the man around. The part that had to absolutely ensure his mission was successful was worried.

“Yes, I need you to drive my son to his doctor. He was up sick all night. Ava will accompany you.”

“Of course. Does he have an appointment time?”

“Dr. Patel will see him as soon as he arrives at her office. Take the Mercedes. You’ll find Tyler’s car seat in the garage.”

“I’ve seen it there. Do you want me to move the BMW out of the garage for you?”

“Yes, park it near the front door. Ava will be down with Tyler in a few minutes.”

“All right.” He’d put the bug in the Mercedes this morning, and he needed to move it to the BMW. After relocating the bug to the BMW, he parked it and left the keys in it for Pressley. Then he installed the car seat in the Mercedes and moved it to the front of the house.

A few minutes later, Ava came down the steps with Tyler lagging behind her. One look at the boy, and it was apparent he didn’t feel well. Since she didn’t seem to care, Grayson went to him. He kneeled in front of the boy.

“I hear you’re not doing so good, bud.”

“My tummy’s sick. I threwed up all night.”

Grayson smiled at threwed . The kid was cute. “Well, let’s get you to the doctor.”

Tyler glanced over Grayson’s shoulder. “Ava’s mad at me,” he whispered. “She said I’m gross.”

Bitch. “Well, I don’t think you’re gross. It’s not your fault you’re sick, and we’re going to get you to feeling better.” He took the boy’s hand and led him to the car.

Ava was already seated in the front passenger seat, so Grayson got Tyler buckled in the car seat. When he was secure, Grayson touched his hand to Tyler’s forehead, finding it hot. Once they were on the road, Grayson glanced at Tyler through the rearview mirror. The little boy was huddled in his car seat, looking miserable.

Ava glanced back at Tyler and wrinkled her nose. “He barfs in the car, I’m getting out. He’s gross.”

“I’m sorry, Ava,” Tyler said.

Grayson hated the meekness in Tyler’s voice. He spied a coffee shop and turned into the parking lot. When he stopped, he scowled at Ava. “Get out.”

She gaped at him. “What?”

“Go inside have a coffee, call your friends, do whatever. We’ll pick you up after he sees the doctor.” And if she called Tyler gross one more time, he might forget he was supposed to pick her up.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Anthony won’t like it.”

“You gonna tell him? Because I’m not.”

“The kid will.”

“I won’t,” Tyler said.

“See. No one’s telling, now get out.”

“If he tattles, he won’t like—”

“Out.”

She huffed as she opened the door, and when she closed it behind her, Tyler giggled. Grayson turned and winked. “You doing okay, bud?”

He nodded. “I like you.”

“I like you, too, kiddo.” He wasn’t happy that he’d done that in front of Tyler, but he’d had enough of Ava making the boy feel bad. Besides, she was useless as a caretaker…nanny. Whatever she was supposed to be. He didn’t remind Tyler not to tell his father that Ava didn’t go with them to the doctor. The boy could keep a secret.

“He has a mild case of the flu,” Grayson told Ava when he returned to the coffee shop and picked her up.

“Then he can stay away from me.”

“Isn’t it your job to take care of him?” What the boy needed was his mother. As tempting as it was to drive straight to Harlow’s apartment and turn Tyler over to her, he didn’t have a choice but to continue on to Pressley’s house.

“I don’t do sick people, especially sick kids who barf all over the place.”

Disgusted with her, he ignored her the rest of the way back to the house. When they arrived, she exited the car and went inside, leaving him to get Tyler in. He got Tyler out of the car seat and carried him inside. The boy laid his head on Grayson’s shoulder and sighed. A sense of protectiveness he’d never felt before welled inside him.

“You hungry?” It was lunchtime, and the kid should try to keep something down.

“No. I’ll barf it up, and Ava will get mad at me.”

“I won’t let her get mad at you. How about we see if Anders has some chicken noodle soup. That always made me feel better when I was sick.”

“Really? Did you barf?”

He chuckled. “Sometimes.” He walked into the kitchen. “Anders, you have any chicken noodle soup? A can of Campbell’s, maybe? Our boy here could use a little something in his stomach that he can keep down.”

“Canned soup?” Anders huffed, giving Grayson a disgusted look. “No, I do not.” He then smiled at Tyler, who still rested his head on Grayson’s shoulder. “But I did make some chicken noodle soup this morning after I heard you were sick.”

“I’m not hungry,” Tyler muttered.

“Maybe not, but I promise you, my soup will help you feel better. Let’s just try a little, okay?”

Between him and Anders, they got Tyler to eat a half bowl along with a few saltine crackers and some ginger ale Anders had gone to the store and bought after hearing Tyler was sick.

“You’re a good man,” Grayson said to Anders as he picked up Tyler to take him to his room.

“Back at you, Richie.”

Grayson hated that name, hated that he was lying to the people here he liked. As for the ones he didn’t like, he had no qualms about deceiving them.

Ava had done a disappearing act, so he took Tyler to his room, removed his shoes and his pants. Leaving him wearing a T-shirt, his underwear and socks, he got Tyler tucked into bed.

“Will you read to me?”

“Sure.” He picked a random book from the bookshelf and settled in a chair near the bed. Tyler fell asleep a few pages in, and Grayson wasn’t sure what to do. Ava hadn’t made an appearance, and he hesitated to leave Tyler alone should he get sick again. Since Pressley didn’t need him, Grayson stayed to watch over the boy.

That was how Pressley found him.

“Where’s Ava?”

“Not sure.”

Pressley stepped into the room and glanced at his son. “What did the doctor say?”

“He has a mild case of the flu, but he’ll be okay.”

“The flu?” He stepped back to the doorway. “Is he contagious?”

You’re his damn father. You shouldn’t care if he is. “Maybe for a day or two. He’d love it if you came to see him when he wakes up.”

“Find Ava and tell her to keep an eye on him. Be here tomorrow at nine.” He left without another glance at his sick son.

Ava was nowhere to be found, so Grayson returned to Tyler’s room. He closed the door, and while the boy slept, Grayson opened the app on his phone that had recorded any conversations Pressley had in his car today.

He’d only made two calls, both to women. “Hi, beautiful. It’s Anthony,” he said on the first call.

“I was hoping to hear from you,” she said, her voice whispery.

“Yeah? I’ve been thinking about you. The chamber’s dinner party was boring until you walked in. You stole my breath, darling, and I knew I had to meet you.”

“Well, you did. Would you like to come over tomorrow night?”

“Tonight would be better because I’m a desperate man.” Pressley chuckled. “I blame you for that.”

“Then you’ll be even more desperate by tomorrow night. The anticipation will be delicious.”

“Cruel, baby. Just cruel. But I’m yours to torture. Text me your address.”

“I will. Be here at seven. I’ll have a little dinner ready for you, then we’ll play.”

“See you then. And babe, dinner is great, but what I really want to taste is you.”

“If you’re lucky.” She giggled, then disconnected.

Grayson wanted to take a page from Tyler and barf. Pressley was divorced, so there wasn’t any reason he couldn’t see other women. Except there was… He wanted Harlow back. If he was so determined to win his ex-wife back, he shouldn’t be having these kinds of conversations with other women.

The next call was to another woman. “Hey, babe. What are you doing?”

“I’m getting a pedicure right now. Then I’m going to the mall to do a little shopping. Thought I’d pick up a sexy little negligee to wear when you come over tomorrow night.”

“Ah, darling, you’re getting me hard just thinking about you wearing a sexy piece of lace. Makes me want to blow off my meeting tomorrow night, but I can’t. That’s why I’m calling.”

“No, Anthony, you promised we’d have a romantic evening.”

“I know, babe, but this meeting’s too important. Let’s reschedule for Thursday night.”

The woman sighed. “Fine, but if you cancel again…”

“You’ll what, Mia?” Pressley said with a clear warning in his voice.

“Nothing. I’ll see you Thursday.”

“Good girl.”

“You’re a pig, Pressley,” Grayson muttered when they disconnected. Mia was Pressley’s longtime mistress. Then there was Ava. He probably called them all babe so he wouldn’t mix up their names.

It was time to end this, and with Pressley out with the new woman in his life, tomorrow night would be the perfect time to get into the safe.