Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“What are you doing here?”
“Our date,” he said.
“Grant, it’s late and I’m tired. You didn’t show up at the gym. We don’t need to go on this date.”
“I want to.”
“Seriously. I’m about to cook myself something. You … this…” What did she say to him that would make him realize she didn’t hold him to anything?
He stepped toward her. “I was doing some shit and time ran away from me, but I want this date.”
“Grant, you’re confusing me. You really are.” She rubbed at her temple. “I don’t know anything about you.”
He shrugged. “Isn’t that the whole point of dating?”
She pressed her lips together and then glanced down at herself. “I’m not exactly dressed for date night.”
He took a step toward her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “You don’t need to be dressed like anything. You’re beautiful, Aria. Let me cook.”
She was so tempted. Would it be wrong to give in? Wanda chose that moment to step up toward her and whimper.
Grant chuckled. “Even Wanda wants to stay. Let me cook for you. You’ve gotten out of the shower, and trust me, I’m having a hard time even thinking about you stepping out of that shower all hot and wet.” He growled.
There were times Grant seemed like two different people.
“Fine. Fine.”
Grant walked straight ahead, going toward her kitchen. Wanda didn’t move.
Aria couldn’t help but smile and then crouched down to pet the dog. “He can’t be so bad with how much he loves you guys, can he?”
She stared into Wanda’s eyes, and an instant hit of love bloomed within her chest. This dog was so beautiful.
****
Grant knew how to fend for himself. Bull was twelve years older than him, and when their old man was alive, he wasn’t exactly paternal in his affection. More often, he had to cook and take care of himself. He’d never told Bull the full extent of their dad’s shit parenting.
He wasn’t the kind of guy to moan, at least not about stuff that mattered. He wasn’t going to cry to his big brother because their daddy decided to use him as a human punching bag. That was just the shitty aspect of life. Nothing could change that.
Opening the fridge, he saw a bunch of colorful bell peppers and he grabbed them out immediately. Nothing else appealed, so he opened cupboards. He’d already spotted the onions and garlic on the counter. He found a can of tomatoes and some pasta.
He’d lied to Maddie about being able to cook. After Bull had tried to protect Maddie from the Vito Crew Cartel, Grant had offered to protect her. To do that, without giving away the fact he was still part of the club, he and Bull had come up with a plan to pretend that he had approached the Cartel for a peace offering. That shit never happened. Grant would never turn his back on the club, even if the club had turned their back on him. Sure, he hadn’t been the greatest VP, but he’d done his fucking best. Regardless of whether Bull pissed him off, he was still his brother and he wouldn’t see the man dead. He’d kill anyone who tried to harm Bull or the club. Even now.
“Are you okay?” Aria asked, stepping into the kitchen with Wanda beside her.
He forced a smile to his lips. “Yeah, fine.”
Grant quickly found the frying pans along with the pasta, cooking knives, and got to finely chopping the onion.
Aria took a seat at the kitchen counter. “It’s kind of weird having you cook for me.”
He chuckled. “Don’t you worry. You can cook for me next time.” He winked at her and she rolled her eyes. “How was the gym?” he asked.
“Hard but … good, I think.”
“You don’t sound so convinced there.”
“I don’t know. I’m just getting used to everything and it’s hard to have a guy helping me with all of this.”
“You know you could quit,” Grant said. “There’s nothing wrong with you. Not one bit.”
She began to laugh. “You don’t have to lie.”
“I don’t lie.”
“Grant, please. All my life I’ve been told, by my own parents, that I’m unfit and that I’m fat and unhealthy. Trust me, when you’re pushed out of your sister’s wedding photos because of the way you look—”
“Wait, what the fuck?” Grant asked.
She shrugged. “My mom didn’t like the way I looked, so she made sure I wasn’t part of them.”
“Fucking show me.”
He couldn’t believe the shit he was hearing and it was pissing him off. Who did that kind of shit?
Grant watched as she left but then it came to him. Of course, parents did that kind of shit. His own father was a piece of work. He stared around her kitchen and had to wonder about her life, about her.
Aria returned seconds later with a small photo in her hands and held it out to him. He took the picture and nearly fucking froze up. Shit. Fuck. Bastard. Cock. Cunt.