“I’m not nagging, and you are not that old,” she huffed.
“I have a son that’s almost thirty,” he said.
“Yeah, but you were what? Sixteen when he was born?”
“Yes,” Walter said. He stared off through the window. “I don’t know what I was thinking with Danielle.”
“She’s a sociopath and a narcissist. That’s what they do—manipulate people and destroy their lives.”
“I need justice,” he said.
“You may not have it. Try to be positive and not so obsessed with vengeance. Maybe she’ll slip up somehow and they can nail her with it.”
She watched Walter leave for New York City, then she took some small pitchers of water and juice while Stefan took the silver tray up to Grant’s room. She slowly opened the door.
“Kate,” she heard him call out.
“You’re awake,” she whispered. Gus ran in as Grant came out of the bedroom yawning. Stefan opened the curtains while Kate arranged the food on the table in the sitting room. Grant sat down, Gus jumping around, trying to jump up on his lap. He hefted the puppy up and reached for a plate.
“I’ll fetch it,” Kate said. “You’re supposed to be taking it easy.”
He gave her a half smile while she slid several miniature omelets on his plate along with some potatoes and peppers. He wolfed down the food.
“So,” he said as she fixed him a second helping. “What’s on the agenda today?”
“You have to stay in your room.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your father was very clear about that.”
“I’m an adult. A grown man. I did four combat deployments. I’m not getting locked in my room like a child.”
“Too bad,” Kate said. “He’s freaked out by your panic attack last night. Therefore, you’re stuck in the room today. If you leave and anything happens to you, I don’t know what he’ll do. Definitely fire me, I assume.”
“We can’t have that,” Grant said.
Kate looked at him, a serious expression on her face. “You didn’t see him after the fire. I thought he was going to go on a murderous rampage. We literally had to lock him in the gym at one point and hide all his guns. He was screaming and shouting about how he was going to go after everyone—Danielle, the contractor, the firemen, the police, the building inspector. We were really scared. He would alternate between crying for his dead children and this inhuman rage. My grandmother stayed with him for months after. It was her idea to find you. She remembered the scandal.”
Kate sighed then continued. “You were difficult to find. Danielle and her family had been in charge of your adoption, and of course her parents died in the fire and all the paperwork turned to ash. There were multiple private investigators; it took a while. If you hadn’t been found, I think your father would have been dead or in prison for mass murder. You are the only thing keeping him together, so you understand that you have to stay here.”
“Fine,” he said, “but only if you keep me company.” He grinned wolfishly at her.
Kate looked down at her hands.
“I really shouldn’t. Maybe you can watch TV or something.”
He stood up, and in one smooth motion, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He hungrily pushed at her clothes, his mouth trailing hot kisses along her torso.
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Kate,” he said hoarsely as he licked and kissed her whole body then down to the mound of flesh between her legs.
“Oh my.” She moaned.
“Mmm,” Grant said. “I think this is how I’m going to spend the rest of my day—just having my way with you for hours.” He used his tongue and his fingers to pleasure her.
She felt the fires of desire lick her entire body. Kate expected him to stop and take his pleasure in her—most men would. But he kept going, kissing and nipping and stroking all along every inch of her. She moaned low in her throat. He really was going to do this all day!
“I can’t take anymore,” she whimpered. Grant looked up and grinned at her.
