Damon grunted. Olivia knew that grunt. It was Damon realizing he and Granger weren’t so very different even if their lives had been.
“Damon, will you get me a slice of pie?” Olivia batted her eyes just as she did when she’d been a little girl and her big brother instantly softened.
Damon grunted again but took off for the line.
“Do people really look down on Granger for his scars?” Olivia asked Kord.
“Have you seen them?” Kord asked with surprise instead of answering.
Olivia shook her head. “Only enough to know he has scarring, but he covered himself quickly. I’ve only heard whispers.”
“Yeah, well, let’s just say some women in his past haven’t been able to look beyond them.”
Olivia felt her blood begin to boil at the thought of someone looking down on such a great man for that. “Then he’s been dating the wrong women,” she said, angry that he’d had to experience such superficial nonsense.
“Maybe that’s why it’s hard for him to trust a woman with his heart. Why it’s hard to take a risk and ask the woman he likes out.” Kord looked pointedly at her. “Maybe if a woman showed him those scars don’t define him, he could take a chance on love again.”
Kord’s words hit her like a punch to the gut. Everything became clear. The fight they had about women wanting picture-perfect men and not giving a man like him a chance. Granger didn’t think she’d want him because of his scars, when he was all she ever wanted, scars or no scars. She’d obviously kept her interest in Granger Fox a too closely guarded secret. Dammit, she was done playing it cool where Granger Fox was concerned.
Olivia reached out and squeezed Kord’s hand. “Thank you. I believe I need to see the sheriff about something.”
Olivia hurried off in the direction she’d seen Granger go. Darkness was settling in, and while the lights strung downtown kept the festival bathed in a warm glow, the shadows were dark enough that Granger could easily disappear if he wanted.
Olivia was taller than average, so she rose up on her toes to scan the crowd. She heard people calling out to her, but she just waved to them absently as she kept moving. Normally she was calm and collected and habitually examined and re-examined every move before she made it, but not now. Now nothing but instinct drove her and every instinct she had urged her forward. She had to tell Granger he was all she thought about, even when she tried not to. She had to tell him she had fallen in love with him the first time she met him, but she had thought she wasn’t enough for him. It was time to risk it all and lay her cards on the table. Love was worth the risk.
“Where are you rushing off to?” Ryker asked as she blew by him.
“Have you seen Granger?” Olivia asked over her shoulder as she finally slowed down enough to talk to her boss and best friend.
“Yeah, he stormed off toward the marina. What’s going on?” Ryker demanded.
His wife, Kenzie, rolled her eyes as if Ryker were just your average obtuse male and not one of the most powerful businessmen in the world. “About time. That way,” Kenzie pointed toward the dock far off in the distance.
“Thank you!” Olivia called out as she quickened her pace. Her eyes scanned the marina. As they adjusted to the shadowed darkness of the park that sat between the road and the marina, she finally saw Granger’s silhouette off in the distance. His back was to her as he stood with his hands in his pockets, staring out at the water.
Olivia’s heart beat madly as she broke into a run. Granger was too far away for her to call out to, but she’d finally found him. She had to tell him how she felt about him and hoped like hell it was enough. It was an urgency unlike she’d experienced before. She felt as if she didn’t tell him now, she’d never be able to and she’d lose him forever. They’d been dancing around their feelings for so long that it felt as if she didn’t take this chance now, she might not ever do it.
Maybe it was her pounding heart. Maybe it was the nervousness that seemed to consume her mind and body. Maybe it was that she was focused solely on Granger, but Olivia never saw him. From the shadows of a tree, a hand reached out and clamped around her upper arm hard and yanked.
“It’s time for you to meet your destiny,” the hoarse voice whispered in her ear as his other hand pressed hard against her lips and nose, cutting off her air.
Olivia fought the panic that rose in reaction. However, her body knew what to do even before her brain registered it. Since being attacked in New York City, she’d taken self-defense lessons. Not only that, but she sparred with her brother Hunter whenever he was visiting. She was not going down tonight. Olivia was no passive victim and simply did not have time for this nonsense—she had to bare her soul to the man she loved, damn it.
She brought her knee up and then slammed her heel down onto the man’s foot. The second it made contact, she threw her elbow back into his gut and twisted enough to free her mouth. “Granger, help!”
Olivia didn’t wait to see if Granger would come for her. She knew he would. Instead, she focused all her attention on the man trying to drag her away. She kicked, swung, screamed, and cursed him to hell and back as she landed a couple of punches to his gut.
“Olivia!” She heard Granger’s deep voice roar from a distance.
“Soon. Your destiny awaits and nothing can stop it.”
Olivia felt him push her hard in the middle of her back. She stumbled forward, dropping to her hands and knees with the momentum of the shove. When she looked around, he was gone.
“Liv!” Granger was pulling her up and into his arms. “Are you hurt?”
Olivia refused to collapse. She had to show Granger she was strong. She wanted to match his bravery to show she was good enough for him. “I’m not hurt. I knew you’d come.”
“I’ll always come for you. Now stay here.” She saw that Granger’s eyes were scanning the shadows before flitting toward Main Street. “Stone! Keep her safe.”
“What?” Olivia asked, but Granger was already taking off after her attacker.
“What the hell is going on? You’re shaking like a leaf,” her brother Stone asked.
“It’s nothing,” Olivia said absently as she tried to find Granger in the darkness.
“It’s not nothing,” Stone said, keeping her pulled against his side. “Brothers!”
This was not what Olivia needed right now. She did not need a whole bunch of male posturing while they treated her like a child.
“What’s going on?” Kane asked as they descended on her.
“Olivia won’t say,” Stone said. “I saw Granger manhandling her and then he yelled at me to watch her and took off running. She’s shaking. Did that bastard upset you?”
“I knew I didn’t like him,” Hunter growled as his hands fisted.
Olivia ignored them all and kept her eyes trained on the darkness that had seemed to swallow Granger whole. She didn’t hear a single word the entire time her brothers were talking. Her entire focus was on the darkness as she willed Granger to reappear unhurt.
Finally, movement in the shadows drew her attention and, like a mirage coming to life, Granger stepped through the darkness and into the small amount of light the moon was casting around them.