His Sweet Revenge

Chapter 18.

I can't sleep tonight, so I slip on my shoes and head out the door. I iced my knee for two hours, and it feels like I numbed it entirely, but I'm still limping when I walk.

A light breeze welcomes me as I head down the driveway. That's when Grayson catches my eye, sitting in the back of Grandpa's old pickup truck that I don't even think starts anymore. I stop at the side of the car, and Grayson blows out smoke from his lips.

"I didn't know you smoke."

"Hey," he says, finally seeing me. He stares at the cigarette between his fingers. "Only when I really need to. Are you going somewhere?"

I shrug. "Not really, but I can't sleep."

He jumps out of the back of the truck and tosses the cigarette butt on the ground, crushing it with his shoe. Then he picks up the crushed butt and chucks far into the air.

"Nice," I smile.

"Sh," he smiles back. "It's my dirty little secret."

I start walking down the driveway again, and Grayson follows me. "Hale doesn't know?"

"God, no. I've received enough lectures from him in this lifetime. Smoking kills, Grayson. You're better than that," Grayson laughs, making a damn good impression of his uncle.

"He's just looking out for you."

We reach the end of the driveway, and I sit down on the curb. Grayson clears his throat and joins me, and when I look at his face, my heart feels heavy. His father made him watch. There is so much about him I don't know.

"James said something about your father earlier. Before you got to the house."

Grayson avoids my eyes, fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt. "What did he say?"

I feel nauseous just thinking about it. I can't even imagine how Grayson will feel when he hears it. "He said your father made you watch." I see an immediate reaction to those words as Grayson's face transforms. His jaw turns stiff, and his eyes change within seconds. Angry and hurt? I don't need an answer. I know it's the truth.

"I'm sorry." It's all I can give him.

The anger grows, but he still doesn't look me in the eyes. "Don't feel sorry for me." I've never heard his voice like this, ultimately fragile.

When I reach over and hug him, it catches him by surprise. At first, he remains completely stiff, and his hands stay where they are. But I pull myself closer and hold him tighter, and I begin to feel him melt. His arms wrap around my waist and draw me close, so close I can feel how fast his heart is beating as our chests are pressed against each other.

I don't know how long we stay like that. When Grayson pulls away, there are unshed tears in his eyes. Reluctantly, I let go of him, but I only want to hold onto him long enough that all his hurt goes away.

"So that's why James and Noah don't like you? Because of what your father did to you?"

Grayson wipes at his eyes and shakes his head. "I don't want to talk about James and Noah right now."

"The wedding is coming up quickly," I say after a brief moment of silence, shifting the topic. "I was thinking about inviting Kade since I don't think Liam will be coming anymore."

Grayson smiles slightly. "I think he'd like that. Just to show off his moves on the dance floor."

I laugh at that, an image of Kade breaking it down on the dance floor floating into my imagination. "He totally would."

"How does your mom feel about getting married?" Grayson asks, staring into the night sky.

I think about that for a moment. "She seems happy, but I think she has the right to hesitate."