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Saving Grace 22.
It fascinated her, what Noah had said about his tattoo, and what he had said about people's choices had scared her. It was as if he had been talking to her directly. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the memories of the past that threatened to engulf her. As she stared out of the window, her mind wandered back to what Noah had said. They had been a brief, but those words had struck a chord deep within her. The idea of a different life, one where she could have been loved and cherished, seemed like a distant dream.She had walked out of there after that, but only because she wanted to pounder more about it all. The pain inflicted upon her by her ex-husband had scarred her both physically and emotionally. It had shattered her self-esteem, leaving her questioning her worth and doubting her own judgment. She had once believed she had found solace in him, mistaking his possessiveness for love. But now, she saw the truth: he was a psychopath, someone who reveled in causing pain and
Saving Grace 23.
Finally, after purchasing a new phone and getting it set up in the store, she decided to forgo driving and opted to take a leisurely walk back home. The day felt different somehow, and she thought it might be nice to make a quick detour and visit her friend Charlotte. It was her day off, and Charlotte had mentioned having someone come in to take over the shop, allowing her some free time. The prospect of doing something else aside from going home to sleep or read lifted her spirits. As she strolled down the street, her newly acquired phone safely tucked away in her bag, she made a mental note to put the emergency number on speed dial when she got home, and probably add Noah and Charlotte's number as well. The emergency services number would be a priority, along with the contact information for Noah and Charlotte. It was a small step towards feeling more secure and prepared. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the presence of someone walking behind her until a hand touched he
Saving Grace 24.
Never wanting to feel like this ever again, Grace made sure to look around her and be aware of her surroundings, because the last thing she wanted was a heart attack and God knows she couldn’t afford that after everything she had gone through already. There was never a time she was off guard, but maybe coming to the small town of West Valley Rocks had changed her, she had learned that this town had always been a place of tranquility, with its charming streets lined with quaint houses and a sense of community that permeated the air. It was in this idyllic environment that Grace found solace and a new beginning. She was starting to get settled so much she wasn't taking more of her surroundings anymore, and that wasn't good. Grace's heart still pounded with a mix of anticipation and worry as she arrived at Charlotte's home, but she tried to push it back because the last thing she needed to do was worry anyone.Their friendship had just started, and it hadn't weathered any storms, so s
Saving Grace 25.
Grace headed back to the kitchen to retrieve a heating pad. As she plugged it in, she let out a soft chuckle, marveling at how her imagination had taken hold of her. The picturesque town of West Valley Rocks had fed her desire for tranquility, but it had also stirred her imagination, fueling unwarranted fears.“That bastard added to my fears, though.” She muttered to herself. It was the truth, but a truth she had to keep under wraps. She had almost said something to Charlotte that she shouldn’t, something she was keeping to herself. “Damn, I hope she doesn’t mention anything to Noah about this.” She said, shaking her head. How gullible she had been to jump to that kind of conclusion. Even if Jack wanted to come to this town to harm her, she didn’t think it was someone else he would harm first, but again, he was a very bad man and could think of that contorted way to send her a twisted message.Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Blowing out a breath of relief for her friend, she ret
Saving Grace 26.
Noah’s weariness didn’t prevent him from contemplating what Jimmy Guerrero had told him about Grace, the video he had watched from her dashcam, which led him to reflect on the potential pain she had endured. It had been on his mind for quite a while and had been there since forever, eating at him. As he glanced around, he noticed Grace’s absence but saw the meal she had left for him; a kind gesture she had repeated over the past few days since she's been living here. While Noah appreciated her thoughtfulness, he felt the need to tell her that she didn’t have to go to such lengths just because she felt the need to repay him in a way. He walked to the counter and smiled, before lifting the plate covering the food and he discovered the food was still warm. Setting his bag down on the kitchen floor, he sat down to eat, feeling both famished and fatigued. Prioritizing his hunger, he intended to ponder other matters afterward. Though the sun had emerged, Noah could sense that rain might
Saving Grace 27.
There was something about being on the run from someone, and that was the constant fear and looking over one's shoulder. At least, that's what Grace believed was typical for people who were on the run. And in a way, her situation wasn't all that different. But as time went on, Grace found herself becoming less scared and more confident, especially since she had arrived in this wonderful town.She walked briskly back home, making sure her bag was secure on her shoulder. She had quickly gone to the store down the street to buy some gloves and dye. While she was starting to feel comfortable here, it didn't mean that she had completely settled down.As she neared the house, she could see that a car was parked in the driveway of the house and then there was Noah's car. It was clear that someone was visiting, but she hadn't seen this particular car before, which meant it might be someone she didn't know.As she walked towards the house, she started to pull her keys out of the bag, but stopp
Saving Grace 28.
“What's this about, Noah?” Grace asked, sitting across from him at the kitchen’s table. She was in her room when he called her about talking, but she already had an inkling of what he wanted to discuss.Knowing that it had only been a few hours since Ezekiel left and what he had said before he did, she realized that he was probably trying to talk her into going to the wedding, but it was the last thing she would be doing, whether he liked it or not. There was no way, just no way at all around it. “I'm sorry to bother you, but there's something very important I would like to talk to you about.” Noah said. Of course there was something he wanted to say, but she doubted it was important. She nodded her head at him, hoping that he got it over with soon, because she was not interested in going to the wedding, or talking about it for that matter, not even when all that marriages represented for her was pain. “I don't want you to think that I was digging around you, or something,” Noah s
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She needed to start packing or she was doomed, that was for sure. Quickly, she got up and started to run for her room. Damn, she wasn’t even here a month and she was up and leaving soon? She didn’t think this was the journey she would live here, and this was how short it would be, but what in the world was she supposed to do when she was probably been tracked as they spoke? “Where are you going, Grace?” Noah asked behind her as he stood up as well to follow her, but she ignored his question, not saying anything. What was there to talk about when she was probably already too late? There was no time for talking and explaining things, she just needed to leave before she was caught here and people were dragged into her mess. It was, after all, her own cross to carry. “I’m talking to you, Grace. Where are you going?” He asked her again just as they got to the door of her room. Still, without answering, she opened the door and walked to the closet, she grabbed her bag and suitcase and
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Saving Grace 75
Talking about using herself as bait when she realized Jack had came to town.“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked with a frown on her face as she looked at Grace panting.Grace put one hand on her chest and the other was pointed outside the door of the shop. “He’s here, Charlotte. My ex husband is here.” She said, swallowing at the same time, talking.She had gone out to take the trash when she saw him down the road on the main street seeing as she had decided to take the front.She was scared, or maybe she was more than scared. She wanted to go hide somewhere, anywhere at all, wherever it was that he wouldn’t find her.“What? Are you sure?” Charlotte asked, the distress showing right there on her face. She was sure that she was going to have a heart attack if care wasn’t taken because of how hard her heart was thumping against her rib cage. Nodding as she looked from Charlotte to the door, she said. “Yes. I’m sure he’s the one I saw.” She said.“Okay, you know what?” Charlotte asked w
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Charleston, West VirginiaFBI BuildingWhen Agent Conner walked into the observation room the afternoon of that Saturday, he didn’t think he would see their boss, the deputy director, Mr. Jimmy, and a junior agent, Agent Smith in there.He was wearing a dark blue suit with a white and black striped shirt inside it, and he stood there in front of the one way mirror with his arms folded across his chest.“Sir,” he greeted him with a nod.“Agent Conner.” Mr. Jimmy nodded at him and then he greeted Smith then he sighed, before turning back to look through the one way mirror, where Agent Ezekiel sat and on the opposite side of the chair, was Jack Northland and Mr. Darien, his lawyer.The bastard had lawyered up the moment Zeke had mentioned warehouse to him. “What has the bastard said?” Conner asked looking at his junior colleague, but Agent Smith just shook his head. He hadn’t said anything, Conner thought. If the shake of his boss’s head was any indication.Conner furrowed his brow, pond
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The small, secluded corner of the charity event became the stage for a confronting Jack, and it was as if Grace couldn’t think of anything than what they had planned, as she stared at Jack’s face. He looked as if he could have shot her if they were alone, but thankfully, they weren’t. Zeke’s penetrating gaze fixed on Jack, looking at him with reproach, something to mirror the exact way Grace felt.“You’ve been walking a tightrope, Jack,” Zeke said, his voice carrying a weighty seriousness. “But the act ends now.”There was nothing Grace could do but let Zeke take the lead, but at the moment, she seemed to have lost her voice and things seemed to be like a dream. She couldn’t believe in a million years she would be able to do a thing like this, confronting Jack, a man who had made her suffer all those years ago, like this.Jack’s facade flickered briefly, a moment of uncertainty crossing his face before he regained composure. “I’m not following,” he retorted, striving to mask his grow
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Grace’s heart pounded with nervous anticipation as the car pulled up in front of the grand entrance to the charity event. “Be still, my heart.” She whispered.If this was some other day when she wasn’t so tensed and nervous, she would have thrown her head back and laughed at the ridiculousness of her words to steady herself.No one said words like that anymore, talk less, to themselves. She clutched her purse to herself as Noah offered her his hand to pull her out of the back of the limo Zeke had arranged. According to him, they needed to arrive in style, so that people would know they were of importance, as that would aid their plans for the night.The swarm of reporters and flashing cameras waiting outside made her feel uneasy, but there was a faint sense of relief knowing that anything that transpired tonight would be caught on camera, dissuading Jack from trying anything untoward.As she held unto Noah’s hand, she felt as if she could conquer the whole world, his confidence radiat
Saving Grace 71
Being tensed doesn’t even began to explain how Grace was feeling as she sat in the hotel room in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with anticipation and dread. They were back in San Diego, according to Zeke’s request that they attend Jack’s charity event he was hosting with some people.He said he suspected that this was how they had been able to keep under the radar for a long while, and he wanted them to show up there.So, being nervous and tensed was just an understatement. If anything, she was scared, and the way her heart was leaping hard in her throat, pumping hard against her rib cage, was indication enough.Her hands trembled as she attempted to apply a touch of makeup, but her nerves made the task difficult. Tonight was the night she would confront her ex-husband, Jack, face-to-face for the first time since she ran away from him.Zeke’s plan echoed in her mind, the fact that he had said they had to attend this charity event, hosted by Jack and his associ
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Back in West Valley Rocks, Grace and Noah became even more discreet about things than ever, but they were doing as Zeke had asked them to be. Things were a bit tough, between going to work, and making sure to close early, and driving back home to ensure no one from Diana came to threaten her again.Noah had insisted actually, but she didn’t want to have to be that scared anymore. Now, she was eased into closing early and getting back home early where it was save.Speaking of Diana, according to Noah, who wanted to meet with her and ask her about sending that man, she was nowhere to be found in town, so maybe she had skipped town, or at least, that was what Grace believed.Anyway, after work today, she had decided to make some pot roast she would be taking with her over to Noah’s parents, as they had invited a small number of people over to their house to celebrate the success of Zeke and his wife’s wedding, and honeymoon.Grace shook her head when she remembered Tammy calling her to i
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The dimly lit apartment seemed smaller than usual as Noah and Grace stood facing each other, the tension thick between them. Grace’s hands trembled slightly as she struggled to articulate her fears. “Noah, I can’t do this anymore. We were so close to being caught tonight. I can’t bear the thought of something happening to you.”Noah’s jaw clenched as he tried to maintain his resolve. “But Grace, we’re onto something. This isn’t just about us anymore. There’s something fishy going on in that warehouse, and I need to find out what it is.”“But at what cost, Noah?” Grace’s voice cracked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I can’t lose you. I won’t be able to live with myself if anything happens to you because of this.”He softened, realizing the depth of her distress. “I understand, Grace. I do. But if we stop now, we might never uncover the truth. I can’t just turn away.”They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their opposing desires pulling at the fabric of their rela
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The warm fragrance of sandalwood and man filled her nostrils, making her want to thread her fingers into the heavy waves of his hair, so she could hold him there and simply breathe in.They had just finished packing and Noah and came to her room to find her, to talk, but somehow, they had ended up in each other’s arms, his tongue down her throat.Her heart stuttered as he released her hands to slide one of his under her hair to the nape of her neck. The first brush of his mouth against hers had sent her eyelids drifting down so she could savor the firm warmth of the lipsHe traced the line between her lips with the tip of his tongue, not invading, just stroking lightly, shifting his weight so his thigh pressed between hers, the thin material of her skirt pulling tight around her hips to accommodate him.Grace moaned as she parted her lips, he swept inside, his tongue teasing the moist flesh of her mouth as he stroked it around, then he moved his leg between her thigh a little bit.It
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Grace sighed, feeling a mix of relief and regret. “Noah, I… I’m sorry,” she said, her voice tinged with remorse. “I had no idea you felt that way. I was hurt and confused, thinking I had repulsed you in anyway. I mean, I’ve seen how attractive your ex girlfriend looks, so...”She trailed off to look away from him, getting embarrassed from talking this close to him. He put his hand under her chin to raise her face to his, a small smile playing on his mouth.Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them. The air seemed lighter, the tension that had loomed between them dissipating with the truth finally laid bare.“I realized what I should have done when I pulled back. I should have talked to you about it,” Noah admitted, a hint of remorse in his voice. “But when I heard that cry, all I wanted to do was beat myself up and just punish me for hurting you in whatever way.”Grace nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we both should have. But now that we’ve cleared that up…” She trailed o
