AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I pointed to Sawyer.
“Yup. He’ll do,” Laney agreed.
I laughed.
“A triple date it is,” Holly added.
“Which twisted brother are you getting?” I asked her.
“Whichever one will have me.”
We all burst out laughing. It felt so good to be laughing with my friends. I didn’t realize how much I needed that.
* * *
I pulled into the driveway around four-thirty, after hanging out in the school parking lot for a while before getting on the road. I punched in the code my mom had given me and pulled up the driveway. I parked to the side of the six-car garage where my mom had parked the car.
As soon as I stepped out, I heard a basketball bouncing off the pavement nearby. I grabbed my backpack and shut the car door. When I turned, I spotted all three Graysons playing basketball on the court at the far end of the driveway. I stilled, admiring the sight of them shirtless and laughing. The conversation with the girls at lunch sat heavy in my mind. I was living under the same roof as the hottest guys I’d ever actually seen in person. I was seventeen. I was single. I had eyes.
“Hey!” Sawyer called when he spotted me.
Inwardly, I cringed, hoping I hadn’t been caught gawking. I waved then headed toward the basement door.
“Where’re you going? Come here!” he called as he walked off the court toward me.
Dammit. I pulled in a breath and reluctantly headed toward him.
Saint and Seren hadn’t stopped shooting, but Sawyer chugged a stream of water from his water bottle as he met me halfway.
“I thought you played football,” I said.
He smirked. “Have you been stalking me?”
“Obviously. You’re a babe.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Football season’s over. Luckily, spring practices are starting next week.”
The basketball bounced off the rim and rolled toward us. I bent and picked it up, tossing it in the direction of the others. Seren nabbed it. His eyes locked on mine, and I wasn’t about to back down so I stared back at him. Our stare-down lasted longer than expected, but I wouldn’t be the one to break our eye contact first.
“Aw, fuck,” Saint said. “Big brother’s met his match.”
Seren’s eyes cut to Saint and only then did I look away, releasing the breath I’d been holding. Latching onto Seren’s cold gaze was hard. But he couldn’t think he could do what he wanted, and I’d cower and disappear.
Saint approached Sawyer and me. “Sawyer, introduce me to your friend.”
“I’m Grace,” I said, not needing Sawyer to talk for me.
“You’re the princess being held in the dungeon?” Saint asked, his eyes sweeping over me in an uncomfortable appraisal.
“Let’s go!” Seren demanded from the court. Saint looked to him. “Why are you wasting your time with her?”
Anger swelled in my chest. No one elicited the rage in me I felt whenever Seren spoke.
“Just bullshitting with the help,” Saint called before he turned and walked back over to him. “You know, you gotta keep them happy so they take good care of you.”
My stomach dropped as I glanced to Sawyer who’d yet to follow him. I could see he knew I’d been fooled by Saint’s fake kindness.
“See you later, princess,” Sawyer offered apologetically before returning to his brothers.
