Page 99 of Possession

Figuring that was my signal to head home, I started the SUV.

Traffic was fairly light, and we arrived home in under half an hour. Noticing Grace was drifting off beside me—as she seemed to do often whenever the car was in gear—I gassed it more than I usually would. I presented an image to her of a reasonable man, not prone to fits of impulse.

Except when it came to her, and driving too fast on a clear, cold night.

I pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition. She didn’t stir.

“Grace.” I shook her shoulder.

She mumbled something that sounded like “need to change over the laundry.”

Smiling to myself, I opened my door. I guess I could carry her if necessary. It might even be worth her clawing my eyes open when she woke up.

At the noise of the door, she sat straight up. “Where are we?”

I had to chuckle. “Home, baby. Grab some of the cupcakes while I get the mail.”

She rubbed her eyes. “Yes, Sir. Whatever you say, Sir.”

Damn if her snarky form of address didn’t get me as hard as the frame of the vehicle.

I went to the street to grab the mail from the box and returned to find a still sleepy Grace trying to balance way too many boxes. Shaking my head, I took three of them and my briefcase and led the way up the walk. After unlocking the door, I nudged open the door wider so she could go inside ahead of me.

At the last second, I shot out my arm and barred her from entering. “Wait.”

“What the hell—” She bobbled her boxes and grabbed one of the lids just before it popped off. “A little warning, please?”

But I wasn’t listening. My gaze was focused solely inside my home.

A light was on in the living room and in the kitchen, as per the timers I’d set. From the doorway, nothing appeared out of place. But there’d been an extra beep on the alarm system as I disarmed it.

Either I was imagining things or it had been reset within the last hour. And that was impossible.

I was tired. It had been a long day and an even longer night. That beep might not have occurred at all.

But if I had, and I risked Grace…

I set down my briefcase and boxes. I might not use my fists as much as I once had, but I’d be ready for whatever—or whomever—came at me.

Atus.

“Wait here,” I commanded.

Chapter 24

Blake

Grace huffed out a sigh. “Seriously? Blake, the house looks fine.” She started to slip past me, but I blocked her with my body.

“My house, my rules.” I met her stony gaze with one of my own. “Wait here.”

“Such an only child,” she muttered. “Mine, mine, mine.”

Any other time, it would’ve made me smile. Not now.

“Okay,” she conceded finally. “I’ll wait here but be quick. These cupcakes are calling my name.”

I moved to the sideboard table in the foyer and moved it aside enough to reach the narrow safe disguised by the crown molding. After a quick nudge of the panel, I flipped the combination dial and withdrew my gun.

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