Page 114 of Seeing Grayscale

“Why didn’t you say anything? I thought—” He abruptly stops, holding his mouth and shaking his head. “Fuck you! Fuck you for not calling me!” And then he drops in front of me and yanks me into his arms. Hot tears hit the side of my neck as he kisses my chilled skin. “You don’t get to do this to me,” he growls. “I told you not to let me drown.”

My arms are like jelly, but I manage to wrap them around his waist. “I’m sorry,” I slur.

He reels back, holds my cheeks, and kisses me hard. “What if something happened, Hunter? It’s snowing! What if you’d been hurt?” Another kiss. “Don’t fucking leave me alone.” Andanother. “You don’t get to go away, either, you hear me? You aremine.”

“Good lord,” Alex chirps.

I have so much I need to say, but Gray won’t stop kissing me and yelling at me. Both are increasing in their aggressiveness. Both force me to agree with him. “Yours,” I confirm. “I’m sorry. Forgive me.”

His fingers dig into my hair, yanking my head back. I swallow hard as he studies me. “You’re drunk.”

“I am.”

“And you’re here. WithLeonard.”

That’s news to me. When did he get here? “I am?”

Gray rolls his eyes before pulling harder on my hair. It’s both painful and arousing. My cock definitely notices. “He’shere. Did you fuck him? Hmm? Is that what you were doing?”

“I might’ve…accidentally…mentioned what happened last time.”

Alex is a vault, but apparently, with Gray, he’s a chatterbox. “Just me. Just you.” It’s the best I’ve got. My eyes are barely able to stay open.

“Just me?” he asks, gentler, and releases his hold on his hair.

“Just you, sweetheart.”

“Okay,” he breathes and kisses me softly. “Help me get him up.”

FORTY-SEVEN

Theside-eyewereceivedfrom the security guard—thankfully notBrent—had me chewing into my nailbed.

Alex didn’t seem concerned, but after everything that's happened today, I wasn’t willing to bet that the man would keep quiet if people came asking questions. Specifically, Hunter’s dad…thegovernor.How I’d managed to forget about that temporarily still amazes me. Getting Hunter into the house and the guest bedroom had been up to me. There was no way I could drag him upstairs, half-conscious, and Alex was no help.

Something about a ‘bad back’ or other.

Once he was satisfied Hunter was good, he gave me his phone number and told me to text him after 10. I was going to see him out, but Hunter whined pathetically, grabbing my wrist.

That was about five minutes ago, and I’m still sitting beside him as he lingers in some half-awake state. Hooded hazel eyes drift over my face as his fingers lazily stroke over my wrist. I did manage to strip him out of his suit, so he’s in his undershirt and boxer briefs.

I’m still upset with how he ignored me, but I’m also not so selfish as to hold it against him. After all, everything he’s doing with me is new. He’s never had anyone to care like I care. Alex says he does, but Hunter pays him too. That’s what I’m sticking with anyway.

“I’m sorry,” Hunter whispers, his words slurring.

“Go to sleep.”

He shakes his head in this slow roll, being stubborn. “It’s my fault.”

I don’t like the tone of his voice or how that train of thought can derail into darker territory. “Shh.” I push his hair out of his face, tracing his jaw through his beard for a few seconds.

Tears well in his eyes as he swallows hard, never breaking eye contact. “I should make you go.”

“Stop,” I snap. “Stop that.”

“It’s true. Being with me is only going to hurt you. And me.”

Now it’s my turn to shake my head vehemently. I know he’s drunk, and alcohol acts as a truth serum, but I refuse to believe that’s what’s happening. He doesn’t feel this way.

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