“Let’s go eat. Rio cooks some good stuff when he’s home in his kitchen.”
She allowed Terrence to lead her into the kitchen and up to the large island with barstool seating. She glanced around, having just given everything a cursory once-over last night. It was indeed a dream kitchen. A chef’s kitchen, she believed they were called. Top-of-the-line appliances. A huge, six-burner gas stove. Double oven. Stainless everything.
It didn’t compute.
She’d spent time in the mountains under the worst conditions possible with these men. Rio was a badass. A dark, brooding type that looked like no one ever dared cross him. But here? He was relaxed. Obviously a fan of creature comforts, judging by the custom home, the appliances and all the luxury items.
The bedding alone was simply to die for. She hadn’t stayed in hotels that had better linens.
Rio was obviously someone who liked to live well when he wasn’t out saving the world and getting shot at. It was hard to reconcile this man standing before her with the man who’d carried her all over a mountain tied to his back.
Terrence seated her on a stool close to the end and then took the one next to her. There was only one left on the other side of her, which she assumed was for Rio, since the othe
rs were all claimed by his team members.
Rio put a plate in front of her and the scent wafted through her nostrils. Her stomach immediately growled and she closed her eyes, savoring just being able to sit down and enjoy a meal in the comfort of a home.
Rio slid onto the stool beside her after serving the others and glanced over.
“Eat up,” he said gently. “As soon as you’re done, I’ll try to get Shea on the phone for you.”
CHAPTER 17
THE meal was rather simple. Baked chicken, vegetables and rice deep>Sheȁ, with hot rolls straight out of the oven. But for Grace it was the closest she’d come to having a normal meal in longer than she could remember.
She savored the sheer mundaneness of sitting there, cutting into her chicken, the burst of warmth and flavor on her tongue. She purposely took her time, not wanting to hurry the moment. It was probably a sign that she really had lost her mind that she was taking such pleasure in drawing out a meal.
But for her, it was like Christmas and Thanksgiving all rolled into one. All that it lacked was Shea.
Remembering what Rio had promised her, she dug into her food more rapidly, not wanting to waste a single bite. She was already full, but she was compelled to eat it all. Going for so long without food made a person not take a meal for granted when they finally got one.
When the last bite was consumed, she looked up to see that the men had already finished and were staring oddly at her. It made her self-conscious and she pushed the plate away, her cheeks warm under their scrutiny.
“That was really good, Rio. Thank you.”
He continued to look at her, his lips set firm. He inclined his head to the side, motioning for the others to leave. When they were gone, he took her plate and the others and stacked them in the sink. Then he glanced up, catching her gaze and holding it for a long moment.
“How long has it been since you ate?” he asked bluntly. “I mean really ate, Grace. I watched you last night and now today and you never once looked away from your food. It was as if you were afraid it was going to get up and walk off your plate.”
She bit into her bottom lip and ducked her head to avoid his scrutiny.
“You’ve lost weight. Even since I saw you in that surveillance footage. You were lean and toned. You had more muscle mass. You look like they damn near starved you.”
His words stung even though she knew he hadn’t meant them to be demeaning. He was angry. Not at her. She knew what she looked like. Like someone who’d been as close to death as one could be without sliding all the way into the grave. There were times when she swore she felt the cool earth cover her and darkness surround her. It was all in her mind. Her mind had become hell instead of a refuge.
“They mostly gave me IV fluids,” she said in a low voice. “I’m not sure what all they gave me, to be honest. Those weeks are—were—a blur. But they certainly didn’t bring me regular meals that I ate on my own if that’s what you’re asking.”
Rio’s expression grew stormier. His eyes darkened until they were nearly black.
“I’ll make you special meals for as long as you’re here. You won’t go hungry again, Grace.”
She blinked in surprise and then smiled, some of the shadows lifting at the fierce vow. Being plied with yummy food and luxurious surroundings wasn’t exactly a hardship.
“Can…Will you call Shea for me now?” she asked anxiously.
His expression grew more serious. “You need to understand that I may not be able to make this happen.”
Her lips turned down and she was unable to call back the unhappy frown.
“I’ll do what I can. I know this is important to you.”
He walked around the island and held out his hand to her. She slid her fingers over his palm, tangling with his fingers, and allowed him to pull her from the stool. He led her beyond the kitchen and into a small enclosed space that resembled a patio except it was cut off from the outside. The windows were dark and seemed thick, and there was and chelmost a distortion of the view.
But beyond was a lush garden, well attended. A small pond sporting Japanese koi had a cascading waterfall that slid over a series of rocks before splashing into where the fish swam in lazy circles.
“What is this?” she asked as she stared around at the enclosure.