Grace Willoughby was objectively a catch.Dominic Marino was objectively an asshole.He was also a charming, wealthy prick who could easily convince another beautiful woman into his bed, but the way Grace said “possession” made a chill go down Callum’s spine.
She tipped her chin back and stared at the ceiling.A hopeless expression fell over her.She pinched her lips and refocused on the water bottle once more.“I’ve always known this would happen.I just thought I’d have a warning before he was released.”
“What would happen?”Callum scrubbed a hand over his face when she didn’t answer.His nerves were as raw and frayed as his skin still felt from the pepper spray.“Why do you use burner phones and a network of forwarded numbers?”
“How do you know about that?”
“Like I said, we’ve done a little bit of looking around.The phone number that your family calls has been forwarded to dozens of numbers over the years.Same with the numbers you give to clients.”
She gnawed on her lip.“I didn’t realize that was something you could tell.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I don’t trust anyone but myself.”
“And Alicia,” he suggested, nodding to the window with a direct line to the librarian’s desk.
“Well, yeah.I have a few close friends who have helped me keep a low profile over the years.”
Jesus shit, why wasn’t he on that list?“But not Hayden.You gave him the same information as your parents.”
“I trust him, but there’s only so much I can share with my overprotective brother, who’s never around anyway.Besides, as you said, if I gave him more, he’d be distracted.Distracted puts him in danger.”
She could have told him.It’s all he could think about.But even if she had, Callum would have told Hayden, thus confirming Grace’s worry about creating a distraction for her brother.
He studied her, nervous and avoidant, and wanted to press his luck by asking more technical questions, but it was enough that she was still sitting in this room, sharing her secrets.“You’re doing all this to avoid Dominic?Is that the gist?”
She nodded.“Dominic’s a gamesman.He needs the thrill of the chase—andIam the quarry.”
“A possession.”He repeated her stomach-turning word.
“Yeah.Part of his collection.It’s all a game, and no matter what I did, who I hired, or where I lived, everyone and everything can be bought, turned, changed, or destroyed.His people reported to him while he was in prison.He still ran his company from behind bars.I couldn’t just divorce him.”
“Yes, you could.”
She shook her head.“That’s what you don’t understand.I would never be free of him.I thought I had more time to figure out what to do when he was released, but now that he’s out early…” Her words hung in the room like a blanket smothering out the oxygen.“If I stay still,” she said quietly, “he can get to me.It’s that simple.Do you know why he’s out?”
“It has to do with the witness who recanted their testimony.”
“Yes.Literally, a guy who testified and was hidden in witness protection changed his story.That proves my point.Dominic can get to anyone.He had to think I was as gone as gone could be.”
A knot formed.Callum tried to swallow.“Well…” He cleared his throat.“Your family can’t be bought.I can’t be either.”
“That just puts you in danger while everyone else is up for grabs.I did what I did for a reason.”
A knock sounded on the door.Callum straightened.Alicia walked in, automatically glaring as if she wanted to throw him out with the trash.“My shift is up, and I’m taking Grace home.”
Grace pushed her chair away from the table.
“Hold on.Hang on.Give me a—”
Alicia tossed her coiled hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms in the same manner as earlier.“Who knows you’re here?”
“Her brother.”
“Who else?”Alicia pressed.
He liked that Alicia went to bat for Grace and wouldn’t relinquish the role of Grace’s protector without a fight.Alicia was a headache, but a good problem to have.He’d figure out how to work with her later.For now, he had to keep their lines of communication flowing.“Why?”
