9
Grace
I wake up to a loud bang and I’m up with my knife out before I can register where the threat is. My heart is pounding when Christian storms into my room like he owns the place. He freezes at the sight of me, knife out in a giant band tee and nothing else.
"Fuck! Don't do that!" I sigh setting down my knife.
"Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you." He mutters. I can tell he feels bad for scaring me but like, what the hell?
"All good. What's up?" I ask trying to calm down my heart rate.
"I wanted to know what you were doing for lunch?" He asks gently. That's what he barges into my room at seven in the morning for?!
"I'm going to be at school." I state heading to my dresser and grabbing my uniform, still groggy even with a pounding heart.
I take a deep breath and focus on getting dressed. I'm thankful I had a shower before bed last night. Now I can just throw my shit on, load up and go. I wear leggings under my skirt today so I can ride my bike. I should offer Kennedy a ride.
Me: hey babe. I got my bike last night want a ride to school?
Kennedy: a motorcycle? yes!
Me: wear pants .
Kennedy: I'm so excited!
I chuckle as I leave the bathroom. Christian is standing there looking at my room with a sad and confused look on his face.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Just... why is your bedding on the floor?" He asks. Oh, thank God. I was afraid he'd seen a knife hidden somewhere. Not that he didn't see the one I woke up with but one knife is easier to explain than the twenty-something I have all over the room.
"I'm not used to sleeping on a bed yet." I shrug.
"What do you mean?" He looks sad.
"Well, I've never really had one and this one feels like it's swallowing me. I'm working up to being a normal person." I admit.
"Like never?" He asks horrified.
"I mean, I'd like to believe my parents were at least decent enough to give me a crib when I was a baby but there is no evidence to support that theory," I confess.
"I know your parents weren't great but I didn't know it had been that bad." He mutters.
"Sweetie, that's not even the worst of it." I chuckle brushing my hair out. I throw it into a loose braid so my hair doesn't go crazy on the bike.
"Oh, that's shitty. I'm sorry." He looks a bit pale.
"That's life." I shrug grabbing my bag and jacket. "You coming?" I ask heading down to breakfast. Ruby is dancing again in the kitchen it's Journey this time. She grins when she sees me and spins me to the table with a laugh. I eat my bacon and scrambled eggs trying not to eat too much again.
"You don't eat much," Christian observes and receives a smack upside the head from Ruby .
"You leave her alone. She's being smart you stay out of it." She scolds making me smile. I love her.
"It's okay, Ruby, but thank you. I'm used to not eating at all or in very small amounts.
So it's another thing I have to ease into.
" I explain. His lips are set in a thin hard line.
"It's okay, I just have to take it easy so I don't make myself sick, that's all," I reassure him.
He nods but I don't think he's happy about it.
Ruby turns on the news while we eat and I see there were a bunch of deaths last night. Including one Paolo Roberts as well as about fourteen others. Shame. They think it's gang-related. I barely contain my snort at that.
Andras comes rushing into the kitchen grabbing a coffee to go and an apple shouting a good morning over his shoulder as he runs out of the kitchen. Oh right, he's a defence attorney. He'll be busy today.
"I'll be helping him out today once you get to school," Christian assures me. I nod appreciatively.
"Well, I better go too. I gotta pick up Kennedy today." I smile. "Thank you, Ruby. It was delicious as always." I say trying to sneak over to wash my plate but getting swatted again.
"You win this time, but it's not over!" I call out with a maniacal laugh. Christian keeps close behind me. Too close. I can't stand it. I turn around to face him causing him to almost crash into me.
"What is going on?" I ask.
"I... um... I just need to make sure you get to school okay." He stammers looking nervous.
"So you're going to ride my ass all the way there?" I ask.
"Wha... no, I just..." he stutters turning pink. God, he's cute. No! Bad Grace! He's a Bianchi. He's not cute enough to risk your life! Woman up!
"You need to calm down, okay?" I warn him. "I need room to breathe. "
"Sorry." He mutters as I turn and grab my helmet and head to my bike.
"That's yours?" He asks. Well, at least he backed up a bit.
"Yep. I got him out of storage last night." I smile.
"You look good on it." He says his ears turning a bit pink. Oh, he's so cute. If only he wasn't a Bianchi. Be strong!
"Thank you. He's my one true love." I smile.
"I'll see you later," I say kicking my bike to life and pulling out and off to Kennedy's house.
She's waiting for me on the side of the road bouncing on her toes in excitement.
I pass her my spare helmet and she squeals shoving it on and climbing behind me.
"Hold on!" I shout. She does and we set off. I hear her squealing and laughing all the way to school.
I park in her spot and we climb off with her giggling the whole time.
"Am I forgiven?" I ask.
"Oh, please! You weren't even in the dog house!" She laughs. "I get it. Besides everyone ditched not long after anyway."
"Everyone?" I ask. She nods. I had thought Alek would have stayed but I guess not. "Well, now I feel really bad. I owe you a girls' night then."
"That is a wonderful idea. What about Saturday? There's a party at some guy's place." She suggests.
"Sounds good." I grin.
"Yay! We're going to have so much fun!" She giggles as I let my braid down.
"Got yourself a butch girlfriend huh, Kennedy?" A sneering voice asks. I take a deep breath and turn to see the slime ball from the diner. His eyes go wide at the sight of me. "Sorry. I'm being stupid. I'll leave." Good boy.
"What the hell?" Kennedy asks. I shrug.
"We've met before." I chuckle .
"Oh, what did he do?"
"Offered to be my sugar daddy along with some very graphic suggestions of what he'd like to do to me. It didn't end well." I explain. She lets out a very ladylike snort.
"I bet! The balls on some of these guys..." she shakes her head. I can't argue with that.
We store my helmet in my locker and grab my books. We do the same for Kennedy and head to class and try not to cause too much ruckus.
The cafeteria is all abuzz with something. I don't really pay attention as long as it's not about me.
"Looks like the bitch is out with her girlfriend again today." Addison snipes from behind us.
"Dibs being the girlfriend." I laugh.
"What? Why?" Kennedy pouts.
"Well, I mean you did ride bitch this morning." I giggle.
"Is that what it's called?!"
"That's what the helmet says. Given, it was more for Ray than you but..." I shrug making her laugh harder. We continue ignoring Addison as she screeches for attention and sit down at a table.
"So, what's the plan tonight?" She asks.
"Grandparents."
"Oh, that's right." She remembers snapping her fingers. "Are you nervous?"
"A bit," I mutter.
"They'll love you." She assures me taking my hand. I smile but don't really feel it. I am a fucking nervous wreck today. Between The Heirs and meeting my family, I could reasonably have a stroke at seventeen and no one would blame me.
"Grace." I look up to see Liam. Oh fuck.
"Can I talk to you?" I nod and follow him out into the hall.
This is it. He knows and I have no idea what I'm going to do about it.
"So... I talked to your uncle yesterday.
He said that we could date." Um... that's not what I was expecting. What the hell, Andras? Did he say yes to a date for me? I don’t fucking think so. Rich people are so fucking weird.
"Andras said what?" I ask. I see the fear in his eyes at my tone.
"I... uh... I asked his permission. We have his blessing." He assures me digging him and Andras a grave.
"Well, you don't have mine!" I state and walk back to Kennedy. Her eyes go wide at the sight of me storming over.
"What did he do?" She sighs.
"Get this. He asked Andras for permission to date me and Andras said yes. I've been here three days!" I am pissed.
"Hold up. Like he asked for his blessing to ask?" She asks.
"No. I quote, I talked to your uncle yesterday. He said that we could date. Like it's already a done deal."
"Oh, dude, no." She says with disgust.
"Right? I told him he doesn't have my blessing and walked away."
"Good."
"So, you were talking about this party that we're going to..." I ask getting back on track.
"Yes! One of the guys has parties every so often. It will be fun! We can hang out all day and get ready together. It will be great!" She beams. I gotta admit. I am excited.
"My place or yours?"
"Let's do yours. I saw you have a pool."
"We have a pool? How did I miss that?" Making her laugh.
"It's okay. We'll find it together."
"Deal. I haven't been swimming in forever." I sigh.
Kei r
"Ace is a good woman. You need someone like her. Fearless."
I can still hear my dad telling me this as I watch the familiar woman walk away after torturing and killing two full-grown men. I stopped dead when I saw her. She lookedso different. Harder. All business.
And that outfit all decked out in blades. My brain is having a difficult time connecting beautiful, funny Grace and hardened hitwoman Ace as the same person. But I remember that tattoo. I thought Alek was having a laugh when he told me after gym class. It couldn’t be!
I could have killed him when he confronted her in the hallway in front of her locker. She didn't deserve that. Even if I do want to see her other tattoos. I thought he might have scared her off. I was ridiculously happy when she still showed up to the movies and treated us normally.
I watch her as she runs laps in gym with a new appreciation. She's not just a beautiful girl with knives. She's a goddamned warrior. She's everything.
I heard McConnell asked her out and she shot him down. Probably because she recognized us last night. I know all The Heads are pressuring their sons to woo Ace. I'm the only one who will though. All because I know the secret. I know that the lethal Ace is my sweet Grace.
I just have to be careful about how I broach the subject. I really don't want to die.