Page 43 of Crossfire
He had grabbed her arm yesterday, and if he was willing to do that in public, what was his temper capable of behind closed doors? Plus, he seemed more like a stalker than an ex who had moved on. I mean, look at that dick, flaunting his new girlfriendin Ivy’s face. That was not the behavior of someone who had moved on.
It was the behavior of someone who wanted to hurt her.
Or worse…
I needed to talk to Daniel. But first, I needed some answers from Ivy.
18
IVY
“Tell me about the ex-boyfriend.” Grayson’s arms crossed his chest, the motion accentuating his broad shoulders.
“Pete wasn’t the one that told me to go to the parking garage. He’s the one who warned me against it.”
“So, he knew about the meeting, then?” Those striking jade eyes held an intensity that seemed to see right through me.
I hesitated, caught off guard by his question. A casual favor over coffee was one thing, but this…this bordered on genuine concern. In my experience, people didn’t show such interest unless they felt some level of attachment. My knee-jerk reaction was to retreat, but the sincerity in his features contradicted my usual skepticism, leaving me torn between accepting his kindness and maintaining my emotional distance.
“I don’t mean to sound rude, but why do you care? We just met.” I hope he didn’t find the question offensive; I was just trying to understand his intentions here.
Luckily, Grayson’s expression softened, but not in a relaxed way. Rather, it was as if it bothered him—my having to ask why someone would care I’d almost died.
He’d better not see me as some tragedy. Unfortunately, many people were assaulted every single day in this world, and—okay,fine, this part was a little tragic—this wasn’t my first rodeo with being attacked.
“Look, I’ll be honest.” He rubbed his eyebrow. “When I first sat down, I didn’t expect to become worried about you.”
He’s worried about me?My cheeks decided to stage a mutiny against my attempt to look unaffected by his comment, burning red so hot, you’d think I was auditioning for the role of a wildfire. Something that didn’t go unnoticed by Grayson, whose lips threatened to curl on one side.
“But it’s not every day you meet a beautiful woman and find out she was recently the target of a violent crime.”
Beautiful woman.My hormones became a damn orchestra of romance music, complete with swelling violins and swooning cellos. Oh, and let’s not forget the cartoon hearts dancing around my head.
“Humor me.” Grayson leaned forward slightly as he fixed me with an intent stare. “Tell me about the ex-boyfriend.”
I shook my head. It was bad enough I’d stooped to Pete’s level. Did he deserve me bad-mouthing him? Maybe. Okay, after the arm-grabbing situation, probably, but I was trying to take the high road and all that.
“Okay”—Grayson ran his thumb over his lower lip—“tell me his full legal name.”
When I smirked, Grayson raised an eyebrow.
“Pete has no reason to want me dead.” Nothing to gain.
Was this seriously what my life had turned into? Sitting here, discussing an attempt on my life and possible suspects over a cup of coffee like we were talking about the weather?
While I couldn’t dispute the facts, there was still a bridge to cross for my brain to accept that someone in my life might want me dead.
“If anyone did this,” I continued, “it was just that stranger that I met online.”Right?
Hold on to that, Ivy, or you’ll go insane with fear. Let the cops do their job.
“Did you tell the stranger about your father?” Grayson pressed.
Dad. Memories flashed through my mind of his gentle smile—the little crooked tooth sticking out that I’d give anything to see again. Like the time he was teaching me to drive and I’d ended up on someone’s front lawn. Many fathers would probably yell at their daughter, but not Dad—he laughed so hard, tears rolled down his cheeks.
The muscles around my lungs clenched, making me wonder if the pain would ever get better. Little bombs of grief peppered into my days in unpredictable explosions.
“He already knew about him,” Grayson deduced.