Chapter 161
Grace's POV
I stood in the parking garage for a long time after Julie's taillights disappeared, her words echoing in my mind like alarm bells. Sometimes the only way to stop a monster is to become one yourself.
Damn. This was worse than I'd thought. Whatever Andrew had done—whatever he'd done to someone Julie cared about—it had transformed my friend into someone I barely recognized. Someone capable of orchestrated revenge.
My phone buzzed with a text from Alex: When are you coming home?
I stared at the message, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Should I tell him about Julie? Alex was already worried about the Zenoria trip, already anxious about my safety. Adding Julie's revenge plot to his concerns would only make things worse.
I can handle this, I told myself. I can talk Julie out of whatever she's planning.
I got in my car and started the engine, but I couldn't shake the expression on Julie's face when she'd said someone who can't fight back anymore. The pain there had been real, raw, devastating. Whatever Andrew had done, it had left deep scars.
Focus on tonight, I told myself as I drove out of the garage. I can figure out how to save Julie from self-destruction after I get back from Zenoria.
---
When I pulled into the driveway, I could see him waiting at the front door before I'd even turned off the engine. Seeing him standing there, seeing Alex, felt like coming home.
Before I could even grab my purse, he was at my car door, pulling me into his arms with an urgency that made my heart race.
"Someone's eager," I teased, but I was already melting into his embrace, breathing in his familiar scent.
"I missed you," he murmured against my hair, his voice rough with emotion. "Every minute you were gone, I missed you."
I pulled back to look at him, studying his face. There were shadows under his eyes, and despite his attempts to hide it, I could see the tension in his shoulders. "I missed you too. How are you feeling? You didn't overdo it today, did you?"
"I'm fine," he said, but I could tell he was lying. The tightness around his eyes spoke of pain he was trying to hide from me.
Before I could call him out on it, Eleanor appeared behind him, practically glowing with excitement. "Darling! Come in, come in."
Daisy appeared with a steaming cup of coffee. "For the fatigue," she said with a gentle smile.
As I accepted the cup gratefully, I felt the stress of the day beginning to dissolve. This is what family feels like, I thought. This warmth, this unconditional acceptance.
Alex gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face. "You look tired," he said softly, his fingers lingering against my cheek. "Long day?"
"Better now," I admitted, leaning into his touch despite our audience.
Alex took the cup from my hands, took a small sip to test the temperature, then offered it back to me. The gesture was so intimate, so unconsciously possessive, that I felt my cheeks warm.
From somewhere behind us, I heard Daisy whisper to Eleanor, "Newlyweds are just so sweet."
Eleanor's delighted laugh followed. "I never thought I'd see the day when Alex would be so openly affectionate. He really is a romantic at heart, isn't he?"
Their gentle teasing should have embarrassed me, but instead it filled me with a warm glow. This was what I'd been missing my entire life—a family that celebrated love instead of using it as a weapon.
In the kitchen, I insisted on cooking despite Alex's protests. "I want to do this," I said firmly, tying an apron around my waist. "It relaxes me."
Alex hovered nearby, clearly fighting the urge to take over or at least help more than I was allowing. When I reached up to grab something from a high shelf, he was there instantly, his hand covering mine as he retrieved the item for me.
"You're going to worry yourself into an early grave," Daisy observed from the doorway, watching Alex fuss over me. "Look at you—you're practically in tears just watching her cook."
"I am not—" Alex started to protest, but even I could see the way his jaw was clenched with barely contained anxiety every time I moved around the hot stove.
Before I could object, he'd wrapped his arms around my waist and was physically steering me away from the kitchen. "That's enough," he said firmly. "You've done enough for one day."
"Alex—"
"No arguments." His voice was gentle but absolutely final. "You're already tired from work, and I'm not letting you wear yourself out any more tonight."
As he guided me toward the stairs, I caught Eleanor and Daisy exchanging knowing looks. Whatever they saw in Alex's behavior, it clearly amused and pleased them. And despite my token protests, I had to admit that being so thoroughly cared for felt... nice.
---
Dinner was a warm, lively affair. Everyone raved about the meal I'd prepared, and I found myself smiling so much my cheeks hurt. Being surrounded by this kind of unconditional love and acceptance was intoxicating.
But just as we were finishing dessert, the doorbell rang.
The sound cut through our comfortable conversation like a knife. All eyes turned to Alex and me, and I felt my stomach drop. We weren't expecting anyone.
I caught the look of unease that flashed across Daisy's face, and suddenly the warm, safe feeling of the evening evaporated.
The butler moved toward the front door.