Page 137 of Crossfire
And that she’ll be ripped from me.
Just like Dad was.
My brother paused, seeming to consider this. “You have a choice, Grayson. Letting her in makes you vulnerable. That’s the price tag of love—the risk of losing it.”
A deep sigh escaped me.
“And if I can’t?” I wondered aloud.
Hunter offered me a look of pity. “Then, you need to let her go.”
As I stared into my glass, watching the play of light on the amber liquid, I realized Hunter was right. I had a choice to make. I could continue to hide behind my walls, safe but alone. Or I could take a chance—risk the pain for the possibility of something real, something lasting. Something worth fighting for and something worth the risk of losing.
I drained the remnants of my glass in one swallow, the burn of the scotch mirroring the fire in my heart.
I knew what I had to do.
59
IVY
“I need to say something, and you’re going to listen,” Grayson said.
I raised my eyebrow. “Is that so?”
But Grayson’s demeanor had shifted since I’d seen him last. Gone was the playful banter, challenging our definition of our relationship, and now, hard lines etched in his face, making my heart pick up in speed.
When he stepped closer to me, I searched his eyes—the color of ocean shallows—for a hint of what was going on, for why he’d dragged me in here, to talk in private. At first, I thought it might be for more sexy time; after all, this was a bedroom.
The soft glow of dimmed lights cast a warm ambiance across the space, highlighting the king-size bed that sat along one wall. It had a pristine white comforter—plusher than one you’d find in the finest hotel room—while matching pillowcases looked like they’d wrap so perfectly around your head that you’d have the most peaceful sleep of your existence. Subtle gray accents, delicately woven into the bedding, pulled in the black-and-white artwork that graced the walls, creating an inviting atmosphere that smelled faintly of lavender.
But I could see now, sexy time wasn’t what he was after at all; based on the tightness of his features, it was something worrisome.
“In less than an hour,” he started, “the man I asked to help us, a private investigator, will be here. We need to agree on what will happen if things don’t go our way.”
“Meaning?”
“I’m hopeful Barry will have foundsomethingto prove the evidence against you is false, but if he comes up empty-handed, we need to have a plan.”
“You sent him the files already?”
“Within a half hour of my getting them. I don’t know how likely it is that he can find something this fast, but if anyone can, it’s him; he has a large team of high-end and extremely knowledgeable experts at his disposal, 24/7, who are helping him.”
I swallowed the sudden dryness in my throat but managed to nod.
“If he hasn’t been able to find anything helpful yet, however, I may want to take you out of the country, until this can get sorted out.”
I flinched, startled by the unexpected turn.
“It will give Barry more time to investigate without worrying that the CIA will grow impatient.”
Impatient. Meaning,Why is this woman’s heart still beating?
“How…how long until the CIA grows impatient?” I couldn’t hide the shakiness in my voice.
“It’s difficult to say.” At least Grayson was being honest, I guess, but what the hell? “They have their hands full with Vosch, so I’m hoping your case is a lower priority.”
Yep. Surely hope I am not at the top of the list to be eliminated anytime soon.