Paint It Black by Michelle Perry Read Free Book Online Page B

look back to this night and realize you started this.”
    I blinked. “Are you threatening me?”
    “What?” she asked mockingly. “Threaten my own sister?”
    She laughed when I glanced around to see if anyone was listening, but her eyes were hard when she said, “Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re better than me. I see it in your eyes. You’re ashamed of him. You’re ashamed of me. I’ve always hated you, did you know that? No matter what you did to refuse him, he always talked about you. Well, maybe now he’ll realize that I’m the only daughter who gives a damn about him.”
    She bumped her shoulder into mine and started down the hall.
    “I’ll see you around, Denise,” she called over her shoulder. Cougar emerged from one of the doorways, and she shot him a bird when they passed.
    He grinned at me and circled his index finger by his temple. I had to force myself to return his smile. My hands were shaking.
    Glancing back down the hall, he said, “Did she threaten you? I heard her say she’d see you around.”
    “It’s nothing,” I said. “Just trash talk.”
    Cougar grunted. “She’s a psycho, that’s for sure. But what chance did she have, really? I mean, look at her father. Evil begets evil—”
    “I have to go,” I blurted. I really couldn’t stand to contemplate that line of reasoning at that moment. “Grady’s probably left me by now.”
    Cougar laughed. “Go, then. You’re probably on thin ice as it is tonight.”
    I rolled my eyes and started backing away. “Call me if there’s any word on Angel.”
    “Will do.”
    “And get someone to look at that arm.”
    “Yes, Mother,” he said with a wink.
    I ran back outside. Grady leaned across the seat to push open the cab door.
    “What did Bill want?” he asked with a frown.
    I slid in beside him, and the cab lurched into motion. “He wanted me to work this weekend.”
    Grady threw up his hands. “Of course, he did. Damn it, Necie—”
    “I told him no.”
    Grady paused in midrant and stared at me. “You did? Why?”
    I resumed my position under his arm. “Well, this is a holiday weekend. I want to spend time with you and Abby. I know I missed the big dinner, but we could still go somewhere together.”
    “That sounds nice,” he said, and hugged me close. “And we can still have dinner. Mom sent us some leftovers.”
    Uh-oh … I wondered if I could blame the disappearance on refrigerator trolls. Grady was talking about the weekend, though, so I didn’t interrupt. He sounded so happy and excited. Maybe I had been neglecting him. Neglecting him and Abby both.
    When we got home, Grady poured me a drink, but he didn’t drink any more himself. We stripped and climbed into the hot tub.
    “Hey, Necie,” he said, while he kneaded my shoulders. “I’m not trying to start anything, I swear. But you said something about vacation. I was thinking, now that you’ve captured Barnes—how would you feel about a leave of absence?” He nuzzled my neck. “We could spend more time together, maybe even have another baby, a perfect little boy to go with our perfect little girl?”
    His words chilled me. I wasn’t sure I was a good enough mother for one, much less two. Abby’s conception had been an accident, but one I’d never regretted, even though at times the responsibility scared me todeath. I loved her more than anything. I only hoped I could give her what she needed from me.
    And giving up my job? My main goal had always been Barnes, but his arrest didn’t change who I was. I loved my job, and I loved the people I worked with. It scared me to think of walking away from it all.
    “Relax.” Grady slid his hands down my bare arms. “You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”
    “Okay,” I whispered, and leaned my head back against his chest.
    For the next couple of days, I thought of little else. Grady, Abby, and I spent a nice weekend together as a family. We played