Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
SAVVY
“I’m not staying cooped up in the house, Grey. I won’t give him that kind of control. Happiness has worked hard on the fair, and for whatever reason, they made me a big part of that. There’s not a chance in hell I’m going to skip it because Riley might do something.”
“It’s not a question of if, Monroe, it’s when. When he’ll do something. To you.” Grey’s frustration makes his tone harsh and demanding, but this isn’t a corporate office where he’s the dictator—it’s my life.
“I won’t hide from this fight anymore, Patch.” I square my shoulders, putting space between us. “I can’t do it. I don’t want to be the woman who hides from life anymore.”
“Is that what you think you’ve been doing?
” He tilts his head as though I’m an exotic zoo animal.
“Because that’s not what I see. I see a woman who picked herself up when tons of shit fell on her.
I see a woman who rebuilt herself bigger and stronger than before.
But we’re not dealing with a handsy bartender here.
We’re talking about a potential stalker, someone with nothing left to lose.
Someone who will attempt to hurt you—someone who already has. ”
“And you really think that he’ll get through the entire freaking town? Come on, Grey. You’re not thinking logically. The opening ceremony is tomorrow. I’ll be surrounded by hundreds of people. I’m going. End of story.”
“What if the Harringtons say it’s too dangerous?” He’s so damn stubborn.
“They’re on your payroll, so I’m sure they’ll say it’s too dangerous because that’s what you’ll tell them to say.”
God, I’m tired. We haven’t been in the house for more than five minutes, and he’s already pushing my buttons.
“If I tell them you’re in charge, that you make the final call, do you promise to do what they say?”
After Grey set me down at the kitchen island and made me avocado toast with a fried egg, he pulled his lucky coin from his pocket.
Over and over again, it weaves through his fingers while I think.
“I won’t interfere,” he says. “If you do everything they say, I won’t override your decisions.”
“Fine. I’ll listen to them, but missing the fair is out of the question.”
Horns blare, and before I can explain, Grey has a large kitchen knife in his hand, and he’s standing between me and the door.
“Put that away before you hurt someone. Jesus.”
He doesn’t move. “What the hell is going on?”
I drop the last half of my toast to the plate and stand. “That will be the homecoming court from the high school.”
Grey lowers his arm but doesn’t release the knife. “Come again?”
Leaning over him, I grab the knife and set it on the counter. “Come on, I’ll show you. No need for a knife, Sirius Black.”
He frowns at the reference. “I thought Sirius was a bad guy?”
My jaw drops open. “Did you not read the books? Sirius was Harry’s godfather. He protected him.”
Grey’s face breaks out into a beautiful smile.
“What now?” I groan. His carefree, happy smile makes me uneasy.
“At least you acknowledge that I’m trying to protect you.”
“You’re a mess. Let’s go. The kids will be looking for you,” I say.
He flinches, and it makes me laugh as I drag him through his home and open the front door.
Cars fill his long, somewhat disfigured driveway as last year’s homecoming king and queen walk up the steps arm in arm.
“What the hell is going on?”
“It’s a whole thing,” I say. “This is their last act as outgoing king and queen. They get to crown you before the sweetheart ceremony.”
“The entire town is in on this?”
“Yup.”
Cora and Mike stand in front of us, dressed ready for a prom.
“Doesn’t the town have any other form of entertainment?” Grey mutters under his breath.
“Just us,” I say with a smile. “Hi, Cora. Hi, Mike.”
“Hi, Miss Savvy. Mr. Greyson, are you ready and willing to take on the role of most eligible bachelor?” Mike asks.
“I am,” Grey says seriously.
“And do you promise to make the fair your top priority?” Cora smiles up at him. Girl, I get it.
“Ah, sure.”
“Do you promise to do whatever necessary to ensure that Miss Savvy feels like a queen this weekend?” Mike was captain of the lacrosse team last year. He’s a good kid with a good heart, but he eyes Grey as though he’s suspicious of him, and I smile.
This town has my back.
Grey grabs hold of my hand. “Always.”
“Do you promise to uphold the traditions and responsibilities that come with this title?” Cora might actually swoon at Grey’s feet soon.
“Of course.”
I can’t believe Grey is taking this all so seriously, especially when these kids are just trying to get this over with so they can get to the good part of their evening.
“Then by the power gifted to me by the royal court of Happiness, I now pronounce you Happiness’ most eligible bachelor.” Mike places the crown onto Grey’s head as all the kids in the driveway pop confetti poppers.
Silly string, paper string, anything that sparkles and shines flies into the air.
“It’s like a wedding.” Grey chuckles.
“You may kiss your sweetheart.” Cora claps her hands and bounces on her toes.
“Hey! That’s not part of the ceremony—”
Grey tugs me into his arms, cutting off my words. His lips collide with mine. The kiss is demanding and hard, just like the man himself. It’s a promise of all the things Grey agreed to.
The kids on his disaster of a front lawn all laugh and cheer with a few wolf whistles, reminding me that we have an audience.
“Is that the entire ceremony?” Grey asks. His lips ghosting over mine.
“That’s it.”
He turns to the kids, who are already antsy to get to their after-party. “Thanks, everyone. We’ll see you at the fair.” Then he scoops me up in his arms and carries me inside to even louder cheers. The entire town will know about this before morning.
Grey doesn’t set me down until we’ve reached his room and the attached bathroom.
“What are you doing?” I ask as he leans over the large tub and turns on the water.
He opens the cabinet beneath the sink and digs around for something. He doesn’t answer me until he stands with a bottle of expensive-looking bubble bath in his hands.
“You’re tired,” he whispers. “But he put his hands on you, Monroe. I want to throw you in the shower and scrub your skin raw to remove his filthy germs from your body, but I don’t want to hurt you. So instead, we’re going to get in this tub so I can clean you, and then I’ll put you to bed.”
“Greyson.”
“Please.” His voice is pitched low, and I realize he needs this. His hands tremble as he tips the bubble bath upside down and squeezes the light pink liquid into the stream of water. The scent of roses floods my nostrils. “Let me take care of you, at least for tonight.”
He doesn’t look at me, opting instead to watch the bubbles form in the water.
“I know you can handle yourself, sweetheart. Hell, if you can handle me, you can handle anything, but I can’t get the image of your bruised arms out of my mind.
I need to take care of you tonight. I need to feel your body and know that while he marred your skin, he didn’t break you. ”
I’m overcome with emotion. His raw honesty, the guilt he’s taking on as though it’s his cross to bear, is more than I know what to do with.
“Please, Savvy.”
“Okay.” It’s the only word I can form, and his shoulders relax with my acceptance.
I track his movements as his hands lift my T-shirt over my head, his fingers trailing along the outline of my bra before he removes that too. His eyes flash when he skims over the bruising on my right arm before reaching for the button of my skirt and slowly lowering it down my legs.
He falls to his knees and gently lifts one leg, then the other, and tosses the skirt to the side, but his thumb hovers over my tattoo.
The intimacy of the moment causes my knees to tremble. He sees it—he sees everything—and he holds me steady with both hands.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.
He leans forward and presses a whisper of a kiss over the tattoo. “Ace always knew what he was doing. He cared about you, Savvy. And I’ve finally gotten my head out of my ass to see why.”
“Are you upset? About your coin and my tattoo?” I whisper.
“No.” It spills from his lips like a wish. “The purpose of my coin is to ground me. He knew what he was doing grounding me to you.”
“He was a good man. I’m grateful I got to know him.”
Grey swallows hard. “Me too.” He lifts his gaze away from my tattoo and meets my eye. “Do you want to leave your panties on?” I’ve never heard him this gentle, this…shattered. I honestly didn’t know he had it in him.
“Leave them…on? In the bath?”
He’s staring intently at my face, studying my reaction, waiting for my consent.
“Yes, Sav. He abused you today. If you’re more comfortable leaving your panties on, I support that.”
“Riley overpowered me today, Grey, don’t get it twisted. He didn’t abuse me because I’m not a victim.” I slip my fingers into the tiny strings at my hips and push them down my thighs until they pool at my feet.
Grey doesn’t break eye contact as he stands.
When we’re chest to chest, he takes me by the hand and helps me into the hot water.
The scent of roses will forever be a direct link to this memory for me—the day he laid all his weapons at my feet and offered me his hand—a symbolic gesture of teamwork.
He doesn’t release my hand until I’m seated, then he shuts off the faucet and smiles.
“Relax.” He could work in a spa using this new tone of his. “I’ll be right back.”
The walls shrink in around me. “I—I thought you were getting in?” I curl my knees up and wrap my arms around them.
Why is he leaving? Why don’t I want to be alone?
I said I wasn’t a victim, and I’m not—not anymore. But sometimes vulnerability breeds fragility, and Greyson is the kryptonite to all my protective layers.
“I am, sweetheart. Just give me a moment to collect some things. Lie back and relax. I’ll be back in less than five minutes.”