Page 79 of The Afterthought

"You realize you took it upon yourself to move into my house," I say with a chuckle because up until this moment, I truly did not notice.

"I wasn't about to sleep without you next to me. If I had asked you to move in, you would have said no." He wraps an arm around me and pulls me closer to him. "Are you saying you don't want me here, little shadow?"

"Of course, I want you here," I say, snuggling further into his hold. "I love you. You know that, right? I love every bit of you and your crazy self," I confess to him. I don't believe I've told him those three exact words up to this point.

"I love you too, baby." He kisses my forehead. "Forever my heart."

"Forever my always," I tell him.

A pounding on the front door startles me. I eye Grey to see him grinning from ear to ear.

"What's so funny? I'm still half naked, and someone is pounding on the freaking door."

"It's just DoorDash."

I look at him in confusion because we most certainly do not have DoorDash in our town. "It's entirely too early for this. Can you just tell me what the hell you're talking about?"

"You're a hero. They're here to deliver your morning coffee and muffin."

I look at him with a mixture of annoyance and gratitude. I'm not sure which one to feel more of at the moment. I just want to be in bed with my boyfriend.

"You do not need to have your crew bring me coffee every morning."

"Don't be silly. You know I do. It's tradition now. They will be leaving it on the porch. I instructed them to get the goods, drop them at the door, and knock a few times before leaving. I'll have to talk to them about how loudly they knock. That was a bit excessive."

"You're fucking with me, right?"

"If I were fucking with you, it wouldn't be with your coffee intake. I know how you are when you don't have it. Why do you think I always make sure you're caffeinated and well-fed?"

My eyes go wide, and I playfully slap him on the arm. "Greyson!"

He places a finger under my chin to tilt my head up, and a moment later, his lips land on mine. I melt into him. We are genuinely happy, and I'm just over the moon that everything has worked out. When he pulls back, I protest. Maybe I want to stay in bed with him all day.

"We've got a busy day. You have to see Chloe and Matt off, and then we have to meet with Knox."

"I have one more thing I need to do later in the evening, too," I tell him, and he raises a brow at me.

"Calm yourself down. I wasn't talking about sex. It's a surprise for you, but I think you're going to love it. I'm guessing you're sleeping here again tonight?"

"I'm sleeping wherever you are, little shadow. How else will I get to slide myself inside that sweet cunt of yours? Besides, I live here, remember?" He smirks.

I roll my eyes. "Can you go five minutes without being sexual?"

"I could, but we have a few years of missed time to make up for." He kisses me again and then slips out of the bed.

I lay here for a moment, grateful that everything between us has finally worked itself out. The only thing left for us to tackle is where he stands with the Crimson Rose. When Grey came back last night, he said that Knox wanted to meet with me today about how he could repay me for saving his life. Grey and I talked about our situation pretty extensively and came up with a solution that I hope works for everyone.

The goal is to see if Knox will grant him permission to remain involved in some things but be fully removed from other parts. Mainly the drug drops, deals, exchanges with buyers, or anything that would involve matters outside of him physically torturing or killing someone for information.

It's a win-win, really. Grey gets to have an outlet for his fiery urges, and I get to have him away from the direct danger of something happening to him. My initial feelings toward the crew have softened. I like how everyone looks out for one another. They are almost like family.

I throw on some clothes and make my way out to the dining room. Grey has already grabbed the coffee and muffins from the porch and placed them on the table. There is enough for everyone today. Matt and Chloe are both sitting around the table, whispering, and laughing with each other. Young love. It's so cute and innocent.

"How long until you leave?" I question as I reach to grab my coffee.

"We were waiting for you two to finally get your lazy asses out of bed. Couldn't leave without saying goodbye."

"It's not goodbye; it's just see you next month," I assure her before flopping down in one of the chairs and grabbing a muffin.

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