Dark Guardian (Black Hoods MC #3) - Avelyn Paige Page 0,55
helped bring a family together instead of tearing it apart with a lot of help from Eugene and his club. “It’s time, Eric. I’m ready for a change.” More like, there’s no way in hell they’d allow me to stay employed here when they figured out whose bed I’m sharing. It’s not like I can hide the big beast of a man from this side of my life. They could call my judgment into question as a key witness for future cases because of my association with the club. No. This is the best thing for all of us.
“What will you do now?”
“I have a job offer. A good one.”
“Oh, wow. That was fast. Any place I know?”
“Nope.” Grabbing a photo on the edge of my desk made by one of the kids I’d helped reunite with her dad, I stuff it into the almost overflowing box. “It’s the change of pace I need. After so many years, it’s going to be nice to help people again.”
Eric arches an eyebrow in confusion. “We help people every day.”
“Eric, be honest. When’s the last time you felt good about our line of work? When you really felt like you helped protect the happiness of the kids who come into our care? Don’t you get tired of watching families being torn apart over some technicality?”
“We are helping them, Grace. We protect them from abuse. Homelessness. Poor living conditions. Happiness isn’t a factor in what we do.” Taking a deep breath, he shrugs. It’s like he’s reading the recruiting handbook back to me verbatim. The old Grace would’ve believed every single word of his spiel. I know better than that now.
“I thought being in their shoes would help provide a deeper perspective into what they’re going through, but do you know what I realized? The system hasn’t changed. A lying parent can rip away the rights of the other parent whenever they want. We send a child into foster care when their grandmother wants to care for them. How are we protecting them?”
“We’re bound by the law, you know that.”
“Well, I’m tired of laws that only work for those who know how to manipulate them to fit their own agenda.”
“Jesus, Grace. Is that how you see it?”
“You really are blind to it all now. It’s a shame. You used to be such a good advocate for these kids, but the life of bureaucracy gets us all, I guess.”
“Where is this coming from? This isn’t the Grace Halfpenny I know. What’s changed?”
What hasn’t changed about me? I’m happy. I have a family. It may be a little non-traditional, but it’s a family. One that looks out for each other in their own ways. It’s not the kind of family I was looking for, but it’s the one I’ve needed all along.
“Family. I have a family for the first time in my life.” He stares at me again with confusion. “That’s where I’ve been, Eric. I wasn’t sick. I was protecting my family, and do you know what I learned? That the last few weeks have been more fulfilling to me than the last ten years I’ve spent here.”
Shoving the last stack of my personal files into the box, I place the lid on top and pick it up.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to pick the kids up from school. My keys, badge, and anything else you need are in the top drawer of the desk. Have a nice life, Eric.”
I hurry toward the door and shove my way past him without even saying goodbye or looking at him. I stare straight ahead, all the way out of the office and to my car. My mind is elsewhere, and I don’t even notice the man leaning against my car.
“Where the hell have you been?” Greg’s voice cuts into the haze. I jump out of my skin, nearly dropping the box.
“Jesus, Greg! Where did you come from?” I exclaim, trying to keep the box from tumbling onto the ground. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Pushing away from my car, he takes the box from my hands and sets it down on the ground next to my feet. “You been dodging me?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy the last couple of weeks, Greg. Things have been a bit complicated with work.”
“I didn’t know ‘work’ rode a motorcycle. Shit must be different at the office since the last time I stopped by.”
“How did you know?”
He scowls, his weathered face looking serious.