Page 22 of Grace's Redemption

“They aren’t our friends, Gracie.” He said.

I held on to the sides of his jacket.

He pulled away.

I closed my eyes and rested my cheek against his back. I used to love riding with him and with Mase, but lately the motion of the bike made me nauseous. It was the real reason I hadn’t rode my bike much.

We didn’t live too far from the clubhouse. As we pulled up to the gate, it automatically opened. We rode up the circular driveway and around to the back of the house.

I stayed on the bike until my stomach settled.

Mattie pulled off his helmet.

I pulled off mine and sat it on the back of the bike. It was claustrophobic inside it.

Mattie took my hand from around my waist and brought it up to his chest, inside of his jacket. His heartbeat thumped against my palm. He turned back toward me and leaned in.

I leaned back. I didn’t mean to. We’d kissed before, but my stomach was doing somersaults and I wanted to avoid throwing up on his face.

I saw it as soon as I did it. The hurt in his eyes.

I loved Mattie, but it felt wrong. Seriously like kissing your brother. All the times he joked about having me to himself, I thought it was just that, a joke.

I didn’t want him, the way he wanted me.

“Mattie.” I grabbed his face. “We can’t.”

“He’s not coming back you know.” He pulled my hands away.

I narrowed my eyes and climbed off the bike.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t think I know.” He stood up. “You came into my bed smelling like him. What ever he told you that night was a lie. He just wanted to fuck you first.”

My insides boiled in record time. Mattie turn back into Mathieson Scott and I didn’t like it. I reared back and slapped him.

It wasn’t nearly as hard as I intended, but the sound of it shocked us both.

He took a step toward me and growled.

I stumbled back, but righted myself before falling.

He rubbed his cheek and turned away from me.

When he looked at me again, Mattie had returned. My heart hurt because I could see my own heartache reflected back at me.

“I’m sorry Gracie.” He stepped toward me.

I held my hand up and backed away.

“No.”

“I’m just pissed off.” He dropped his hands. “I mean look at you. He isn’t even here and you glow when ever he’s mentioned.”

“Mattie. I don’t know what you want from me.” I shook my head.

“I want you to look at me the way you looked at him.” He turned away from me. “I want you to want me like you wanted him.”