Page 75 of Unlucky You

Saniya.

Grand’s energy was off. When he picked me up, he barely said anything and the twenty-minute drive to his mother’s house where we were having dinner was about the same. I made casual conversation and he responded with one word replies or short sentences but wasn’t fully engaged.

Halfway there I was beginning to wonder if he second guessed the idea of me meeting his son. When we arrived at his mother’s house and he was about to get out, I grabbed his hand to stop him. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? You don’t have to rush or force anything. We’re good either way.”

He frowned and I could see his thoughts were weighted but then he dropped his head back against the seat and turned ittoward me. “My mood is kinda fucked up but it’s not about you meeting Raiden.” He reached across the console and covered my hand with his, lacing our fingers together.

“Want to talk about it?”

He snorted, closing his eyes. “Not really but I also don’t want your mood fucked up because of mine.”

“It won’t be and I promise if this isn’t a good time to meet him…”

He opened his eyes and smiled lazily. “My mother has likely been in the kitchen for the past hour overthinking every fucking thing she’s doing to make sure tonight is perfect.” He lifted my hand and brought it to his mouth, placing a kiss on my fingers. “For you.”

I smiled at the thought.

“You really think I’m about to piss her off by telling her you’re not coming?”

“You could.”

“Not if I want to live to see another day.” He smiled sexily then was quiet for a minute. “Aleah’s father pulled up on me at work today.”

“About Raiden?”

He never discussed the relationship between her parents and Raiden. I wasn’t sure of their dynamic but I also prayed they weren’t trying to intervene and take him from Grand. That would destroy him.

“They don’t give a fuck about my son. As far as they’re concerned Aleah’sbastard childdoesn’t exist.”

The reference sent fire through my veins. “Is that what they call him?”

“Yeah, they never acknowledged Raiden beyond how they feel he ruined Aleah’s life. Fucking assholes.” His tone was full of anger.

“What did he want?”

“For Walt to fire me. Said if Aleah can’t have a life, I won’t either.”

“Did he?” My eyes went wide thinking that might be part of why his day was so shitty. He was on parole and I couldn’t imagine they would accept him not working. Finding employment with his background had to be difficult.

Grand frowned and shook his head. “Nah, he didn’t. He sold me forty percent of his business for a dollar. Had the papers drawn up and everything. Told me if I didn’t sign them I couldn’t work tomorrow.”

“Wait, he…wow.” Grand often discussed how much he appreciated Walt and that he was a blessing.

“Yeah, I was fucking pissed. Didn’t want a handout which is how I ended up paying the asshole a dollar.” He grinned. “He hustled me into that too, but bottom line is he doesn’t have family and has spent the past twenty-six years building the business. He doesn’t want the legacy to end with him so he wants me in his place.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“If I want to stay employed I will.” He issued another lazy smile and turned his head back in my direction.

“From the way you talk about him, it sounds as if he just wants you to be okay. If he trusts you to do this then you should trust yourself too.”

“Yeah…” he said and lifted my hand, kissing the back of my fingers again. “Come on before they both pull up on us out here.”

I glanced at the house and smiled. As soon as we walked through the door, Raiden came barreling down the hallway and thrust himself at Grand. He caught him with perfect timing and I gushed, watching as Raiden hugged his father’s neck like he hadn’t seen him in years.

“Daddy, you’re here.”

“I promised you I would be.” He brushed a hand over his son's head.

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