Page 15 of Piggy

Grayson

“Shoot the dumbass,” country boy growls.

Atticus lunges forward with his eyes snapped shut and chops his sword downward, slicing Bobby’s arm.

Just then, Liam and Killian rush through the patio door, guns aimed. Brax storms through the front, his own gun raised, barrel pointed square at the back of Bobby’s skull.

They must’ve seen the Suburban, scoped it through the window, and planned a sneak attack.

“Nobody fucking move.” Brax’s voice is calm but sharp.

Bobby stiffens. Brax presses the barrel harder against his head.

“Let go of Grayson or Bobby dies.”

The wire around my neck whips free. I crumple, coughing, hacking, dragging air into my burning lungs.

“Now,” Brax says, voice hard as iron, “the four of you fucks get out of my house. ”

Bobby raises his hands slowly. “Grayson and Killian owe me money.”

“You came to the wrong fuckin’ house to collect,” Brax growls. “Handle your shit somewhere else.”

And then — crack!

Brax fires.

Tattooed douche screams as the bullet rips through his bicep, blood splattering the wall.

Brax jerks the gun back to Bobby. “Next one goes in your head.”

Now they really move fast with their hands up.

At the door, Bobby turns, locking eyes with me. “This ain’t over, Grayson. That girl? She told me where you work.” He flashes those big, ugly teeth. “Expect a visit. And you better have my money. If not... we all like peaches for a snack.”

My stomach drops. I know what he means.

Charlotte.

I should tell Brax. I should tell him he just threatened his sister. But he might kill Bobby. I can’t be involved in a homicide. Not with my record.

I’ll fix this.

The front door slams. The Suburban peels down the street. Brax doesn’t move until they’re long gone. Only then does he look at Killian and me. I’m still doubled over, clutching my throat, trying to breathe normally.

“Take care of that,” he says, flat. “You two. Don’t come back here until you do. ”

Fair.

His family was in danger because of me.

“And why the fuck was Bobby here?” he adds.

I want that question answered, too.

Charlotte’s covered with a throw blanket. She stands quick and blurts, “I answered Grayson’s phone that he left on the coffee table. I thought it was an emergency. That guy, Bobby... he needed a ride. Said he was released from Cutter today and was Grayson’s brother. I wanted to surprise him.”

“You fuckin’ idiot!” Brax explodes. “How can you be so retarded?”

“I... uh... not all people in prison are bad!”

“Name one!” he snarls.

“Mom.”

Brax scoffs and argues back. I stare at Charlotte as she cowers but keeps reasoning. “Well! Grayson served time. He’s good.”

He glares at her, disgusted. “What is your goddamn obsession with Grayson, you peepin’ pervert?”

But then—

His head whips toward me, eyes cold, gun still in hand. “You’re not fuckin’ my sister, are you?”

I shake my head fast. I’m unarmed and in no condition to brawl. My arm feels broken.

He holds the gun pointed at the ceiling in a threatening stance, his gaze snapping to Killian and Liam. “ Nobody fucks my sister. Understood?”

Everyone nods, dead silent.

“Good. Now pack your shit and go. Same with you, Killian. Get out of here. I need to call my boss,” Brax adds, disappearing onto the patio with his phone.

Liam helps Atticus stand, comforting him with compliments.

“What should we do?” Killian asks.

I know what to do, so I reply, “I’ll get my stuff. We’ll go make some money. Give me fifteen.”

He nods.

“Grayson.” Charlotte startles me as she steps close, now clothed properly, eyes wide, bottom lip trembling. She reaches toward my neck.

I flinch, then I slap her hand away.

She sulks. I see it. The hurt in her eyes.

Good.

“Don’t.” My voice is hoarse, my tone as angry as I can come off.

That dumb, clueless look on her face?

It makes me sick.

“Your brother’s right,” I scold. “You’re cooked. What a dumb fucking—” I choke on the rest. Can’t even say it.

A distant, quiet part of me aches to hold her, protect her, never let her go. Fucking leash her to my side because she’s too stupid to be alone. But the real me? I want to choke some goddamn sense into her. Scare her so badly she never trusts anyone again. Especially me .

I can’t do either, though.

Therefore, I turn to leave to pack my things.

She follows.

She always fucking follows.

She slips inside my room before I can shut the door, then grabs my forearm like I belong to her.

Thump!

I slam her back into the wall, hellbent on terrifying her.

Her head thuds hard from my force. She winces, clutching it.

“You’re as smart as a farm animal! A fucking NPC,” I snarl, voice thick with fury. My fist powers through the drywall next to her head, crumbling around my knuckles and leaving a crater.

“I’m sorry!”

“You could have been gang raped! Killed! ”

She sobs. Really sobs.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know! I... I just wanted you to talk to me again.”

I suck in a breath, sharp and strangled, because fuck, her soft, stupid heart won’t let me go. What’s wrong with her? Oh. I know.

“I shouldn’t have fucked you so good.Now you’re just another mess with daddy-issues, addicted to my cock.”

“What! No. This isn’t about sex! Grayson, I—”

“Don’t you dare say it.”

She slumps. “I was trying to do something nice. ”

“Yeah? Surprise me? With Bobby Morris. You don’t think. You don’t ever think. You’re fried, like Brax said.”

“No, I am not fried! I’m not stupid. I just... I wanted to do something nice for you,” she pushes back. But her voice wobbles as she asks, “Did you really... did you rape someone?”

Fuck me.

She’s not getting it. Still holding out hope.

I turn my face away, thinking. I knew this would happen. The mask would fall and she would see the real me. The monster beneath.

It’s better this way, though. Maybe she needs to see me for what I am, so she stops having hope for us.

For a while... being with her was the closest to happiness I ever been. A world where I got to pretend I deserved her. Where I touched something sweet, something pure. Something I should’ve left alone.

Therefore, without a second doubt, I look back and lie, somewhat:

“Yeah. I did. Broke in to her house at night. Fucked her. Left the girl crying.”

She goes still. Trembling.

Run.

She doesn’t.

“Why are you still standing here!” I grab her jaw, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Run, Charlotte. Fucking run. Quit being so damn dumb! Men like me… We’ll fucking hurt you! ”

She whimpers, eyes glassy. “I don’t believe you... Grayson, you’re a good man. And you love me.”

Oh my God.

I practically black out and shove her to the floor. “Crawl away like the ugly pig you are.”

Her lip trembles. She stares up, and still, still she looks at me like I have something to offer her.

“I don’t have time for this. Get me my phone,” I spit, giving her a push by pressing my heel to her ass. She scrambles on all four out of my room, hearing her stand and running away.

She returns obediently with it in her hand, desperate to please me. I grimace for a moment as I take the phone, trying to smother how sexy that was.

After regaining my sanity, I make the call.

“Meghan.”

“Hey, big boy. What’s wrong?” she answers.

“Bobby’s out. He found me. He brought people.”

“Shit.”

“I need a place to stay and to make some good money. Fast. Before Bobby goes after anyone other than me.”

I glare at Charlotte. Her big eyes are glassy as she whispers, “Place to stay?”

Meghan purrs. “Then you better get on camera, handsome. You know what my fans want.”