Page 160 of Stabby Little

Grant plants a kiss on my temple. "We need to come clean with each other, Ollie. There's so much about each other's lives we don't know yet."

My eyes rise to meet his. "Are you sure I can trust you?" Emotion wracks my voice, but I can't help it. "You work for my abusers."

"Worked," Grant grits out. "Past tense. Don't get it wrong."

"Fine." I fight off the sadness building within me. "Still, you must understand these are the people who wrecked my life. They're the reason I became a killer in the first place. Do you think I ever wanted to do this?" A single tear trickles down my cheek. "I wanted to have a normal life like Miles. One where I went to school, made friends, and joined the lacrosse team. I loved lacrosse as a boy, but I wasn't able to play it in the warehouse.”

“I know, boy.”

“I could've even discovered the forbidden crush I had on you in an innocent way.” A pained laugh escapes me. “Not the twisted way where I fantasized about you as a reprieve from the constant abuse I suffered. If there's any chance you still work for the Diavolos, please leave me alone. I can't risk going back there."

A smirk forms on Grant's face. "You had a forbidden crush on me, huh?" He tucks a strand of hair over my ear.

I roll my eyes. “Out of all the things I said, you focus on that the most?"

"Here's the truth, Ollie. Everything I told you was true—I only took the job with the Diavolos because I thought they were drug traffickers. Not once did I suspect they were sex trafficking until a month ago."

I stare at the floor. "You could've researched more."

"Michael helped me process your disappearance. When I needed a shoulder to cry on, he invited me to his home and allowed me to vent. When the anniversary of your disappearance rolled around, he granted me personal days to search for you. Never, ever did I think he was keeping you in his Yonkers warehouse.”

“Why didn't you look into him more?”

“You must remember I made it my mission to never pry into my boss's affairs. Rumors swirled around him in the underworld, but I blocked them out to keep myself safe. Now I know I should've been suspicious the instant he gave me a shoulder to cry on. He never showed that kindness with anyone else—I should've realized it was a trap. The instant I became aware of the depths of his depravity, I turned on him. I snuck into his office with my associate and stole his hidden documents. I saw the videos of you, Sparrow, Finn, Callum, and the other abused boys. I couldn't work for that bastard again."

I rub my eyes on Grant's shoulder. "So there's no danger in you handing me back to Michael? The things he said to me tonight were horrible. He blamed me for running away and told Crystal to sexually assault me."

Grant dries my eyes with his thumb. "None whatsoever. I might've worked for the Diavolos in the past, but my new mission in life is to make them pay for hurting you."

"I appreciate that. That makes me feel better."

Grant's voice shifts. "Can I tell you something?"

My eyes rise to his once again. "Yes."

"My entire life has been devoted to you. I thought Linda was absurd when she said that during our divorce. But she was right. I lost my family, my job, because I spent years searching for you even after everyone pushed me to give up. The fucking FBI New York field office told me to quit looking—they said you were a lost cause. My heart told me they were wrong. All I ever wanted to do was find my sweet Ollie, the boy who put a smile on my face every time he came over to play with my son.”

“What drew you to my case?

“I don't know, but I went crazy when you vanished. It was like something popped in my brain and told me—you must find this boy no matter what. Not even my wife's pleas could draw me away. Night after night passed where I locked myself in my investigation room, going over leads, examining your pictures. I searched for you everywhere, visited rumored human trafficking hotspots in Manhattan to map out clues. The day you showed up on my doorstep was the happiest of my fucking life. You were back. Like you'd never fucking left. Of course, you'd experienced a world of pain no boy should ever experience, but my little Ollie was back. I knew I could help you get through the horrors your captors put you through. That's what I wish to do from this day forward, Ollie."

My heart heaves in my chest. "You can't spend all your days helping me process the trauma I went through. That's not realistic."

"Fuck work.” Grant stares dead into my eyes. “I have enough saved up from my time with the Diavolos so I don't need to work. My overseas investments and offshore brokerage accounts have grown exponentially over the past few years.”

My brow twitches. “Really?”

“Yes. My accounts pay me fifty thousand dollars in interest every single month. I also have ten condominium developments in Beijing that I commissioned two years ago in case my working relationship with the Diavolos ever soured. I have multiple streams of income. I never need to work again."

More tears well in my eyes. "So you want to devote time to help me get through my trauma?"

“Yes, sweet boy. That's what you deserve.”

I wrap my arms around Grant. "That's a big undertaking.”

“I know.”

“I went through more than most people do in a lifetime. I saw boys die in front of me. I experienced sexual assault. I had to cozy up to my abusers so they wouldn't kill me. I can't imagine why you'd want to help me get through that."

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