Page 29 of Claimed By the Boss

“I know, and if you want,I can still throw their asses in prison.”

“They’re not worth it.”She stepped out of the room, taking hold of his hand. She glanced up at theceiling, and he saw a little chain dangling.

Nora reached up andgrabbed it, pulling it down to reveal a set of wooden steps. “Maybe they putsome things up in the attic,” she said.

Gabriel hated how dejectedshe looked. When she realized her aunt and uncle were no longer going to beproblems, he’d seen the excitement at finally being able to get her parents’possessions back. He hadn’t once considered that she might not want to see whatthey had done to the place. Now he wished he’d taken the time to truly talk toher about what might have happened. Nora made her way up into the attic, and hefollowed her, not wanting her to be alone.

Once they were inside, hesaw there had been several years of thick dust settling on boxes. He watched asshe flicked on an overnight light switch, and her gloomy expression soon changedto one of glee as she let out a giggle.

“They didn’t get rid of itall,” Nora said.

She ran her hand across afew boxes, and then began to tear into them. He heard her sudden giggle andglanced over to him. “Would you like to see my parents?”

He moved in closer,getting toward the light, and she flicked open the first photograph album.

“Here you go. That’s mymom, my dad, and then there is little baby me,” Nora said, pointing toward thepeople in the picture.

“You’re cute,” he said.

Nora laughed. “My parentsloved taking pictures. Once they got started, there was no stopping them.”

She spun the photographalbum around and started to tell him stories attached to each photo.

“This was the disasterpicnic.”

“A disaster picnic?” heasked.

“Yeah, Dad forgot thefood. Mom forgot the drinks. There was no blanket, and then when we were ableto get everything and were all set up, the skies opened, and it just rained. Ifeel like that summer it rained every single day.” She giggled. “Wow, I haven’tthought about that day in a long time. Dad had brought a lot of coals for thebarbeque, and he never got to light one. Mom grilled indoors.”

He looked at her and lovedto see that smile on her face. “You had a happy childhood.”

“Yeah, I did. I miss themso much.”

“I’d have loved to havemet them.”

Nora looked up from thephotograph album and stared at him. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For doing all of this. Iknow you didn’t have to. There was no obligation or anything.”

He reached out and cuppedher cheek. “I was not going to have you going without. They lied and cheatedtheir way into this place. I simply put a right to that wrong.”

Nora moved toward him,cupping his face and kissing him. “And that is why I say thank you. For a longtimeI’ve not had anyone in my corner, and you’re the firstperson to take mine. Thank you.”

He’d hold any corner andhe’d be with her in any way that mattered.

“I’ll always be there foryou, Nora. Always.” And he meant every word.

ChapterNine

Nora looked up at theslightly imposing house. Not a house, and not even slightly imposing, this was actuallya lot more imposing, and the house was more like a mansion. This was Gabriel’shome. The one he grew up in with his grandfather.

He’d promised to bring herhere after she showed him her childhood home. It was hard for her to go backthere. Even harder to start taking away her parents’ possessions. She didn’tknow what she was going to do with the house. Her aunt and uncle’s stamp on theplace was still there, but they were not going to take any more from her.

“This is where you grewup?” Nora asked.

“Yeah. He didn’t even makeme go to boarding school, even though my parents wanted me to go.”

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