Page 30 of Griz's Edge

Montrell and his crew, they’d been some serious creepy dudes. I wouldn’t say they were a cult or anything, just a group of weirdos who knew how to stalk and kill. Montrell had been head of the group, and his right-hand man was the one who we caught. He didn’t take to kindly to it and ended up stalking me. Grail and Bash, they’re the ones who convinced me it was time for me to move. Since I moved on, I hadn’t heard anything from Montrell or anyone who followed him. And what happened in my living room was nothing compared to what I’d seen them do.”

“So, you had something like this happen before. It’s why you didn’t even blink,” Griz notes.

“Yeah,” I confirm. “But this isn’t the same MO.”

“You don’t think it’s the same person?”

“No, Montrell made sure I knew it was him and his people who broke in. The message was distinct. This was child’s play.”

“Child’s play or not, it’s not something to fuck around with. Who would want you to get out of town?”

“I don’t know.” I honestly didn’t know. I haven’t been here that long to have made enemies. Shoot, the people that I’ve served papers to, I’ve seen multiple times, and not once have they said one bad thing to me. They might have been pissed about being served papers, but it wasn’t me who did that to them.

“Did you really move to town because of your grandma or because of this bullshit?”

I didn’t expect Griz’s question, and as I stare at him, I learn quickly what I should have already known, this man is in no way, shape, or form dense in any way whatsoever.

“I could’ve moved anywhere. Closer to home with my parents, I mean, I wasn’t that far from them, but I was at least a thirty-minute drive. I could’ve gone to live in Florida or even California if I wanted to. Instead, I came here. My parents, at dinner one night, were talking about how mom wanted Grandma Ryan to move closer to them and how she wouldn’t. I got that and told them I’d move here to be near her. She’s not a hapless old woman by any means. And she likes her freedom.”

“Can’t blame her there. She’s a good woman, makes cookies for the club every Christmas.” There’s no missing the affection in Griz’s voice.

“I didn’t know she made the cookies for the club.”

Every Christmas, when Mom and Dad would meet with Grandma, she’d have loads of cookies for my siblings and me. They were the best. I’m hoping since I’m living here now that I can get her to teach me her secret to making them so dang good.

“Yeah, she’s not far from the club, and Rain, Sniper’s ol’ lady, she visits with your grandma all the time.”

Interesting.

“Well, anyway, I highly doubt this has anything to do with Montrell,” I state, getting back to the subject at hand. “But to confirm this, I’ll give Grail or Bash a call. Last time I talked to them, they were out on a job chasing some idiot who thought he could beat the hell out of his wife and then skip town without consequences.”

“Go ahead and give them a call now, sweets. We rule this person out, we can see about figuring out who the fuck broke in. It might not seem like a big deal to you, but it’s still a damn big deal.”

“Okay,” I mutter. I know he’s right, but I still think it’s someone playing with me.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

GRIZ

Keeping my eye on Marley, I listen as she finishes her conversation with the two men she worked with before. I know myself well enough to know I’m not the jealous type, but I’m a possessive one. Listening to the way her voice changes, the affection in it, bothers me as I thought it would. Mainly because it held a different note than what she sounds like when I’ve got my cock inside her, or better yet, when she’s talking to me in general.

I glance around the room while listening to her talk, and my gaze locks on the little box on the coffee table. Yesterday, before cleaning anything else up, I saw Marley clean up the contents of that first.

Looking over to Marley, seeing she’s got her back to me, I reach over and open the little box. I noticed all of the papers looked older and wrinkled. I grab the first one on top and scan over it, instantly feeling the hairs on the back of my neck go up. Grabbing the next, I take in the contents of that one.

What the fuck are these?

It doesn’t take a genius to know this shit is serious.

“What are you doing?” Marley snaps. She tosses her phone onto the table, snatches the paper from me, and closes the little box. “You had no right to go through this.”

Staring at her, I don’t move from where I’m sitting. I simply watch her closely.

Marley’s nostrils flare, her eyes narrow, and she crosses her arms in front of her, pushing her tits upward. I trail the length of her body, enjoying the sight of her legs being on display beneath my shirt. My cock thickens in my jeans. I know what lies beneath my shirt. Not a damn thing. I could easily take that shirt off her, and she’d be naked. I’m willing to even bet between her legs is nice and slick, ready and waiting.

“What exactly is that bullshit?” I finally ask, leaning back and stretching an arm across the back of the couch.

“None of your business.”Huffing, she sets the box back down and plants her hands on her hips. “You should leave.”

---