Page 23 of Forsaken Fate

“Your choice,” I said shrugging. “You can save the outrage. You can express it by not showing up. I’m hoping you show up.”

She would have said something else. A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth, and I regretted not getting to hear her come back. But Grayson came up behind her. It was such a slight movement that only someone watching closely would have caught. But I was watching closely and had been since the second I met her. When Grayson touched her, Brynna stiffened as his hand went around her waist. But just as quickly, she broke into a smile and reached back, touching his cheek.

“Ready to go?” she said, her tone a 180 from what she’d used with me. For the first time, I saw her as the chameleon she was. I hadn’t picked up on it before. Brynna Carrington was hiding something much deeper from Grayson beyond her booty call with me.

And I was determined to find out what it was.

* * *

Brynna

Grayson was pensive in the car. He kept pounding his fist against the door and wouldn’t talk to me when I asked him what happened. I stopped asking. More and more, I became tuned to Grayson’s moods. If I pushed him too much, he could snap. I turned away from him and stared out the window as we inched our way in the bumper-to-bumper crawl.

“Where are we going?” I finally asked. When Grayson told me he wanted me at the meeting this morning, he hadn’t said what he planned to do afterward.

“You know,” he turned to me, “It serves him fucking right. So, the Golden Boy isn’t as golden as he thought. He’s going to have to get used to the fact that my father – my father –cared just as much about me.”

“Grayson?”

“Never mind.” Grayson dismissed my inquiry with a wave of his hand. “It’s legal stuff you wouldn’t understand. Too technical.”

I gritted my teeth.

“Fine,” I said. “But where are we going now? The driver is headed back to Diana’s house. Is that what you want?”

“Why not?” he said. “You live there now. With me. Remember?”

“Grayson.” I still had to proceed with caution. “I get that, but I still have an apartment. With things in it that I need. I know you’re anxious, baby, but ...”

“But nothing.” Grayson pounded his fist against the door again. When he turned to me, his eyes had gone pure wolf. His fangs dropped. His voice came out in a growl. “I want you. I have everything else now. You have nothing in that shitty little apartment that you need. I can buy you better things.”

Careful, I thought. I had to be so careful. In his wolf, there was no way I could hide how close I’d gotten to Theo. I was so close to having everything I came here for. I could not…would not let primal lust ruin everything.

“Grayson,” I said. “I do have a few things that are mine that are important to me. Just give me a day or two to pack up. I promise I’ll be quick.”

“Already done,” he said.

Alarm bells rang in my head. “What do you mean? What’s done?”

“I’ve called a service. They’re gonna be out there packing up your shit in about an hour. I was going to surprise you. That’s why I wanted you with me this morning. I’ve taken care of everything.”

“Grayson.” My tone was hard, and I didn’t care. “This is not okay with me. You can’t just take over my life like that. You have to talk to me.”

“You’re mine, Brynna,” Grayson said. He was smiling, completely unaware of my growing distress. “Start acting like it. I’m going to take care of you. I told you I would. My way is better. You don’t have to lift a finger. People listen to me now. They jump when I call. Not my mother. And not Theo.”

And I knew when he said “people” he meant me.

“Please, Grayson,” I said. My heart was racing. I felt claustrophobic in the car all of a sudden. I thought I could do this. I thought I could put up with anything Grayson threw at me if it brought me unfettered access to Diana’s house. To him.

“Call them off for one more day, okay? Let me put together a few of my own suitcases. You’re going back into the office later today anyway, aren’t you? I mean, you have to. You’ve been out more than a week already.”

I put a hand on Grayson’s knee, willing my fingers not to shake. When he didn’t interject, I barreled ahead. “You go take care of what you need to at the office today, and tomorrow you send your movers, and we’ll make a day of it ... okay?”

“Then I don’t have to hear any more excuses?”

“Never,” I said, crossing my heart.

“You’re really looking out for me, aren’t you?” There was a childlike eagerness in Grayson’s voice. This was the crux of him. He went from a manipulative rage to petulant child at a hair trigger. It was getting worse. How would it be when I was with him every day and night?

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