Page 80 of A Perfect Match
But Griffin doesn’t care.He swings anyway, primal mode activated.His fist connects with the side of Kru’s face.Kru stumbles backward, clutching at his cheek while a string of curse words fall from his lips.
“Griffin, stop!”I shout.
But he’s not listening.
"It's exactly what I think!"Griffin lunges forward, but Kru sidesteps him, hands lifted again.I can tell my brother is ready to punch again.My bra snaps into place and I race forward, inserting myself between Griffin’s fist and Kru.
“Stop!”I scream.“I invited him.”
Griffin freezes, fist still in the air.His chest is heaving, face full of confusion.“No fucking way.”
“Let him go.He did nothing wrong,” I plead, my voice shaking.Kru is keeping is cool remarkably well, despite being attacked by my rhinoceros of a brother.“Put this down.”I guide his fist lower, out of punching range of Kru’s face.
“Why the fuck would you invite this piece of shit into my house?”Griffin spits.
His words land like the punch his hand couldn’t inflict.To both me and Kru.I can see him wince.
“He’s not a piece of shit,” I correct him.“We’retogether.”
Griffin blinks slowly, like he's processing information in a foreign language."Together?”
“Yes.He’s my boyfriend.”
Griff’s eyes go wide, which make me think I could have improved the transition a bit better.“No fucking way.”
Kru offers a helpful smile.The side of his face is already red from where Griff landed a punch.
“There’s no way in hell you’d be with someone like him,” Griff tells me.“He’s the enemy.”
“I prefer the term ‘friendly neighborhood chef,’” Kru offers.
“Nobody asked you,” Griffin warns, sliding his forearm across Kru’s throat.To me, he says, “Are you punking me right now?This is the guy who kicked you out of your apartment.”
“I did give her notice,” Kru adds.“Politely.”
“Shut up,” Griffin growls at him.
“Griffin,” I start.
“This shit isn’t funny, Piper.Snap out of it!You're dating your landlord?Do you know how many horror stories start this way?"
“We could consider this more of a rom-com,” Kru says helpfully.
Griffin brings his face extra close to Kru.“I was not asking you, Chef Boyardee.”
“Guys, stop it.Griffin, let him go.We all need to take a deep breath.”Including me, because right now, my heart is pounding so hard I think I’m going to pass out.
Griffin gives Kru an extra-spicy death stare before removing his forearm from Kru’s throat.Kru takes a tentative step away, as though testing that Griffin won’t pounce at the movement.And then another.
Griffin turns his angry gaze toward me.“I can’t believe this.You actually let him on top of you?In myliving room?On my fuckingcouch?”
“You weren’t supposed to be home for, like, three more hours,” I explain.
“Get dressed,” Griff snaps.He turns back to Kru, who takes a defensive step backwards.“And you!Get the fuck out of my house.”
“Griffin—” I begin, but he cuts me off with a raised hand.
“I don’t want to hear it.”
