Page 194 of Chandelier Enthralled
“She didn’t know everything,” I said, trying to rationalize.
Cameron tugged at my hands. “Are you going to let me have a look?”
He was prying the book out of my grasp.
I shook my head, gripping it tighter. “It’s too dangerous to know.”
“We need to hand it over to the D.A.”
I shook my head again. “I don’t trust anyone.”
If my brother was angry, he wasn’t showing it. He had every right to be furious.
Still, he showed none of those emotions, only compassion and understanding.
“I want you to know,” he said, “that it’s unsettling what you did. But it was incredibly brave, and I am so proud of you.”
A tear tickled down my cheek. “Really?”
Emotion swept over his face. “You could have hidden away, let the world fall apart. But you stood up for what you believed was right. You pursued the truth. That is a remarkable achievement.”
“But I messed up.”
“No, Chad kind of coerced you into Dean’s home. Chloe abandoned you. From what I can tell you’re the one who honored the journalistic code.”
“Thank you, Cameron,” I said, my voice trembling.
“Stay home for a while, okay?”
We heard one knock and then the door was flung open.
Greyson appeared, his expression fraught, tension in his posture.
Cameron rose to greet him. They exchanged serious looks, then came that nod of permission from my brother, allowing Greyson to approach me.
He sat beside me, then, as though unable to hold back another moment, he reached for me, pulling me into a warm, tight embrace. His lips pressed gently against my forehead as he held me, his touch comforting.
Finally, the tears flowed, and I buried my face in his chest, breathing in Greyson’s calming scent.
It was him—it had always been him from the moment I had seen him in the foyer, here in this house. The serene man who had been grieving, heading out to try to save a woman even after she had wronged him.
Now, he was here for me.
“Did Cameron tell you?” I asked.
“He knows you went to Dean’s.” Cameron stepped forward, having given us a few minutes together. “Greyson knows what happened.”
“One minute we were having lunch in a diner,” I said. “Then, they insisted we visit Dean’s home. I don’t regret it…”
Cameron offered me a tissue and I dried my tears, even as new ones sprung from my eyes. Yet I wanted to rally—I needed to be as brave as Chad.
“He saved my life,” I said softly. “He threw himself in front of the gun.”
“Chad?” asked Greyson. “Your co-worker?”
I nodded. “He worked in the mailroom. He was Dean Hersey’s boyfriend. He got a job at Pulse360 so he could find out what happened to him.”
“Which is how he had a key to Dean’s apartment,” Greyson said, realizing.
