Page 74 of Subbing For Santa

The overwhelming need to be close to Griffin is what makes me reach up from where I’m sitting on the tiled floor, slumped against the wall. I click off the locking mechanism and a moment later the door opens from the other side.

I don’t need to look up to find Griffin because he is already sitting on the floor on the other side of the door.

“Do you hate me?” He whispers, and hell, my heart cracks open at the look of fear on his face.

“No, of course not.” I sob, swiping at my tears.

He shifts forward on the floor, breaching the threshold of the bathroom, and I climb onto his lap, straddling him as I sob into his neck.

“Shhh, little elf. I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry.” I blubber. “I’m not good with confrontation. I can’t just pretend my conversation with your dad wasn’t terrifying.”

“Fuck, Aggie. I don’t expect you to act like he didn’t just threaten you. I want to fucking kill him.” His pained voice is enough to make me want to kill Ewan Marx myself.

“I just need to regroup. I’ll be ok in a few minutes. Or hours.” I try to giggle, but it makes me cry more.

“You were a total badass, you know. You probably don’t realise that you just earned his respect. It’s fucked up, I know, but he’s looking out for his family, and you totally put him in his place. He won’t dislike you for that. In fact, I bet it’s had the opposite effect.”

I don’t really care if Ewan Marx likes me or not. He can suck my biggest dildo and choke on it for all I care.

“A sensible girl would jump off this boat now and swim for her life.” I mutter and Griffin chuckles.

“Thank fuck you’re not that sensible, then.”

We both laugh then, the light feeling helping to dry up my tears.

As Griffin holds me to him, he brushes his fingers through my hair, rubs my back, and presses his lips to the top of my head, not able to hold himself back.

It feels amazing.

When I’m able to climb off the floor and freshen up my face with a cold splash of water, we go back up on deck to join Griffin’s family. Griff hands me his sunnies, and I don’t even question why he’s giving them to me. I saw my red puffy eyes in the mirror. I’m thankful that I can hide them so we can avoid any questions, as well as hiding the aftermath of Ewan’s little chat.

I don’t miss the way Griffin glares at his dad for the remainder of the trip. He doesn’t once let go of me, as if making his own silent statement to his dad.

I’m not sure if it’s a good thing, or if me being here has just started a war.

Chapter twenty-one

Payback

Agatha

Thedrivehomeislong, and my emotional exhaustion sends me to sleep for most of the trip. It’s only when the car slows and the road under the tires gets bumpy that my eyes flutter open to take in my surroundings.

“Where are we?” I rasp with my sleepy voice.

“Home.” Griffin responds and I turn my frown to him before glancing back out the window.

“This isn’t my driveway.” I sit up a little higher in the seat, noticing a structure up ahead.

“No, that’s your house there.” Griffin’s voice is smug as he points out the window and my eyes widen as I see my house from the opposite side.

“I’m confused.” I mutter, and he chuckles.

“I thought it was about time I showed you my house.”

It takes me a moment to comprehend his words, but when I do, I remember his confession a couple of days ago, and my mouth drops open as I turn my glare to take in his shit-eating grin.

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