Page 96 of Holding Grace

Chapter 35

Grace

A few days after we’d had lunch, Mercy and I returned to the downtown office to be sure we had everything out, this time accompanied by Ry.

While Mercy and I sifted through things, Ry watched the door and the street beyond, carrying boxes, or plants, or whatever to the car whenever we needed him to. He was our bodyguard, our watchman, and our mover all in one, and he was good at all of it.

After about two hours, we wrapped things up, leaving a pile of things to be set out for trash or taken to the dump, and another of papers to be shredded.

We crammed into the car – Ry in the front passenger seat with a document scanner on his lap, and me in the back seat juggling two succulents while Mercy drove. We dropped Ry off at a work site, then continued on to Mercy’s apartment to get organized.

Late that afternoon, satisfied with our progress, we called it a day. Mercy dropped me off at the front door to my and Michael’s apartment and I returned her wave as she pulled away.

I turned to enter the building, then stopped. For the past week, I’d been trying to get to the tea shop down the block for a tea blend that Stacia, the woman Ace was currently seeing, had recommended. It was supposed to promote well-being and focus, and who couldn’t use more of that?

I redirected my steps, heading for the door to the shop, visible just a short distance away. It took no time at all to find and purchase the blend I was looking for, and I breezed back to the apartment building, squinting at the sun in my eyes, glad to be able to cross that errand off my to do list.

I’d nearly reached the front door of the building when someone stepped right in front of me and said my name.

I shaded my eyes and gasped.

Standing there – between me and the front door – was Seth.

Unnerved, I opened my mouth to scream just as Seth threw his hands up in front of him in the universal symbol for “I mean no harm.”

“Don’t,” he rushed out. “Don’t scream. I’m not here to hurt you.”

“Of course you’re not.” I took a step back, eyes flicking quickly right and left for an escape route. “That’s why you jumped out in front of me like you did. Completely normal, right? Everyone does that.”

I wasn’t sure where the sarcasm was coming from. Maybe fear. Or shock? I’d learned young that Ellis responded to sarcasm by being even more nasty and hateful. I never, ever would have spoken to him – or around him – the way I just had Seth.

“I had to. I knew you’d run if you saw me coming and you have that fucking giant who follows you around everywhere. I needed to talk to you alone.”

I tried to edge a little to the side, but he moved with me.

“Why? So you can tell me I need to come back? I’m not doing that, Seth. No matter how many men you or Ellis or whoever it was pay to try to kidnap me.”

A woman walking by glanced over with a frown and Seth shifted nervously.

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