Page 22 of Not A Whisper

As Grant straightens, I can’t stop the stupidly pleased smile that stretches across my face. Still, I try, biting my lip. He chuckles before it trails off in a sigh.

“Have you eaten yet?”

I shake my head.

“Good, because I brought us dinner.” He lets go of my wrist and moves toward the refrigerator.

He did? I watch as he opens the door and pulls out a large black bag. On the side is a gold foil triangle that doesn’t give me any indication about where it’s from. Grant places the bag on the counter and pulls out containers of food, then proceeds to flip on my oven. He sure looks comfortable in my kitchen for someone who hasn’t been here much.

“Not that I mind seeing you again, but aren’t you supposed to be as far away as possible from me?”

I lean against the counter and watch as he pulls out two plates and two glasses for wine. When he moves further away, it’s to another black bag I hadn’t noticed sitting on the counter. He pulls out a bottle of wine and a wine bottle opener and begins getting to work to open it. He pours two glasses of red wine and then brings one over to me. I take it, but don’t take a sip.

As much as I wanted wine earlier, I’m suddenly on guard. What is all of this? This is out of the ordinary from him and it’s making me nervous.

Grant doesn’t hesitate to throw the entire glass back in one gulp.

I raise a brow. “It's been that kind of day, huh?”

Grant snorts as he turns to refill his glass. “Actually, believe it or not, today was one of the betterones.”

This time, when he turns to face me, he only takes a sip of his drink. The oven beeps, letting us know it’s done preheating. Grant places his glass down and moves to start putting whatever is in the containers into the oven.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cook.”

“That’s because I can’t. I’m just heating this up according to the directions I was given.” Grant slams the door to the oven shut then turns to lean his lower back on it. When our eyes meet, he lets out a heavy sigh. “We need to talk.”

There’s no stopping the hard flinch that rushes through me. “Uh-oh. This sounds ominous.”

Grant snorts before his gaze drifts away, past me and into the living room. His jaw works as he seems to consider his next words. As I wait, I bend down to pick up my bra. No need for that to be there. Grant’s attention snaps to the article of clothing. His mouth curves slowly into an amused smile.

“I thought I was homealoneand was making myself comfortable.” I give him a pointed look before heading over to the door that hides the stackable washer and dryer unit. When it’s tossed in with the rest of my clothes, I shut the door and turn around.

Only to find Grant standing right behind me. He’s standing so close I nearly bump into him.

“Oh! What?—”

“I’m sorry.”

His apology surprises me and immediately I stiffen, preparing for the worst. Grant doesn’tdonice. “For…?”

“Being absent. You asked for more from us, fromme, and I’ve given the exact opposite.” His auburn eyes search my face for something. “That’s going to change, I promise.”

My shoulders relax and I let out a shallow breath. “How?”

“I’ll get to that.” He swoops down and kisses me swiftlybefore pulling away. “But before I do, I want to explain why it’s imperative to keep my father’s interest in you to a minimum.”

I make a face. “I already know why. You told me?—”

“I told you it was dangerous but now I want to tell you how I know that,” Grant cuts me off. He grabs my hand and drags me over to the table. When I’m seated, he joins me, sitting adjacent before turning his chair toward me. “I need you around, Bri. I knew it before but having you ground me this morning just solidified that change was needed. Before I fully consume your life, which I have every intention of doing—” he pauses, his mouth curving into a hard smile, “—you need to know something. I’ve never told anyone other than Jay and Trip this, and it can’t be talked about again.Ever. Do you understand?”

Judging by the gravity in his voice and the solemnity in his expression, this is going to be bad. My stomach twists but I nod.

Grant mirrors the motion before speaking again. “My father is selfish, greedy, and vain. Always has been and always will be. He’s worked hard to get to where he is now, but he didn’t get here alone. When he was younger, Dad had help from his brother, my Uncle James, who was his right-hand guy. They were supposed to run the Gipson empire together.”

The grimace that skitters across his face comes and goes as his expression tightens.

“Together, the two of them were a force to be reckoned with, or so I’ve been told. They were already acquiring partnerships and making shady deals without money behind their names but then my father met my mother, Loretta. At the time they got married, she was barely seventeen and he was closing in on thirty. Somehow, he’d convinced my mother that he loved her and then managed to get on her parents’ good side so that they would agree to their union. But it was all a ploy to access the money she had in a trust fund. There was no love, and it showed the minute he owned her. She… my mother… was my everything. She kept me in the dark when it came to my father’s rages for as long as she could, but she was only one person, and she couldn’t protect me from everything. She took the brunt of the abuse for years…”

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