Grayson’s fingers curled hard into his palm, blanching the knuckles. He took deep, uneven breaths through flared nostrils, jaw clenched. Story placed her hand on his shoulder. His entire body tensed, then relaxed. He turned toface her, the muscles in his back rolling with the movement.
They spoke low, too low to really hear anything. I did catchI will fucking end him before…
Then Story handed their child, Sonnet, to him. “It’s a nice day out.”
“I know what you’re doing,” he growled.
She smiled. “Is it working?”
He didn’t answer, but kissed her on her forehead. I rolled my eyes.
He glared at me, Sonnet in his arms. “If you think he’s living in our house, you’ve really lost your fucking mind.”
I shot him a smile. “That’s cool, I can go live with him.”
His jaw clenched so tight the muscle in his cheek popped.
“Grayson,” Story murmured, and Grayson left.
Then it was only Story and me.
She tilted her head.
“I can’t even begin to imagine what lecture the maid who ruined my brother’s marriage is going to give me.”
“No lecture.” She leaned against the wall, ignoring my obvious attempt to rile her up, stony eyes seeing too much. “You once told me he was both your villain and your hero.”
I reached for the cigarettes inside my nightstand, then stopped.
Don’t smoke, Rich Girl, you taste better.
The moment she spoke of came rushing back. It was right after our grandfather went to jail, when Grim had saved us and taken my brother’s contract. Story saw me talking to Grim. Story saweverythingwhen we were trapped at the compound. The memory fluttered like autumn leaves in my mind. Colorful. Fragile.
Someone once told me the villain and the princess have arelationship too, even if it’s unwanted. Is he your villain? Or your hero?
I rubbed my eye, head throbbing. “I don’t remember that.”
“I’ve also been talking to Abigail and apparently this has been going on since before she left here.”
“Cool, sounds like you know everything, so I don’t know why you’re even here, babe.”
It was a minute before Story spoke again. “I never thought your brother and I would end up together. He wasengaged.We were from two totally different worlds. Everything we wanted hurt others.”
I looked up, meeting her gaze.
“Grayson thinks Grim has something on you, that he’s forcing you into this,” she continued.
“You don’t?” I asked.
“I think I know what it’s like to want someone, even though it could ruin everything. I think maybe there’s a world you want to be in, but feel stuck in another. When you’re ready to talk about it, I’ll be here.”
Honestly, if any other person tried to have this conversation with me, I’d call bullshit. Story wasn’t like any other person in my world. She was, like…the kind of person you could tell a secret to and not have to wonder who was going to hear it next.
I stayed in my bed after she left.
It wasn’t until the sun fell again that I got out, took a shower, and threw on a different pair of clothes. My mother never came by, and I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about that, or worried.
I resisted the urge to rub my aching neck.
