AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Grim slams his card down on the counter. Val doesn’t look surprised so much as amused. I cross my arms and stare at him.
“I want to buy your ring,” I say, knowing damn well he can read my lips.
He shakes his head, and Val takes his card to process the sale.
“They should be ready in a week.” She hands him a receipt, and thanks us for our business.
Not wanting to cause a scene in front of a stranger, I storm out of the jewelry store with Grim hot on my heels. I whip around to face him, and he doesn’t have time to stop. He rams into me, but instead of me falling to the ground, I’m scooped into his strong arms. His chest heaves, and his eyes are full of concern.
“You okay?” he signs after setting me on my feet.
“Yeah, thanks for catching me.” I sigh. “Grim, thank you for buying me a ring. It’s gorgeous, but I want to buy your ring. I need to… You saved me. Not once, but twice, and it’ll make me feel better to do something nice to repay you somehow.”
“First, you don’t owe me shit. And second, what’s mine is yours.” His face softens. “We’re married now.”
“I get that, but you have to let me be an equal member of this marriage,” I explain.
His back straightens, and he nods, understanding in his gaze. I won’t be dictated to ever again. It’s equal partners or nothing at all.
“You can buy lunch,” he suggests.
Me and my big mouth.
“I don’t have my purse.” I fidget with my hands, and instead of signing, I speak. “Everything I own is at my apartment.”
“We’ll go get lunch and then go to your stuff.”
While I’m excited about getting my things, I’m freaking out on the inside. Not wanting Grim to go back on his word because of my fears, I smile and hug him. He doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around me before helping me back into the truck.
He walks around the front of the vehicle but pauses to pull out his cell and type a quick message, and then he hurries to get in the cab.
We have a fantastic lunch at a quant diner down the road from the club’s bar, Purgatory. When we arrived in town, Grim pointed out all the businesses they own and which club member runs each one.
With lunch complete, there’s one final stop: my apartment. As we get closer to our destination, goosebumps erupt down my arms. My stomach plummets, and all the food I consumed threatens to make a reappearance. Fortunately, it isn't long before we’re standing in front of my complex.
My legs buckle, but Grim’s strong arms catch me before I can crumble to the ground. He tucks me into his side and swivels his head back and forth, constantly watching for any threat. I breathe in his scent, leather and musk, and it grounds me. With Grim at my side, I know I can face anything.
Once we reach the door, it dawns on me that I don't have my keys. I go to stop Grim and tell him we have to go to the apartment manager to let us in, but he pulls out a lockset. My brows arch in question, and he shrugs.
He fiddles with the lock for a few seconds before the door swings open, and he ushers me through.
What the heck?
For a brief second, I wonder if we’re in the wrong apartment, until I see my couch. The broken coffee table is nowhere to be seen. The blood and glass are gone. I was sure there'd be a mess.
My brain registers the scene in front of me. “What… how?”
Brad. It’s the only explanation. He cleaned up to cover his tracks.
I spin to face Grim, the blood draining from my face. Shaking hard, I can’t steady my hands enough to sign. “We have to get out of here, now.”
Grim crushes me to his chest and rubs soothing circles on my back. The dam breaks, and the past few months of torment spill out. Hiccupping on a sob, I grip his shirt as I cry, staining it with my tears. At some point, we make it into my bedroom where he holds me in his lap on my bed. He gives me time to settle down and wipes my face with his thumbs.
Grim’s brows crease with worry, but his eyes burn with anger. Grim sets me on the edge of the mattress, and then he stalks to the window and opens the curtains. He motions for me to come and look outside. Slowly, I walk over to him and peer around his massive frame. Glancing at the street, I see Justin sitting on a motorcycle. Grim points the other direction, and there’s Rogue on his bike. Both of them are watching the apartment and wave when they see me. I give them a small wave back and step away.
“Never again,” Grim signs. “You’re family, and we always protect our family.”
Warmth overtakes me, and a sense of calm rolls over my entire body. I’m still uncertain about how Grim feels, but I lose a little piece of my heart to him. I’ve been trying to protect it from him, but somehow, he got past my defenses. I pull on his shirt, so he has no choice but to lower his head. I wrap my arms around his neck and place a quick kiss to his lips. He pulls me closer and licks the seam of my mouth.
