Page 100 of Disorder (Elite of Elmwood 2)

Sweaty and stinky, Grayson drove us home after practice. Being confined in a car with a seventeen-year-old guy who just rolled around on the grass for an hour was not something I recommended to anyone.

I chewed on my chipped painted nail, a bundle of nerves. “Grayson, are you sure this is a good idea?”

He opened up the sunroof, allowing more air to move through the car. “Are you having second thoughts?”

At this rate, I’d have no nails left by the time we got to the Edwardses’ house. Clasping my hands together, I sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Grayson eased the Viper to a stop at a red light and looked at me. “It’s better if we tell them than finding out on the evening news. We have no idea what Carter will do with the truth. Hell, as far as we know, your mom could be in jail already.”

With everything that happened, I’d been consumed with my own emotions. “Do you really think he would turn her in?” A thread of something like fear raced through my blood.

Grayson lifted a brow.

I thumped myself on the forehead with the palm of my hand. “I can’t believe I just asked that. Of course he would.” But I would know about it first. The police would open an investigation.

The light changed to green, and Grayson eased his foot onto the gas. “When the truth comes out, will you be okay with the fallout?”

“Honestly, I haven’t let myself consider it. She wasn’t a wonderful mom or an easy person to love.”

The wind whipped through his damp dark hair, drying the sweat. “But you do love her.”

I took a moment to consider, to try and put aside all the hurt and betrayal I felt. “Despite everything… I do. How fucked-up does that make me?”

“You can’t just erase seventeen years of history.”

Those emotions I suppressed for just a minute came gushing back. “I’m angry. I’m hurt. I’m sad and confused. A part of me will always care about her, but I can’t forgive her. Not yet.”

“And you don’t have to. I think it might be best if we told our mom first. Alone,” he said.

Our mom.

My heart gave one giant yank in my chest. I turned my gaze out the window before Grayson caught the sudden water that sprang to my eyes.Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

But I hadn’t been quick enough.

“Are you crying?” he asked softly.

God, you would think I was on my period, as unstable as my emotions were. “No,” I replied, my voice sounding funny, giving me away. I snuck a glance at him, trying to hold back the tears.

His eyes returned to the road, mouth flattening. “Well, my triplet telepathy is calling bullshit.”

I rubbed at my eyes angrily. “That’s not a thing.”

He shrugged. “It could be. Kenna and I occasionally have had weird premonitions before.”

“I’ll keep that in mind the next time I get a strange feeling.”

Grayson turned the steering wheel with one hand, the other hand downshifting. “It’s okay, you know. You don’t have to be this brave badass chick all the time.”

My stomach fluttered. “You think I’m badass?”

He shook his head, one side of his mouth lifting. “Don’t let it go to your head. I’m trying to be serious here.”

Tears one minute and a grin the next. What a fucking car ride this was turning out to be. “Fine, continue having your big brother moment.”

He rolled his eyes. “You ruined it. But what I was trying to say is I can be brave for both of us, if you let me.”

I blinked, staring at him like Grayson was a virtual stranger. “Were you abducted by aliens recently? Where the hell is Grayson the prick? Since when are you a nice guy?”

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