Page 28 of Redemption

A person could get whiplash trying to name all the emotions that flash through her eyes. Underlying all of them, the one that I truly feel emanating from her is grief; or maybe that’s just the one I need to focus on to get me through this elevator ride. This is the woman he ghosted; I know that without a shadow of a doubt.

She’s beautiful, I think, more than a little jealous of her dark red hair. My mom’s side of the family is Irish and there are times my hair looks more orange than red. As the surprise fades from her face, the sadness lingers in her eyes. As I continue to study her, I guess that she’s close in age to Vector, but several years younger than the man holding her.

When the alarm rings, I realize that we’re blocking the doors and I tug him inside so we’re face to face with this vision from his past.

“Ford,” Vector says, nodding his head at the man who’s standing behind Grace, her body had previously blocked his cut from my view but the surprise on my face is nothing compared to hers. She immediately stiffens, looking over her shoulder at the man holding her, when she realizes that they know each other.

We continue to stand there, our backs to the door while the car slowly descends and as I’m trying to decide if the elevator was this small on the way up, the only relief I’m afforded is when Ford’s eyes shift to my face again.

“We haven’t met, I’m Ford and this is Grace,” he smoothly introduces them, resting his chin on top of her head.

“I’m Sloane,” I say, suddenly grateful when I feel Vector’s hand drop mine, before wrapping around my hip.

“Are you … well?” Grace asks Vector, and I’m pretty sure my cheeks are as flushed as hers. Her eyes dart to my face again, as if gauging my reaction to her presence.

Vector stands frozen at my side and as the silence drags on, I shift my elbow as slowly as possible to press it into his side. She’s sure as hell not asking me how I’m doing.

As stealthy as I tried to be, Ford catches me in the act and the sudden flare of his nostrils shows his amusement.

“Yeah. Um, yes. Now,” Vector responds to Grace, his eyes are studying her face as he seemingly rectifies his memories with the woman before us.

“When did you get in?” Ford asks him just as the elevator doors open.

“Just now, really,” Vector answers him, clearing his throat as he takes a step backward. “Cowboy said he was meeting the other Saint’s Outlaws at the table games, but we haven’t eaten so were going to grab dinner.”

“We’ll catch up later then,” Ford smoothly replies for them as we back out of the elevator but based on how Grace’s eyes widened at the mention of dinner, I’m fairly certain that they had intended to have a bite to eat also.

With a nod, Vector looks down at me and I point toward the hallway that leads to the adjoining mall.

I smile over my shoulder at the beautiful woman who still looks shaken. “I hope we’ll get to talk later.”

“Yes,” she says, her eyes holding mine before she gives me a tight smile.

Walking away from them, I wait until we’ve put some distance between us before I state the obvious. “She’s the picnic woman.”

“Yes,” he says, exhaling. “I’m sorry, are you alright? I didn’t mean to ignore you back there.”

“I’m slightly less shook than the two of you,” I tell him. “You’re friendly with Ford, right? Is he a good guy?”

“Yeah, Christ, that really threw me. But yes, he’s a good guy,” he answers, smiling down at me. “I don’t have to worry about you eviscerating her with that mouth of yours or smacking her down, do I?”

“I don’t look like her,” I softly whisper, feeling relief that we even have different shades of red hair.

“Hey, babe, come here,” he responds, pushing me up against a wall. “What either of you look like never mattered to me …”

He stops himself when I raise an eyebrow at him, and he rolls his eyes before he continues.

“Look, you’re both gorgeous, other than first glance, that’s not what matters to me. I’m not the man she cared about, and no disrespect to her, but I’m sure she’s not the same person either. I wasn’t out looking for Grace’s clone all these years,” he reassures me, shifting a hand to push two fingers above my left breast. “What’s in here, that’s why I love you. Now and for the rest of my life.”

“I love you, too,” I tell him for the first time.

“I know,” he taunts me with a shit-eating grin.

I click my tongue and lift my chin in the air before turning back to the steakhouse I wanted to try, knowing it’ll bother him if I don’t give him a chance to tease me further.

“Been meaning to ask you,” he calls after me. “No one’s seen Any since that day at the clubhouse, you want to tell me where you hid her body?”

Waving my middle finger over my shoulder gets him belly laughing in response.

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