In Too Deep (Grayton Series Book 4) (6 page)

Then there had been Cassey’s wedding. Sighing, she glanced up and looked out over the water. She’d cried herself to sleep that night. It had been so hard, standing along the boardwalk, almost two hundred yards away, watching her sister get married. Several times, she’d talked herself into running across the sand and rushing up to take her sister in a hug.

But, in the end, she’d spotted Roman standing next to her other brothers and had backed away slowly. She just couldn’t imagine telling him everything. Not then and not now.

She knew it was inevitable. Everything in life moved in a big circle. She’d tried to prepare herself for the day she would have to tell Roman about Reagan.

Falling back onto the sand, she looked up at the cloud-free sky and moaned. “Why did it have to happen so fast?”

Chapter Five

B
eing a captain of a ferry was a lot more fun than he’d ever imagined. First of all, you got to greet everyone who boarded and exited your vessel. Second, you got to steer a bad-ass large boat with a lot of power. Third, you got to say anything you wanted over the loudspeakers and you had a captive audience.

Of course, by the third trip, he’d run out of jokes and material, but that didn’t matter to the passengers; they laughed and clapped along anyway.

Marv had shown him all that he could by the end of the first run. He’d promised to show him about the engines and mechanics after their last run of the day, which ended around seven thirty in the evenings.

“We don’t run after dark. There are a few ferries farther down that run after sunset, but not us.” The older man smiled at him as he waved to a few people leaving the docks. “We won’t run during a storm either. Only before and after we’ve gotten the all clear.”

“Why’s that?” he asked, leaning against the railing of the dock.

“Too many chances. Missy’s old man had a crew that took chances.” He shook his head. “Lost three good men in one day.”

He stood up, dropping his arms to his sides. “Missy’s old…” He shook his head. “Her father?”

Marv glanced at him. “I thought you said you grew up with her?”

“I did…” He fought the urge to tell the man everything. “I know for a fact that Missy was adopted at the age of eight.”

Marv smiled and nodded. “Then she found Doug shortly after her eighteenth birthday. Right before she had Reagan.”

“Reagan?” His head was starting to spin.

“Whoa, are you okay? You’re not seasick or something, are you?”

“Marv, you and I need to have a talk. Now.” He gripped the man’s arm and pulled him back towards the ferry.

Thirty minutes later, the ferry was pulling back up to the island docks. When he saw Missy standing at the docks next to a few customers, he turned to Marv.

“I’m taking a break. You can pick us up on the next run.”

Marv nodded and then slapped him on the back. “Be patient with her.”

He answered. “You’ve no idea how patient I’ve already been.”

As he exited the boat, her eyes settled on him. She looked relaxed. Like she’d gotten a little more sun that day. Her blonde hair was flying around her face and she started to smile when she saw him. When her eyes met his, however, the smile fell away.

“What?” she asked when he walked up to her without saying a word and took her arm. “What’s wrong?” She glanced back at the ferry, then at him. “Did Marv…”

“Not here,” he growled, pulling her with him until he stood in front of the cart. “This is yours?” he asked. When she nodded, he moved aside to allow her to climb aboard. “I’ll drive.” He waited until she scooted over on the seat.

“Roman, you don’t…”

“Not yet.” He looked at her, trying to swallow his hurt, pain, and anger until he was better under control. When the cart kicked up dust behind them, he smiled. The last thing he’d wanted was to be putting along in a golf cart when there was so much bubbling up inside him. Right now, he needed the speed.

They rode along in silence. She propped her feet up on the dash like she was along for a slow Sunday drive, so he gunned it again until the pavement ended. Then he sped through the sand until they were finally out of land. Here, there were only a few houses scattered few and far between. He drove until he found a patch of beach that was far away from anything else. When the cart stopped, she turned to him on the seat and raised her eyebrows.

“Are you going to tell me what this is all about?”

He rolled his shoulders before turning to her and taking her hand in his. Then he tugged until she followed him to the edge of the water.

“Tell me it’s not true.” He didn’t recognize his own voice.

“Wh… what?” He watched her swallow.

Instead of answering, he just looked at her.

“Roman?” She shook her head. “Marv had no right…”

He let out a low growl, causing her to stop.

“Is it true?” he asked again.

She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, a move he knew all too well. There was nothing more he would get from her, not if he continued to go at it from this angle.

Years of loneliness, hurt, and anger boiled inside of him along with newer emotions of betrayal, of being lied to, raped of something he’d desired beyond anything else. Everything mixed together caused him to move towards her in a quick motion.

Before he knew it, she was in his arms, her lips crushed under his as he took what he’d wanted for what seemed like forever.

Her nails dug into his skin just below his ribs. She didn’t even try to push him away. Instead she met him beat for beat, moan for moan as he fueled his desires with the taste, the feel of her next to him.

When her knees went lax, he followed her to the soft sand, covering her body with his, pushing her farther into the beach.

Not until he felt her heart kick against his chest, her breathing labored so much that she was gulping for oxygen, did he finally push away from her.

He sat next to her and shoved his fingers through his hair, almost yanking it all out. “Why?” It came out as a whisper.

She took her time sitting up, tucking her knees close to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

“I was afraid.”

He turned quickly to her. “Of me?”

She shook her head without looking at him.

“Then what?” he croaked.

“My family.” She bit her bottom lip.

The burst of laughter escaped him. “We would have…”

“No, not the Graytons.” She turned to him finally. “The Smiths.”

He tilted his head in question. “You don’t have a family outside of…”

She sighed and rolled her head back, looking directly above her. “Roman,” she finally said, turning to him again. “Do you remember what I said the day we met?”

He smiled. “You hated boys.”

She nodded. “And?” When he didn’t answer, she continued. “I said it was my wedding day.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, still haven’t gotten…” His voice died in the breeze when realization hit him. His shoulders slumped and he felt his insides shake with something else—fear and anger mixed together.

His fingers took her shoulders and pulled her closer. “You were serious?”

She nodded and he watched a tear roll down her cheek.

“What has that got to do with why you left me?”

She closed her eyes and he could tell she was trying to get her emotions under control.

“Everything.” She shook her head, which sent her hair flying around her damp face.

He thought about it for a moment and realized he had yet to hear one thing from her.

“Is the boy mine?” he asked quietly.

***

How could she tell him so much without exposing everything. Before answering, she turned to look off at the surf. The waves were stronger here, at the end of the island. Angrier, like Roman was, sitting next to her.

“Yes.” She turned to him, watching his emotions. She expected anger, but not his tears. When he closed his eyes, several rolled down his face, breaking her heart in two.

“I didn’t know I was pregnant with I left.” She reached for him, only to have him yank away and stand up. When he walked several feet into the surf, she followed. “You have to believe me.”

After a moment, he turned to her, looking deep into her eyes. “Why didn’t you come back? After you found out?”

She dropped her arms. “My family…” When his eyes heated, she corrected her statement. “The Smith’s found me.”

“What has that got to do with us?” His voice vibrated with anger.

“The Smith’s run the Council of Friends.” She waited until realization dawned in his eyes.

“The cult?” he asked.

When she nodded, his hands went to her shoulders.

“Is that why…” He dropped off and groaned as he closed his eyes. “It really was your wedding day, wasn’t it?”

She nodded slightly, feeling as if finally one of her secrets was out.

“What did they want with you now?” His fingers dug into her arms, but she enjoyed the warmth of him holding her.

“With me? Nothing, but I was already eight months pregnant at the time.” His fingers tightened a little more. “They wanted my… our child. He belonged to the sect. According to them, he was God’s chosen child.”

“Why in God’s name didn’t you come back to us?” She heard the rawness of his voice as his fingers tightened on her shoulders.

She closed her eyes and swayed. “There wasn’t time.”

The silence built between them. “And after you had our child?”

She shook her head as she closed her eyes to the pain. Her throat was raw, burning her. Opening her eyes, she looked up into his blue ones. “I need some water.”

He blinked and glanced around.

She almost smiled. “There’s a bottle in the cart.”

He nodded and then quickly walked back to the cart. She watched him closely. His kisses were the same, but different. He even moved differently than he had years ago.

By the time he made it back to her, her throat was dry for completely different reasons.

“I’d like to hear the rest,” he said, handing her the bottled water.

Taking a drink, she allowed the water to soothe the heat caused by watching him. Glancing down, she frowned at her watch.

“Maybe we can continue later. I have to pick up Reagan soon.”

She watched his eyebrows jump and saw a mixture of anger and excitement rush into his eyes.

“Would you like to…”

He took her shoulders. “Yes,” he growled.

“Roman, I didn’t mean to keep you away.” She sighed, not really knowing what to say.

“Later.” He took her hand and pulled her back to the cart. He drove with as much gusto as he had getting them there.

“I’m going to have to invest in one of these for dad,” he said absentmindedly.

“How is he?” She peered at him from the corner of her eye. She tried to keep the guilty feeling from rushing in, but it always did when she thought about her adopted parents.

He glanced at her after slowing the cart down. “Mom died a short while after you left.”

She nodded. “I know.” She turned to him a little more. “I’ve followed all of you closely.” Especially him, she thought, but she didn’t say it out loud.

He pulled over and stopped the cart. “It was you.” She watched his face closely.

“What? What was me?”

“At Mom’s funeral. At the hospital when Cole was in his accident. Even at Cassey’s wedding.”

She shook her head slowly. “I…”

He looked like he was relieved. “What about opening day of Cassey’s Boardwalk Bar and Grill?”

She blinked a few times and then swallowed the lump in her throat. He’d seen her. All the times she’d thought she’d gone unnoticed. He’d seen her. Nodding her head slightly, he chuckled.

“I told them I wasn’t crazy.” He smiled as he pulled back onto the road.

“How… You saw me all of those times?”

He glanced at her as they pulled back into the parking lot. “Sure.” He shrugged. “I’d been looking out for you. Everyone had.”

She didn’t realize that tears had slipped down her face until he moved closer and used the back of his knuckles to gently wipe them away.

“You’re family.” His arms felt so good wrapped around her. She’d forgotten what it felt like. Being held. Letting go for a moment.

Chapter Six

R
oman’s hands were shaky and sweaty so he rubbed them on his shorts, trying to get his emotions under control. He sat outside the school with the woman of his dreams as he waited to see his son for the first time.

It was all like some dream. Any moment now, he expected someone to jump out of the bushes with cameras and tell him he was being punked.

“Why’s the kid in summer school?” He felt a sickness in his stomach at the thought of the kid slipping in class.