Page 37 of Grim

“Yeah, I think we can manage that.”

I knelt in front of Luna, and her little eyes were still heavy with sleep as I slipped on her shoes. Once they were tied, I reached up and fastened the buttons of her pink cardigan. Luna yawned as she twisted and stretched, letting out a little groan. She was doing her best to wake up as she asked, “And some ice cream, too?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. We’ll have to see if there’s enough money for that.” I pulled her hair up in a ponytail, and after a quick adjustment to her pink bow, I took a step back to make sure she was ready for our day out. “You’re looking pretty good, squirt.”

“You look pretty, too, Momma.”

“Well, thank you.”

I turned and gave myself a quick check in the mirror and was disappointed to find that my sweet daughter was sadly mistaken. My hair was a frizzy mess, and my clothes were too big and hanging off me. My black eye was fading, but I still had massive dark circles under my eyes that made me look sickly. I grabbed my concealer and dabbed a little on the darkest spots, then blended it in, hoping it might help.

No such luck.

"Ready to go, sweet pea?" Luna nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Okay. Let me grab the list and my keys, and we will be on our way.”

Luna followed me into the kitchen and over to the counter where Grim had left the list and the money. I picked it up and gasped when I saw that he’d left us over four hundred dollars for groceries. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t ever remember spending this kind of money on groceries. It seemed crazy to me. “Holy moly.”

“What, Momma?”

“Oh, nothing. I just... I think we can get that ice cream after all.”

“Yay!”

I took the key he’d left and shoved it into my purse with the list and the cash. After making sure I had everything we needed, I took Luna’s hand and led her out to the car. Once I had her buckled in, I got in the driver’s seat and started the engine. It kicked on and purred in a way it never had before, and that never would’ve happened without Grim.

That thought led me to think about the night before.

He was so calm and patient with my lesson, which was unexpected for a man like him. I’d thought he would just barrel through without stopping to explain, but he took his time and was patient with me.

And when he smiled at me, my knees all but buckled right there on the spot. I had no idea what had come over me. Grim was a stranger—a killer and God knows what else, but he was also incredibly handsome. And the fact that he was being so nice and taking such good care of us only added to his draw.

It had been a long time since I’d encountered someone like him—if ever. He was the kind of man who could do a real number on my heart, so I would have to work hard not to let myself get carried away.

I put Luna in the front of the cart, and her tiny hands gripped the handlebar as I made my way down the first aisle. Luna’s eyes were wide as she gazed around at all the various foods. We walked down aisle after aisle, gathering everything that was on the grocery list, and it didn’t take long for us to fill the cart.

We were almost done when Luna sat up straight and pointed at the freezer section. “Ice cream.”

“Yes, honey. I know.”

I opened the door, and Luna’s eyes sparkled with joy as she watched me grab a container of chocolate ice cream and drop it in the cart. I double-checked the list before making my way to the checkout. The cashier started scanning our items, and my throat tightened as I watched the total go up with every swipe.

“That’ll be one-eighty-ninety-two, please.”

“One what?”

“Eighty and ninety-two cents.”

“Okay.” With my heart pounding, I handed her the two crisp one hundred-dollar bills and waited for her to give me the change and the receipt. Once she’d placed them in my hand, I smiled and said, “Thank you.”

She didn’t respond. She was already busy scanning the next round of groceries. Luna seemed tickled as we made our way back out to my car. She watched with an excited gleam in her eyes as I put everything into the trunk. I was putting the last bag in when Luna gasped, “That’s a lot, Momma.”

“Yes, it is. We will have to thank Grim when he gets home.”

She nodded with a smile, and all the way home, she chatted about the treats we’d bought, only they weren’t really treats—just some fruits and crackers that I couldn’t typically afford. I tried not to let it bother me, but it did. I wanted to be able to get those things for her all the time, and I hoped that one day I could.

Once we were back at Grim’s, I unpacked the groceries while Luna played in the living room. I wiped down the counters and placed the receipts and Grim’s change on the counter. I’d just started towards the living room when I heard the rumble of a motorcycle.

Thinking it was Grim, I stopped and waited for him to come to the door. I saw a figure come into view, and disappointment washed over me when I realized it was Skid and not Grim. He eased open the door, and a smile crossed his face when he spotted me. “Hey there. How’s it going?”

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