Page 127 of Love Triggered

“Grey, you know I love you and your demons, right?” I ask, looking deep into his eyes.

His eyes pull away from mine to stare off into the distance. “I know, angel. I do.” He wraps his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss.

I break away from him, and pull myself off his lap to sit across from him. Changing the subject, I ask, “So, how are you feeling about having your mom around?”

Greyson reaches into the basket, retrieving sandwiches, potato salad, and grapes. It looks so good and I bet he made it himself. He told me the other day—when he made me the best fucking waffles I’d ever tasted—that his nanny taught him how to cook when he was little.

“It’s actually been nice. It’s a good feeling to have that weight lifted off of me. All those years I thought she left me there because I wasn’t enough. I held all that animosity for her because he told me all those lies, but that feeling is disappearing the more time I spend with her.” I can understand believing the lies Richard Nash told. I believed them myself for nine years.

“You both deserve to leave that all behind and have a good relationship. He fucked with all of our lives, but we’ll get through it. Seeing you with your mom makes me want to try to help mine again. She went off the deep end when I left, so I kind of feel responsible.”

I really do. I feel like she and Lya would’ve been okay if it weren’t for me. It’s stupid to blame myself because I was kidnapped, but their whole lives came crashing down because of it, so there’s no way I can’t feel responsible.

Greyson’s rough hand intertwining with mine pulls me from my thoughts. “It’s not your fault. You were a child and she was an adult—it was her choice how she dealt with it. She wasn’t strong enough at the time to take care of herself and Lya, but that’s not on you, angel.”

“I know that, but deep down, that guilty feeling won’t go away.”

“I get that. I’ve felt that same guilt for nine years, even though it was my father’s doing, not mine. I always felt like I could’ve done more to save you.” Pain fills his pretty blue eyes and pierces right through my soul.

“Like you just said, Grey, you were a child too. You couldn’t stop it either. But it’s in the past now; I want to live in the present and build a future with you.”

“I love you, Lainey. Wherever you go, I’ll follow you to the ends of this Earth. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, I’ve done a lot of bad things, but you see through it all. You see the man that I want to be and you push me to become that. I’ll never be the man you deserve, but I’ll die trying.” He rests his forehead against mine, looking deep into my eyes.

My heart swells from the love pouring out of his words. “I love you, Grey. You deserve so much more than you think, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that you’re worth all of my love. You and I are in this together.” I kiss him again, and then nuzzle into his chest with his arm around me.

Our relationship has been full of ups and downs. We met under the worst circumstances, we were ripped apart because of the evil in this world, we came back together under less than ideal conditions, but through it all, we found ourselves again. There are still going to be plenty of bumps in the road throughout our lives, but no matter what, we’ll have each other.

We’re two tortured and broken souls who found each other in the darkness. Now it’s up to us to find the light together.

One year later

Lainey walks into the kitchen after a long day, wearing one of my shirts and a pair of shorts, and with her hair pulled up in a messy bun.Damn.This girl gets more beautiful every day.

It feels so nice to finally settle down with the girl I love. She moved in a couple months ago, and life has been perfect. Lya and the guys were hesitant about it, but it was ultimately Lainey’s decision. Plus, they haven’t really had the time to pester us about it since the baby was born.

They now have a little baby girl to look after. Lainey’s obsessed with her niece, Amelia. When we aren’t home, working, or spending time with our moms, she wants to be over there. They say they don’t want to know who the father is, but I think it's obvious from the little blonde curls and piercing blue eyes that she’s Zep’s daughter. The big, burly, tattooed man is surprisingly good with her.

They’re happy and so am I. I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted—my angel. I’m so fucking proud of her; she’s overcome so much in her life. She’s been through bad shit, but has never let it stop her. Her strength is inspiring.

It’s been rough since that day Sutton took Lainey. She had nightmares for months before she decided that she needed help, more help than Lya and I could provide. Every Monday since then, she’s been seeing a therapist to help her through her trauma.

She worked hard, achieving both her GED and a driver’s license. She doesn’t need anyone to do anything for her. She’s a strong, independent woman, and she’s mine.

We started a business—if you could call it that—where Lainey, Lya, and Rian find trafficking operations, and I work with the guys to take them down. They use the tech office to do their part to find trafficking ads and links online. We started in Craibridge, but once we took out most of the operations here, we ventured to other areas. The farthest we’ve gone so far is six hours away. It wasn’t a short drive, but it was worth it. When they find these bastards, the guys and I use everything we can to take them down—blackmail, intimidation, violence, whatever’s necessary. The next goal Lainey has is to design a group home for the girls who we save from these operations, the ones who don’t have anywhere else to go. I can’t wait to see everything she accomplishes.

Lainey still goes to the library twice a week to volunteer and see Ms. Mabel. Those two are absolute trouble together, so any more than twice a week might end up with Lainey coming home with rainbow hair or Ms. Mabel teaching her a bunch of pick up lines. I’m not sure how Arnold keeps up with that one, but he seems to be mesmerized by Ms. Mabel. Occasionally we have them over for dinner and drinks. It turns out Ms. Mabel can handle her liquor better than most people I know.

“Hi, angel,” I greet her as I stir the taco meat on the stove.

Her arms wrap around my waist from behind, and she lets out a sigh as she rests her head on my back. “Hi, Grey. I missed you.”

I turn in her arms and take her face between my hands. “Long day?” I ask. Lya called earlier, needing Lainey to come help with the launch of some new website. That’s what Lya told her, but I know it’s all bullshit. I needed to get her out of the house so I could secretly go and pick something up.

I went to see Lya and guys about a month ago to ask for Lainey’s hand. They fought me on it at first, but Lya and Thiago eventually came around to the idea, agreeing for Lainey’s happiness. It’s not like they couldn’t see this coming. I’m surprised I waited this long.

Rian and Zep were a different story; they were still fighting when I was walking out the door. I actually don’t care what they say—all I wanted and needed was Lya’s approval.

I picked up the ring around noon and I’ve been trying to keep myself busy all day. I’ve never been this nervous in my life.

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