Call You Mine (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #4) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,78
my every need. Still, you respect my wishes. How you manage it is a mystery, but I think I love it.”
He nuzzles my hair. “I have a PhD in all things Grace,” he jokes. “Do you want me to stay in the bedroom with you? If not, I can sleep on the couch if you want me to.”
“Stay,” I request, kissing him. We fall into the bed and stay entangled—lips, limbs, and hearts—for a long time.
The next morning, we go through the day as if nothing is happening. Mom and Dad arrive around eleven. They are waiting for us at the rental house. We put a leash on Mozzy and walk to meet them. Several bystanders stop to take pictures of him.
When I open the door and take off the leash, he goes running to Mom. I hug her and then look at Dad. “Hey.”
“Can I have a word with you, Gracie?”
I nod and follow him toward the small office at the end of the hall. After I enter, he closes the door.
“Are we here to talk about the Aldridges or what you did—eleven years ago.”
His gray eyes stare at me for several seconds. The silence is deafening. I argue for either one of the subjects, but I can’t start the conversation until he makes the first move.
“As I told you on Friday, I did what was best for you. I apologize for treating you like a child when I am aware that you’re mature for your age. We could’ve handled it better. Your request to decide your security detail is difficult to process. I hope you allow me to help you make the right decisions when the time comes. With that said, I don’t know what we’re facing, and I suggest you leave with us.”
“Why?”
“These men are dangerous.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Dad. If I wasn’t your daughter, would you ask me to stay back?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know why I don’t feel comfortable with this case.”
“A hunch?”
“This is new to us. We go in, do the job, and leave. This is unprecedented. I don’t even know if there’s a real threat,” he explains. “I was talking to Harrison and Anderson last night. The possibility of this becoming a clusterfuck is high. We can’t stand down and wait for things to happen. Knowing that not only one but three of my children are involved is fucking scary.”
“Is Nathan going to work with us?”
He shakes his head. “I mean Beacon. He’s family.”
I smile. “You like him.”
“He’s annoying, but yes. I do.” He waves his finger. “That doesn’t mean I’m happy knowing you two are together.”
“We’re still working on that,” I inform him. “The guy lied to me for eleven years, and even though it doesn’t look like I’m upset, I’m still angry about it.”
“That’s your prerogative. Just remember life is short. Don’t keep him in the doghouse for too long.”
“So, you approve now?”
He shrugs one shoulder. “If I have to choose, I guess he’s better than any of the losers you paraded. At least, he has good reflexes and might move fast enough when you try to break his nose.”
I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms. “Really, Dad?”
“What can I say? It’s still funny.”
“It was never funny,” I say, but hug him. “You’re the best dad in the world.”
“I doubt that, but I have the best daughter in the world.” He hugs me back. “Let’s get to work. We have a lot to plan, and I promised your grandparents I’d be back in time for dinner.”
My parents leave at four. Mom promises to come back the weekend after. She loves to come down during the festivals. Plus, she wants to spend more time with Arden and Carter. She adores babies and toddlers.
During dinner, Beacon updates his brothers. It’s not a full explanation, but he tells them enough so they can cooperate. The next morning, Beacon calls the team for another meeting. This time, Seth’s team joins us. These are extraordinary circumstances. A team never overlaps missions, but Seth says that the Bryant case is under control. We can’t do anything until the end of March.
“Are we taking them down?” San asks once we are all gathered in the cabin’s living room.
“It’s not that simple,” Beacon answers. “We’re being proactive, not reactive. Next week, we’re going to install security all over town. Every establishment is getting an upgrade. Henry is visiting each business as we speak.”