Hard to Fight (Alpha's Heart, #1)(65)

And that night, for the first time in four days, I go to sleep with hope.

*

Raide’s and Dean’s trials goes ahead as planned on Monday. They moved a lot quicker than normal trials would because Dean confessed to the murder of Kelly. Dean is found guilty of murder, two counts of assault, and rape. He’s sentenced to life in prison. Raide is found guilty of assault and skipping bail, he’s sentenced to four months in prison. I’m there through it all, but the most I get is a glance of my gorgeous man. When they lead him back out, he stares at me and that stare holds so much promise.

Four months.

I can do four months.

Right?

*

Two months later

It’s been two months since Raide was sent to prison. I visit him as often as I can, but Don recommends, for job reasons, that I keep it to a minimum. I’ve only seen him three times since he went away, and it’s through a piece of thick glass. I ache to touch him, my body aches to feel his pressed against it. I miss him with every passing moment, but I know that soon, I’ll get to see him again.

I’m still on office duties at work, which has kept me quite busy. Denver can be a crazy place when it wants to be, and we’ve had quite a few cases come in and out. I’m excited to be back in the saddle, but right now doing paperwork is probably the best thing for me. It allows me to focus while I deal with everything else around me. Don has let it all go, and seems to be fully back to normal with me. That feels nice.

I’m working one morning when my phone rings. I shuffle through paperwork to find it, and see Kady’s number on the screen. With a smile, I answer it and press it to my ear. “What’s up?”

“So, I’m at your house, right. And you have a visitor.”

“Firstly, why are you at my house?”

“It’s your birthday tomorrow, I was trying to give you a surprise birthday party.”

“You just ruined that surprise, you know that, right?”

She’s silent. “Well, shit.”

I laugh. “Anyway, who is there?”

“Some guy named Benny.”

Benny! “Benny is there?”

“Yeah, and,” she whispers low, “he’s hot.”

“Kady!” I warn. “No.”

She huffs. “You’re no fun. Can you come or should I send him to you?”

“I’ll come. I have a break coming up.”

“Right, see you soon.”

I end the call and grab my jacket, then I rush out with a quick explanation to Don as I pass. I hurry home and when I arrive I see Benny and Kady standing on my front porch laughing about something. I rush over and smile big when Benny notices me and extends his arms.

I launch into them and he swings me around. “Benny, it’s so good to see you.”

“Thought I’d get off my ass and come in to see how you’re doing. Raide would kill me if he knew I didn’t check on you at least once.”

My smile wobbles and he notices.

“How are you doing?”

I sigh. “Okay, I’m busy with work but I miss him.”

“Yeah, I bet you do. I saw him yesterday. He’s doin’ okay. I offered to kiss you for him, he wasn’t down with that.”

Kady and I both laugh.

“I wonder why.”

He shrugs. “It was just a kiss. He really is too uptight.”

With another smile, I wrap my arm around his waist. “You want to come in? I’m on my break.”

“You going to make me lunch?”

I roll my eyes. “Of course.”

“Then of course I’m coming in.”

I turn to Kady. “You staying?”

She gives me an um derr look and then mutters, “I’m setting up secret decorations, of course.”

I laugh. “You’re the worst secret-keeper ever, Kady.”

She grins happily. “I know.”

“So I heard your birthday is tomorrow. What do you want?” Benny asks.

“Raide, of course,” Kady says for me.

I sigh. “One can dream.”

Benny turns us into the house. “Dreams come true, Grace.”

So I’ve heard.





Chapter Thirty-three

Everyone is here, and it’s amazing: my family, Benny and his family, Kady and Vance, even Don. She’s gone all out for my birthday, and yet I can’t shake the throbbing pain in my chest. Everyone is here but him … and he’s the one I need the most. Still, I keep a smile on my face and interact with everyone as best I can. Kady and I dance, we drink, and there are loads of laughs. Even Gretchen and Stacy seem to be having fun.

The night goes on, and everyone gets a few more drinks under their belts. Then Kady announces it’s cake time. I protest, because quite frankly, I hate being sung to. A lot. A whole lot. “No,” I say as she drags me to the head of a table where my cake is sitting. “No, I don’t want to be sung to.”

“You just be quiet,” she protests. “We’re going to sing to you.”

“No!” I laugh, digging my heels in.

Benny comes up behind me and launches me up into his arms, wrapping one of them around my waist, and forces me forward. “You are going to get sung to,” he tells me, “and you’re going to like it.”