Page 65 of Possession

From Grace’s tone, I could tell she was still tangled up in the notion Annabelle and I had been intimate—or had at least circled around some kind of flirtation.

Which was wrong on a million levels.

“Not quite.” The corner of my mouth ticked up. “She knew my father. I believe I mentioned that to you before.”

“Knew orknew-knew?”

Again, I smiled. That was Grace, my Nancy Drew in-training. “She never clarified that for me, and I’ll admit to not wanting to think too hard on it. But I have my suspicions. She acted as my benefactor to send me to art camp at the Beacon school because she knew Robert. She claimed to have known him for many years. That she was extremely fond of him.”

“But if you were sixteen, I was thirteen, and that means my grandfather had only died seven years before. She wouldn’t do that. Not to my grandpop. He was the love of her life, Blake.”

“Whatever that means,” I mused, and watched her eyes flash hot like a summer storm.

“I don’t know what her relationship with Robert entailed,” I continued, keeping my voice low and soothing. “I’m not sure it matters. Everyone who would’ve been involved is dead now.”

But God, it was so refreshing to see Grace’s cheeks stain pink with indignation over possible slings and arrows against her long-dead grandfather. We had nothing but supposition, nothing but scanty information, and she was ready to leap to his defense.

“It matters. Honor isn’t something to throw on and off like a pair of pants.”

“Oh, Ms. Copeland.”

“Don’t.” She wagged her finger at me and shoved off the stool to start walking around the counter again. “I know you think I’m a naïve fool.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then what else am I? I was in a class with you for years, and I never even knew. I walked into your office one day to try to get you to see reason about my house, and you knew who I was right away. Youalwaysknew, and I just blithely ignored every clue you gave.”

“Not knowing what to do with a piece of information isn’t the same as ignoring.” When she would’ve sputtered at me, I pressed on. “Your grandmother called me to her house, as I said. And she asked me to promise that if something happened to her, I would buy it. No, she begged me. Flat-out begged.”

“Why? Why would she do that?”

I had my theories, and maybe someday I’d share them with Grace. In the meantime, I went with my old standby—deflection.

“It’s late.” I moved forward and closed the files on the laptop. “This can all wait until the morning.”

“No, dammit, you’re not shutting me down like that. Not tonight.” She slammed down the lid on the laptop, nearly slamming my fingers in the process. “She left behind a video saying I might be in danger, for fuck’s sake. You can’t put me in a glass box and keep me from the truth.”

“You’re not in danger.”

“How can you say that with such steel in your voice? How can you fuckingknow?” She started to whirl away, but I grabbed her arm, curling my fingers into her pale skin. Sometimes a little precisely applied force was necessary to make a point.

Like right now.

“No one is getting near you. No one. Do you understand me? Not while there’s breath in my body.” I dragged her against me, using my height advantage to remind her that I was a worthy foe. Not toward her. Never toward her.

But anyone else—I’d like to see them fucking try.

“You’re mine.” She tried to shove me back, but I didn’t move. “I protect what’s mine.” I bent to press my mouth to her ear, well aware of her quickened breaths pushing her chest against mine. Those full breasts straining, trying to pull my focus from where it needed to be. “Anyone who comes near you is taking a very large risk.”

“Oh, yeah? Gonna chain me up somewhere?”

“I just might. But I guarantee you’d enjoy it.” Slowly, I let my gaze roam her face as I trailed my fingertip along her cheek. “It’s late,” I said again. “It’ll still be here tomorrow.”

“So, we’ll just fuck it out and make it all better?” But she was already breathless, her lips already parted and wet. She wanted to do exactly that.

We might be reckless and insane, but it was a mutual affliction.

“You tell me.”

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