GraceinMoonlight (16 page)

“Good answer. Now the problem, of course, is that your
daughter will always be under attack from the
Mal
.”

And that was something not even a goddess could change. Amy
had been born
Mal
. No one could strip it from her.

“Lady, was that a question? Because if it was, I don’t know
what answer you’re looking to find.”

Nortia’s mouth curved in a hard smile. “Actually, right now,
I’m just laying out the situation. We’ll get to the tough part in a minute.”

The tough part? Was this where the goddess offered to take
the
Mal
curse from her daughter in exchange for Grace’s life?

Nortia grimaced as if she’d read her mind. “Yeah, don’t look
so hopeful. The answer’s not as easy as you would hope. Then again, nothing
ever is. And you don’t know the entire extent of the problem yet.”

Okay, now she was totally confused. Her daughter had been
born with the
Mal
curse. What could be worse? “Lady Nortia—”

“Yes, yes. I know. You don’t understand. And I’m not doing a
very good job of explaining, am I?” Nortia sighed, a short harsh exclamation of
breath. “There are things about your daughter you’re not aware of. Aspects of
her…personality that won’t be apparent until later in her life. Not even to
her.”

Okay, that sounded totally ominous. “I don’t understand what
you’re trying to tell me, Lady.”

“I know that. And I’m trying not to scare the crap out of
you but obviously I’m not doing a very good job.”

“Maybe if you just told me—”

“No.” Nortia shook her head. “I can’t. That information is
only for Amalia and only when she’s ready. Or I am.” Nortia sighed again,
sounding disgusted with herself. “Look, Grace, I know this must be totally
confusing. I understand your desire to protect your children. I actually admire
it and there’s not much left in this world that I admire. The problem is…you
can’t protect Amalia from everything. Amalia’s going to have issues to deal
with as she gets older. Huge issues that you won’t be able to help her with.”

The thought made her sick to her stomach. As if a doctor had
told her Amy would develop a brain tumor in a few years and there’d be no cure
or treatment. “If I can’t help her with them, then why are you telling me any
of this?”

“Because even though Fate’s a bitch, she’s not without a
heart.” Nortia leaned forward and patted her on the knee. “Try not to lose your
faith in those around you, Grace. Sometimes there truly is more than one path.”

Nortia watched her expectantly, waiting for a response. And
since Grace had no idea what to say other than “Okay” that’s what she said.

Which seemed to please Nortia, who smiled. “Okay! Wow, I’m
so glad we had this little chat. Now I need to go. Kaisie will be back in a
minute. Don’t be too hard on him. He’s only a man, after all.”

With the grace of a cat, Nortia rose from the couch and
headed out the front door, leaving Grace confused as all hell and wondering if
maybe she wasn’t still asleep.

Rising from the chair, she walked back into the kitchen to
get another shot of caffeine. She’d just taken a sip when Kaisie walked in the
door.

His gaze went to her right away, as if he had a sixth sense
where she was concerned. Or it could just be her scent.

She let herself stare at him, really look. From his shaggy
brown hair that curled at the ends where it covered his nape to the slightly
crooked nose. The mouth that made her long for his kiss. That alone was
something of a revelation.

Growing up, she’d never fantasized about a fairytale prince
coming to sweep her off her feet to a life of romance and happily ever after.
She hadn’t known that romance novels existed until she’d gone to high school
and, even then, she’d only had a vague notion in the back of her mind that
there was such a thing.

Her life had been consumed by her parents’ demands for the
outward appearance of the perfect
Mal
child—demure, quiet, brilliant and
obedient. They’d cowed her with threats and punishments. Through fear. Fear of
her grandmother, in particular.

Kaisie didn’t scare her. He fought with her and pushed her,
made her so angry she wanted to scream. And he’d made her crave him.

He held her gaze as he approached. He didn’t walk with a
swagger, like younger men tended to. He had a natural grace and a confidence
that showed through his deceptively laid-back exterior. And even though he
seemed to see nothing but her, she knew he’d checked out every square inch of
the place.

As he walked over to her, she let her gaze slide down to his
broad shoulders and chest. Long and lean, all muscle. Her mouth watered just
looking at him. Damn gorgeous man.

He stopped only inches from her, causing her to have to tilt
her head back to look up at him. His expression showed nothing but warmth. For
her. It put a smile on her lips that he dropped his mouth over and kissed away.

Took her breath away too.

When he pulled back, she knew she had a smile on her face.
One he mirrored.

“Good morning.” His voice made her want to lick along his
throat. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you got up. Had to talk to Cole.”

His kiss must’ve scrambled her typical fear response because
the mention of the
lucani
king didn’t make a blip on her radar.

“What did he want?”

“Work. How’d you sleep?”

“Fine.” How would she have slept any way other than fine
with him in the same bed? She shivered as he ran one finger along her cheek,
wishing she was the type of woman to grab his hand and suck his finger into her
mouth. Then she blushed as she realized his mouth had twisted wryly. “Better
than fine.”

“Glad to hear it.” He leaned back against counter, his gaze
never leaving hers. “I see you found the coffee.”

“Yes. I thought I’d make breakfast, if that’s okay.”

“Make yourself at home.”

“I just didn’t want to overstep—”

“Grace.” His gaze had the ability to soothe her and fire her
up in equal measure. “What part of ‘my house is your house’ didn’t you
understand?”

She wanted that. So damn much. She couldn’t believe just how
much she wanted it.

“So what are you making?”

He had the most beautiful eyes. They made her lose her train
of thought. “Making?”

And that smile… “For breakfast?”

She blinked, a flush heating her cheeks. “Oh. I thought I’d
make pancakes. Alex loves pancakes.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Chocolate chip pancakes?”

“You like chocolate chips?”

He shrugged. “I like anything chocolate. Cover broccoli in
chocolate and I’ll eat it. I’ll drink beer but I prefer rum. I like steak and
potatoes and I won’t touch asparagus or Brussels sprouts.”

Her smile widened and, shutting off the part of her brain
that was telling her to move cautiously, she stepped closer to him and let her
arms wind around his waist. If she’d surprised him, he didn’t show it. Frankly,
she’d surprised herself. “Anything else I need to know?”

“Well.” He curved his arms around her shoulders and brought
her even closer. “I’m an early riser, always have been. I’m pretty good about
remembering to close the toilet seat and I usually hang my towel on the bar
when I’m done with it. Alex likes me and Amy hasn’t shot me yet so I think I’m
doing okay there. So, anything you want to tell me?”

What should she say? No one had cared enough to ask her what
she liked and didn’t like. It made her feel vulnerable. Exposed. But she was no
coward. She bit into her bottom lip, worrying it. “Well, I’m kind of a slob,
but you probably already figured that out.”

He bent down to kiss her, sinking his teeth into her lip for
a quick nip. “I won’t hold it against you.”

“I’m not a very good cook either. I mean, I’d like to be,
there’s just never enough time and I had to learn most of the basics myself.
Growing up, my parents had a cook and so did Ettore. But when Alex and I were
alone, I didn’t want anyone else in my home, so I had to learn.”

“What’s your favorite dish?”

She frowned, having to think too hard about the answer to
that question. “I don’t know.” Food had never been high on her list of
priorities except for finding things Alex would eat. “Alex likes my pancakes.”

“Then you and I’ll split the cooking. I’m pretty good in the
kitchen. I’m not looking for a maid, Grace.”

She shook her head. “What are you looking for?”

“Well, I pretty much think I’ve been looking for you.”

She wanted to melt in a puddle at his feet at the warmth of
his tone, the heat in his eyes. Wanted so much to believe she was what he
needed. But… “I think you see what you want and not what’s really here.”

“And I think you’ve been programmed
not
to see the
woman you truly are. The loving mother. The brilliant scientist.” He bent and
put his lips right up to her ear. “The hot woman who I want to bend over and
fuck every opportunity I get. That’s what I see.”

Her body shook as a wave of desire coursed through her. He’d
just described exactly what she wanted to be.

“Kaisie—”

He pressed a kiss to her cheek, sending another shiver
through her. “Grace. Why don’t you check the cabinets for the ingredients you
need for the pancakes. I think I have some mix in there but I’m not sure. You
get things started out here and I’ll roust the kids. Then…” He sighed. “I’m
gonna have to take a trip.”

The warmth she’d felt in his arms disappeared as quickly as
it’d appeared. She stepped back, out of his arms, and he let her go, shoving
his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “He’s not dead, is he?”

Kaisie didn’t bother to sugarcoat his response but held her
gaze steady. “No. We got confirmation this morning. I’ll find him, Grace.”

She noticed he didn’t add anything to the rest of his
statement and she didn’t know that she wanted to ask what he was going to do
when he found him.

He’d promised her he’d kill Ettore. That he’d make it safe
for her and the children and Mara.

She didn’t want to ask him for his promise again because she
didn’t want him to tell her he had to break that promise.

So she headed into the kitchen and started searching the
cabinets. Behind her, she knew Kaisie watched her for several long seconds
before he sighed and headed for the bedroom where the children slept.

This nightmare would never end. Not until Ettore was dead.

Kaisie pushed open the bedroom door, not surprised to see
Amy sit up to check out who stood there.

Leaning against the jamb, he let her look around the room,
checking all the corners and making sure Alex remained asleep next to her.

When her gaze came back to him, she lost just a little bit
of that wariness she constantly wore.

“Good morning, Amy. Sleep well?”

After a brief pause, she nodded but didn’t speak.

“Are you hungry? Your mom’s making pancakes.”

Her head cocked to the side. “Do you think if you keep
calling her that, it’ll make me believe it?”

He shrugged. “It’s true. Just because you don’t want to
believe it doesn’t make it not true.”

A look he recognized from Grace covered her daughter’s
features. “Well, I’m not ready to call her that yet so you need to back off.”

“Okay.”

It was her turn to look dumbstruck. “Okay? That’s all you’ve
got to say?”

Nodding, he moved into the room to stand by the bed, his
gaze caught on the crazy pattern of monkeys on her flannel pajamas. She’d seen
them in the store and her eyes had lit up though she hadn’t reached for them,
as if she’d learned not ask for things she truly wanted.

Something else Marrucini would pay for.

But Grace had seen Amy’s reaction and she’d casually picked
up the bundle and placed it in the cart.

He’d wondered if Amy would wear them. It gave him hope for
the future that she had.

“That’s all I’ve got to say. You and your mom are gonna have
to work this out on your own. I just want you to give her the opportunity to
become your mom. She had no chance before. Okay? That’s all I’m asking. And
since I’m not going to be around for a couple of days, I need to make sure you
understand how important it’s going to be for you to be on your toes.”

He thought he saw genuine distress flash through her eyes.
“Where are you going?”

“I’ve got to take a trip. Work.”

Her eyes narrowed and she let her gaze fall to Alex, still
asleep on the other side of the queen-size bed, before she trained those dark
eyes on him again. “He’s not dead, is he?”

Kaisie refrained from shaking his head but, damn, when had
he lost the ability to hide anything? Still, he wasn’t going to lie to the
girl. “No. But like I promised your mom,” and, he used the word “promised”
deliberately, “I’ll find him and I’ll take care of him.”

Her mouth set in a flat line. “Will you kill him?”

“I can’t. At least not right away. The
lucani
need to
talk to him, find out what he knows. He may have information that could help
us.”

“Is that why you took me? For information?”

Again, that hurt in her eyes, the emotion she tried to keep
hidden. She looked exactly like Grace at the moment and it tore at his heart.

“No, Amy. I took you because I made a promise to your mom.
She wanted to find you. She was willing to give her life in exchange for you
and Alex. You need to keep that in mind when you’re telling yourself she’s not
really your mom.”

He let the girl think about that for a moment before he
reached out to ruffle her hair. She froze but didn’t move away as his hand
brushed over her soft, dark hair.

He had a feeling the girl had no idea how to accept
affection. That she hadn’t been hugged or kissed like a normal kid. Like her
mother. But her mother had learned and so would Amy.

“Now it’s time to get up. We’ll have breakfast. Then I’m
going to leave and make sure you and Alex and your mom don’t have anything to
fear from Ettore Marrucini ever again.”