Page 30 of Captive Lies

“Grant?” A choked sob. “Oh my God. Are you allright?”

Blaire.

He closed his eyes briefly, letting her voice wash over him. She had cared enough to call. To expose herself. That counted a lot. A whole damned lot. “Blaire,” he said simply. All the anger and betrayal sifted away like sand through hisfingers.

“Where was your security? How did thishappen?”

“I’m all right, baby,” he assured her and then, “How areyou?”

An irritated sigh hissed through the receiver. “I’m fine. You’re the one who gothurt.”

“You sound pissed at me,” Grant stated incredulously. “I’m not the one keepingsecrets.”

Silence.

“Are you in trouble,Angel?”

“It’s not your problem, Grant. I’ll handle this. I didn’t want to get you involved in the firstplace.”

“I alreadyam.”

“No, you’re not. Stick to Jake andTyler.”

“Tell me who’s after you,baby.”

“I can’t,” her voice cracked. “It’s best you don’t know. Forget about me,Grant.”

No fuckingway.

“Blaire, I know about the guns andpassports.”

“You broke into mycabin?”

“I had thekey.”

“I don’t recall giving you the right …” she broke off. “Why are you doing this? You need to let mego.”

“Absolutelynot.”

“Now is not the time to be bullheaded, Grant.” There was rising hysteria in her voice. “How did they even get toyou?”

His woman was distraught. Grant had yet to look at himself in the mirror, but he bet he didn’t look pretty. Fedora man had a solid right hook. There was blood on his Tuxedo from the flesh wound he sustained from a gunshot from Hawk-nose; he was thankful the man was a lousyshot.

“It’s not important how,” Grant said. “Now, I want you to come home.” He looked at Tyler who shook his head. That meant he hadn’t traced the callyet.

“Don’t do this, Grant. I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to you or yourfamily.”

“We’ll figure it out.” Responsibility to his family weighed heavily in his mind, but he needed Blaire with him to keep things under control. Knowing that dangerous people were after her was driving himinsane.

“No, wewon’t.”

“Goddammit, Blaire!” Grant roared, his calm deserting him. “You tell me where the fuck you are, right fucking now, or you can be sure I’ll find who those bastards are working for and get the fucking truth fromthem.”

“Don’t dothat!”

“Your choice,Angel.”

“That’sblackmail.”

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