There was more to life than my work. I was just cautious who I gave my time to. I spent it on Cass, Charlie, Sal.
And Gray.
I gave a lot of my time to Gray these days.
Matt had rarely been a priority. Even when I was with him, I was focusing on other things.
“I’ve worked hard. I want to keep working hard,” I argued, banishing thoughts of Gray.
“Sometimes people don’t want to sit on the side-lines and cheer you on all the time.”
The words stung and robbed me of the power of speech. He reminded me too much of Ethan. Ethan had the tendency to make it about himself. He couldn’t be happy for me. Not truly.
When Matt pulled up outside the house, I went to open the car door, but he caught my wrist, a little harder than I was used to.
“Let go,” I told him.
“Scott, listen. I don’t want to fight with you. I haven’t seen you all week.”
I turned to face him, biting my cheeks to stop the tears that burnt in my eyes.
“It’s a stupid argument,” he told me, softening. “I’m sorry I brought it up, but like I said, I just want to spend time with my beautiful girlfriend.”
That was all I ever was to him. Beautiful. I wondered if I gave Matt five words to describe me, what they would be? I’d bet the house that they would all have something to do with my physical appearance.
He cupped my face and leaned in to kiss me, but I pulled away, opening the door.
“I said I was sorry, Quentin.” The frustration laced his words again, making him sound like a child. “What more do you want?”
I opened the back door of the car and pulled my case out. “If you have to ask, then what’s the point? Thanks for the lift.”
Slamming the door closed, I stormed up to the house. Unlocking the door, I threw it shut behind me and let my case drop. When I looked around, my anger blossomed from vague irritation into something more tangible.
The floor of the hallway was completely covered in a carpet of yellow tulips.
“For fuck’s sake,” I hissed.
My words echoed in a deeper tone. “For fuck’s sake!”
“Gray?”
“Scott?”
Moving out of the hallway, I found Grayson on the couch, also surrounded by tulips. When I looked at him, I saw he was bleeding.
“What the hell happened to you?” I asked, panic flooding my chest and making my heart skitter uncomfortably. “Let me go grab the first aid kit.”
Gray laughed, and I remembered he wasn’t mortal.
“Felt the brunt of Hunter’s wrath,” he answered. “I got off lightly. Erik not so much. It’ll heal. It just takes a little longer since it was inflicted by another God.”
I nodded and moved over to him. Hunter got him good. Worse than when they’d first arrived.
“I’m surprised that he did that to you and Erik. He seemed so —”
“Saintly?” Gray looked up at me with a raised eyebrow.
“He’s meant to be a protector.”
