Page 13 of Grayson's Angel

“Today was the first day I’ve ever met him,” Kara stated in an irritated tone.

“Russian thugs kidnapped you from baggage claim and took you straight to a church so you could marry a man you’ve never met. You are one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. But why would one of the largest crime bosses in the country want to get married?”

Kara didn’t answer his question right away. She was wringing her hands in her lap, her appetite completely gone. “My father owes him a large debt. Rovshan said the debt would be forgiven if I married him.”

“The marriage is to pay a debt,” he repeated under his breath. “It still makes little sense. We need to figure out why he needs a wife.”

“I overheard something when I was running out of the building.”

Grayson pulled her into his arms, and his eyes were full of anger. “Kara, I need to know everything. Even if you think the detail is too small.”

Her chest ached at the thought of her mom’s ranch. She’d always wanted to live close to it. She had dreamed of her kids learning to ride and spending time with her mother. After her mom had died, living on the ranch wasn’t an appealing option. Everywhere she looked, there were reminders of her. Kara knew she would need to go out to the ranch one last time to say goodbye to her mom.

She pursed her lips and blinked hard a few times. Thinking about the ranch or her mother always brought tears to her eyes. She hadn’t cried since her mom had died, but the past six hours had turned her into a crier. She couldn’t stop the tears.

“He was talking to another man about a trust, and if we were to get married, the ranch would be his.” She didn’t understand. “The ranch is my father’s. How would marrying me get him the ranch? If he wants the ranch so badly, why doesn’t my father just give it to him?”

“Are you sure the ranch is in your father’s name?”

“No.” She realized she was still wrapped in Grayson’s arms and went to pull back. He tightened his grip, holding her in place.

“Were you able talk to your dad today?” he asked.

“No. Rovshan kept saying I would see him at the wedding. There was supposed to be a meeting tonight at nine. I didn’t hear the location. The man Rovshan was talking to—his voice sounded familiar. I’m still trying to place it, but I never saw his face.” Her voice came out shaky.

He pulled her in tighter. “I’m sorry.”

Kara wasn’t sure why he was sorry, but it felt good to be safe in his arms.

“We will find your dad and take care of Rovshan,” he told her in a gravelly voice.

“You can’t know that!” she said, her voice too loud with emotion.

Grayson didn’t shy away when she raised her voice. “I do. I will send your information to my brother, Noah. If there is a trust or land out there in your name, I have faith he can find it. When it comes to computers and finding things on the internet, he can do it.” He cleared his throat. “Do you trust me to take care of this and help protect you?”

For only meeting him a few hours ago, she trusted him. It was something in his eyes that made her feel like he would protect her from the world. “I know we only met this morning, but something deep down tells me to trust you,” she explained.

Grayson nodded. “I will call my brother and see what he can dig up.”

“Grayson, why are you helping me?”

Grayson stood from the couch. He bit his bottom lip and looked at her for a few seconds too long to be polite. “Not sure. Like you, it’s something in my gut. After I make a call, we’ll contact the local sheriff and let him know what is going on.”

“Oh.” She had forgotten about contacting the police. “Are you sure we have to?”

“Yes.” He reached for her hand and pulled her off the couch. The amount of force he used catapulted her into his arms, and she let out a loud squeal of surprise. When he wrapped his arms around her waist, she gazed up at his blue eyes.

Slowly, he dragged his fingers up her back and wrapped them in her hair. Grayson tilted her head back. Slowly lowering his head until his mouth was just inches away from her lips, he whispered, “If you don’t want me to kiss you, say something now.”

Her breath hitched, and he leaned down the last few inches. His lips were soft and tasted like the cheeseburger he’d been eating. He swiped his tongue across her lips, demanding entrance. She opened them and leaned farther into his kiss.

Kara ran her hands up and down Grayson’s back and gripped his T-shirt tightly. He deepened the kiss, demanding more. A fire ignited in her belly. She wanted to crawl up the man as if he were a tree and wrap her legs around his waist.

The kiss was causing her knees to become weak. Had he not been holding her up, she would have collapsed to the ground.

Grayson pulled back from the kiss. They were both panting. He rested his chin on the top of her head and whispered, “Angel.”

The moment was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. Grayson groaned in frustration before picking up the call.

Kara couldn’t hold back the laughter bubbling up from her chest at the noise Grayson made.

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