Page 41 of The Fear
He opened his arms. She walked into them, crying like an idiot. He wrapped his arms around her, one hand cupped her head. “It’ll be okay. I promise. I’m not letting you go. Ever. I promise.”
She just clung to him as she cried.
33
Somehow,they ended up alone. Greer wasn’t feeling too great. Gene took Chantal off to his room—well, toGeorge’sroom, which she’d sort of commandeered lately—to tuck her in. Yeah, he wasn’t stupid. Calvin and Ryan were sound asleep, and Gunn wasgone.Gene was going to get that hot little redhead he adored naked, fast.
Grady didn’t exactly blame him.
It had been a long time since he’d gotten a woman he cared about naked.
Like the one right in front of him now.
But now certainly wasn’t the time for that. He just acted before he thought it out. He scooped her into his arms. “Hold on, honey. I’ve got you.”
Her arms went around his neck, like he’d held her a thousand times before.
Grady carried her to the big rocking chair in the corner, and settled in. The boys were both asleep. His family had gone their separate ways for a little while, as they waited. He half-suspected they were giving him and Hala some time alone. He appreciated it.
Maybe he hadn’t been quite as careful to hide how she’d confused him lately as he’d thought. But…he didn’t care. He’d shout it from the rooftops how she made him feel if he had to.
Big wet brown eyes looked up at him. Grady just tightened his hold on her. “He’ll be alright, I promise. It’ll just take a few weeks to clean up the mess. Then he’ll be back in there, probably with a better color scheme or something.”
Grady just held her while the minutes passed. As they waited.
Until she was limp against him and he held her, imagining what his world would be like if he never had to let her go.
He just couldn’t get the sight of her brother wrapped around his sister out of his head. How Hudson had looked at Gia like that woman was his entire world. How…Gia and Hudson hadn’t been able to let each other go.
And he knew…
He damned well felt the same for the woman in his arms.
And how…he never wanted to let her go.
34
Fuck,couldn’t they just go next door if there was a problem? Jessica rolled over in the bed and tried to see the clock. Hell, it was only 9:30 and her day off. She had wanted to sleep in—Brenton had the kids, so she had time for herself for a change.
But someone fucker was knocking on her door like the building was on fire. What was that all about?
She finally pulled herself out of bed and grabbed her damned pants from the night before. She almost hurled when she put her hand onsomethingwet and gooey. She had no idea what it was, and no time to look. She and Billy had really partied last night. Sometimes…especially lately, she didn’t alwaysrememberwhat happened after she really got into it.
She looked around—making sure his dead body wasn’t lying on her floor right now. Just in case.
That would not be a good thing. She could just imagine the gossip that would result, for one thing. Would shock her mother right down to her Hanes granny panties, that was for sure.
Her mother was such a good Christian bitch. Going off on Jessica about her house being a mess. Maybe her mom should come over and help her clean every week. Her mom was retired.And not like her mom didn’t have Janie still living there with them, too. Her sister was such a stupid cow. Too fat to find a real man of her own—of course most of that extra weight was just fucking boobs.
Guys liked the boobs, though. Logan had made it clear after he’d dumped her that if he had a choice, he’d rather fuck Janie than Jessica. All because of the boobs. Men were always after Janie because of the boobs. She was completely useless otherwise. Couldn’t converse her way out of a cardboard box, unless it was about something science related, either.
Jessica stumbled to the door, then slung it open.
She stopped. Paused. She recognized one of the women standing there. And the cop. Hell, it was that Jeremy guy. He’d been a deputy with Brenton forever. “What do you want? Did Brenton drive off a cliff or something? Please say yes.”
Jeremy’s face tightened. The Hiller bitch’s eyes widened. Hell, she looked like all of her brothers. All of those damned Hillers looked alike. The guys were fucking hot, though. Even the preacher, though she wouldn’t want him. Too boring. And self-righteous. Total waste for him to look like that, and be such a prude, though.
“Mrs. Curtis, my name is Waverly Merritt, and this is Greer Hiller—she’s here to observe. We are with DFPS. We’ve had a complaint with some concerns about your children. May we come in?”
