“What?”
Gracie groaned as she looked at the door. Cherry and Dante stood there. Dante had his arm around a very pale Cherry. Gracie glared at Wade and grumbled, “When I can move again without pain, I’m going to kil you. One inch at a time.”
Cherry walked to the other side of the bed and took Gracie’s hand. “You can threaten him later. What’s this about someone trying to kil you? I thought this was a random hit-and-run accident.”
Gracie fil ed Dante and Cherry in on everything. By the time she was finished, Cherry, the traitor, was siding with Wade. “Please, Gracie, I’d feel so much better with Wade protecting you. He’s a good PI. He can find out who this guy is and put a stop to it. Let him help.”
“I’m going to talk to the police again,” Gracie hedged, unwil ing to drag anyone else down with her. “There might be more they can do this time.”
Wade rol ed his eyes, as if the very idea was ludicrous. “Unless there was a witness, and I’m not seeing one at the moment, there isn’t much they’re going to do.”
He had a point, but it stil surprised her that he would suggest she not involve the police. “You don’t think I should tel the police about this?”
Wade sifted his fingers through his hair, mussing it beyond repair. She ached to reach out and touch the dark strands. It drove her crazy wondering about the texture. “You should definitely make a statement,” he said. “This needs to be on record. I’m just saying there might not be much they can do. On the other hand, I can do what the cops can’t.”
Gracie pul ed her attention back to the problem. Wade managed to distract her just by being Wade. He always had. “Like what?”
“I can devote countless hours to finding out who this dickwad is and keep you safe at the same time.”
Gracie was starting to see his point. Al the same, she didn’t want him in potential danger. The idea that something could happen to Wade caused her stomach to rol . “No, it would put you at risk. For whatever reason this guy has it in his head that I belong to him. If he learns you’re helping me there’s no tel ing what he’d do. I think the only reason he hasn’t done anything drastic so far is because I’m alone. I haven’t dated anyone for a long time.”
“You know this by the fucking letters he sends?”
“E-mails,” she corrected. “And yes. It’s crazy, but he cal s me his ‘love’ and tel s me we’l be together some day.”
“You’re in the hospital because of this asshole,” Dante said, his Italian accent thick as he glared down at her.
“Yes, but why are you in the hospital?” Cherry asked, al eyes suddenly on her. “What set him off enough to drive you off the road?”
Gracie’d known that question would pop up. “It’s because I wouldn’t quit working at Serene Comfort, which he sees as some sort of den of iniquity or something. He saw that as ‘disobedience. ’ This was his way of putting me in my place.”
“Oh, God,” Cherry cried.
“I’m stil not quitting.” Gracie clutched the sheet with her uninjured hand. “I’m sick of playing his game.”
Wade spoke up then. “So, the accident was his way of letting you know who’s in charge.”
“Yes. Wel , at least I think that was his plan.”
Wade smiled, but the smile was fil ed with menace. She’d never seen him look so cold. “Then maybe we should push him a little harder. It could bring him out in the open.”
Gracie didn’t like where Wade’s mind was going. “You think tempting a lunatic is a good idea?”
“I’m saying if he thinks you’re no longer his love, maybe he’l get careless, make a move. Then we can catch him.”
“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Besides, I don’t have a lover and, considering he thinks of me as belonging to him, I’m pretty sure that’s the one thing that would real y set him off.”
“You’re about to come and stay with me. He’l think we’re lovers. That should be enough.”
He said it as if it were a foregone conclusion. “But we aren’t lovers.” She tried to hold on to her temper when she gritted out, “And I didn’t agree to live with you, so stop putting words in my mouth.”
“We’l see,” he said as he stepped away from the bed. “First, you need some rest. We’l talk about al this tomorrow.”
“We’re done talking, Wade. I’m not moving in with you, and that’s final.”
Cherry and Dante both smiled. Cherry patted her hand. “Everything’s going to work out fine. Y
ou’l see.”