A Man's Promise

“I did, and I do. I fell in love, Dalton. The thought of doing something like that might seem foreign to you, but to some people, it’s a natural way of life.”

“But you haven’t known her long enough. People have hidden secrets and hidden agendas. I figured you were rusty, out of touch with how to handle your business. I should have—”

“Done nothing.” Jace reached out and placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, leaning in to stare into his eyes, and in a serious tone, he said, “I love her. She loves me. We’re getting married. We’re having a baby. We’re both happy about it. Simply ecstatic. And just think, you’re going to be an uncle. Uncle Dalton.”

Dalton didn’t say anything for a minute, and Jace watched the way his brother’s eyes lit up when Dalton finally pushed all the bullshit from his mind about condoms and his dislike of marriage. A slow smile touched Dalton’s lips. “Uncle Dalton...” he said, as if testing the sound of it.

“The one and only,” Jace said. Thank God. He didn’t know what he’d do if he had another brother like Dalton.

“Private party?” Caden asked, walking over to join them.

“I’m going to be an uncle, man,” Dalton said, sticking his chest out and grinning from ear to ear.

Caden rolled his eyes. “You aren’t the only one.”

Dalton frowned as if just realizing that fact. “But I’m going to be the favorite.” And with that said, he walked off.

Caden shook his head. “You sure he’s really our brother?”

Jace chuckled. “You wonder about that at times, too?”

“Yeah, but there is the undisputed fact that he looks more like the old man than either one of us,” Caden pointed out.

“True,” Jace agreed, glancing over at Shana. He could tell that Hannah liked her already, and he felt good about that because she had disliked his ex-wife, Eve, on sight.

“And speaking of our father, have you told him?”

“Not yet. We’ll talk with the fathers by the end of the week—both hers and mine. Shana’s dad is an ex-cop, so wish me luck. I haven’t met him yet.”

“Fathers can get kind of crazy when you get their daughters pregnant.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Jace paused a moment and then asked, “How did things go today with Shiloh?”

Caden lifted a brow. “How did you know about that?”

“I didn’t really. Just figured you would find her or die trying.”

Caden looked down at the carpeted floor, remembering his meeting with Shiloh. He looked back at his brother. “She’s not as forgiving as I’d hoped, which means I’m going to have to work hard to regain her trust and love.”

“And you will.”

“You sound so sure of that.”

Jace smiled. “I am. You’re a Granger, and our motto is to never give up.”

* * *

Shep waited in one of the private rooms off the prison library. It was a huge room without windows, and he knew meetings were often held in here to determine the fate of inmates, to decide whether they were ready to become productive citizens on the outside.

He drew in a deep breath. Ambrose had told him a few moments ago that his attorney would be arriving any minute and had brought him here to wait. A few years ago, the warden had given permission for Shep to be alone for any meetings with his attorney. That privilege wasn’t given to all prisoners, just those considered trustworthy. Truth be told, since Shep had found favor with both the warden and the governor, a lot of rights and privileges had been extended to him, and he appreciated each and every one of them.

There was a knock on the door, and Shep stood when Ambrose walked in followed by Shep’s attorney. “I understand you need to speak with me, Mr. Granger.”

Shep glanced over at his attorney and smiled. “Glad you could come on such short notice, Carson.” Ambrose left, closing the door behind him.

“For you, anytime.”

Shep truly believed that, which was why he covered the distance separating them, and without saying another word, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. “But I need this first.”

And then he lowered his head and kissed her.

* * *

The kiss was leisurely and long, and as he’d said, he’d needed it. Shep took her mouth with a hunger he always felt when kissing her. He had met Carson Boyett about five years ago when the family of Craig Long, one of the young men he was mentoring, had hired her to represent their son. She had come out to Delvers a few times to visit with Craig, and their paths had crossed since he’d been Craig’s mentor.

The attraction had been immediate, although he’d fought it. She was sharp, intelligent and beautiful, and he was an inmate with nothing to offer her. But she hadn’t cared once they had been honest about their feelings. His father, Richard Granger, had merely raised a brow when he’d told him he was getting rid of his present attorney and replacing him with Carson. After all, as far as Shep was concerned, the man whom Vidal Duncan had recommended had done a piss-poor job while defending him during the trial.

Now Shep wondered how much of everything was merely a well-thought-out plan to make sure he was the one to serve time for Sylvia’s murder. He couldn’t help but have his suspicions, especially after what had been discovered about Vidal. It hurt him deeply that a man his family had trusted—whom he had trusted—could have been so evil. The thought of what the man had done to Jace literally soured his stomach just thinking about it and, at the same time, it brought fear to his bones at the thought that things weren’t over yet. Not if he believed that email he’d just received.

Recalling that email and the reason he’d sent for Carson made him break off the kiss. He then drew in a deep breath and licked his lips. “Thanks—like I said, I needed that.”

She smiled and licked her lips, as well. “And like I said, for you, anytime.”

And he knew she meant it. Carson was ten years younger than Shep and a divorcée who had ended her marriage to an abusive husband and fought hard to become her own woman by putting herself through college and law school. She wasn’t afraid of hard work, fighting for what she believed in or standing up for those she loved. He felt honored to be in that number.

Although they had been involved now for close to four years, she seemed okay with dating a man locked up behind prison walls with fifteen more years to go before he would be freed. She often mentioned the chance of a parole, but because of the way his sentence had been handed down, he had to make at least eighteen of the thirty years before any idea of parole could be entertained.

Shep also knew Ambrose always allowed them more private time than strictly permitted, thus giving them the opportunity to engage in conjugal visits if they so desired. But as tempted as he’d been to do so, Shep hadn’t taken advantage of that. Carson deserved more than a quickie based on lust. He intended to make sure she got what she deserved, even if it meant that they both had to wait another three years to get it. She’d always told him she would wait because she loved him. And he knew with every bone in his body that he loved her.

He hadn’t told his sons about her and figured one day he would get around to doing so. He and Carson had talked about it and both decided to keep the relationship between them quiet until they decided the time was right to share it. His life was pretty much an open book, and he preferred having Carson as the one part of his life he could keep private. She was everything he could possibly want, and he knew she was everything in a woman he’d never truly had.

Even when he thought he’d loved Sylvia, it hadn’t felt like this. And he had stopped loving his wife a year or two after Dalton was born—when he’d found out about her first affair. By the time she’d died there had been many others. But he had remained with her for the sake of his sons.

“When Ambrose called, he sounded serious,” Carson said, breaking into his thoughts. “What is it, Sheppard?”

Her comment once again reminded him of why he had summoned her. He took her hand in his and led her over to the table where the two of them could sit down. “This came in through my email account,” he said, pulling out the paper he’d printed and handing it to her.

She scanned it quickly and then glanced up at him. “I can have it checked out, but I’m sure you know, chances are the IP address is probably from a public computer, one found in the library or someplace of that nature.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“And I assume you’re going to take this person’s threat seriously?”

“What else can I do, Carson?”

She didn’t say anything for a moment before reaching over and placing her hand over his. “You can let your sons know what’s going on, Shep. Let them know about this threat so they can be mindful and watchful. They are adults, and you can’t protect them forever.”

Shep drew in a sharp breath. “I know, but right now, they are all I have. A part of me almost died inside when I heard what happened to Jace.”