The blonde was not his usual type. She looked polished and refined, the sort who knew how to smile sweetly and innocently while drawing every male eye in the room. Even dressed in those skintight workout clothes, she carried herself with the kind of confidence that demanded attention, and George had seen the way other men had looked at her.
A woman like that knew exactly what she was doing. She used what she had the same way his mother had, dangling temptation in front of men and keeping them circling like fools. The thought turned his stomach.
She wouldn’t keep doing it, though. He'd make sure of that.
As he worked, the shape of his plan sharpened. When he was finished with her, there would be no more teasing smiles. No more knowing glances. No more men staring after her.
And there was a certain satisfaction in what her death would do to Sean Malone.
George had wanted the federal agent dead. That would have been the cleanest solution. This, though... this would serve another purpose. Loss had a way of hollowing a man out, stripping him down piece by piece until there was nothing left but grief and helplessness.
Yes.
That would be far better.
Malone would pay for every insult and smug accusation hurled through television screens for the world to hear. Maybe not with his life, but he would pay.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Grace’s heart soared.
He loves me.
And she loved him.
The truth still felt too precious to trust to memory alone. Once again, she regretted not keeping a journal. If she had, this moment would have filled pages.
Sean stretched across her bed, Rico perched on the opposite side, grooming himself as if the day had held nothing unusual. She handed Sean a glass of water and the painkiller, watching as he swallowed the pill before she set the empty glass on the nightstand.
“Do you want to get cleaned up before that kicks in?”
A slow grin spread across Sean’s face as he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “That sounds like an awesome idea. But I’m going to need help.”
Grace arched a brow. “Help, huh? Do you have anyone in mind?”
“Oh, yeah.” His thumb brushed across her palm. “She’s a green-eyed blonde who’s been bossing me around all day, and for some strange reason, I’m finding I like it.”
Warmth spread through Grace’s chest. “Well, then, it’s your lucky day.”
With her help, Sean eased upright on the edge of the bed. She worked his shirt over his head with care, mindful of his shoulder, and guided him back against the pillows.
“I thought I was under strict orders to behave.”
“You are,” she said, doing her best to sound stern. “And if you want to keep earning points, you’ll stay put while I get everything ready.”
In the bathroom, she filled a basin with warm water, gathered washcloths, soap, and clean towels, then carried them back to the bedroom.
When she returned, she found Sean depositing Rico in the hallway and shutting the door. At her raised brow, he shrugged with his good shoulder. “He was watching me like he expected front-row seats to something naughty.”
The comment drew a laugh from her, bright enough to lift the heaviness still lingering from the day.
Sean reached over and gave her side a playful poke. “See? The tough nurse act is already slipping.”
“Oh, no.” She pointed the washcloth at him in warning. “I’m still in charge here. And right now, I’m ordering you to sit still.”
Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he lifted his free hand in surrender. “Yes, ma’am.”
The teasing faded as Grace got busy. She washed away the grime and dried blood with slow, careful movements, pausing whenever he winced. The bruises darkening across his side made her heart ache, and every scrape reminded her how close she had come to losing him.
