27. Grady
27
GRADY
Elliot comes with my name on his lips and my tongue in his ass. His breathing evens out almost immediately, and I press my laughter into his thigh as if I might brand him with my joy.
“I’m getting a towel. Don’t fall asleep in the mess, Princess.”
“No promises,” he sighs, slowly rolling onto his side.
I half expect him to be snoring by the time I get back from the bathroom, but he’s sitting up against the headboard, looking down at his hands with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
Elliot shakes his head, moving his legs so I can clean up the mess near his feet. “Nothing, I’m just,” he stops, something shifting in his gaze. There’s a moment where I think he’s going to do it—he’s going to break this off. Elliot’s going to tell me it’s been fun, but it’s over, and I’ll have to live with that.“Are you ready for next week?”
“Next week?”
“Going to Forest Falls with the team.”
I take a moment to think about that as I toss the towel into the laundry basket, crawling up the bed to rest against the headboard at Elliot’s side. “Yes and no.”
“That’s kind of what I figured,” he admits, lacing our fingers together and dropping his head on my shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
I’m not sure how to answer that question because the truth is just having Elliot with me will be more helpful than he knows. “Yes, actually.”
“Oh?” He shifts on the mattress, covering us both with the comforter before turning enough to see my face. “What is it?”
“I’m going to dinner with Theo while we’re in town.” I say the words confidently, as if I’m not making them up on the spot. “I was hoping you might come with me.”
“To meet your brother?”
“If you’re comfortable with that.”
Elliot nods slowly, seeming to come around to the idea the longer he sits with it. “If you think that will help, I’m happy to do it.”
“I do think it will help,” I agree, absentmindedly running my fingers along his palm. “I don’t love going back there, but I think it will be different this time.”
“Different good or different bad?”
The question makes me smile down at his hand where it rests against my thigh. When I finally look up, his face is so close to mine that I can count the faint freckles across the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sure.”
Elliot falls asleep in my arms, and I tell myself I’m going to reach out to Theo in the morning. It isn’t until we’re boarding the plane two days later that I finally admit I can’t wait any longer.
Gonna be in Forest Falls for the rest of this week. I wouldn’t mind seeing you if you want to grab some food or something.
THEO
Are you looking for a Grady Brother’s Brawl kind of meal, or could we behave enough for me to bring Charity?
His immediate desire to include Charity doesn’t surprise me. Theo never was good at being away from her, and I’d imagine he feels like there’s twenty years of lost time to make up.
Has she changed so much she wouldn’t jump in the middle of a brawl?
THEO
Not at all. I just don’t trust she wouldn’t be on your side.
Well, in that case, definitely bring her.
I hesitate momentarily, my eyes darting around to make sure none of the guys are looking over my shoulder while putting their bags in the overhead bins.
I’ll bring Elliot to stack the odds in our favor.
THEO
It’s cute you think I couldn’t take you three against one.
You’re not as big and bad as you think, Theodosia.
THEO
Fuck off, I’m terrifying.
My amused snort doesn’t go unnoticed by Steal, who raises a questioning eyebrow. I shake my head, turning my attention back to the phone when it buzzes again.
THEO
But I would like to meet your boyfriend.
He’s not my boyfriend.
Theo’s response is immediate, as if he knew what I would say and had pre-typed his message.
THEO
Yet.
You’ll figure it out, little brother.
“Are you going?”
Miller’s question is directed at me, but I don’t have any idea what he’s talking about. “Where?”
He sighs at me over the back of his seat, giving Hoax an exasperated look that the younger man does not return. “To that bar we always go to in Forest Falls.”
“Peaks?”
“Yeah,” Mills draws out the word as if I’m being intentionally obtuse. “That is where we always go.”
“I don’t know that going somewhere twice makes it a place you ‘always go’.”
He flips me off but doesn’t deny it. “We’re going after the game tonight. Are you coming with us, or do you plan to continue being a Debbie Downer?”
“I am not a downer, and of course I’m going.” There’s zero chance I’m allowing the guys to go to Peaks on their own. “Did anyone invite Elliot?”
“That’s a great idea,” Miller beams, and I know I’ve walked into whatever trap he was setting. “You should do it.”
“Why me?”
“I thought you guys were friends now?”
“I hate you,” I groan, sinking lower in my seat as Miller’s laughter bounces around the plane.
When we’re in the air, I connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi so I can text Elliot.
The guys are planning to go to a bar after the game tonight. You in?
ELLIOT
Sure.
I stare at the single-word response, unsure how to take it. It’s not “Sure!” as in “I’d love to!” or “Sure?” like he’s asking, “Are you sure you want me there?” It’s “Sure.” and I have no idea what that means.
Are you alright?
He doesn’t respond for so long that I consider sneaking into first class to ask him what’s going on face-to-face before my phone vibrates again.
ELLIOT
Colton is going out tonight.
A slow smile spreads across my face as I realize what’s happening.
Elliot Bennett, are you propositioning me?
ELLIOT
Not very well, if you’re asking for clarification.
Try again, Princess.
ELLIOT
Grady, would you like to spend the night fucking me into a shitty hotel mattress?
I thought you’d never ask.
Sitting through drinks at Peaks is pure torture. I’ve spent the entire time ignoring Callum while I daydream about what Elliot wants to try tonight. My eyes are glued to the spot where he’s standing on the opposite side of the bar, watching Miller and Steal face off on the punching bag machine.
“Another beer?”
Merrick’s question makes me jump. I hadn’t seen him come over with how intently I was staring at Elliot. “Yeah, please.”
He grunts in acknowledgement, making Callum laugh at my side. His brother hasn’t ever been much of a talker, especially around people he doesn’t know, but this is a new level of non-verbal communication. I never understood why Merrick wanted to own a bar when he doesn’t like talking to strangers, but somehow, he’s made it work.
My gaze follows Merrick as he walks toward the taps, but my attention catches on a small blonde woman standing behind the bar. She’s talking animatedly with several people while pouring a line of shots, and I can’t help but think there’s something familiar about her.
“Doyle,” Merrick answers my unasked question as he pushes a fresh pint in my direction.
“Stavro’s kid?”
“The very one.”
“She’s old enough to work in a bar?”
“Barely.” His eyes have a curious look as his gaze shifts between my face and Callum’s. “You interested?”
I’m suddenly very aware of Elliot on the other side of the room. He’s watching me, but I don’t think he knows that I’ve noticed. “Nah, she’s too young,” I admit. Then, because I have zero self-preservation skills, I add, “Plus, I’m taken.”
The moment the words leave my mouth, I desperately want to take them back.
“Really?” Merrick’s eyes narrow, but there’s something in his eyes that I can’t put my finger on until Callum chuckles darkly at my side.
“You owe me a grand, fuckface.”
My gaze bounces between the two dark-haired men, now glaring at one another. “You fucking bet on me?”
“I bet against you,” Merrick corrects with a shrug. “Didn’t think you’d say it.”
“Don’t you have anything better to do than bet on my love life?”
“Not at present,” Callum admits with a broad smile, making a little grabby motion in Merrick’s direction, which is clearly an invitation for the older man to pay up. “But since we’re on the topic. Who is it?”
Not looking at Elliot takes every ounce of self-control I have left in my body. “You don’t know?”
“Theo said you were with someone but refusing to admit it.”
“Which is why I took the bet,” Merrick gives me a flat glare, and I try not to physically lean away from him. He might not be one of the cut people up for fun MacAlister’s, but he’s still dangerous.
“So?” Callum asks, raising a brow at me. “Tell us about them.”
Merrick mumbles something under his breath that sounds an awful lot like “couldn’t give a fuck” before turning his back on us.
“It’s no one.”
“It isn’t,” Callum corrects, settling into the stool at my side. The fact that he’s sitting down tells me there isn’t a chance in hell I’m getting out of this conversation, so I might as well give in and tell him what he wants to hear.
“I might be sleeping with a guy.”
Callum snorts, crossing both arms over his chest as he stares me down with unsettlingly cool blue eyes. “You might be?”
“I definitely am, but we’re not dating.” Elliot moves out of sight, and I think he might be heading toward the bathrooms. My vision fills with images of Elliot on his knees for me in the hotel bathroom, and I shift uncomfortably on my feet.
“Right,” Callum raises a knowing brow at me. “You’re not dating, you’re just taken.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I defend, but we both see through it. I did mean it like that. I want to mean it like that.
Callum gives me a deadpan look. “Sure.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Sure.”
“Stop saying that.”
“Sure.”
“I’m not going to tell you more just because you’re being a shit.”
“Sure.”
“Dammit,” I groan, glaring at him over the top of my beer. “Fine. There is a guy that I’m sleeping with, and I may or may not have feelings for him.”
Callum nods, taking another sip of his beer while he thinks that over. “Do you want to explore those feelings with him?”
“It isn’t that easy.”
“Why not?” Callum’s eyes move from my face to something behind me before his expression changes to a polite smile. “Hey, man. You wanna sit?”
“I’m good, thanks,” Elliot’s soft voice comes from behind me. “I just wanted a break from the punching.”
“That’s fair,” Callum chuckles, looking at everyone over his shoulder. When he turns back around, I try to convey with just my eyes that he needs to change the subject now that Elliot is here, but Callum either doesn’t see it or he’s intentionally ignoring me. “You have good timing. Grady was about to spill all the details?—”
“Of our PT sessions,” I quickly cut in, giving Elliot a broad smile. “He was curious how I’m healing so quickly.”
“Yeah,” Callum gives me an odd look as he draws out the word, but I just keep smiling too brightly. “What have you guys been doing?”
Elliot immediately switches into Trainer Mode, giving Callum a detailed breakdown of everything we’ve done. When he makes a sound I’ve never heard before, I turn my attention from the beer in my hand to Elliot’s face. I’d been avoiding glancing at him, certain that Callum would be able to see the feelings written on my face the moment I looked at Elliot, but I can’t avoid it now.
“It’s really been Grady’s efforts more than anything that has progressed his healing. He’s quite determined to get back to full health.”
“Well, that’s probably because of whoever he’s been fuck?—”
“You want another drink, Elliot?” I shout the question over Callum, desperate not to allow him to finish that sentence. I wave at Merrick, who saunters over with a shit-eating grin.
“Another,” I point to the beer I’ve nearly finished in the last two minutes and Elliot’s half-empty soda. “Please.”
Silence settles around us until Merrick brings the drinks back. The moment he passes the soda to Elliot, the younger man clears his throat uncomfortably. “I guess I’ll just,” he points to the other side of the bar where our friends are still gathered around the punching bag machine.
Callum gives me a strange look as I watch Elliot walk away. “I think you’ve gotten worse at being a friend.”
I narrow my eyes at him, suddenly convinced I’m going to murder Callum MacAlister with my bare hands. “Maybe if I had friends who could read the fucking room .”
“What?”
“What do you mean ‘what’ ? I was giving you all the fucking signals!”
“I didn’t see a single signal.”
“Well, I was giving them. All of them. The S.O.S. , the What are you doing , the Hey, Callum, that’s the guy I’m sleeping with, so maybe stop fucking talking .”
“Oh, shit,” Callum winces, turning to look at Elliot over his shoulder. “That’s my bad.”
“Yes, it fucking is.”
“Well, maybe if you fucking said something.”
“I didn’t think you’d be running your mouth in front of him!”
Callum huffs, rolling his eyes at my dramatic exclamation. “I wasn’t running anything. You should have told me it was Elliot. Also, what the fuck are you doing sleeping with your friends. Didn’t you learn that lesson in high school?”
“Sage and I were not friends,” I snort a laugh at the memory, but I have to agree with him. “I know it’s a bad idea, but he’s just...” I’m not sure how to finish that sentence, but Callum seems to get it.
“Yeah, man,” he clinks the edge of his beer against mine. “So, it’s Elliot. What now?”
“I have no fucking idea.”
“You gonna tell him?”
“Tell him what?”
Callum gives me a look that makes it clear we have officially moved into MacAlister Family Business territory. “Everything.”
I hate having these conversations in public because speaking in code leaves so much to the imagination, and I want to be very, very clear about this. “I didn’t think I was allowed to tell anyone everything .”
“You trust him?”
My answer is immediate and honest.“With my life.”
“Then you can tell him whatever you’re comfortable with,” Callum shrugs, taking a sip of his beer. I stare at him, unsure how to ask the next question. More time must pass than I realize while I’m thinking it over because Callum lets out a soft laugh. “What’s wrong?”
“He isn’t one of us.”
“You aren’t one of us ,” Callum reminds me with a pointed look. “Not any more. If you trust Elliot, then I do, too. Easy as that.”
“Easy as that?”
“Easy as that,” Callum repeats. “The MacAlisters are under new management. No more using loved ones against our own people to keep them loyal. I promise you that.”
I can’t believe the words I’m hearing, yet something about them rings familiar. It’s the same thing Theo was trying to tell me the other day: The MacAlister Brothers wouldn’t come after you.
“Then, I guess I need to talk to Elliot about some stuff.”
“Well, I advise you do it before tomorrow night, or Theo will take your options off the table.”
My heart drops at his words. “What does that mean?”
Callum chuckles, a truly evil smile spreading across his face. “You’ll see.”