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Savannah bursts into hysterical laughter. “Why am I just now hearing about this?!”
“Oh, you know. I kind of ended up in the hospital and that trumped everything else going on in my life.”
“Your nonchalant attitude is kind of weirding me out right now, Kels. How are you so calm about everything?”
“Because Joey is carrying enough anxiety for the both of us, so one of us needs to remain level-headed.”
Savannah grabs my arm as we approach a red light. “You know he’s only flipping out because he loves you, right?”
“I know — I just…” I sigh, shaking my head. “I’m not used to all of this. Grant never cared like Joey does. I got so used to being self-sufficient and independent that it’s hard for me to lean on him.”
Before my sister can reply, we pull into the parking lot of town hall. My stomach tightens as we exit the car — I’m not nervous, though. I’m pissed off as all hell.
Chapter 39
I force myself to bury any signs of vulnerability as we walk into the building. There is no way in hell I will allow this piece of shit to manipulate me again. He might be able to intimidate others with his power, but I’m not afraid of him.
When I enter the District Attorney’s office, I’m promptly greeted by the blonde bimbo Grant was out with the other night. She immediately recognizes me and her eyes go wide — whether it’s out of surprise or fear is yet to be determined.
“I’m here to see Grant.”
The bimbo’s expression turns from a wide-eyed glare to a disdainful scowl. “Do you have an appointment?”
“I don’t need one.” I shove past her and head in the direction of Grant’s office with Savannah right on my heels.
“Hey, you can’t —”
I throw up a middle finger without turning around to let her know I don’t give a flying fuck what she thinks I can and can’t do. When I reach Grant’s office, my fists are shaking as I reach for the doorknob — I’m running on pure rage and adrenaline. It’s time to put this asshole in his place, once and for all.
I open the door and find Grant casually sitting behind his desk with his feet rested on top of it. His hands are interlocked behind the back of his head as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Kelsey Bear, I’ve been expecting you.” His smile is bone-chilling as his eyes rake up and down my body.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Grant?” I shout and pound my fist against his desk.
“I don’t understand what you mean.” His brows furrow in confusion and he tilts his head inquisitively. But the devilish look in his eyes shows me that I’m playing right into the hand he wanted me to.
“You have two choices — you can either leave Joey and me alone of your own free will, or we can file a protective order against you.” My heart is racing a mile a minute at my newfound confrontational demeanor.
He sits upright and rests his still interlocked hands onto his desk as he peers at me. The five seconds of silence before he speaks feels like a lifetime. “That’s interesting, because I had two choices for you myself. You can either come back to me, or I can make your life a living hell.”
I hear a gasp come from Savannah next to me — I’d almost forgotten that she was here. I turn to face her, and the look in her eyes is telling me to fight back.
“Protective order it is.” I turn to walk out the door, but quickly turn back and face him again. “Why are you so hell bent on seeing me unhappy?”
“Why would you coming back to me make you unhappy? We were so good together, Kelsey Bear.” He speaks as if he actually believes the bullshit he’s spewing right now.
It takes every ounce of restraint I have not to lunge across his desk and strangle the life out of him. “Us being together was good for you, Grant — not for me. I’m finally happy for the first time in as long as I can remember. You’re free to go fuck whoever you want, without having to worry about me finding out about it. We both have a chance to be happy without each other — so take it!” I swear I can feel the walls rattling as I scream at him.
Savannah grabs onto my arm to pull me back. “Come on, Kels. He’s not worth it.”
“Let it go, Grant, or I will file that protective order.”
When Savannah and I exit the office, we’re greeted with a roomful of eyes peering in our direction. Some are shocked and some are sullied, but every pair of eyes is on us. Once upon a time, that would have made me want to run and hide. But today, I walk through the room with my head held high, despite the venom coursing through my veins and the sound of my heart beating in my ears. The only person I find myself making eye contact with is Grant’s secretary, and when I do, it’s filled with warning — do not fuck with me.
I’m sitting at the kitchen table, grading exams, when Joey walks in the door. I have been sitting here since I got home, trying to figure out the best way to tell him about what happened with Grant.
“Hey, beautiful.” Joey approaches me and leans in for a kiss. I can feel apprehension radiating off of him.
