Page 49 of Grayson

“Ah yeah.” Dad nods his head. “Gia,” he adds, shaking his head and looking back over at me. “What did I tell you about that situation?”

I’d heard it from several people, from Scarlett, the guys, hell even Cap had said a time or two that it would blow up in my face somehow. I should have listened.

“How did you hear about it anyway?”

“Son, you know how the women in our family are.” He chuckles. “They don’t keep secrets. Hell, they had the phone tree activated the minute Scarlett got wind of what took place.”

Spinning in his chair he puts down his tools. “Now that girl, she was pissed, Uncle Issac had to calm her down. She was ready to go track Gia down and tie her to her bumper by her hair so she could take her for a ride around town.”

“I’ve already gotten my ass chewed out a few times from Scarlett. Even Tori gave me hell.”

“Tori?” he asks, wrinkling his brows in question.

Grabbing a chair I pull it forward and get comfortable, knowing he and I are about to have ourselves a heart to heart.

“Tori is Skye’s younger sister. Skye is the lady I hope is still my lady and they lost their parents in a car accident a couple years ago.” He pushes his glasses up, placing them onto his head. “There’s an eight-year difference between the two of them, so when it happened Skye took Tori.”

“Strong girls,” he says and I nod my head in agreement.

“They are incredible, Dad,” I confess. “Tori is a spitfire, full of sass and attitude. But she’s also loyal and vicious when it comes to those she loves. And Skye.” There aren’t enough words to describe the pure beauty she carries but I try. “She’s amazing.” The familiar burning sensation fills my chest. “I’d seen her a time or two in the hallway but I’d always had my head down, or tunnel vision, not really paying much attention. But then she walked into Ruby’s one night and I swear it was like I’d been hit by a freight train. But she’s not only beautiful on the outside, she has such an amazing heart. What she sacrificed for Tori and is still sacrificing.”

I wish I had the words and I’m frustrated that I can’t emphasize to him just how incredible she truly is.

“Son you’ve been running your whole life. You’ve based every decision you’ve ever made on the fact that your mother ran out on us.” His words surprise me. “You decided at a young age that you’d never allow yourself the chance to lose the woman you love. I’m just glad to see you’ve finally stopped running.”

“I stopped running, but I still may lose the girl.”

33

Skye Simmons

I open the door and step aside allowing Grayson to enter. Tori decided it was best she left for the night, because she said seeing him would only lead to an assault and battery charge.

I’d love to say she was only joking, but she’s still a little upset.

She’s back to hating Grayson, and I know she’s only hurt on my behalf and I adore her for it.

“It’s quiet,” he says, looking around the room, focusing on the hallway.

“She’s gone,” I answer his silent question. “She thought it would be best for you that she not be here.” I smile, and he hangs his head staring at the floor.

“I pissed her off,” he confesses. “The idea of that stings.” He holds his hand over his heart and my own aches from the gesture. “I hate that she and I are back to square one.”

I nod, because he had his work cut out for him with Tori, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it for him.

He takes a few steps toward me closing the distance but he doesn’t touch me. “And this doubt and mistrust between us, I hate it too.”

“It’s more than that, it’s a lot of things.”

“What things?”

“This thing between us, it happened fast.” Until now I hadn’t really thought about just how fast. But the way we were less than a week ago, together all the time, comfortable sharing our lives with one another, in each other’s bed nightly. Well, my bed anyway. “I think maybe we just need a break.”

Immediately he has my hand in his and he’s pulling me closer, as if he’d needed to have me close. “Maybe some time to make sure this is what we truly want.”

“It’s what I want,” he declares without hesitation.

“You said that you’ve never allowed yourself to feel anything for anyone. You said you never gave anything a chance. So what if what you want isn’t necessarily me, but I’m the first one you gave the opportunity to. What if there is someone else that’s a better fit? Someone without baggage, without a teenager they are raising and insecurities that make me question everything.” The words tumble from my mouth in a rush.

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