Page 34 of The Fear
He pulled back first. He needed time to think. “You are dangerous to a man, Hala Hanan. Why didn’t I ever see that before?”
“I’m hardly dangerous to men, Grady. That’s not me at all.”
“The hell you’re not, and if I was even half a better man than I know I am, you’d never get away from me. I’m not sure I’m ever going to let you go now, either. You just better get prepared…”
He couldn’t help himself—he kissed the woman again. Grady just needed to now.
25
Jessica wanted to scream.Brenton was just messing everything up. Hermotherhad just texted. Said she wanted to talk to Jessica. About the kids. AboutBilly.
Jessica knew Billy and the kids were having a harder time adjusting to each other. But…kids werehardto deal with. Especially for someone who didn’t have them. Maybe he’d yelled at BJ a few times, but…they were going to work on that. And BJ could be so frustrating sometimes. The kid just didn’t listen that well and all he wanted to do was hide in his room. He wasn’t like Wynnie. Billy told Wynnie what to do, and the kid just did it. But Billy thought BJ needed to man up. To stop being so needy.
Jessica had had the same damned thought a thousand times. Wynnie had been a lot easier when she’d been three. She’d tried to tell Billy to just be patient. She didn’t want the kids to scare him off. Billy actually had a decent job—made really good money. He looked really good in the suits he wore, too. He was already giving her ideas about how to invest some of her tips and make them work for her better. Doing some day trading and stuff. She’d already given him her savings account. She’d hadfour hundred dollars in there and he’d already said he’d turned it into five hundred or so. That was really going to help.
But her mom said something was wrong, and that meant she was going to be in total lecture mode. Jessica hurried around the apartment, picking up the trash mess the kids had made the night before—or…the weekend before. They’d been with Brenton for two or three days now. It was hisparenting time.He was always trying to stretch that time out, too.
He was such a fuckingbeta.She never would have expected it by looking at him, but all he ever said he wanted was for the kids to have a better life thanhe’dhad. Well, didn’t that just make him the perfect parent?
She wanted a good life for their kids, too. She was theirmother.Of course she wanted that. That was one reason she was dating Billy now. He could teach BJ how to be aman,and not a jerk like Brenton. And he couldprovidefor them, the way a man should. Jessica just wanted to not have to worry any longer.
She stared out the back patio door for a moment.Thatwoman was right there. Miss Perfect. Playing with that nephew of hers. At a distance, he looked like a slightly older version of BJ. But that kidtalkedto people. She’d seen him in the diner before. He wasn’t like BJ. Her kid was a little weird.
Nothing in Jessica’s life had ever beennormal.
She loaded the dishwasher as fast as she could, trying not to gag. Yeah, so things had molded a little again. She was busy. And didn’t she get enough of people’s dirty dishes at the diner?
Her mom knocked on the door.
Jessica took a look around the apartment. At least the dishes were hidden and the trash was finally picked up.
Nothing she could do about the rest of the place. She threw the new pillows she’d picked up somewhere after she’d had a few shots a few weeks ago back up onto the couch. She hated those damned things. Where had they even come from, anyway?
Still, at least they made itlooklike she’d made an effort.
Her mom was just going to have todeal.
26
“Every little boyshould have a puppy. So he can always have a best friend.” Ryan Micah Hanan informed her, very importantly, of his argument. He had all of his facts lined out, she suspected. He was ready to give his closing now. Just like his father. “I think we should go see the puppies again. Make sure they are okay and no bad guys gotted them.”
Ryan was her favorite guy on the planet—and she had no doubt he would end up becoming an attorney just like his father. The kid understood how things worked, no denying that. Since what had happened to Gia at the courthouse, all Ryan wanted to do was go out to the ranch to be with Gia. “I see. So…you are asking me to take you out to the Hillers so you can check on the puppies? Again.”
“And see Miss Gia. I haven’t seen her in a long, long time. And I misses her.”
It had beentwodays.
“I see.” It was very clear that one Hanan man was head over heels in love with Gia. Now, if Hala’s brother would just get on board, she would be beyond happy. But, Gia’s family had beenthrough utter hell this week. Gia and Greer were keeping an eye on everyone.
Hala wanted to check on them for herself. Ayla should be out there. Hala knew her friend would have some trauma related problems now. Hala understood howtraumaworked. She’d have to talk to Ayla and Aubrey—try to get them to go to W4HAV in Finley Creek. The counselors there really understood. Hala wouldn’t have made it as far as she had without Gia dragging her that first time.
And to be honest, after everything that had happened—she really wasn’t too keen on being in her apartment alone. She could almost swear someone had been outsidewatchingher the other night. And…she thought some of her patio furniture had been moved. She just couldn’t be sure. Which… “Okay, I willtakeyou to the ranch tonight to see puppies and play with Calvin. But…first we pick up all of your toys on the patio so it’s not so messy and so things don’t get carried off by werewolves.” Or neighbors. She was almost certain her new pillows had walked away. She couldn’t find them anywhere. That was the second set of outdoor pillows that had justdisappearedaround here. Concerning, very, very concerning.
She preferred to think it was because of werewolves and not the alternative, honestly.
Ryan stomped to the door, but he waited for her to open it like he was supposed to. She’d given him very clear rules for the sliding glass doors. He was clever enough to have figured out the latch in the first five minutes of her living here. It had taken Hala and Ayla twice as long her first day. He was going to be a handful, her nephew. She just knew it.
Fifteen minutes later, after confirming that one Ayla Fisher was already at the ranch, even if Greer was still MIA, they were on their way, Ryan telling her about the magic pony. And asking if Mister Grady would take him to see the pony again so he couldtell her a story. Because that pony loved stories from little kids. He asked if Mister Grady would tell him and Calvin a bedtime story again.
