Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Caspian

I narrow my eyes at the old man in bed. He scared the shit out of me and I know he terrified Maple.

"You're going to be okay, gramps. Doctor says so and you know I wouldn't allow it any other way."

"But if I'm not…?" I open my mouth to tell him not to even talk that way, but he waves my concern off, "No, no. I want to get this done before I can't. You listen to me, Caspian. I want you to do me a big favor if something happens to me. Will you do that for me, my boy?"

I give him a nod.

"Promise?"

"That depends on what it is, Gramps." He narrows his eyes at me too wise to argue with me.

"I want you to take care of Mae for me. I mean, really take care of her. I don't want to leave this Earth knowing she doesn't have anyone anymore. She's had a hard life, and she needs someone strong and bold and not afraid to just… pick her up and throw her over his shoulder every now and then."

So, he did see our little disagreement in the den before we took it to my room. I thought he might have.

"You promise me, you'll take care of her, my boy. Promise this to an old man."

He says take care of her, but I think we both know what he is really saying. "Gramps…," I choose my words carefully, "what's between me and Maple is for me and Maple. I think you know where I stand on the subject of Maple though."

He narrows his eyes at me before giving me a big grin. "Indeed, I do. I just wanted to make sure. I didn't think you'd be playing with a sweet angel's heart like some cad, but I wanted to make sure I said something just in case you were ever in doubt."

It's my turn to narrow my eyes, "Gramps, did you know... that I would take one look at Maple and need her like she's an addiction? Did you do all this?"

If anything, the last four hours have made me look at her in a whole new light. The way she cried for my grandfather and worried over him was…enduring. No, more than enduring, it tipped the scales for me. Seeing Maple's hand clutching my grandfather like she could hold him to this world by sheer will alone changed me.

Worrying about my grandfather was scarier than anything I ever faced at the FBI but having Maple to hold and look after made it somehow less… Just less.

"Now, go! Get your head out of your ass and get your girl before I change my mind and make a play for her myself. You know I'm more charming than you are." He winks at me.

I give him a big smile, "I love you, Gramps."

"Love you too, my boy." I stand but Gramps reaches out to me. "She looks tired, Cas. Take her home and make sure she doesn't worry about this old man."

"Will do, Gramps. Will do."

I make my way out to the waiting room. Before any words are out, Maria speaks up. "I'll stay here with Eddie for the night. You two go home."

Maple starts to disagree.

"You look ready to drop, sweetheart. Go home with Capsian so me and Eddie don't have to worry about the two of you."

"Actually, I plan to stay at the penthouse, so we'll be closer than the Manor," I say it more for Maple than Maria since she would already suspect that's what I would do anyway.

"I can stay with Eddie tonight. I don't mind and I won't fall asleep."

Before I can forbid her to stay, putting her own health at risk by running herself into the ground, Maria speaks up, "Go with Caspian, Mae. Rest. You can take the first shift tomorrow morning. And I'll call you two if anything happens."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, sweetie. Go with Caspian and get some rest so you can be your best tomorrow."

I still have to take her by the arm and all but pull her from the hallway. She's quiet in the car on the way over and on the way up to the penthouse. Once I let us in, she's tentative about going too far in.

"Look, make yourself comfortable. I'll go get the spare bedroom ready."

"You don't have to go to any trouble. I can just sleep on the couch. It's not like I'll get much sleep anyway."

"You have to get some rest, Sweets."

She turns away from me but not before I spot the wobble of her chin. I'm one hundred percent certain she's going to cry again.

"Maple." I walk over to her and turn her, tears already leaking down her face. "Sweet girl."

"I should have been there for him, Caspian. I should have…"

I pull her into my arms and sit on the couch with her on my lap. "Baby, you know it wouldn't have made any difference. You did all you could do for him. You stayed with him while he made the ambulance ride to the hospital, kept him calm while they came, and I know how much he loves you because of all you do for him and how much you care for him."

I brush my mouth against hers in a soft kiss that isn't designed to be sexual so much as it is to be comforting. I taste the salty tears on her lips but underneath it all, I also taste her. The sweetness can't be covered up even despite her sadness. She looks at me with big watery eyes that break my heart. I realize how awful this is for her since she lost her parents when she was old enough to remember having them...and lose them. I rub the tears from under her eyes and those that have slipped down her cheeks.

"Everything is going to be alright, sweetheart. He's going to be alright."

"How do you know?" Her eyes pled with me to give her a good reason.

"Because I wouldn't allow it to be any other way."