Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
After being trapped inside the house for four days, I was officially losing my mind. I’d never done well with feeling stuck, especially now that it meant sharing a space with my husband. The husband I watched touch himself the other day, demanding he say my name as he came.
I waited until I heard Gray exit his room and head down to the basement before I made my move. I grabbed Elsa’s leash and shushed her as she excitedly yapped, all too happy to frolic out in the snow for a little.
As soon as the winter air nipped at my exposed skin, it felt like I could finally breathe. I wanted nothing more than to take the truck and drive into town. This would be the perfect moment to confide in Calla; I needed someone to set me straight. But then again, she was the biggest hopeless romantic; she’d be convinced Gray and I were meant to be. Scratch that plan. Calla was the last person I should talk to right now.
I walked down the driveway with Elsa, and any dreams of leaving came crashing to a halt. The plows had apparently come through, but they’d piled the snow up in front of our only exit. Perfect. Gray only had a couple of shovels in the garage, and it would take me hours to dig out all this snow. I was trapped for at least another day or two.
“Shit,” I whispered as Elsa tugged my arm, wanting to go further on our walk. “Yeah, yeah. I’m coming, girl. Just trying to figure out why the universe hates me so much.”
I couldn’t lie— watching Gray stroke his dick with my name on his lips was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. It took everything in me to stay on my side of the shower wall, wanting nothing more than to see what those strong hands could do to me.
I meant what I said— the man was a masterpiece, the kind artists would sculpt to immortalize. Tight muscles covered his frame, all with deep cuts and grooves. It was the kind of fit that showed Gray knew how to move his body, fluid enough to play the sport he loved but strong enough to toss me over his shoulder and have his way with me. Once I got past his muscles, I noticed the tattoos covering his arms and chest. Those were all new. The last time I saw him shirtless, he’d barely had his half-sleeves, outlines of a forest covering his wrists and forearms. And while I couldn’t make out the designs through the steam and condensation, I wanted to know every single one.
And his cock… I swallowed at the thought. It was thick and long and looked like it would be so heavy in my hands, the kind that would leave the most incredible ache after a night together.
“No,” I snapped, hitting my forehead with my hand. This had to stop. I was supposed to be in town to find out more about David, to figure out why he had documents with my town’s name on them. But being in proximity to Gray was making me forget my mission.
At least Gray had been true to his words and given me plenty of space. Even though we were inhabiting the same small cabin, our paths barely crossed. Gray spent most of the last two days in his room or in the basement, which I hadn’t bothered to check out before he arrived. From the sounds of clunking weights and other machinery, I assumed there was a gym and maybe some kind of shop down there. Curiosity almost won out this morning, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, too mixed up about my feelings for Gray.
All he wanted was a chance.
And that scared the hell out of me.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted. Despite how much he hurt me in the past, I still liked being around Gray. He made me feel like a better version of myself—like my faults weren’t flaws, but something to admire.
As Elsa tugged me back toward the house, apparently done being cold and wet, I tucked my lip between my teeth. I mean, we were technically married. Would it be the worst thing to give in to this heat between us?
Yes, Devyn. Yes , it would. Remember the last time you started thinking this way, and Gray abruptly changed his mind, leaving you reeling for years?
And now, it would be so much worse if things soured between us. Would I have to leave town? Definitely . And then there were our friends to think about. Gray was an integral part of our social circle, arguably bigger than me. He was their friend, whereas I was just Calla’s sister, tolerated for her sake. It would be a simple decision on who to kick out of the group and who should stay.
And if those reasons weren’t terrifying enough, letting Gray in would mean I’d have to tell him about my investigation into David, something I promised a long time ago I wouldn’t do. Would he even hear me out? Would he understand my need for vengeance against the man who’d tried to take everything from my family? I had changed a lot in our years apart, no longer the naive girl he once called his best friend.
He wants to know this version of you.
“Ugh,” I groaned as I crossed into the front hallway. I kicked off my boots and placed my coat on the hook. Why did this have to be so difficult? Once upon a time, I trusted Gray with my life, but our history had twisted into this brittle, painful thing. I pushed out a breath. Maybe that was where we needed to start—as friends, see if the bond we’d had as kids was still strong.
Before I could think too much about it, I went to the basement door. Pulling it open, I descended the stairs, following a blaring alternative song to find Gray. I took a steadying breath before I walked down the hall, turning into the room I assumed was a gym. But when I opened the door, I wasn’t prepared for what was in front of me.
The room was on the smaller side, and several workout machines filled the space. There was a treadmill, a full row of weights, and several benches. Other than that, the room was sparsely decorated, a muted, pale gray on the walls. The only thing that broke up the color was a row of long mirrors fixed to face the machines. Across the room, floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the valley below. The gym must have been right below the living room, because the view was the same. With the deck hanging over the windows, it felt like we were part of the mountain itself.
While that view was gorgeous, the one on the other side of the room really took my breath away.
Gray’s head was down as he twisted, pulling a cable with his arms. His muscles strained with each tug, and it made my eyes trace every inch of him. Every shirtless inch. Even though I saw him naked yesterday, the glass obscured my view. Now, without any barriers, I could study him, from the way his muscles contorted to the colorful ink that covered most of his upper half.
To my surprise, most of his tattoos were landscapes, images of swirling trees and colors melded into a beautiful scene. It took me a moment to recognize them, but eventually, they all made sense. Holy shit. They were all my designs—my sketches brought to life. Every image marked on Gray’s skin I’d drawn when we were younger, memorializing our hometown in the pages of my sketchbook. The trees surrounding Gray’s childhood home covered both of his forearms, the dock where we’d spent most of our summers lounging covering his bicep. My heart tensed as I found our cove, our secret spot, over his ribs. He had inked our story on his skin.
I was concentrating on the designs when Gray's eyes met mine in the mirror. He furrowed his brow as he turned around. “Devyn?” He put the cable down and turned around to face me. “You okay?”
No. I wasn’t . Not when my eyes fell to the left side of his chest, the same place he’d placed my hand yesterday. Because on the spot, just above his heart, was an Ace of Spades symbol, with our word, Always , written in script around it. And inked in the corner? Our wedding date.
Without thinking, I stepped forward, tracing the lines with my finger. “Is this…” I asked, unable to finish the thought.
Gray nodded, never taking his eyes off me. “I got it right after we left Vegas. Wanted something to remember the night, even if it’s a blur.”
“It’s over your heart,” I said.
“Where else would it be?” Gray’s brow furrowed. “No matter what happened between us, it’s yours, Devyn. It’s always been yours.”
My heart pounded at his words, not sure I believed what I was hearing. But the evidence was right in front of me, inked onto Gray’s chest. It was a permanent reminder of what we’d lost, what he had walked away from. The blood roared in my ears, making me feel like I was being dragged down into the depths of the ocean. None of it made sense, not after he’d let me walk away once.
Despite my confusion, I couldn’t help running my finger over the date. “I thought our marriage was a mistake. You said we were a mistake.”
He placed his hand on top of mine, sealing it against his skin. Gray’s eyes blazed with intensity as he spoke, “Marrying you drunk and in Vegas? That might have been a mistake. But you, Devyn? You have never been one.”