Page 53 of The Fear
Hala’s phone was on the charger in her room.
She had no way of getting help until Grady got there. But…Grady was coming. She knew he was. Grady was on his way.
“Jessica.”
“They are mine, you bitch. No one is taking them from me ever again.”
Jessica…Jessica was covered in blood.
And there was madness in her eyes.
And a butcher knife in her hand.
Hala shifted, until she could put herself between Jessica and the sweet little girl crying for her daddy now.
45
Grady pulledinto the complex and tried to focus on what his sister was saying. She’d been jabbering at him from the moment she’d hopped in his truck and said she was coming along to get Hala. He had just grunted at her. He’dwantedsome time alone with the woman he adored, but for some reason his sister was convinced Hala needed help with prepping for the carnival. Or…Greer was just trying to escape all thecooingthat was going on at their place.
There was that.
It was a bit overwhelming.
“So…you are serious about her? If you aren’t, if you are being a jerk to her—I’m going to kick your ass myself. She’s my best friend and I don’t want her hurt. But…if you are serious, then…hallelujah, because she deserves a good man. And there aren’t very many better. So…I want lots of nieces and nephews so my baby has cousins to grow up with since he or she is destined to be an only child. At least…with me. Do you think my baby will be lonely?Hehas those two little girls now. But I havemyfamily, too. I can give my baby a good home.”
Greer was in full-out panic mode lately. Especially since the rat who’d fathered her baby had recently become guardian to two young relatives—including a baby. The guy was wealthy, and enough of an asshole to cause Greer as much trouble as he possibly could. She was terrified he was going to try to take their baby as soon as it was born. Even though the guy had said that he wouldn’t do that.
Grady didn’t trust him one bit.
He’d even tried some things with Gene already. They were going to have to deal with him very, very soon. Very soon.
AfterGrady took the woman he wanted away for a few days. Hala was his main priority now.
“I am very serious about Hala. And the last thing I ever want to do is hurt her.” He pulled onto the road that led to Hala’s apartment complex—theonlyreal complex in Barratt County. It was just a few miles south of Barrattville, but still in the Value school district. Greer and Gia had both had apartments there, until recently when they’d moved home to the ranch.
He suspected another woman would be moving to the ranch soon from that place. As soon as Grady could make it happen. He wanted her forever. He just had to figure out how to make that happen. “We…I’m taking her up to Mom’s cottage tomorrow afternoon. We are planning to stay for two days. We haven’t told anyone yet.”
“What? Are you sleeping with her? Grady…”
“Not any of your business what we are doing up there. Just know that I’ll always do my best to take care of her. I feel…different…when I am with her. Like I can see forever with her.” Grady probably wasn’t making much sense right now. But what were the words to describe how she made him feel? “She snuck up on me. Now, I never want to let her go.”
“She’s always loved Mom’s cottage. She used to pretend we were fairies and it was our cottage in the woods. We’d hide therefrom gnomes, ogres and trolls. You…um…were always one of the trolls. Hala liked to hide from you there. And...plot against you. There was that. And now…you two are going up there. Together. That’s…beyond romantic.”
“I’m going to catch her there. I’ll take care of her, Greer. Love her until my last day on earth. You have my word.”
“Not needed. You’ll be perfect for her. I kind of always suspected you would. The two of you—better people than you can ever know. I want you both to be happy again. And it thrills me you are together—that you two see the best in each other. I personally think she’s really lucky to have found a guy like my big brother. And my big brother is really lucky to have found a woman like my best friend in the world.”
Grady didn’t say anything else, just turned into Hala’s parking lot. He had to wind around the back to get to her unit. He just thought about what his sister said as he drove.
46
She’d been drinkingall day. Jessica didn’t really remember when she’d started. Just…she’d been soangry.That’s what it was, she’d been so angry. With her mother, with her bitch sister, with Brenton.
And that stupidbitchJudge Collins. That woman had looked at her and just said Jessica was worth shit as a mother. That was exactly what that woman had been implying.
Jessica knew where she lived. She’d go see that judgepersonallyafter she dealt with Miss Perfect Hala Hanan. Sheknewthat Wynnie’s teacher was the one who’d reported her, too. She’d probably snuck into Jessica’s apartment and taken those photos. All because Hala Hanan hated her. She was jealous. And had been for years.
Of course she was.
