Page 68 of Dangerous Secret

“What’s love got to do with it?”

She burst into laughter. “You didn’t just say that,Tina.” He grinned and for a second, she saw the man she’d fallen in love with. Then that man was gone, replaced by the one she’d grown to hate.

His eyes turned hard and cold. “Your week is almost up. You now have three days to pack up your things and close up your apartment.”

“Or?”

“Or I do it for you. Actually, don’t bother packing anything. Everything you need is at home where you belong. I’m announcing my candidacy for mayor at a dinner two weeks from Saturday, and you will be by my side.”

“Screw you.” She opened the door, got out and slammed it behind her. When she rounded the front of the car, he was standing outside.

“Three days, Harlow,” he called after her.

Why couldn’t he leave her alone? Why couldn’t they co-parent their beautiful boy, do what was best for him? Tears burned her eyes, and she forced herself to walk past Grayson, but couldn’t resist looking at him when he took a step toward her. His eyes held hers for a brief moment. In them, she saw understanding and a promise. She wanted to believe, but Anthony had put doubts in her head. He always won, and she was so very afraid he would again.

Chapter 31

Grayson 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 nastyvoice 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.”

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