Page 116 of The Finding Series: Vol. 1

“Dead.”

“He was someone you knew?”

“Yes. Gray’s here because of me…because of my past.”

Roman’s emotion filled gaze lifted to meet his. He hadn’t gotten much of a sense about the other man the first time they’d met but he definitely didn’t seem as detached as Gray seemed to think he was.

“You love him?” Roman asked.

“Very much.”

Roman merely nodded and then his dark eyes shifted back to Gray. “And the cancer…”

“Gone for now. He’ll have to get tested several times over the next year and then regularly after that but the doctor is hopeful he’ll stay in remission.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

Luke heard the unasked question and knew in that instant that whatever had happened between the two brothers, it wasn’t unfixable. It would just probably fall on Gray to make the first move.

“I’ll be there. Always.”

Roman seemed satisfied with the response and actually leaned down to put his hand over Gray’s. But the contact was brief and then he was stepping back.

“You should stay a while, Roman,” Luke suggested though he could tell by the tension in the man’s frame that he was already mentally out the door.

“I have some business back home,” Roman said quietly.

“Is there anything you want me to tell him?” Luke asked.

Roman studied Gray for a long time before finally saying, “Tell him thanks for the nightlight.”

* * *

Gray hurt all over but it was a dull, hollow pain that was hidden just under a cloud of something warm and pleasant. Part of him wanted to just keep his eyes closed and enjoy the curious sensation but then images began flashing in his mind and he couldn’t tell if they were real or some terrible nightmare. He jerked upright but didn’t make it very far because a warm hand settled on his shoulder and held him down.

“Gray, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

He’d know that voice anywhere. Gray managed to pry his eyes open, though it took him several tries. But when he tried to speak, no sound came out. A straw was pressed against his lips and he took a few swallows of water that cooled his parched throat. As he drank, his eyes shifted to his right and a sigh of relief went through him when he saw that Luke appeared to be unharmed.

“He shot you,” Gray managed to croak.

“The bullet just grazed me…again,” Luke said and when he sat down in the chair that was sitting next to the bed, he pulled up his sleeve and showed Gray a bandage covering his bicep. Relief went through Gray but then another memory assaulted him.

“Ripley…oh God, Luke, she jumped through the window…”

“She’s okay, Gray. Jax got her to Dane in time. She needed surgery and a transfusion but Dane says she’ll make it.”

“What happened to Shaw? How…How did you know he was at the cabin?”

Gray automatically pulled his hand free as Luke’s fingers covered his, because along with all the terrible memories of Shaw’s assault came the painful words that had sent him running back to the cabin. Luke’s words.

Luke’s face fell at Gray’s withdrawal but he said, “A paparazzo that was hiding out in the trees across the road from your cabin called 911 when he heard the gunshots. He had a high powered lens on his camera so he was able to get some pictures of us together a couple days ago.”

“That’s how Shaw found you,” Gray breathed.

“Dane saw the picture on the Internet and called Jax. We were getting ready to come out to the cabin when the 911 call came in about shots fired at your place. Jax questioned the reporter afterwards. He said your agent, Sid, was the one who told him where you were, Gray,” Luke said softly. “Sid admitted that he got the information from the lawyer who handled the trust you used to buy the property. I guess they were friends.”

“Any publicity is good publicity,” Gray murmured. “Probably Sid’s way of trying to force me into making a statement about Cavelli.”

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