Page 80 of Lessons In Grey
“So…fear? That’s your family’s entire reason for not being hunted down like this in every day life? People just fear you that much?”
“Yes. Does that scare you?”
No. No, actually it did the complete opposite. Which is something I should probably talk out with a better therapist than Rachel, but would I? No. I was fine living in my delusions, so long as he was there with me.
There was a light knock on the window, causing me to jump.
Grey’s hand slid up my thigh, squeezing it gently, which I understood was a comforting gesture, but shit.
He cracked the window, allowing Ash to look in.
“Hey,” she said, her eyes falling to where we were connected. “Thought you two were having sex.”
My face turned bright red.
“So you decided to look down?” Grey asked, unamused.
She shrugged, giving him a cheeky grin. “Y’all are hot, and I wanted to appreciate how well Emily fits between this steering wheel and you. Pretty impressive. Love that she’s bite sized.”
I covered my face with my sleeve-covered hand. God, I was 5’ 4”, I wasn’t a toddler.
“Ash, go in and talk to the man at the front desk,” Grey stated coldly. “His name is Jerry, we’ll be in in a moment.”
She winked at us and headed towards the sidewalk.
Grey rolled up the window and turned back to me, wrapping his hand around my wrist while the other remained on my thigh. “Baby.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, letting him pull my hand away.
“Don’t apologize for your friend, I know you like that abouther.”
Fuck, I did. I loved that she was so unashamed and free. “Are you ready to see your new home?”
I nodded, searching his eyes before glancing to his lips and back. “Yeah, I am.”
~~~
The key stuck and I loved that.
I don’t know why, it just made sense.
I had to stick the key into the panel of the elevator and press the number for my floor. Syn, Ash, and Grey were all holding boxes, the guitar strapped around me, as the elevator creaked and shook all the way up.
It reminded me of a every horror movie I had ever obsessed over. We could fall to our death at any moment, and part of me just absolutely loved that.
Maybe there was an elevator ghost. Maybe his name was Perry.
Terry the campus ghost, Perry the elevator ghost, and Jerry the front desk lobbyist.
Loved that.
The doors opened up to my new place, and Grey, in all of his lean muscular glory, struggled opening up the old golden gate. “Emily,” Ash began tentatively as Grey grunted, “are you sure about this place? I’m not sure it’s even up to code.”
I watched him, lip caught between my teeth, his muscles sliding under his skin, the grunts animalistic as he finally got it free and slammed it to the side.
I nodded, heart skipping a beat. “Yeah, I’m sure.” It wasn’t just because of that. I did love the character. It was so far different from what I was used to. Everything so prim and proper and perfect. This place was me. Run down and drafty. A place to build in.
Grey stepped back and gestured for me to go, his breath slightly labored.