Jake chatted away excitedly in the back seat, and Nathan did his best to tune him out. Despite his calm exterior, he was seething with rage. Angry with Grace for repeatedly turning him down, and angry with himself for what he’d done the night before. He was supposed to be playing the long game and making Grace believe that he was a changed man. But sometimes he just couldn’t think straight around her. He hadn’t been able to help himself. He’d misread all the signals. Or had he? Maybe she’d been playing with him? Leading him on? Bitch.

She seemed to have grown a backbone of titanium while he’d been inside. The way she stood up to him. This was the girl who’d once been frightened of her own shadow. Had she forgotten who he was and what he was capable of?

Now she’d be on her guard around him. Gaining her trust would take too long. No, he’d have to think of something else. A change of tactic was in order. He didn’t care how he got her back. He just wanted her back. Whether she was happy about it or not.

He’d find a solution to his Grace problem soon enough. He was sure of it.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The now-familiar sight of Nathan’s Audi greeted Grace as she pulled up outside her house.

‘What the hell are you doing here now?’ she muttered. She could go somewhere else – visit a friend, but she’d been stocktaking with Marcus all day and all she wanted was a hot bath and a cold glass of wine. Besides, this was her home and there was no way she was going to let Nathan bully her into staying away from it.

It had been a few days since the incident when he’d tried to force himself on her and despite her making it clear he wasn’t welcome in her home, he just wouldn’t bloody stay away. Always claiming he was there to see Jake – obviously! As much as she would miss him, the sooner Jake went to university, the better for everyone. Grace was counting down the days.

The smell of bacon drifted out into the hallway when Grace opened the front door. As she walked into the kitchen she saw Jake and Nathan sitting at the kitchen table, the remnants of bacon sandwiches on the plates in front of them.

‘Hiya Mum.’ Jake smiled.

‘Hey, son,’ she replied as she kissed the top of his head.

‘Hello Grace,’ Nathan said as he looked her up and down, his eyes resting for far too long on her cleavage.

Resisting the urge to fasten the top buttons of her shirt and let him know that he’d got to her, she nodded at him before retrieving the open bottle of wine from the fridge.