Page 60 of Two Wrongs

That evil smirk reappears. “Go ahead and try not to.”

“What will happen if I can’t?” I ask.

“Nothing, but I want you to try. You won’t be able to,” he challenges.

He knows enough about me to know that I can’t resist a challenge. “I’ll try,” I say.

“I’m going to fuck you now.”

My legs are trapped against his torso with the way they’re caged against his sides. He pounds into me hard and fast like I craved. Each thrust drives me farther up the bed and slams the headboard against the wall since I’m laying at a diagonal.

His eyes find mine, and the distance we’d established in this scene evaporates. I see all the words we refuse to voice. His mouth slams into mine, and his kiss is angry and loving. It’s full of longing and yes, love. There’s nothing left to say that his kiss doesn’t express.

I know instantly, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I love Griffin Hale. I also know it won’t make a damn bit of difference. We both come together, but the release is less satisfying as my heart starts the long process of breaking.

24

Griffin

“Where the fuck is Julio?” I shout to Charlie as I roll out from under a truck I’ve jacked up to check the brake line.

We’ve been running on fumes and prayers for over a year since my lift broke. Charlie and I have been assigning all undercarriage work to Julio since we’re both over six feet tall, and bulky, while Julio is around five-ten with his shoes on and reed thin. One of us still has to roll under on a creeper to sign off on his work, but that’s a less backbreaking chore than trying to maneuver around under the limited space the jacks provide.

“Fucking, Liam, “ I mutter. Charlie and I have been researching several upgrades the shop desperately needs, and now they’re all on an indefinite hold until I can get the finances out of the red.

“Wren has him cleaning out that little room by the front door,” Charlie answers.

“The storage closet?” I ask while I try to wipe the grease from my hands with a rag.

Charlie shrugs. “She says storage closets don’t have a door to the outside.”

“That’s because they don’t. It was supposed to be your lobby. Anyway, I’ve found all the stuff you need to furnish it, but you’ve got a lot of junk in there. I’m going to make a run to the thrift store to drop off what isn’t worth selling and post pictures of the bigger stuff to sell it on-line. I’m also making a coffee run, can I get anyone anything?” Wren rambles.

I’m wondering how long it will take her to remember we left her car at the bar. She makes it halfway to the door, before she turns around. By the time she comes back to me with her hand out I’ve already fished the keys from my pocket and am dangling them for her.

“Black coffee, one sugar,” Charlie hollers across the bay.

Julio shakes his head. I open my mouth to tell her what I want, but she waves me off. “I know, black coffee,” she says as she rushes out the door.

“Hey kid,” Charlie shouts to Julio, “go wash the tow truck.”

He grabs the bucket, sponge, and soap and hurries out back. Charlie watches him go and moves closer to me as soon as the back door clicks shut. “Now that the kids are gone, we can chat.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Are we going to gossip like the old folks that hang around the pharmacy to hear the news?”

“Shut up, jackass. I took a call this morning while you were under the truck, and thankfully, Wren was busy with her project this morning.”

My eyes close, and I take a deep breath. I don’t need him to say it to know this is about Liam. Good or bad news I don’t know, but constantly waiting for any news is wearing me down.

“I’ll take your silence to mean you’re ready for the message. The center called. Liam’s first week is coming to an end in a couple of days. He wants to set up family therapy a couple times a week, starting next week,” he says.

“I expected there to be some kind of counseling involved.”

Charlie continues to stare at me like he’s trying to send me a telepathic message. “What?” I snap.

“With the entire family, Griff.”

I exhale. There it is, the bad news. “I see. So, uh, they want Wren to come along? Did you tell them they’re separated?”

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