Page 7 of Grayson

CHAPTER FIVE

By the time they’d returned to base, it was early evening the following day. The children and Sisters were taken to the medical tent then given clean clothing and places to shower. A VIP building was prepared for them, all of them together.

Jennifer wasn’t so lucky. She had a six-foot-two, two-hundred- and fifteen-pound gorilla hovering over her.

“Could you at least step out while I get dressed?” she asked, hidden behind the shower curtain. He folded his arms and turned away from her.

“No. Deal with it.”

“God, what is wrong with you? You were never this much of an ass.”

“This much of an ass?” he frowned spinning around to catch her in just bra and panties. He swallowed, staring at her slender body. The rounded hips spoke of womanhood, no longer a child. Her breasts were perfect for her body, her milky white skin indicative of her Asian heritage.

But the bruises and cuts, old and new nearly undid him. He wanted to touch his mouth to all of them. He wanted to put her in his bed and not let her go for weeks. He wanted… He wanted something he shouldn’t want.

“I’m not an ass,” he said staring at her face as she pulled on the clean t-shirt. “You’re family.”

“I’m not your family,” she whispered.

“You are family,” he growled. “Why, Jennifer? Why didn’t you call for help? Your father, my father, anyone would have been here and taken care of this mess.”

“That’s just it,” she said fastening the jeans that clung to every curve. He was jealous of those jeans. Wanting to be exactly where they were. He dug is fingers into the palms of his hands, waiting for her to finish.

“If I had called anyone, you, Dad, anyone, you would have come charging in, handling it all. I would have been given the lecture of how this was exactly why they wanted me to attend college in the U.S., why I should have stayed close to home. I wanted to prove to everyone that I could do it on my own. And I did. Almost.”

“Almost isn’t good enough, Jennifer. Do you understand what would have happened had they succeeded in raping and killing you?” She swallowed, blushing and looking away from him.

“I understand all too well,” she whispered.

“No. No, you know the pain of being raped and beaten but what they would have done is much worse. Much, much worse. Those other nuns would have been their next victims. Women who don’t know how to defend themselves or fight. Women who have never touched a weapon. Those kids would have disappeared off the face of the earth.”

“But they didn’t,” she said softly. “Please, Grayson. Help me find the man that did all of this. Help me and I’ll go home with you.”

He stared at her, the thought of her going home with him slicing into his chest.

“Don’t ask me to hide this from your father, Jennifer. I respect him too much.” He stared at her, then at her neck. “Where’s your tracker? Why didn’t they see your tracker?”

“I-I removed it,” she said. He startled, taking a big step toward her. “I had to!” He was in front of her so fast, she nearly screamed out loud. Gripping her upper arms, he lifted her, spinning her in mid-air. He pushed the heavy black hair forward, seeing the fine thin scar. His big fingers traced the ragged line and he wanted to cry.

“You stupid, stupid girl,” he whispered.

“In case you haven’t noticed,” she said gripping his massive arms below her breasts, “I’m no longer a girl.”

“I’ve noticed,” he said lowering his head to her neck. He wasn’t sure why he did it. He shouldn’t have done it. But his hot lips touched the scar, trailing kisses down the back of her neck.

Jennifer’s heartbeat quickened and he could feel it pounding against his own body.

“Grayson,” she whispered leaning back into him. “Grayson don’t do this and then walk away.”

He stilled and then turned her, staring down at her. He was confused at first, then the memory flooded back at him. Her high school graduation. She’d found him in the garden before his departure. He was trying to keep his distance, let her go, let her explore the world, he’d told himself.

“Can I get a hug goodbye?”

Grayson stood, towering above her tiny body. He leaned forward, hugging her gently at first, then his big hands made circles around her back. She felt so damn good. Too good. She tilted her head slightly, her lips brushing against his jaw, then across his lips. He immediately pushed her back.

“Jennifer, I’m too old for you.”

Too old. He’d said nothing else, just that he was too old. He’d turned and left her in the garden. What he didn’t know was that she stayed in the garden crying for a good half hour.