Page 79 of Falling Into Forever
Dante doesn’t say anything as he processes this information. I can tell he’s trying to fix this. Find the solution. Create the game plan, but it’s Grady who shocks me by speaking.
“Bring them here.” His lips barely move as he speaks.
Dante turns his head in question.
“Bring. Them. Here,” he repeats.
“I know what it’s like when someone loses themselves so completely into addiction.”
His confession knocks the wind out of me. Up until now, I thought I was the only one who knew his story.
“It will escalate,” Grady continues. “He will keep coming for everyone you love. Bring them here where they can be safe while you figure out how to contain him.”
Grady doesn’t say anything else as he retreats and leans against the wall. Am I the only one who can see how unnaturally his chest rises and falls?
I stand in silence as Dante talks to Lena.
“You take the summers off anyway, Lena. He’s right. It might be best if you came here. We’ll cover your expenses with Trent’s payouts from Ascendancy Inc.”
“Is that even legal?” she asks.
Dante shrugs. “I’ll worry about that later. The most important thing now is to get you here, so I have everyone I care about safe. Then I’ll figure out what the hell to do about my brother.”
I don’t hear Lena’s response. My mind is doing its thing at the most inopportune time. I try to focus, but a story about a protector and a single mom unfurls as they speak.
By the time Dante faces me, I’m deep into the plot. But when he stands in front of me and places his hands on my biceps, I blink to bring him into focus.
“I should have asked you, Sayls. I’m sorry. I…”
“What?” I shake my head to clear the story webs from my mind. “What are you talking about?”
Dante shoots Grady a nervous expression.
“About Lena and Poppy coming here. I reacted, but I promise you, Lena and I have only ever been friends.”
If the situation weren’t so dire, I’d laugh. Not once did I question his loyalty.
My mouth drops open with short puffs of air, and perspiration dots my upper lip.
Not once did I question his loyalty.
Grumpy’s voice rings in my head. “Loyalty and love are what will keep you sane, Sassy. Loyalty and love. Don’t ever take it for granted.”
“Saylor?”
I shake my head so hard that I get dizzy. “No. Sorry. Of course. It’s fine.”
Dante and Grady share another expression that annoys me. Ugh. The last thing I need is them ganging up on me.
“I’m serious. Sorry, I just…got lost in my head for a minute.” My fist flies to my hip, and I let the sass explode. “I told you that would happen, and it does. I’m fine.”
I can tell he doesn’t believe me, but he doesn’t say anything else.
“Where are we going to put them?” I tilt my head to the ceiling. “Can we even get a bed in my office?” My office is technically another bedroom, but the problem with these old homes is that the room is the size of a modern-day walk-in closet.
“They’ll stay with me,” Grady says with an eerie calm that freezes everyone in place.
“Ah, what was that big guy?” I’m sure I heard him wrong.
