The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy 2)

She flinched. It was brief and barely there, but it was there. Her eyelids fluttered a second before she got herself under control.

Bailey’s mom was tough and hard-core and sometimes a pain in the ass. But she was Bailey’s mom. I knew only part of her story, why she was who she was, why she’d instilled in Bailey the idea that Hayes women don’t cry, but I knew there were still secrets to be unraveled. Just wasn’t my place.

Yet.

“Tell me your reason for finding me.”

Her head moved back slightly. “Right.” The lines around her mouth tightened. “You’re Mr. Badass now. Don’t got time for civilities with the mom of the girl you’re bedding.”

I almost blinked. “I would, if you gave an indication you gave a fuck about that. And Bailey’s a woman, not a girl. She’s not a girl I’m ‘bedding.’”

“Right. Business.” She put her hands in her pockets, faced her shoulders more square against me, and raised her chin. “My girl’s not been taking my calls.”

I hadn’t known that. “You want me to talk to her? See the reason?”

She studied me. “You’d tell me if you found out the reason?”

“Only if she was okay with that.”

Her mouth flattened. “Then why’d I stand out here an hour to wait for you?”

I shrugged. “Felt like wasting an hour of your life.”

She went still, her eyes glued to me, and then she burst out laughing. “Shit. You are the enforcer for the family, aren’t you? Peter’s talked about you, but I didn’t see it till just now. You’re the husband and Peter’s the wife. You’re taking care of business so he can dink around and do what he likes.”

I scowled. “If that’s your analogy for a marriage, I can see why you never married.” I didn’t let her feel the burn from that. I pushed forward. “Peter was given room to do what he does best. He’s an inventor in the cyber world. His family has the money it has because of him, and he continues to grow Phoenix Tech every year.”

“Right.” She continued to stare at me steadily. “And you’re not making money?”

“I’m maintaining right now. It’s what one does in war.”

A slow blink from her.

I saw it then. A flash in her gaze.

“That’s the real reason you’re here,” I said. She was worried about her daughter. I eased back a bit. “Bailey is safe. I’ve doubled the guards on her and I have secondary security measures for her, ones she doesn’t even know about.”

“Spent the last week reading up on your grandfather. He’s a scary guy.”

“Yes. He is.” She got no reaction from me. It was knowledge that I’d grown up knowing. I didn’t quake to my bones anymore. He’d get that reaction from me only if he got his hands on Bailey, and that was never going to fucking happen. “You got another reason for finding me?”

Her head had lowered during the conversation. It rose again. “You told my daughter Peter and I are sleeping together.”

“Yes.”

Her eyes cooled. “Why?”

“Because I knew. Because I love your daughter. Because the reason for her to know came up, so I shared.” Okay. I wasn’t going to play this game, and I wasn’t sure if Chrissy was there to start a game or not, but I really wasn’t going to let it start. I moved in a step, lowered my head, and spoke softly enough to show respect but hard enough so she didn’t think I was babying her. “I have three priorities in life right now, and these are not in order: Protecting the Francis family. Destroying my grandfather. And loving your daughter.”

She jerked back a step.

I kept on, not taking the time to wonder which got to her. “If you want to know my thoughts on your daughter, I’ll give you the ones you’re entitled to. I’m worried about her. She doesn’t talk about almost being kidnapped. She’s trying to bury herself in schoolwork and she’s not pushing to see you guys as much as she should, as much as Bailey before the last kidnapping attempt would. Have I shared these concerns with her? No. I’m giving her time, because she seems to need it for some reason. But am I always there, always worried about her? Fuck yes.” It was my turn to raise my chin. “That settle you at all?”

“You two seem to be getting serious, quick.”

I felt that one in my gut. “Seems like, yes.”

“Bailey doesn’t handle things moving too fast. Never has. She needs to be eased into things.”

That was another hit to my gut. “You warning me?”

“Yes.” No blink. No reaction. She wasn’t lying. “She’s going to freak at some point, but hold on.”

Right. Hold on, because the storm I knew was coming wasn’t the only storm coming.

I nodded. “I will.”

She nodded too, and began to back away, her hands still in her pockets. “Take care of my girl. If she keeps avoiding me, I’ll have to come around. I’ll be able to get in if I do?”