Page 92 of Shattered Souls
Shaking my head, I’m smiling as I finally take my first sip of coffee. “I need to take Aurora shopping. She has nothing here, but she needs clothes, food, and maybe diapers.” I bury my face in my hands, already feeling overwhelmed. “I don’t even know if she’s potty trained fully. She was nearly there when I left for Halston, but I dunno if Lydia continued to put in the work with her.”
“Take a deep breath, Shortcake.” Logan steps up behind me, his large hands kneading my shoulders until they relax. “There you go. Don’t worry about all that. We can go out with her today and get everything she needs. Anything we overlook can be gotten tomorrow or ordered online.”
“Plus, don’t forget we have her stuff from your mom’s,” Royce interjects.
“See!” Logan grins. “We essentially have everything already.”
I groan, my eyes closing as I remember, “I have a test this afternoon.” I’ll have to skip it. Which isn’t ideal, but it’s not like I’ve studied for it anyway. “I’ll email. Let the professor know I won’t be there.”
“You absolutely will not,” Logan states in a firm tone that sounds so at odds coming from him. “You’re already in trouble over your grades. Skipping a test will just give your advisor and Bertram the excuse they need to get you kicked out.”
“Logan,” I argue. “I haven’t even studied for it.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, looking absolutely ridiculous in his red apron and sweats. “Good thing you have all day to study then.” I open my mouth to protest, but he holds up a hand. He’s strangely hot when he’s being all bossy and demanding, and a filthy shiver creeps down my spine. “I’lltake Aurora shopping. Royce will stay home with you and?—”
“I need to go to the office to keep an eye on my dad,” Grayson interrupts.
My shoulders tense at the mention of his dad, and I worry on my bottom lip before asking, “That man… David… what did you?—”
“Don’t worry about that, Ry,” Royce says softly.
My gaze bounces between him and Grayson. “Is he…?”
“No,” Grayson confirms. He clearly doesn’t feel the same need to protect me from whatever they did as he continues, “We got the answers we needed from him before beating him to within an inch of his life, but we left him alive.”
My throat bobs as I swallow, my gaze anchored on Grayson. “But if he talks to your dad, then…”
He nods. “Yeah. My father will know that I know about Aurora. That I’m on your side.”
I suck in a breath. Letting his father realize that says more than words ever could about where Grayson’s loyalties lie.
“Was that the right move?” I ask hesitantly, trying to deduce the possible ramifications of that move. “What if your dad tries to get back at you through the company?”
“It’s not like he’s not already trying to get me ousted from the CEO position so he can reclaim it for himself. This way, David can let him know you’ve both got people on your side—people who won’t hesitate to do whatever is necessary to protect you both.”
He steps forward, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “My father thought you were isolated. Alone. He thoughtit would be easy to manipulate or coerce you under his roof. We’ve just proven to him that it won’t be.”
I… have no words. What Grayson just did. Everything he’s been doing recently to be there for me… he’s stepped up in a way I never expected, and it leaves me speechless.
“Oh, we also have a surprise for you, Shortcake.”
“A surprise?” I choke out.
Logan grins cheekily, and even Royce has a smug little smirk.
“You gotta wait until tonight for it, though,” he teases.
I open my mouth to say something—perhaps that they don’t need to get me anything. However, before I can say anything, a tentative voice breaks through the silence, andgod,if it isn’t the best sound I’ve ever heard. “Mommy?”
Spinning, I find Aurora standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking adorable with her hair all over the place as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.
I smile brightly at her, crouching as she races into my arms. Standing, I spin in a circle, making her giggle. The sound is infectious, infusing the kitchen with a warmth I hadn’t even noticed was missing.
When I’m dizzy, I squeeze her to me. I know I spent all night cuddling up against her, but I can’t get enough. If I thought she’d let me get away with it, I’d strap her to my chest like I did when she was a baby and carry her everywhere with me. I’d never let her out of my sight. “Morning, sweetie.”
She peeks over my shoulder at the three silent statues, watching us with equal expressions of awe and nerves. Logan is the only one who doesn’t appear uneasy. He’s like an excitable puppy, bouncing on the balls of his feet, and I can tell he’s just waiting for Aurora to feel at ease before he scoops her out of my arms.
“Baby, you remember my friends?” I point first at Logan. “This is Logan.” Next, I gesture to Royce. “And this is Royce.”
