A Matter Of Justice (Grey Justice #4)(61)

He glanced at the clock on his desk. Terrance had called a couple of hours ago and informed him that Irelyn had gone off on her own after her doctor’s appointment. Grey wasn’t surprised. After a session with her therapist, she always needed solitude. The verbal spilling of guts wasn’t easy for anyone, most especially a woman who kept most of her thoughts hidden throughout her life.

Besides that, Irelyn did not conform to other people’s demands unless it suited her. She had left the apartment looking so different from the real Irelyn, he wasn’t concerned that she would be recognized. And while he understood her need to be alone, he couldn’t deny a tinge of worry. It was getting late. And while he told himself she would not renege on their agreement, the later it grew, the more concerned he became. What if she disappeared again?

Being uncertain in anything in his life wasn’t a common occurrence for him, but Irelyn was a different entity altogether. Even though he knew her as well as anyone could, she was a law unto herself. He admired her tremendously, but she also drove him insane much of the time.

A soft chime sounded. Grey breathed out a quiet, relieved sigh and felt his muscles loosen. The private elevator was being used, which meant she was safe and home once again. Even though she had promised to go away with him, Irelyn wasn’t always predictable. Especially not lately.

The office door opened, and a woman he wouldn’t have recognized if he’d seen her anywhere but here appeared. She had iron-gray hair and wore thick, round glasses. Thick makeup, applied and shaded on the angles and planes of her face, added twenty years or more. A frumpy, threadbare coat and sensible shoes finished the disguise.

“How was your session with Dr. Tobin?”

“Same song, different day.”

She came toward him, and Grey met her in the middle of the room. “Terrance called. Said you took off on your own.”

“I needed some time. Was he put out?”

“Just concerned.”

She held up the bag in her hand. “Maybe this will help. I stopped by Charlie’s and picked up his favorite cookies.”

In one move, he took the bag from her, threw it on his desk, and pulled her into his arms. “Have I told you lately how amazing I think you are?”

She smiled and wound her arms around his neck. “You’re just saying that because you want a cookie.”

“You read my mind so well.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I like this new look.”

She brought her body closer, flush with his. “Is that right?”

“Yeah. Why don’t you bring it with you?”

“Older women appeal to you now?”

“This one does.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked softly. “Why’s that?”

“Because I want you any way I can get you.”

With the sweet groan that always drove him crazy, she pressed her mouth against his, and every problem, every issue disappeared. Irelyn was always able to do that to him. The moment her lips met his, he could forget everything. Devouring her luscious mouth, Grey tightened his hold, letting her feel exactly how much he wanted her.

Moments later, breathless and smiling, she pushed him slightly away. “I need to change clothes.”

“While you do that, I’ll order dinner. Anything in particular sound good?”

A wicked gleam in her eye, she whispered, “Something decadent and delicious.”

“Decadent and delicious it is.”



They ate dinner in the kitchen’s breakfast nook. Because of its cozy size, it was Irelyn’s favorite place to dine. While Grey chose the wine, she had selected their dinner music—soft, lyrical, distinctively Irish. The meal was from their favorite Italian restaurant. Mushroom ravioli for her, lasagna for Grey.

“It seems so quiet and peaceful tonight. No urgent phone calls, no major dramas,” she said.

“Hopefully a sign of things to come.”

“Where are we going? You didn’t say.”

“I thought the house in Colorado. The repairs are complete.”

“Repairs? Did we have snow or wind damage?”

“Neither. You missed that particular drama.”

“What happened?”

“Gabriella’s grandfather, Luis Mendoza, happened.”

“I thought he passed away.”

“He did, but not before making her life a living hell, as well as destroying our home.”

When she raised a questioning brow, Grey explained about Gabriella’s abduction and how Jonah had hidden her away at their house.

“How did they find out she was there?”

“Never did learn that, but Ivy Roane was working with him.”

“Poison Ivy. The woman definitely got around.”

“That she did.”

“So the house was destroyed?”

“Not destroyed, but definitely trashed. Little structural damage. They were looking for Gabriella, and when they couldn’t find her, they moved on.”

Taking one last bite of her truly excellent ravioli, Irelyn settled back in her chair. “Do you ever wonder what makes people the way they are? Some families are so strong and supportive of one another, and then there are those like Gabriella’s who do everything they can to tear each other apart.”

“It’s been happening since time began. Remember Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel? Definitely dysfunctional.”