Take Me with You (Take Me #2)(65)
Author: K.A. Linde

Grant stuffed both of his hands in his pockets and swished his feet around in the water.

“And what if everything you think you know about him is a lie? What if he’s really put all this effort into changing for the better, and you let the opportunity to get to know a changed man slip by? It’s been a long time since you’ve seen him. If you can change as much as you have in the past six months with me, it’s not inconceivable to think he’s changed in thirteen years.”

“Okay, I get it. I get it.”

He held his hand out, and I gently placed mine in his. He walked out of the water toward me. His mouth dropped down onto mine as if he were trying to make sure I was still real. It was hypnotizing and could easily sidetrack our conversation.

“So, what are you going to do?” I asked after breaking away from him.

His eyes left mine as he contemplated my question. “Kiss you.”

And he did.

It was full of love and fear and desire. The kiss said how much he appreciated me, and it said so much more than that. He wrapped our hands behind my back, crushing me against him. We could stand here all night, locked in this endless dance, but I knew he was stalling.

Finally, I breathlessly pulled away from him.

“Grant,” I murmured.

“I don’t know, Princess. I know I should say that I’ll talk to him, but I can’t say that right now. I held a gun and pointed it at his chest today, and it felt right, natural.” He rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. “I won’t know if I’ll be able to move past that unless I talk to him, but a part of me doesn’t want to see him as anything but a villain.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t fix this. I couldn’t put it back together. No matter how hard I tried, no amount of pushing or prodding would get Grant to change his mind. He needed to see it in himself that this was something good for him.

It wouldn’t happen tonight and probably not tomorrow or the day after either but maybe one day. And that was good enough for me right now.

The sound of footsteps trudging through the sand from the direction of the restaurant drew my attention. The light from the deck silhouetted the figure in the darkness, and I didn’t recognize who it was until she was practically on top of us.

“There you fuckers are!” Sydney said.

“Syd,” Grant said, cracking his first smile of the evening. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

That was a valid question. She was in hot-pink string bikini bottoms and a sheer crop top over a black bra. Her dark hair was long and wild and free in a way I could never, ever pull off.

“I came from a pool party with some guys from high school.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“How many guys I blew?” she asked, giggling. “No, probably not.”

Sometimes, I swore, Sydney said these kinds of things for shock factor.

“Dad said y’all were down here and sent me to check on you,” she said, slipping into some kind of fake twang at the use of the Southern word.

Grant cringed at the reminder of his uncle, and I reached for his hand to comfort him.

“Fuck. What’s going on? What did I miss?” she asked.

I looked at Grant to see if it was okay to tell her, but he launched right into the whole story from start to finish. Sydney’s mouth dropped open about halfway through, and it was one of the few times I’d ever seen her actually look shocked. Normally, she just looked pouty in a sexual way or smug or seductive. It was as if she was always trying to appear a certain way. I had no clue if that was natural for her. I’d never been a relentless flirt…or a whore—a title that she didn’t even seem to mind.

“Fuck, cuz,” Sydney said. “You’re such a badass! But a total fucking idiot. Don’t try to shoot Ari again. I kind of like her.”

Grant laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I kind of like her, too.”

“So…are you going to talk to him then? Because…I don’t think I’ve ever met my uncle.”

Grant looked uncomfortable and glanced away. “I don’t know.”

“Well, if you decide to do it, I’ll go with you, if you want.” Sydney suddenly got very serious for the first time since I’d met her. “I know how beat up you are about this, but you have people here who love you. I love you. Aribel loves you. Your family and the guys love you. We’ll be here through this…if you let us.”

Grant wrapped his other arm around Sydney’s shoulder and squeezed. “Thanks. I don’t know what the fuck I’d be doing right now without you two.”

Sydney laughed. “You’d be acting like even more of an idiot—obviously.”

“Obviously,” Grant agreed.

Then, the three of us stood around, staring out at the black ocean set against the night sky and the spattering of stars overhead. There, in that moment, I felt something blooming in Grant, something I was sure he hadn’t felt in a long time. I could feel it wrapping itself around us all, knitting us together.

Hope.

Light filtered in through the blinds, casting a hazy morning glow on the room. I yawned and pulled Ari harder against my chest. My eyes peeled open, and I stared around the room in confusion—pullout couch, scratchy plaid sheets, musty homey office cluttered with paperwork. I’d forgotten that Ari and I had ended up staying at my uncle’s place instead of returning home.

The weight of the day before crashed down on me all over again, and I felt suspended in this fucking limbo. If I woke up, I’d have to face the fact that my father was out of prison, had received treatment, and was now trying to live a decent life…trying to live a life with me in it. If I went back to sleep, I could forgo having to deal with everything and continue on as before.

Just a few more minutes.

A few more fucking blissful minutes with my girl, alive and well, tucked in my arms. Nothing needed to change.

“Grant,” Ari whispered softly, turning over to look at me. She placed her hand on my cheek and smiled something special just for me. Her blonde hair fanned out around her face with a halo around her head from the incoming light. She really looked like a princess.

“Yeah, darlin’?”

“I love you.”

My heart constricted. I’d never fucking loved anyone as I loved Ari. No one had even come close. She was it for me—the be all, end all. And it was terrifying and fucking wonderful to look into her eyes and see the same thing reflected back at me.