Page 27 of We're Not Strangers Anymore

“Yes, Marines. I had to learn hand to hand combat and tactical defense somewhere.” I shrug.

“Did you say two weeks?” Laila cuts in.

“Yes. Like I said, it's remote.” I say, annoyed at how much she’s talking.

“Then why don’t we just stay there until things blow over?” She asks.

“Because it’s too much of a risk to stay in the states. The place is safe, but the house in Italy is safer and we’ll actually be able to leave the house. If we stay in Virginia, there's more of a risk being found if one of us has to leave to get groceries or anything like that.” I toss over my shoulder. Laila doesn’t understand that every plan I come up with is very calculated. I didn’t run a multi-million dollar empire by flying by the seat of my pants with no preparation. My brother and I had all of this in place before Conejo came around. We just didn’t anticipate having to use these resources anytime soon. We didn’t act fast enough and that’s the only reason I don’t have Luciano here with me, and Pops too. I could only imagine how shit would have gone down had I not watched Rowan and found out about everything.

Rowan

I wake to a faint glittering of morning light. We’re still driving and Grayson looks exhausted, a hue of purple and red lining the outer edges around eyes.

“How far are we?” I ask Grayson. Laila and Sophia are asleep in the back with the divider shut.

“Two hours. Good news is, I stopped at a gas station in West Virginia to call Griz. Looks like Conejo’s guys are heading to California and Conejo is making himself at home in Chicago. So we’re in the clear so far.”

“Does anyone else know where we’re going?” I press.

“No.” He glares at me with a serious expression. “No one else can know. Even the guys I trust.”

“What about your friend that owns the estate we’re staying at?”

“Nah. He’s in Jamaica with his family on vacation, so no one will even question him. He owns twenty properties throughout the country. I told him I was staying at one but didn’t tell him which one.” He says, casually. Grayson makes me feel safe. I trust him more after he saved me, even if he’s the reason I was in danger in the first place. We were really connecting the night before everything happened. I hope we still get the chance to, I feel like we’re family after everything we’ve gone through together thus far. His mom and sister welcomed me with open arms and they’re bringing me along with them to keep me safe. They all could have just left me behind, but they didn’t.

Grayson gazes at me, trailing his eyes up and down my body.

“What?” I ask, holding his gaze.

“You really want to know?” He says, pulling his focus back to the road.

“What’s on your mind? Yes.” I say quizzically.

“You. The way you taste. How bad I miss feeling your tongue slowly brushing against mine.” I inhale, trying to hide the heat pooling between my legs. I look back, trying to see if Laila and Sophia are still sleeping.

“They can’t hear anything. Divider is closed.” He says, interrupting my thoughts. “Open your legs for me, baby.” I scowl at him, trying to look disgusted but I can tell by the way his eyes darken on me that he sees right through me.

“Just because circumstances have changed, doesn’t mean the rules have, Row.” Grayson slowly slips his right hand from the steering wheel and to my leg, lightly grazing his finger up and back down on my inner thigh. Out of reaction to his touch, I part my legs and sink back into the seat.

“Good girl.” He groans, biting down on his bottom lip. Brushing his middle finger over my clit, he presses down rubbing slow circles that have me involuntarily writhing against his hand. He pulls his focus from the road, back to me for a moment with a half lidded gaze. He dips his middle finger down to my entrance and back up, spreading my arousal over my clit as he picks up the pace. I arch my back and roll my hips, feeling my orgasm building, and let out a soft moan.

“Say my name, Row.” He says, barely above a whisper.

“Grayson-” I gasp as I feel myself on the edge. Then he stops, ripping his hand from between my legs and smirking.

“Why did you stop?” I say, embarrassment rising in my cheeks.

He shrugs. “I didn’t feel like letting you come.”

“So first you make me spread my legs for you then you decide you don’tfeellike it?” I scoff.

“First off, I didn’tmakeyou do anything, second, the next time you come it will be with my cock inside of you.” He deadpans, still staring at the busy highway.

“I’ll just do it myself then.” My lips curl into a smile. I go to slip my fingers between my legs when Grayson leans over me to open the glove compartment, steering the van with one hand. He pulls out a pair of handcuffs and grips my right hand, cuffing it to his causing the van to swerve.

“What the hell!” I shout.

“Try again.” His eyes darken on me.

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