“Ten cups a day,” Gideon said.
“Holy shit,” Lucas said. “It must cost an arm and a leg to feed him.”
Gideon shrugged. Grace could feel his gaze burning into the side of her skull, but she kept her eyes on Tank and Lucas.
“Would you excuse us, Lucas. I need to speak with Grace alone,” Gideon said.
Lucas looked her way, studying her for a moment before saying, “You good with that, Grace?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?” Gideon said.
Lucas didn’t reply, and Gideon sighed impatiently. “It’ll only take a minute.”
“I’ll meet you back outside in a few minutes, Lucas,” Grace said.
“Sure.” Lucas squeezed out from behind Tank and left the kitchen.
Tank moved to Grace, panting happily and shoving his head between her arm and her hip. Grace patted his side. “What do you want, Gideon?”
“How well do you know Lucas?”
“I’ve met him a few times.”
“Are you going to date him?”
She laughed. “That’s none of your business.”
“I’m looking out for you. If you’re going to date him, then I need to do a background check on him.”
“Don’t you dare.” She turned to face him. “I mean it, Gideon.”
“He’s from Willington,” Gideon said.
“So what? That doesn’t make him an axe-murderer.”
“It’s my responsibility to look out for you,” Gideon said. “So, if you’re going to date him then -”
Exhaustion had made her temper, always short to begin with, even shorter. Anger erupted inside of her, flash frying her brain and turning her irrational. She stalked to Gideon and glared at him. “I am not your responsibility. Do you hear me, Gideon? I am not some little girl who needs you to look after her. I am a grown adult who has always, and always will, take care of herself. You are not in charge of any aspect of my life, and that includes my goddamn love life!”
She knew she was overreacting, but she was nearly vibrating with rage. It drained her already depleted reserves. Her head was throbbing, and her very bones ached with weariness. The adrenaline from her anger was already fading into that fog of fatigue that swallowed every thought, every feeling in thick murky clouds.
“I have to go,” she said.
“You’re not driving,” Gideon said.
“Leave me alone, Gideon.” She tried to leave, and Gideon stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
“Gideon…”
“You’re not driving. You’re too tired.”
“I’m fine.” She wasn’t and the part of her mind that wasn’t filled with fog knew he was right, but she’d never admit it to him.
“You’re not.”
“What’s going on?” Kira joined them in the kitchen, carrying some empty bowls. “Gracie, why is your face so pale?”
“She’s not feeling well and she’s exhausted,” Gideon said. “I’m driving her home.”
“No, you’re not.”
Kira peered at her. “Honey, I think he should. You do look really tired and with the insomnia this bad, should you be driving?”
Grace sighed and admitted defeat. “No. I’ll take a cab home.”
“Don’t be silly. Gideon said he’d drive you home,” Kira said. “Text me tomorrow when you’re ready to get your car and I’ll come by and pick you up. We’ll go for coffee, okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” Grace said.
Kira pressed a kiss against her forehead. “Try and get some rest, honey. If you’re still this tired by Monday, you need to see the doctor. Promise me.”
“I promise,” Grace said.
Chapter Three
“When was the last time you slept?” Gideon’s voice cut through the fog.
Grace stared out the passenger window, refusing to answer. It was petty of her, she knew, but she didn’t care. He was acting like she was his bratty little sister that he was being forced to take care of, and nothing pissed her off more. She took care of herself, always had and always would.
“Answer me,” he said.
“How is it any of your business?” she said.
He stopped at a red light, his hands wrapped tight around the steering wheel. “It’s my business if you’re going to keep driving and putting lives in danger. It’s my job to keep people safe, remember?”
“I remember,” she said. “Which is why I’m allowing you to drive me home instead of driving myself.”
She could almost taste the frustration that coated his entire body. “I will ask you once more, when did you sleep last?”
Her own frustration boiled over and she stared frostily at him. “I don’t even fucking remember the last time I had a solid sleep. There, are you happy?”
“Grace -”
“No, wait, I do remember,” she snapped. “It was the night I fell asleep in your goddamn bed. I have no idea why but sleeping in your bed gave me the first good sleep I’d had in weeks.”
She needed to stop talking, but the words were still tumbling out of her. “I’ve barely slept since that evening.”
“That was almost a month ago.” His voice was tight with an emotion her tired brain couldn’t identify.
“Yeah, tell me about it. You want to hear the really pathetic part? I’m so goddamn tired, so willing to do anything that might help me sleep, that I actually considered stealing Kira’s key, sneaking into your house while you were at work, and lying in your bed again. How’s that for fucked up?”
He didn’t reply and, on the verge of tears, and mortified by her own behaviour, she leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. “I don’t want to talk anymore. Please take me home.”
* * *
Gideon parked in the driveway. Grace didn’t open her eyes or move. He might have thought she was asleep if not for the way her hands remained curled into tight fists.
He eyed those fists as he shut off the car. She was going to be pissed with him when she saw where they were. She might even take a swing at him. Violence wasn’t her usual style, but when she was deep in the throes of insomnia, Grace became… unpredictable.
Not that he blamed her. A solid sleeper his entire life, he couldn’t even imagine what insomnia was like and, frankly, didn’t want to. He didn’t know why Grace’s insomnia was flaring up, but he wasn’t going to badger her for a reason. Not now. Not when she was exhausted, and her tough outer shell had been stripped away leaving her more vulnerable than he’d seen her in a long time.
She needed sleep and he intended to see that she got it. Even if he had to carry her to his bed kicking and screaming.
“We’re here,” he said.
She nodded wearily and straightened, reaching for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride. I’m sorry that I… what the hell?”
She stared at him, ignoring Tank who sat up in the back seat and pressed his big head against hers, his breath ruffling her dark curls. “Why are we here?”
“You’re coming inside and getting some sleep.”