Page 132 of Damaged Souls

“Asshole. I thought he’d never leave.” Grant reached past her and then brought back a glass with a straw. “Here you go.”

She took the straw between her lips and sucked at the liquid. She felt instant relief.

“For a moment there, I didn’t think you were going to wake up.” He reached out, tucking some hair behind her ear. “I’ve got to text Lidia, Maddie, and your sister. They wanted to know when you woke up as soon as you did.”

Aria took his hand.

Grant looked up and stared into her eyes. She wanted to look at him.

“Nothing is going on between me and your sister, or Maddie, or Lidia.”

“I nearly died,” Aria said.

“I know, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to stop it. I would do anything for you. Oh, Andy and Phil as well. They’ve been so worried about you.”

“Grant, shut up,” Aria said.

He frowned.

She chuckled. It tickled her throat a little and she asked for some more water. Grant wouldn’t allow her to lift the cup, so she had no choice but to drink as he took care of her.

“Can I speak?” Grant asked.

She shook her head. “No, I want to speak.”

“Okay.” Grant put the cup back down and then he took hold of her hands again.

“I nearly died and as I was in that hotel room, seeing the smoke fill the room, all I could think about was you.” She stared into Grant’s eyes. “I wanted to see you, talk to you, tell you that I forgive you. I have no idea who let out that rumor—”

“My brother.”

“What?”

“Bull, he called Jase, who then did as my brother asked and spread the rumor. He didn’t want to. I don’t know if that makes you feel any better. Also, he’s the one that left the roses.” Grant pointed toward a bouquet of flowers in the corner of the room. “He did also send some healthy kind of chocolate but I ate that, then the trash bin ate the rest.”

Aria laughed. “Your brother?”

Grant sat on the bed. “It was club business. The guy that took you was an enemy of the club.”

“We can talk about that some other time, outside of the hospital, where other people can’t hear.” She smiled at Grant. “I love you.”

“I love you too. I’m so sorry.”

“I forgive you.”

“You forgive me?” he asked.

“Being in that bed, chained up, unable to escape, all I could think about was seeing you. Loving you. Being with you. That was all I wanted. Just you.”

“And now?”

“Now, I just want to be with you, Grant. All of you.”

“Then marry me,” he said.

“What?”

“Marry me. That’s allIwant. You and me, both of us. I want you to be my wife.”

---