Grace POV
Going back to school seems weird after the last few days I had. The robbery at the rescue center, Dash and my parents. I look around, trying to find my friends as I enter the coffee shop, but they are not there. I walk to the counter, greeting the young girl serving another client. I look at the specials board considering drinking something different. I have been through so much these last few days that I think I could try something new.
“Hey Grace, didn’t see you there,” Jason says as he approaches me from behind the counter. “You’re the first one today,” he says, offering a genuine smile.
“Hey Jason, I guess I am a little early today,” I let out, focusing on the board again. Jason looks over his shoulder to see what I am staring at and then he smiles.
“Trying something new?” He asks and I nod, offering him a smile. Jason is the own
Grace POVI spent the entire day yesterday dodging Dash’s calls and attempts to contact me. I know I probably shouldn’t, but I just couldn’t talk to him. I was feeling hurt, and I didn’t want him to know I saw the photo. I messaged him saying Amber needed me and I would be with her all day. I know he didn’t believe me because he kept trying to call me and I wouldn’t answer.Whatever happened between him and that woman has nothing to do with me, but if he wants people to believe we are really engaged, maybe he shouldn’t be photographed with other women. I bet the press is having a field day with this and they are dragging my name through the mud.My parents tried calling me, and I didn’t answer. If I didn’t want to talk to Dash, I really didn’t want to talk to them. How would I explain him being with another woman? The way the photo was taken looked like
Dash POV“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Grace’s voice is louder than normal, questioning me as soon as I put her on the floor. Her eyes are wild, her hands on her hips as she stares at me as if I am the fucking enemy. I knew Tara was going to be a fucking problem for me, but I didn’t think she was going to interfere with Grace. “I’m kissing you,” I let out as I pull her to me and kiss her. Her hands quickly move from her hips to my chest as she fights me off. Grace pushes me away and because I am not a total jackass, I stop kissing her and groan in frustration. “No, you’re not kissing me,” she tells me and I take one step towards her and she shakes her head, raising her hand and stopping me as it slams against my chest. “Don’t you dare touch me,” she says. I stop where I am standing. My heart beats fast against my chest as I watch her eyes scan me. “I am not a merchandise Dash, I am someone that has a mind of her own, and I sure as hell don’t need a man to treat me like
Grace POVLiving with Dash wasn’t planned, none of this was planned. How he is treating me and how I am falling for him. I shake my head, trying to concentrate in class, but my brain won’t allow me. I am staring directly at my professor while my mind is going a thousand an hour. Everything Dash told me seems to have come out of a book, or one of those films that no one watches because the lead is a bad guy. I never thought my dad would get into debt the way he is now. He always seemed to have everything under control. He was always my hero and right now… he is the villain I am trying to get away from. When my classes are finally finished, I take a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I need to speak to Amber. She always knows how to get me in the right headspace. But first I need to go check on the dogs. I can’t remember how I got here. You know when you’re on autopilot and do things without noticing? That was me. I am standing in front of Dash’s apartment building. I look up and na
Grace POV“I can’t believe you are moving in with him,” Jamie says as she closes one of the cardboard boxes that is full of my kitchen things. Amber nods as I smile, folding some t-shirts as I put them inside another box. “I know I already asked this, but why didn’t you hire someone to do this?” Hannah asks as she places her hands on her hips, looking at me. “Because I have you,” I say and she shakes her head as Amber laughs with Jamie. “I don’t have a lot of things anyway,” I say, looking around the living room. It looks like a bomb exploded in here and everything is everywhere. I have boxes piled up everywhere. “Does your mom know you’re leaving?” Hannah asks, and I shake my head. This is the subject I have been avoiding, but my three friends are the mirrors I can’t avoid. They know everything about me, and they know how I avoid certain things. “When are you going to tell her?” Jamie asks as she grabs a pillow and shoves it into another box. I stay silent, but I know if I don’t
Grace POVAs soon as Dash’s car stops in front of my parent’s house, my hands start to shake and I am thinking about postponing this. I am not so sure right now. It’s like the drive took away all the courage I had gathered during the day. “It’s going to be okay,” Dash reassures me, but I honestly don’t think it will be. He is more positive than I am. Well, I have always been a very negative person. I have always seen the world through dark lenses. Nothing is as easy as it seems, and the universe decided to prove me right.I take a deep breath before I open the car door and step outside. I look at the townhouse and everything in me is telling me to run. To run for my life because nothing good will come out of this conversation. Walking up the steps and pressing the bell, I feel Dash right behind me. His hand pressed lightly against my lower back, encouraging me. “Don’t leave me alone with them,” I whisper without looking at him. Dash has been an amazing person who entered my life and
Dash POV“I swear I am going to fucking kill you,” I bark at Jagger on the phone while he laughs on the other side. My brother can be the toughest guy around, but when he laughs, he really does. He barely even cracks a smile since tragedy entered his life, but hearing him laugh brings a smile to my face even when he is trying to annoy the shit out of me.“Okay, I’ll stop, but listen to me, this is going to get messy, and Wyatt is not going to like it,” Jagger warns me. I know Wyatt is going to be so fucking fuming he will try to kill me, but it’s a risk I am willing to take.“You think I don’t know that?” I ask. Jagger is our enforcer, he takes care of people when we request it from him. It’s kind of ironic because during the day he is the good guy, trying to keep people out of prison, and at night he kills people not just for a living but for pleasure a
Dash POV“What do you got for me?” I ask as I enter Jagger’s office in the safe house. His eyes meet mine and he nods toward the chair. I sit down, feeling my blood boil. Jagger puts his pen down and spins on his chair facing me. “You’re not gonna like this,” he warns me, but I shrug and nod so he can tell me the information I need. “He doesn’t know anything. Whatever they have on Tara is new,” Jagger says and I stand up, kicking the desk, cursing under my breath. Jagger leans back in his chair, watching me. His eyes scan my every movement as if he is analyzing a fucking witness. “Are you sure?” I ask, and his eyebrows pinch in confusion. Of course, he is fucking sure. The guy has been rotting in our cells and he would talk immediately. He is a fucking kid. He doesn’t have the stomach for this life. Not yet anyway. “Are you doubting my abilities now?” Jagger questions me. I shake my head as I shove my hands into my pockets. The need to break something increasing inside my veins. Ja
Grace POV“I am not having this conversation with you anymore,” I say, turning around and entering the bathroom. I close the door, locking it and rushing to turn the shower on so it will muff Dash’s voice. Immediately, I put loud music on and block his words. Even his voice is starting to annoy me. How can he say things like that about dogs?Who the fuck doesn’t like dogs? They are a person’s best friend; they are loyal and if you want to know the meaning of true love, all you have to do is care for them. If you give them two seconds of your attention, they will love you forever. They are attention whores. I shake my head, trying to tame my anger while I strip my clothes off. Going to the damn party tonight is not happening now. Dash can find someone else to go with. I am not going to put on a fake smile and pretend to be having the time of my life when I don’t even want to look at him. The hot water does barely anything to push away my feelings about this subject. Am I being too mu