Page 53 of Guarding Grace (Hawk Security #2)

Grace

“I only see one,” Deb said. “I thought you had two cats.”

She, Serena, and Constance were upstairs at Terry’s place with me, holding a vigil while we waited to find out if Terry’s plan to save me was going to work.

Zane was out on the street, backing up Constance as my second guard.

Terry had said he thought he could get Russo to back off and I’d be able to go back to my normal life. I was looking forward to that, though I was still recovering from the news that Elliot had blown himself up in the process. I’d cried for a few hours after getting that report.

Terry had always said to stay clear of Elliot because he was a walking disaster, and his end had proved Terry right.

“Where is the other one?” Deb prodded.

“Bonnie is still scared of this place and hides pretty much all day.” I shifted in my seat, looking for her. The tingle between my legs reminded me of the strong man who’d said he’d do anything to keep me safe.

“Cats can be stubborn,” Serena commented. “But she’ll adapt.”

“I don’t know.” I hadn’t seen any evidence of that yet. “I’m afraid for her mental health. I need to get her back to my place, actually both of them. Being away from home has been stressful for them.”

Uninterested in my cats, Constance studied her phone. “The call should come anytime now. ”

A confused look came over Serena’s face. “Say that again?”

“As soon as the danger is over, I’m going back to my apartment,” I explained. “I’m only supposed to be here until the danger is over.” I thought I’d made that clear to her before. Plus, that’s what Terry had told me the first day he brought me here. “And, I need underwear.”

“I know Terry has a washer and dryer,” Deb noted. “Just do some laundry.”

Constance laughed. “That first day, she couldn’t go to the apartment, so Zane packed for her, and he only packed thongs.”

Serena laughed. “It figures. But you can just pick up what you need and come back.”

I shook my head. I’d stick to the original plan.

Constance cocked her head. “Didn’t you say Terry had claimed you?”

“That’s just caveman talk for he likes me,” I argued. Though as I again twisted in my seat, the renewed tingle in my lady parts reminded me how much I enjoyed my caveman.

Serena rolled her eyes.

“What?” I demanded.

Deb laughed. “You obviously don’t know my brother well enough. He’ll have something to say about that.”

“It’s not his choice.” I am my own woman.

“I remember thinking the same thing,” Serena said wryly. “When Duke first claimed me.”

What was I supposed to do with that comment?

“Is leaving here what you want?” Deb asked.

“I don’t know. Two weeks ago we were at each other’s throats. It feels like we should date a while before I move in with him.”

“Grace, you’re dealing with a Marine,” Constance interjected. “Honor is everything to them. He wouldn’t have claimed you if he didn’t mean it.”

“Those aren’t the kind of words I was hoping for.”

“What words did you use?” Serena asked. “When you told him how you feel?”

I shrank down in my chair. This was not going the way I wanted.

“Grace?” Serena wasn’t going to give up.

I concentrated on a small scratch on the table. “I’ve been meaning to.”

Deb shook her head and threw up her arms. “I expected my brother to be the emotionally stunted one, but you’re both dumber than rocks.”

My phone rang, and TYRANT showed up on the screen.

Deb giggled. “Cute nickname.”

Constance craned her neck and laughed .

I really did need to change it. I answered tentatively. “I’m afraid to ask.”

Terry’s voice was jubilant, or as jubilant as he got. “It went fine. You’re a free woman now.”

“Really? They’re done coming after me?” I squealed.

“Really.”

The girls around me celebrated with their own little shrieks of joy.

“I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

He whispered, “Maybe by the time I get home, you’ll think of something.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” I was willing to bet his idea was a year of sexual favors. Which didn’t sound too bad.

“I’ve got to go,” he told me.

“When will you be home?” God, as soon as I said it I realized how clingy I sounded, and I was not clingy.

“Soon as I can, Kitten.”

I could listen to him call me Kitten all day long.

“Oh, and I have a surprise for you,” he added.

“What kind of surprise?”

“You’ll just have to wait.”

I sighed. “You’re mean.”

“The meanest.”

Deb made hand motions at me, but I couldn’t bring myself to sign off with my first love-you. “See you soon.”

“Count on it.”

I hung up, feeling like I might float away—finally free of the danger Elliot had put me in.

“You’re dumb as a rock,” Deb said.

The other two nodded.

“I’m just looking out for myself, like I always have.” Things had been both crazy bad and crazy good this last week. I needed some time to settle.

Deb shook her head.

Constance rolled her eyes and picked up her phone. “He’s my teammate. I have to.”

“Have to what?”

Serena patted my arm. “Having a man in your life means not being alone. It means being a team. It means you’re not the only one looking out for you.”

“Hey, Terry. Just a heads-up, Grace wants to move back to her apartment,” Constance said into her phone. A second later she held it away from her ear, and we all heard the yelling. “I’ll tell her,” she called as she hung up. “He’s not happy.”

“How could you?” I demanded.

Deb and Serena had smug smiles.

Constance put her phone down. “I told you. He’s my teammate, and I have to have his back.”

I seethed and looked over at the group. “I thought you guys would have my back.”

Deb shook her head. “Don’t look at me. He’s my brother.”

Serena backed her chair away. “He’s my man’s teammate too, and besides, in my book you’re making a big mistake.”

I blew out a big breath and stood. “Thanks for nothing.”

Leaving the table, I wondered how much time I had to pack before Hurricane Terry rolled in.

Terry

Constance’s words had sliced into me like a rusty knife and torn out my heart. How could Grace be about to leave?

“Fuck that,” I cursed as I pulled into the Hawk garage.

I was stuck between what I wanted to do and what I had to do.