Page 94 of Vengeful Secret

Patrick licks his lips before speaking again, and I have the feeling that this conversation is taking a lot out of him.

“You have to be careful with him,a’stor. He gets hurt so easily.”

I nod slowly. “I’ll take care of him, Patrick.”

I don’t tell him that Gray and I aren’t even officially back together, because that doesn’t seem to matter.

I will take care of Gray. I’m going to do everything I can to be with him for the rest of my life. No matter how Gray feels about me, I’m in love.

“Aye,” Patrick says quietly. “I think you will.”

“I should go. Let you rest.”

He nods tiredly. “Will you send Marisol in with my afternoon snack? I need to eat before resting a bit more.”

I nod quickly, and Patrick grabs my hand as I start to turn away.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sutton McIntyre.”

I smile. “You too, Patrick. Feel better soon.”

“Better every day,” he says, and smiles.

I walk out into the hallway, and Gray is holding Ciara on his hip. He raises an eyebrow at me.

“How did it go?”

I smile back. “Great. Your da is a great guy.”

Gray grins, relief evident on his face. “He is.”

Ciara wiggles in Gray’s arms. “I want to go to the pool, Daddy!”

Gray chuckles. “You’d live there if you had gills.”

Ciara makes a face like a fish, and I laugh.

“You guys go on, I need to ask Marisol to bring Patrick’s meal.”

Gray leans down to kiss my cheek and then heads off with Ciara.

I head downstairs, seeing Lara and Bree snacking at the table.

Marisol sits in Patrick’s seat, eating.

“When you get a moment, Patrick is asking for his next meal,” I tell her, and her eyes widen as she stands up immediately.

She rushes into the kitchen and back out, and then I look over at Lara and Bree.

“You’re not going to eat?” Lara asks.

I shake my head. “Not yet. Shouldn’t eat before swimming, right?”

“I think that’s an old wives’ tale,” Bree pipes up, and I chuckle.

“Maybe, but my daughter is out there playing mermaids, and I want to join her.”

As I walk out of the big house and toward the Olympic-sized swimming pool, I can’t stop thinking about what Patrick said.

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