Page 7

seven

. . .

Lily

I spend the next few days wrapped up in Grayson’s arms. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. I’ve lost track of time.

I wake up and go to sleep with Grayson’s cock inside me. He fucks me, he feeds me, he washes me, and then he fucks me again.

I’m not doing any of the cleaning work I was supposedly hired to do. In fact, Grayson acts like me lifting a finger to do anything is a travesty.

And as wonderful as my time with him is, I can’t forget that I have a responsibility.

To Mom. To Danny.

I finally broach the subject of leaving with Grayson.

"Grayson," I whisper, my fingers tracing the hard planes of his chest. "I need to go home for a day or two."

The change is instant. His body, moments ago languid and sated, goes rigid beneath my touch. Those dark eyes, usually smoldering with desire, now flash with something dangerous.

"Leave?" he growls, the word rumbling through his chest. "Why would you want to leave?"

I swallow hard, suddenly aware of how vulnerable I am, naked in his arms. "It's not that I want to, it's just?—"

"Don't I make you happy?" He grips my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Haven't I given you everything?"

My heart races. I've never seen him like this—primal, almost feral. "Of course you do, Grayson. You've been incredible. It's just that I have responsibilities?—"

"Responsibilities?" He barks out a harsh laugh. "What could be more important than this? Than us?"

Before I can explain, he rolls on top of me, pinning me to the mattress. His cock, already hard again, presses insistently against my thigh.

"I'll show you responsibility," he snarls, and then he's inside me, claiming me with savage thrusts that leave me gasping. "Your only job is to be here, with me. To take my cock. To let me care for you."

I whimper, overwhelmed by the intensity of his possession. Part of me wants to give in, to lose myself in the exquisite pleasure only Grayson can provide. But I can't forget the world outside these gilded walls, no matter how hard he tries to make me.

I gasp, my body trembling as Grayson's punishing rhythm slows. His words penetrate the haze of lust, reminding me why I need to leave. I cup his face, forcing him to meet my eyes.

"Grayson, please," I whisper, my voice raw. "I just need to check on my mom and little brother. Then I'll be back, I promise."

He stills inside me, his massive body deflating as if all the fight has left him. His forehead drops to rest against mine, and I feel the shudder that runs through him.

"That's right," he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. "Your mother is sick, isn't she?"

The vulnerability in his tone makes my heart clench. I stroke his hair, marveling at how this powerful man can seem so lost in this moment.

"Yes," I confirm softly. "And Danny...he's only eight. They need me."

Grayson rolls off me with a heavy sigh, pulling me against his chest. His fingers trail along my spine, sending shivers through me despite the seriousness of our conversation.

"I forgot," he admits, sounding almost ashamed. "I've been so caught up in having you here, in making you mine, that I forgot about your family. On why you agreed to all this in the first place."

I prop myself up on an elbow, studying his face. There's a war of emotions playing out in those dark eyes—possessiveness, guilt, fear.

"I'll come back," I promise again, pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw. "You've given me so much, Grayson. But they're my family. I can't abandon them."

He's quiet for a long moment, his chest rising and falling beneath my palm. When he speaks, his voice is rough with an emotion I can't quite name.

"What if..." he starts, then pauses. "What if I came with you?"

The suggestion catches me off guard. I blink at him, trying to imagine Grayson in my tiny, run-down apartment. His pristine suits among the secondhand furniture. His commanding presence filling our cramped living room.

"You...you'd want to?" I ask, unable to keep the surprise from my voice.

His arms tighten around me. "I want to do anything for you, Lily." His lips brush my forehead. "And I don't want to let you out of my sight."

I should protest. Should insist on some independence. But the thought of facing my family's struggles alone after days in Grayson's protective bubble makes me shudder.

"Okay," I whisper, snuggling closer. "We'll go together."

Grayson

I feel like a regular cad. I’ve been fucking her day in and day out and forgot to even check on her family for her.

So, when we have my driver drive us to her tiny, run-down apartment and get the news that her mom has been rushed to the hospital and her brother has been placed in temporary state custody, I’m cursing myself.

The look of heartbreak on my girl’s face is going to haunt me for a long time, and the fact that I allowed this to happen is unacceptable.

We’re at her mom’s bedside in a flash, and my chest physically aches seeing the tears flow down Lily’s face as she grips her mom’s hand.

My jaw hardens as I step out of the hospital room and demand to speak to the doctor.

I don’t have a ton of wealth and resources at my disposal for nothing.

I will fix this.