Chapter 20

Grace

"Come with me today. See what I do, Grace. If you still want me after that, then we'll figure something out." Erik moved up behind me in the kitchen and wrapped his strong arms around my waist.

"No. I can't be a part of that." I cracked an egg into the skillet in front of me. "You know that already."

"Then this is goodbye?" He leaned down and kissed the side of my neck. "I can't run from this life. It'll find me and put a bullet in the back of my head."

I turned to face him, running my hands up his thick chest. "Would you be willing to run from it?"

His expression darkened a little. "I don't know honestly. My father's lost so much already."

"Your Mom and sister?" I wanted to dig, but I just stood there quietly in his arms, trying to offer support by not asking questions.

"Yeah." He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. "You said last night that you were scared of something your brother was involved in and Cole messing with you. I'll talk with Cole about laying off, but he's my father's latest lap dog from what I gather."

"What? He's a cop." I pulled away from him and turned back to making breakfast. "Why would he be helping your father?"

He chuckled and moved to sit on the counter next to me. "The mafia always has lap dogs in the police force, Grace. It's part of the deal. They keep us covered."

"That's fucked up." I shook my head, feeling so incredibly naive.

"Maybe." He reached over and ran his hand down the back of my hair. "And your brother?"

I hesitated, though I didn't know why. If Erik cared about me, then he would help me figure out what my brother got his ass into, but I really wanted to hear back from Jenna first.

"My brother?" I smirked. "He's just being a spaz lately. Did I really bring him up last night? I must have been drunk."

"You were pretty wasted, but it was nice." He jumped down and pressed himself against my back. "You let me in your ass. It was hot."

"What?" I turned and pushed him back. "I did not!"

"You did. It was super loose too. Did you take a big shit or were you lying about me being your first?"

I slapped him in the chest with the greasy spatula. "Liar. I'd feel it this morning."

He grabbed his cock. "Damn right you would. You'll be limping for weeks when we get to that point."

I turned and hid my smile from him. I didn't care how wishy-washy he was. I'd take every ounce of time I could get with him. I was interested in making sure that we would have one more encounter a million times.

Just one more night. One more touch. One more.

"You sure you have to go?" I called out.

His voice was muffled as if he were down the hall. "Yeah. I'll find you later, but make sure you watch out for Cole. He's reporting back to my father."

"And your Dad isn't okay with us being together?" I plated his eggs and turned to face him, extending the plate.

"No, and you cooking for me is a little much." He winked, grabbed his black leather jacket and walked toward the door. "I told you. He lost my mom and sister. He's not willing to let that happen to me." He opened the door and paused to look back at me. "Don't be here when I get back."

"Or?" I tilted my head to the side.

"Or no dick for you."

"For how long?" I dipped my fingers in the butter on my plate and licked it seductively. "Because you've turned me into a nymph. Someone has to service me. If not you, then who? Cole?"

"Grace." His tone darkened. "Don't play games with me. You'll end up with blood on your hands, and you won't like me anymore."

"I was teasing." I huffed.

"Well, don't, Kitten. Be gone when I get back and take care of yourself, hm?"

"So, this is it?" I set the plate down and walked toward him, loving the way he hovered in the doorway. He didn't want to go either.

"Yeah. This is it." He reached for me and pulled me tightly against him before leaning down and kissing me so hard it hurt. "I'll be watching from the sidelines."

"And beating up everyone I go out with from now on?" I smiled though tears burned my eyes.

"No. You're no longer mine, Grace. Just don't lean on Cole. That shit doesn't work at all. Find you a good man. A librarian." He kissed the tip of my nose again as a tear rolled down my face. "And if I can get away for a night... it'll be spent with you. I promise."

"There will come a day when I'm in love, and I won't accept you anymore. Not even for a night." I was pushing my luck, but he had to know it was the truth.

"And I’ll respect that when it happens." He pulled back, turning and walked out the door.

I closed it and walked back into the kitchen, grabbing my plate and sitting down at the table by the biggest window. The sun felt good on my skin, reminding me that things were over between us. I wasn't looking to settle down for a while, and being in his arms, even as his whore felt good enough to let it continue for as long as I could manage it. For as long as he would let me.

A peace settled over me that made very little sense, but I relaxed into it. Whatever happened with Erik and me was outside of my control. Where it should have left me tied in knots, it didn't.

I finished my breakfast and did the one thing I probably shouldn't have. I snooped around his place, opening drawers, checking in cabinets. The only thing out of place from a normal bachelor's pad was all of the weapons, but knowing what I did about him, those didn't surprise me too much.

The box of pictures under his bed stopped me in my tracks though. There must have been three thousand of them.

I settled on the floor beside the bed and looked at each one, smiling, laughing, crying for the next hour. There were so many of him and his sister, each of them showing just how close they were.

The pictures of him and Nate were my favorite. The smiles on their young faces, the innocence that he no longer had. I fell even further in love with him which wasn't good, but I couldn't help myself.

The boy with a playful grin and adventure in his eyes still existed. I saw him every time we had sex. I brushed my fingers over a picture of him with his sister and what looked to be his Mom and Dad.

Sadness filled my chest as I stood and took the picture with me. Erik's father looked so much like him it was uncanny. His handsome face covered with a dark five o'clock shadow, his lips full and sexy, his expression tight and hiding some dark secret.

And the picture was before he lost his wife and kids. I could only imagine what he looked like afterward.

I finished cleaning up and grabbed my phone to call an Uber as it rang. Thomas. Good, I could get him to come get me.

"Where are you?" I answered the phone.

"Grace. I'm pretty sure I'm next." He was crying. Hard. My brother never cried.

"What the hell are you talking about, Thomas? Where are you?" Panic raced through me. I didn't have a car, and of course, Erik took his and left his motorcycle at the house. There was no way for me to get to my brother.

"I'm at your apartment. I let myself in. I hope that's okay."

"Hey. Calm down. I'm in the country right now, but I'll get an Uber and be there in a few seconds."

"Alright. Hurry okay? I'm scared. I can't get a hold of Doug. He was at the frat house last night and shit, but-"

"Hey. It's okay. We'll figure it out. Just stay put. I'll be there soon." I glanced up to see a black Cadillac pull into the driveway. "Gotta go. Love you."

I dropped the call and wrapped my arms around my chest, praying like hell someone had gotten lost. I really wasn't that lucky though.

The back door to the car opened and a deep voice called out. "Grace. Get in. I'll give you a ride home, Kitten."

I walked to the door and leaned down, Erik's father sitting in the back, looking like the devil himself. "I'm good. Honestly."

"It wasn't a request." He patted the seat next to him, and I glanced back at the house.

He didn't want me with Erik. Maybe he'd set down an ultimatum, and Erik broke it.

Maybe this was my warning.

Or maybe it was my death.