Page 83 of Compelled Obedience

“Thank you.” Her waning smile nearly broke my heart. When she walked away, I fisted my hand.

“You’re going to need to trust me completely, Kerri, and I know that’s going to be difficult for you, but I promise you on everything that’s holy to me that I will find out every single aspect of what’s going on. I swear to God.” I placed the drink on the table and stood, the ache in my heart more than I could handle at this point. I wasn’t solving anything. I wasn’t fixing her problem or any problem for that matter.

Fuck. Fuck!

She lifted her head and seeing tears in her eyes for a second time, I was ready to burn down the city to find out what the hell was going on.

“You’re the only person I trust any longer, Grant. You’ve shown me that not all men are bad. I will never be able to repay you for your kindness, but I will try.”

When she walked away, I fisted my mouth, determined to find the goddamn answers before she was forced to suffer longer.

After yanking the glass into my hand, tossing back the rest of my drink, I slammed it on the table. It had been easy to tell by the way she’d refused to look at me that her stepfather had abused her. In what way was her story to tell. I was no fool. It was possible that I’d never be able to break down her walls, allowing her to feel safe again.

But I would be goddamned if I’d stop trying. The woman had become more than just important to me.

She’d become my everything.

There was no such thing as fairytales. Or so I’d believed.

Until now.

But with Kerri, anything was possible.

I headed toward the set of doors, glaring out at the city skyline. I’d never really believed LA was my home. I’d gone about my daily activities, enjoying the perks the city afforded me, including the wealthy clientele, but I’d been missing something.

No. I’d been missing everything that held any meaning.

Sadly, I hadn’t realized it until this very moment. It wasn’t simply that I’d been born with a silver spoon in my mouth. It was that I’d kept it polished, acting like the playboy the tabloids had made me out to be.

No substance.

No care about the world around me. It had been a joke.

Laughing, I headed toward the auxiliary room I’d turned into a temporary office and straight to my laptop. I’d sketched out a basic outline for scholarships based on the limited information Kerri had provided, which had been in bits and pieces. While Kerri had slept the night before, I’d done some research, narrowing down my list of priorities and criteria for a scholarship program. While it certainly needed fine tuning, I was about to send it to Stephen Canthos.

At some point, I’d make certain it happened.

Maybe it was a gift for Kerri. Or maybe she’d awakened my conscience as well as my heart.

One thing was certain. Her goodness was addictive. Laughing, I waited as the computer fired up, switching to my email. After typing in a short message to Stephen, I attached the document I’d prepared and hit send.

And the tagline?

This will be approved at the next board meeting.

Chuckling, I was about ready to close the lid when I noticed another email had popped in from Tristen.

Yanking out the chair, I sat down, curious as to what he’d sent me.

Files. How the hell had he managed to get his hands on Drago’s old files? Tristen was a cagey bastard, keeping on top of everything. I glanced at the door before opening the attachments. First, I studied Drago’s face moments after his conviction. Then to the crude photographs of the body on the prison floor. There was a third attachment, but I wasn’t certain it was needed.

Exhaling, I glanced at the body of the email.

Call me when you get this.

There was no time like the present.

Smirking, I yanked my phone into my hand, dialing Tristen’s number. “That was fast.”

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