Page 50 of Deserter

“Celia!” Grey roared, and I shrank against the bricks, my body doing its best to collapse in on itself.

His boots moved into my line of vision, but I kept my hands on my thighs and my focus on a crack running through the pavement. “I’m sorry. I just thought that—I don’t know what I thought. I won’t tell anyone what happened that night or when I showed up at the bar, I swear to you. You don’t have to follow me anymore.”

“You think that’s why I’m here?”

I blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the tears that were gathering. I didn’t want to cry in front of him again. “I don’t know, Grey.”

His fingers curled under my chin, lifting my face up toward his and whatever he’d planned on saying died on his lips. “Jesus, Celia, you look like you’ve seen a fuckin’ ghost. What’s wrong?”

I waved him off. “I’m okay. I just got a little dizzy.”

In actuality, I’d gotten a little humiliated.

“You’re not. Come on.” He looped an arm around my waist and led me into a small tattoo parlor next to the record store.

“Uh, I don’t think—”

That earned me a gruff, “Ain’t getting you a tattoo, princess. Trust me.”

The walls were red and adorned with portraits of nude women and bleeding hearts. Thick red velvet curtains were pulled across doorways, leaving their contents a mystery. With the exception of the man behind the glass counter who greeted Grey by name, the buzzing of tattoo guns and the low murmur of voices were the only other sounds in the place.

He unlocked a door and flipped on the fluorescent light above before ushering me in. “My office. Just sit here on the couch, I’m gonna grab you some water.”

I waited until he disappeared before looking around. The walls were white and bare. The couch faced a large desk in the center of the room, along with a chair and a couple of filing cabinets in the corner. It felt empty.

Grey returned with a small white and blue Solo cup. I drank the water and debated whether or not to leave when he spoke up from behind the desk. “You spend a lot of time at the library. You know of any books on UFOs?”

I ran my thumbnail under the waxed rim of the cup. He was changing the subject, and I didn’t know what it meant. “I’m sure the library has a few. I’ll check when I go tomorrow.”

“Good.”

We slipped back into silence. Grey’s eyebrows drew together as he aimlessly turned the skull ring on his finger, seemingly deep in thought.

That made two of us.

I stood up and smoothed my dress. “Well, thank you for the water.”

“Wait.” He pushed away from the desk and I hesitated as he stalked toward me. His mouth was set in a hard line, giving nothing away. “Ain’t mad at you, Celia.”

I pushed down the feelings of claustrophobia and gave a small nod. The office suddenly felt too small for the two of us and the conversation we were about to have.

I always found it odd when girls claimed that a boy had broken their hearts, as if someone could truly wield that kind of power.

Standing in front of Grey though, it made sense. I’d wanted to believe that it was in his height and the way he carried himself, but it was so much more. He was a force that I could control no more than I could the sun and moon.

His hands found my hair before moving down to the top button of my dress. He undid it, watching my face for a reaction.

My mouth had gone dry despite the water I drank, and I swallowed nervously before unbuttoning the next one. Like Icarus, I knew my path would only lead to hurt, but I was too far gone to care.

His nostrils flared and his hands moved down to the one below that. We continued, alternating, amid the sounds of our ragged breaths and when he reached my waist, Grey slipped the dress from my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

I put my hand on his chest, comforted by the steady pounding against my palm. When I cupped his jaw with my other hand, he pulled back slightly.

“Celia.” He let out a soft exhale through parted lips. “I’ve never done this before.”

“What? Had sex in your office?” I frowned.

Grey shook his head, looking like he was on the verge of passing out. “No, not that. I’ve never—”

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