Trusting Danger (Danger, #2)(52)

Claire stiffened. “It’s on us no matter what, Mother. I dated Gabe for a year.”

“We were victims too. I’m just thankful your father didn’t invest any more than he did.”

Is that all she cares about?

Claire let out a slow breath. “I feel awful about it. I played a role in Gabe recruiting those investors.” Her voice cracked as she added, “And Agent Cox was killed because of me.”

Her mother pursed her lips. “There was no way for you to have known what would happen.”

“Agent Cox’s mother and brothers must be devastated. What are they going to do without him?”

Eva shrugged one slim shoulder. “At least he didn’t have a wife or children. Think of how much worse it would have been then.” She grabbed her purse. “I’m sorry, dear, but I have to go. Will you be okay?”

“Of course.”

Claire stared as the back door closed behind Eva. She was probably going to meet her friends at their country club.

It was so frustrating. Whenever Claire brought up Gabe or what had happened, her mother found a way to deflect the conversation. If it were up to Eva, they’d probably never discuss anything related to the situation again.

God only knew what Eva was telling her friends. Then again, they probably didn’t have the nerve to ask her directly. Knowing those women, Claire suspected the scandal was providing them a hot topic of conversation behind Eva’s back.

It was just like when her father had gotten so much bad press for the bill he’d written. Shortly afterward, her mother had been interviewed by a local reporter. The second the reporter had brought up the situation, Eva had excused herself.

Claire could still recall the look of shock on the reporter’s face as Eva had hurried from the room and didn’t return. She was incapable of dealing with embarrassing situations.

Claire pushed the memory aside as her phone rang. She pulled it from her purse and sucked in a breath as she caught sight of Grayson’s name.

“Has your father told you what’s going on?” he asked.

Claire willed her voice to sound normal. “He has.”

“Did he tell you we could stay at your condo?”

Her heart sang with relief. “Yes.”

“I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”



Claire set the phone down with trembling fingers. What was the matter with her? She was acting like a schoolgirl. And were these butterflies in her stomach? She couldn’t remember ever having a similar reaction to a man. Even Gabe.

Realizing she didn’t have much time, she hurried upstairs to the guest room to gather her things and repack her suitcase to go home. She carried it downstairs and set it next to the front door, peeking out the window as she waited.

Despite her resolve to calm down, she felt a lightness in her chest at the sight of Grayson arriving. Even just walking up the steps, he exuded something. Confidence, yes, but something more.

Gabe’s demeanor had always bordered on arrogance. She’d made excuses for him, chalking up the way he’d sometimes acted to stress he was under. Deep down, though, she’d known it was something else. His job had held no meaning to him.

With Grayson, it was just the opposite. He took things to heart. There was a clear desire to do his job well and to keep people safe.

“How are you doing?” he asked when she opened the door. His sympathetic expression told her that he already had an idea.

“All right,” she lied.

He nodded and looked over her shoulder. “Will we be staying here, or would you rather go home?”

“I’d like to get back to my place, if that’s all right.”

His gaze returned to her face, piercing her with an intensity that made her shiver. “It’s fine. Your protection is being downgraded this time, so it will only be me, not a two-man team. And secrecy isn’t as critical as it was before. You’ll be able to go about your business, attend classes, whatever. Just with a bodyguard.”

“Good, because I have a client meeting this afternoon.”

As Grayson picked up her suitcase and they walked outside, Claire racked her brain for something neutral to discuss on the drive. The case brought up too much emotion, and she knew better than to bring up his mother. So she settled on Camden and Autumn.

After she and Grayson were seated inside his SUV, she said, “Autumn told me she doesn’t have any family. Is she an orphan?”

Grayson started the car before turning toward her. “She may as well have been. She was a teen when she left home with her brother. Then he left her with an outlaw biker club in New York.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not, unfortunately.” He glanced over his shoulder and pulled away from the curb. “She lived with the president of one of the chapters for five years. He was an abusive asshole. Treated her like property. She and Cam are still dealing with the fallout.” He explained the hit that they’d learned about.

Claire shook her head. It was hard to picture the petite, demure Autumn anywhere near a motorcycle club. “She and Camden are good for each other.”

“They are.” Grayson stared at the road ahead, his brow lowering into a frown. “I imagine it was a lot easier being with them than it is being with me.”

Claire pressed her lips together, hiding her smile. “Now that you mention it, it was.”