Page 41 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"Are you vegetarian?" Ivy asks me from across the table.

"I am."

"I almost went vegetarian once, but it's hard…I like burgers too much."

"When you witness your dad gut a…pig…right in front of you, it kind of makes you change your mind." Only, I edit part of the story to include the truth I'm willing to tell. My father didn't gut a pig, he gutted a man, and then dismembered him and fed him to pigs. Who knew watching that at seven years old would make you turn vegetarian? I don't tell them any of this, though.

"Damn, that's brutal." Ivy shuffles her lo mein back and forth. "I don't think this has meat in it, does it?"

She turns to Grace, who shakes her head. "It can, but these don't, no."

"Hm, maybe I'll reconsider…"

"There's tofu in the fridge," Seven says out of nowhere.

Archer blinks at him. "And?"

Seven shrugs and shovels a forkful of food into his mouth.

He reminds me of one big intrusive thought, never holding back and just saying the first thing that pops into his head. Maybe he doesn't have a filter and that's why he's so…out there.

"So, how long will you be staying here with Arch?" Ivy puts her arm over the back of her chair and folds one leg over the other, getting comfortable and no doubt arming her arsenal of questions she's preparing to grill me with.

"A few weeks, until I find another place. I already have a lead if Archer will put in a good word for me."

Archer clears his throat. "Camille says hi, by the way."

"Is she moving? I love Camille, she's great. Tell her hello for me." Ivy runs her tongue across her teeth, probably in search of any food she may have missed. "Her place is great. Same size as Archer's, except it's a two-bedroom since she didn't randomly demolish a wall and decide to renovate."

"I'm sorry, what?" I say.

Ivy motions plainly around the area. "Arch took a sledgehammer to the place. Tore down the wall between the rooms and made it one big room and an even bigger bathroom. I think the kitchen is different, too, isn't it, Arch?"

"The kitchen is the same, V. It was one, tiny wall. It's not a big deal."

"I'm telling you, I think there was another wall…"

"Okay, fine, there was one other wall, that's it." Archer acts like he's a child being scolded by a parent and I find it so strange to watch him interact with someone else, especially this way.

"Wait, you took a sledgehammer to the wall? Why?" I ask him and take another bite of the egg roll.

"Because I can," he says dryly.

"He was having sort of a…psychotic break," Ivy adds.

Seven leans forward, closer in the direction of Grace. "Do you wanna hook up in the bathroom?"

Grace tugs her bottom lip into her mouth like she's considering it. "You know what. Head on in there, I'll meet you in a minute."

Seven's eyes go wide, showing off their different colors. I hadn't noticed that until now. "Wh-what? Really?"

Grace shrugs. "Sure, why not? You seem persistent enough not to let this go."

Seven hops up, taking his tequila bottle with him, and rips his shirt off, throwing it onto the floor on his way to the bathroom.

My gaze meets Grace's, who remains firmly rooted in her seat. "You're not going, are you?"

She bunches her brows and shakes her head. "Are you kidding me? No way."

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