Page 113 of Choosing Us

“No, you said Harlow would come in after I talked to you!” Graham cries out.

“No, Graham, I didn’t. I said it depends on how productive our conversation was and that would determine if coming in would be worth her time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, that regardless of what you told us today, Harlow was never coming here to speak with you. There is nothing about you that is worth her time right now, and the only time she will ever spend in the same room as you again is when she sees you in court.” I school my features as his eyes widen at the realization that Harlow is not coming.

I start to stand and Tara mirrors my movement. I could end it here, but I just can’t help myself. “Today wouldn’t work for her, anyway. She’s a bit busy with her fiancé.”

The mention of Ryan brings a new tidal wave of fury. “No, she has to be here. Is she on the other side of that mirror? She wouldn’t miss this. She’s here to talk to me, I know it. Harlow?!” Graham is now yelling with widened eyes, twisting in his chair to try and peer through the two-way mirror as his attorney is shaking his head, looking up at the ceiling. Graham’s glare snaps back to me as I push my chair in. He slams his fists on the table in rage. “You don’t get it. You don’t know what I’ve done for her. I helped make her career what it is—who she is. I gave her the perfect complex case for her beautiful mind to solve. I did everything for her. You don’t know her like I do! She’s mine!”

I open the door to the interrogation room before turning back to Graham one last time. “No, I think you have this all backwards, Dr. Tremblay. Despite your claims, I do know my friend. I know her quite well, and in fact, soon enough, we will be family.”

He stills at that. “What do you mean?”

“Huh. You didn’t make the connection?” I shrug. “Harlow is engaged to my wife’s brother. She’s going to be Harlow Callahan after they get married.”

With that, I turn and let the door start to close. The litany of curse words spewing from Graham’s mouth are mostly silenced as the clicks shut behind us.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you look pretty happy with how that just went,” Tara says as we enter the elevator, with Mason and Kelly following us.

I nod. “Honestly, I think it went about as well as it could have. And the best part?”

“What’s that?” Tara asks as she presses the button for our floor.

“Harlow didn’t have to listen to it, and he will never hurt her again.”

CHAPTER SIXTY

Gasping for breath, the damp sheets cling to my slick skin as I jerk awake.

Until the last month, I've never been one to be plagued by nightmares. But I've also never had the man I love kidnapped and held hostage by a man obsessed with me.

So, I've been dealing with a lot of things for the first time.

As the room around me comes into focus, so does the soothing pressure on my back as Ryan runs his hand up and down. “Breathe, baby. I'm right here. I’m safe. You’re safe. It’s okay. Take deep breaths. I've got you.”

I gulp in oxygen to my lungs as I let his words settle into my bones. I know he's right, and he’s anchoring me in this moment with truth.

And I know that those nightmares are not reality.

But dammit, they feel so real … especially in that moment between asleep and awake, where I'm not sure if we were there before it was too late, or if I got to him in time.

I didn’t allow myself to feel all of the emotions while it was happening. I had to ensure the logical portion of my brain was in control and had all my strength and focus.

But after?

It hit me like a tidal wave.

I took a leave from work, not because I wasn’t able to work, but because I didn’t trust myself. Graham had been in my orbit for years, and his true colors never registered. Yesterday, I had told Walker that I was considering coming back now that it’s been almost four weeks, and he encouraged me to take at least six.

Running my hand over my face, I realize I should listen to my friend.

Ryan’s been working from home as much as possible, and with the drama the chairman of the board has been causing, I am not going to be shocked at all if one day he just quits altogether.

Jack and Wells have not been subtle at all in their attempts to woo him into joining them at Lux, and I bet he will be there within the next two months, max.

So, our normal schedules are … abnormal.