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Beast clutches his chest. “Fuck, babe, you’re killing me,” he jokes before grasping the back of her neck and kissing her deeply. By the time he pulls back, Grim’s face is flushed and I’m looking anywhere in the room so long as it’s not at them.
“You’ve haven’t got long before you’re on stage, Pen” Beast reminds me. “Make this quick.”
“Shit!” Grim exclaims the second the door closes behind him. She stubbs out her half-smoked cigarette in an ashtray on her desk and starts muttering under her breath. I’ve never seen her like this. Whatever’s troubling her, it must be big.
“Grim, what’s the matter?” I ask tentatively, my eyes following her as she starts pacing back and forth in front of me. “Is it Lena? Something to do with Santiago? Have The Masks finally made a move?”
“No. Fuck, no. Nothing like that.”
“What then? What’s the matter?” When she starts wringing her hands, I begin to panic. “Seriously, Grim, you’re starting to freak me out.”
“I’m such a fucking idiot. I should just get rid—”
“Get rid? Of whom, the ghosts?”
“Fuck. This is such a bad fucking idea. I don’t know why I’m even entertaining it.”
“What’s a bad idea? Is there something wrong with the plan? Are the Breakers in trouble?”
“I mean it’s not as if I’m going to be any good at it anyway…” she continues, rambling now.
“Good at what?”
“Fuck, I’ve had to build a fucking fortress around Christy and she’s not even my child. What business do I have even entertaining this...? I’m normally so careful.”
“Entertaining what… Wait, who’s Christy? What are you talking about?”
She stops pacing and turns to face me, pinning me with her stare. Since meeting Grim I’ve not once seen fear in her eyes. Right now, I do. “She’s my little sister, Pen.”
“Youhave a younger sister?”
“Half-sister, my dad was basically a man-whore. God knows how many brothers and sisters I have out there. Ford and Christy are the only two that I know of.”
“Does Ford know about her?”
“No, and it’s going to stay that way. I’m trusting you with this. You can’t tell anyone, not even the Breakers.”
“Grim…” I begin, not wanting to keep any more secrets from them.
“I know what I’m asking of you, but please Pen. I need your word. No one must know about her.”
“Shit, okay. I won’t say anything. Promise.”
“I only found out about Christy when my father died. He included her in his will. I was nineteen when I took over Tales, she was twelve. She was his best kept secret, and now she’s mine.”
“Wow, that must’ve been a shock.”
“It was a bit…” Her voice trails off as she chews on her lip. “She’s a good kid. Well, not much of a kid anymore. You’re around the same age. You remind me of her, actually.”
“Yeah, how so?”
“She’s a dancer like you, ballet. She’s pretty fucking good.”
“That’s great.”
Grim nods, heaving out a sigh. “Beast is the only other person who knows of her existence, aside from you now.”
“So, this is about Christy? Has something happened to her?”
“No, she’s well hidden, but she’s just an example ofwhyI shouldn’t even be considering this. Fuck, how could I be so stupid, Pen?”
“Grim, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s up.”
Sitting down heavily in her seat, Grim blows out a shaky breath then lifts her chin and straightens her spine. “I’m pregnant.”
“You’repregnant?” My eyes drop to Grim’s hand that, consciously or not, is pressed protectively over her stomach.
“Yes,” she nods, reaching for her packet of cigarettes, then thinks better of it and screws up the packet, dropping them in the bin. Grim’s eyes turn glassy like she’s about to burst into tears. “See!” she shouts, “I’m not fit to be a mother! I’ve been poisoning my baby with cigarette smoke.”
Then the tears fall, and the woman who seems as tough as any man in the criminal underworld crumbles.
