Chapter Fourteen
Vitus sat on the counter near the register and watched as Grace stocked the candy aisle. Tina scurried about doing the final tasks needed for closing. Every now and again he would catch Grace glancing over his way through out the day and knew she was thinking of their time in the back room.
He wasn’t embarrassed, and he didn’t regret it. If anything, he only regretted that it hadn’t happened sooner.
Vitus hadn’t intended for something like that to happen, but the sexual tension had been building between the two of them with them sleeping in the same bed every night, having her warm body snuggled next to his as they drifted off to sleep.
Whether it was the Vestal connection or more basic attraction, she’d finally made it clear to him that she wanted him, not some dream version of him, but the real flesh and blood man. There was no way he could pass up the opportunity.
Today had been a step in the right direction as far as Vitus was concerned. Grace had admitted her jealousy, and he had been able to show her that taking the next step with him wasn’t all that scary. They could be together if she’d just let go of a little control.
Grace looked over to where he sat, a blush spreading across her face. He struggled to hide the smile that came to his face as she did so. He liked what he did to her.
Tina came around the corner, and Grace turned away quickly, her back once again toward him.
The teen moved a mop back and forth over the dirty floor. Vitus wrinkled his nose as a scent struck his nose. One thing was for certain, Tina had used entirely too much of the pine cleaning solution. The artificial smell choked the air.
“Just about done,” the teen called over to Grace. A few more swipes over the floor by the door, and she was finished.
Grace stood near the front door but stopped when Vitus also stood. If Tina was almost done, that meant she was almost ready to leave.
“Is your mom here to pick you up?” Grace asked.
The girl nodded toward two beams of lights outside from a car.
“Yup,” she said.
Grace smiled at the teen. “Thanks for your hard work today.”
Tina nodded, a small smile on her face. He liked that Grace never seem to think any job was too small and was always grateful to her staff. Even if she didn’t have a powerful presence, she was a good leader in her own way.
“See you Tuesday?” Tina asked.
Grace nodded. “We’re closed tomorrow.”
Vitus followed Tina over to the door. “I’ll lock the doors after you.”
Tina started to open the door but stopped after a moment and turned around. “You know, I’m glad you’re happy,” she said simply.
Vitus turned to look at Grace who seemed stunned by the teen’s words. “I… um… thanks?”
Tina nodded and raced out into the cold night air.
Vitus clicked the lock into place. He waited a moment, turned his back to the front door, and removed the contacts from his eyes. Now was the time for him to be on full alert, and he liked to have all his senses for that. Thrax was still out there, after all.
He was surprised when he turned to find Grace still staring out at the headlights.
“I wonder why she’d say that,” she mumbled more to herself than anyone.
Vitus walked to her side. “Because she cares, and she wants you to be happy.”
Grace frowned and looked up at him. “I was fine before…” She waved a hand in front of her.
Vitus raised a brow. “Me?”
She stared at him for a moment before huffing loudly. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, her words cut him to the bone. He’d thought they were making headway, but maybe it hadn’t been that at all. Maybe he had been lying to himself this whole time, or just letting his dick convince his head and heart that she cared as much as he did.
This wasn’t what he wanted, being made to feel like he’d tricked some woman into being with him. Vestal or not, she needed to choose him, or it’d be pointless.
“You know what I mean,” Grace said. She moved over to light switches and flicked them off.
Vitus stared at her through the darkness. “I don’t think I do,” he said quietly, trying to keep any pain or anger out of his voice. “Why don’t you tell me what you mean?”
Grace wrung her hands. He frowned. It was a nervous habit he hadn’t seen her do much that past week. That didn’t speak well for her thought process.
“Look,” she said softly. “You have to understand. I had a routine. A plan for each day and way of doing things. It’s what my parents did, and it’s what I did… I do. It’s how I’ve lived my entire life.” She sighed. “My parents worked so hard for me to have this place and not honoring their wishes just feels like I’m spitting on their graves. So I can’t just ignore things and pretend changes aren’t a big deal.”
Vitus stepped toward her. “And what about what you want? Where does all that fit in?”
Grace shook her head. “I was fine living like I was before. It’s just the way things have to be.”
Vitus cleared his throat. It was suddenly far too dry. “And that life doesn’t have any room for someone like me?”
Grace looked away from where he stood, and it hurt worse than anything she could have said.
Vitus turned back to the door and opened it. “I think it’s time to go,” he said after a moment.
Her feet shuffled behind him and without looking, he opened the door and stepped into the cold night air.
After they both stepped outside, he waited a few feet away for her to lock the building. Her words still stung him in a way he never thought possible.
When Grace moved behind him again, Vitus started the slow walk over to her house. It was the routine they had established just after the attack.
Grace said nothing behind him. He supposed there was nothing else to say. They were strangers really. A few kisses and nights spent together didn’t change that in her mind. No matter how much he might want it to.
He resisted a grunt. So much for the Vestal-hybrid connection. It didn’t seem to mean anything when it counted. At least to her.
For the first time, Vitus understood what it meant when people talked about their heart breaking. He felt certain that if he were to listen to his heart at that moment, he would hear the sound of it cracking in two.
Grace had been all he wanted for so long now, and now he wasn’t certain where to go with this. She was his Vestal. It wasn’t like there was another woman he could even connect with.
Maybe distance was the only way though. The more distance he put between them, the better it would be for them both. He’d just have to deal with Thrax first and then worry about how to heal his heart.
They arrived at her house and stepped up on the porch. He waited for her to unlock the door. As she entered inside, Grace turned to look at him for the first time since leaving the store.
“You’re not coming in?” she asked softly.
“Maybe it’s best this way,” he said quietly. “Maybe it was always meant to be you inside your house and me standing guard.” He looked down at her as she stepped back onto the porch.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be,” Grace whispered.
“You’ve already seen it.” Vitus shook his head. “My world is fucked up,” he said with a quiet laugh, and turned to look off into the distance. “I’m not sure it’s ever going to not be. You deserve better than that. You deserve the safe routine.”
A soft hand landed against his face, and he turned to find Grace now standing in front of him.
“Maybe both our worlds are fucked up. Maybe what we know isn’t what we should be living,” she said quietly. “I’m not going to lie. You scare me.”
Vitus tried to turn his head again, not able to listen to how his beastly side made her really feel. He stopped when her other hand found his opposite cheek.
“Not who you are but what you make me feel,” she said, and smiled at him. “But maybe it’s time I stopped letting my parents dictate my future. You’re right. I am my own person, and I deserve to live my own life.” She stood on her toes and placed a soft kiss against his lips. “I would rather spend everyday not knowing what’s next than spend one second without you next to me.”
Vitus stared down at the small woman before taking her into his arms.