Loan Shark Love

I glance behind us, and I see the men in their dark clothes standing on the sidewalk. I still can’t see their faces, but their presence is terrifying. They wanted blood, and they wanted us dead, or they definitely wanted Grey dead at least.

“Take us to the manor, Camden,” Grey says, wrapping a comforting arm around me. He looks down at me, where I’m pressed into his side. “We can’t go to my condo now. They might know where it is. The manor has better security.”

Natalie turns in her seat, and her bright red hair falls over her shoulder. She raises an eyebrow in surprise when sees me at her brother’s side.

“The girl from the office,” she says, pointing at me. Her voice still sounds a little hysterical.

“I’m Rose,” I tell her, nodding. “I’m sorry this is how we’re meeting again.”

“Huh,” Natalie says, looking over at Grey. “I guess you took the ‘you need a pretty girl thing’ literally, dear brother. It’s nice to see you again, Rose. I’m glad you didn’t get shot a second ago.”

“Me too,” I tell her, and Natalie’s mouth tilts up in a small smile.

“We’re going to the manor?” Natalie asks her brother. “Did you lock the office?”

“I locked it,” Grey confirms. His lips press to my temple as he speaks. “Everything really important is at the manor in the safe. The one at the office has money and a few meaningless documents inside of it, but that’s about it.”

“Who was that, Grey?” Natalie asks, and I want to know too. “Who tried to kill you and Rose in there? I can’t believe they attacked you in a public place.”

“They must be desperate,” Grey says breathlessly. “I recognized one of the men. It was one of the Godwin brothers. There’s no mistaking him.”

Natalie goes pale where she’s turned in the front seat. The sweater pulled over her dress looks warm, but she appears cold in the car, pallid in the low light.

“The Goblins are after you?” she asks, swallowing hard. “They’re after us?”

“It’s alright, Nat,” Grey says in that same voice he used to soothe me. “I’m not going to let them hurt any of us. We’ll be safe at the manor. Your stuff is there.”

“I know. They called me and told me that everything had been moved in while we were in the city,” Natalie answers, sounding distracted.

“Natalie is moving into the manor while her apartment is remodeled,” Grey tells me, and I’m glad he finds me important enough to keep me in the loop.

“Who and what are the Goblins?” I ask him because I can’t take not knowing, though I’m sure he isn’t trying to keep anything from me.

Grey kisses the top of my head. “I promise I’ll tell you everything when we’re safe at the house. There’s much to say, and you’ve been through a lot tonight.”

“I’ll have to call my dad and tell him I’m sick or something,” I tell Grey. “He’ll wonder why I’m not coming into work at the bakery. I have to give him some sort of reason why.”

“You can use my phone if you want,” Grey says, reaching into his pocket.

“I can wait until we get to your house,” I tell him, shaking my head. I can feel myself begin to blush. “If you still want me to be there with you, I mean.”

I don’t know why, but I begin to doubt myself for a moment. In the car with his sister and his driver, engulfed in Grey’s life with him, I don’t know if I belong.

I’ve been on the outside looking in for most of my life. My weight has made me feel as if I don’t fit in most places. Could this man really want me? Could he love me?

Grey’s hand wraps around my hip when he turns to me, and Natalie has turned around back to the front of the car.

Grey’s breath in my ear makes me shiver when he says, “I’ll always want you with me. Stop doubting what’s between us.”

“I’ll try,” I tell him, sinking into his embrace. “How long until we get to the house.”

“It should take about two hours to reach the Hudson Valley,” Grey tells me. “My house sits on a lake there. There’s a garden too. I think you might like it.”

“I think I might,” I agree with him. “Thank you for saving me, both times.”

“You don’t need me to save you,” Grey tells me with his lips to my temple. “You’re strong, Rosie. I like that about you, but I’m glad I could be there to help.”

“I might go to sleep,” I warn him. I’m too exhausted and in shock to stay awake.

I feel safe with Grey, and I can honestly say that he’s slowly becoming someone who is like home to me. I see him as my future, and I hope I’m good enough to keep him for that long.