Deep Into The Light (Book 3 Of Deep Into The Water)

I've got sunshine

  GRANT

Ava is sitting on the white couch inside the dress shop awaiting her camera for Phoebe to come out. I can tell how excited she is for Phoebe and I wish I was the same. I can't help but remember everything that Phoebe and I still have. I know this is only coming up because of her about to get married and especially because she is getting married to my best mate. Ava and I are so simple, nothing like Phoebe and I were. I was always so scared with Phoebe and with Ava everything is simple. Her love doesn't make me run for the hills but it also doesn't feel as passionate or as intense as Phoebe's love did. 

I think of the way I felt when I first saw Phoebe on that stage that night. Long dark hair and a beautiful black dress that highlighted every part of her body. Her intensity through that song and the way she moved on stage made me instantly think that I needed to know her. I needed to know this mysterious creature with the round face and the dark eyes. And now after all this time, there is no big mystery. There is a story about a girl and a guy. A story about how she turned his life upside down and when he realized that he had made a mistake, she had gone off and found another. 

I look over to Ava and she has a very large binder with many pictures and spreadsheets, "What's that?"

She looks over to me but she doesn't look directly at me. "It is Phoebe's wedding binder." Her answer is short and abrupt. Is she mad at me? I can't tell. 

"Ava, you okay?" I ask. 

She shuts the binder and looks at me with a single tear. What the fuck? What did I do? "If we don't find him in time, he might come back and try to hurt her again. Or he might hurt Damon, Lulu, Liam... you." 

I must be the most selfish person on the entire planet. I should be worried about all this stuff too. I find my way to her on the couch and bring her chin up with my hand, "Ava, we will find him, I promise." 

"I was always here. I have always been here for Damon even when you weren't. He went after my kid and my girl too. I want more information. I want to be a part of it from now on." 

She is right of course. I wasn't here for Damon. I didn't hear his first words or hold his hand on the first day of school. She loved him always and we all left her out of the group trying to find Cambridge. I shut my thoughts down on Phoebe and look to sweet Ava. This is who I need to be focusing on right now. Her big blue eyes and long blonde hair are simple today. She isn't dipped in the foundation. She is vulnerable and lovely. "You will hear lots more information, I promise." 

"Thank you..." She breathes. Her lips meet mine and it's a brief but sweet kiss. 

"GRANT!" 

Mrs. Grey stands in front of me and places her hands on her hips. Come to think of it I wonder why she hasn't been here the whole time. "Uh, hi Mrs. Grey. Where have you been?" 

"She didn't invite her mom, but she invited the father of her love child?" 

I look to Ava and her vulnerable state disappears and is replaced by her protective one. "She will be out in a moment."

As if on cue Phoebe enters the room wearing a plain white fitted dress. Nothing fluffy and lacey about her dress, just simple, beautiful, kind, lovely. I know she must have immediately gotten rid of the other dresses without showing us. I know she must love this one. She doesn't yell at Mrs, Grey for coming, she only smiles at her. Mrs. Grey simply goes to hug her and tears fall down her face. "You look lovely Phee."

"Beautiful Phoebe really. Just like you really." 

I don't say my first thoughts which are that I would like to peel that dress right off of her. Instead, I say the thing that I should say, "You are gorgeous Phoebe. Liam is gonna love it." I know that deserves him. She deserves someone who's ready for marriage and I want to be but in my heart, I know that we are not meant to be. I am not sure that Ava and I are meant to be but there is a spark here. 

Liam

Phoebe's phone goes straight to voicemail but I hope she will get back to me soon to let me know she didn't kill Ana. I want them to patch things up soon so that I do not have yet another thing to worry about. 

Christian has finally let me be with the awful wedding planning catch up. I am alone waiting for 
Sophia Banning, Cambridge's ex-wife. She finally popped up in our system and agreed to come in for questioning. Unfortunately, the Seattle PD is on my ass about giving them all our information but I know better than to trust a detective with tons of casework on his back. I need to make sure this case gets handled quickly. 

My office phone goes off, reception. Pressing one, I hope she tells me Sophia is here. "Yes, Amy?" 

"Uh, sir, your sister is here for you..."

Oh, that fucking lot lizard! I slam the phone down and run into the foyer to see Devina sitting down in the waiting area. She stands and glides over to me. So official, nothing has changed with her. Even when she knows she is screwed, she looks flawless. "Hi there Liam." 

"Why are you here?" 

Her smile sends shivers down my spine but I hold my own. "Liam, I came here to say if you need help finding Cambridge then I will help."

"Yeah, you see the thing about that is I trust you about as much as I trust Grant with a supermodel."

She beings to laugh but I know it is fake as always. You need to have feelings in order to laugh at all. There was a time when I looked up to my big sister. We looked so similar to our dark hair and dark eyes. We loved riding together on our father's farm. We loved staying up all night and talking about our love for books.  Now when I look at her, I only see the backstabbing child molester she is. "Doctor Ryan was hired by Cambridge to keep an eye on Alex when she was admitted. He wanted someone to make sure she didn't go mouthing off about what he did to her." 

"Well, what was he so worried people would find out?" 

"He raped her after her mother died. Submitted her to electroshock therapy to hide it. " Jesus! "He lost everything when her mom died. He needed more funding for the company and blackmailing Olivia to get to Christian was supposed to be a part of that."

"How do you know any of this?" 

Her smile fades and she looks away to the floor avoiding eye contact with me, "I told him about Grant. I guess he thought that I would understand. When I didn't, he blackmailed me with that photo."

A deep pain forms in the pit of my stomach. How could she do this to me? How could she to Grant? All of this could have been avoided if she had just taken the information to the police. "Instead of getting justice for a rape victim you protected yourself. How could you do that?" 

Her posture becomes straight and a look of pure annoyance swipes across her face. "I know you don't understand..."

I put my hand up to silence her and try my best to control my anger. "Leave Devina. And it would be best if you get out of town and go to the LA house." 

"As you wish dear brother." 

She walks away and I gesture to Amy to lead her out. I know that I am not done with her but I also know that I need to focus on Sophia Banning.