Our Shattered Pieces (The Pieces Series Book 3)

by M. E. Clayton

  Friday night had been a lot of reassurances of how I wasn’t a slut, but his slut. Grayson had taken full ownership of my sick desires and had made them his. Where there’d been no judgement then, would there be some now?

  Racing back to my office, I told my assistant, Phoebe, to hold all my calls. She hadn’t been surprised since she was familiar with my schedules, and knew I’d be making phone calls all afternoon, and thank God.

  I wasn’t sure how long I sat in my office, the adrenaline from running in Sawyer beating me useless, but when I had finally called it a day, I couldn’t recall the entire afternoon.

  Leaving the office, I wondered if it was time to reach out to another counselor because a reaction this violent to seeing Sawyer, after all these years, wasn’t good.

  Chapter 30

  Grayson~

  It was official; I was Molly-whipped.

  Saturday had been perfect with no awkwardness or embarrassment. It had been an entire day of more fucking, with bouts of normal in between. We’d even managed to come to the understanding that we were dating. I had made it clear that I wanted her off those sites, and that she was the only woman I was interested in.

  Sunday had been spent with me taking care of some things around the house, and Molly gearing up for her week. She had warned me that she worked long days when she had upcoming events, and I lied when I said that was fine. Only, to be fair, I hadn’t been lying at the time. I’d only discovered it was a lie when two days had passed with not seeing her.

  And now, I was knocking on her front door at seven in the evening because I missed her.

  Knocking for a second time, the door finally opened, and the surprise on Molly’s face sent a foreboding sensation down my back. “What are you doing here?”

  I did my best to squash the disappointment of her tone and surprise. “I’m sorry,” I immediately replied. “I…I probably should have called first. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Some foreign emotion started swirling in those silver orbs of hers, and though I couldn’t name it, I knew I didn’t like it. “But why would you call first?” she asked. “I mean, why wouldn’t you think I’d be at home, with my legs spread, waiting?”

  My head reared back in offended shock. “What?”

  Her hand white-knuckled on the doorknob, she just peered up at me. “Well, as much as you made it clear this weekend that I was your slut, of course, you wouldn’t need to call. Why would you expect me to be doing anything other than waiting to get fucked?”

  “Whoa.” I threw my hands up to stop her. “What in the fuck are you talking about?”

  Her eyes were hard lasers. “Why else would you be here, Grayson?”

  “Because I missed you, Molly,” I told her truthfully.

  “What exactly did you miss, Grayson?” she asked. “Cumming on my face? Being able to fuck me up the ass?”

  I couldn’t help it. I glanced around to make sure no one else was around. Whatever was happening here, I didn’t want anyone else listening in on Molly’s secrets.

  Looking back down at the angry woman in front of me, I hissed, “Are you serious, right now?”

  “I’m very serious,” she fired back. “Why not just do us both a favor and be honest about it, Grayson. Be honest about why you’re here.”

  “I’m here because I thought I was a boyfriend visiting his girlfriend,” I snapped, offended and confused on so many different levels. “Granted, I should have called before just stopping by, but I didn’t think it would bother you this much.”

  “That’s because you don’t know a thing about me, Grayson,” she flung back. “Not a thing.”

  My head jerked back with incredulousness. “How can you say that? We spent Friday night and all of Saturday getting to know each other.” What in the fuck? “While there’s still a lot to learn, how can you say I don’t know anything about you?”

  “Because you don’t,” she spat.

  “Molly, what the fuck is this?” I asked. “Where is this coming from?”

  “It’s about you thinking I have nothing better to do than service you.”

  Now, now I was getting pissed. “I don’t think that,” I said, my voice close to bringing to cops. “I don’t think your only purpose is to serve me. Jesus Christ, Molly.”

  “But that’s what slut and whores do, Grayson,” she practically snarled at me. “We service.”

  “Will you quit fucking saying that,” I snapped. “Roleplaying in the bedroom does not make you the legitimate definition of a slut or whore, Molly.”

  Her face took on an ugly grin. “That’s what you think.”

  I felt like I was losing my mind here. “What in the hell does that mean?”

  Looking like the cat that ate the canary, she asked, “What if I told you one man wasn’t enough for me.”

  My entire spine snapped with jealously. It was bright green, deadly, and crawling down my back like a vine. “What?”

  “What if one man isn’t enough for me?” she repeated.

  “Then, maybe, you should have mentioned that on Saturday, when we discussed exclusivity,” I answered through clenched teeth.

  She arched a raven brow. “No, I mean, what if one guy isn’t enough for me,” she said again, and though it took me a second, realization finally dawned.

  Jealousy was still tangled inside my emotions, but the answer was the same. “Like I said, then you should have mentioned it on Saturday.”

  Molly lifted her chin. “So, the alpha shares after all?”

  “No,” I growled. “The alpha would have grabbed that dildo, he knows you have in your dresser drawer, and he would have fucked your pussy with it while burying his dick inside your ass. If you need more than one dick, we can work on that.”

  “It’s not the same thing,” she argued.

  “How in the fuck would you know?”

  Then she cut me off at the knees as she said nothing, looking me straight in the eye, with the answer written all over her face.

  I wasn’t into sharing. While I didn’t judge it, it wasn’t for me. Not when I cared about the woman. And I cared about Molly.

  Forcing the words out, while trying to control my embattled emotions, I said, “So, we talk about it, and work through it, Molly.”

  She shook her head, and I knew I was losing her. Losing her when I’d just gotten her. “I’m a slut, Grayson,” she said, matter-of-fact. “I’m a whore, who’s been fucked dirtier than you could ever imagine.”

  “Don’t do this, Molly. I-”

  “Go find a nice girl, who doesn’t mind getting dirty every now and again, and leave the real whores to the men who can actually handle them,” she said, killing me with every word.

  “Molly, what the fuck?” She didn’t comment. Instead, she slammed the door in my face, leaving me with almost breaking it the fuck down. “Molly!”

  “Go away before someone calls the police, Grayson!” she yelled back.

  “Molly! Open this fucking door!” This couldn’t be fucking happening.

  It wasn’t until her neighbor opened her door, to see what was going on, that I finally walked away from her front door. While this wasn’t over, I didn’t need to get arrested. A teacher with an arrest record was never a good thing.

  But no way was this over.

  Chapter 31

  Molly~

  It’s been two days of ignoring Grayson’s texts and phone calls, and the shame of my meltdown was slowly drowning me.

  I hadn’t meant to fall apart the way I had. I hadn’t meant to blame Grayson for all the ways I was messed up. I hadn’t meant for any of this to happen.

  None of it.

  But seeing Sawyer had put me back in that dark place I thought I had conquered. A part of me wondered if my bad reaction to Sawyer had to do with all the things that I had let Grayson do to me last weekend. For the first time in years, I’d fed my demons, making every word out of Sawyer’s mouth the truth. While I never thought about that night when I was in bed with a guy, I have thoug
ht about it when I needed that extra push porn wasn’t helping me with.

  While I never wanted to experience it again, after the way Ethan had tainted it, I couldn’t say the idea didn’t still turn me on.

  And, God, when Grayson said he’d double penetrate me using toys to satisfy me, a part of me wanted to believe he wasn’t disgusted by this new turn of events, but then, he still didn’t know that money had been paid for that privilege once. Right now, he believed I was just a cockslut, but what if he found out I’d been turned into an actual whore once before?

  The door to my office opened, and I looked up to see Rowan and Mystic walking in, unannounced. “Well, okay. Hello.”

  Mystic shut the door behind her, and both women got comfortable in the chairs surrounding the small conference table I had nestled in the corner of my office.

  Rowan spoke first. “What in the hell is your problem?”

  My brows rose as I leaned back in my chair. “Excuse me?”

  “On Monday, I chalked it up to being jet lagged still and having to get organized at work after my vacation, but you’ve been very distant and distracted since Monday, Molly. I’m worried.”

  My shoulders relaxed and I smiled at my sister-in-law. “Rowan, I’m fin-”

  “Don’t lie,” she interrupted. “You are not fine.”

  “Yeah,” Mystic grumbled. “You kind of look like crap.”

  I chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “Gee, thanks.”

  Mystic grinned. “You’re still beautiful, but for those of us who know you, you look a little worse for wear, Molly.”

  I let out a deep sigh. The misery was settling in my bones, and that wasn’t a good thing. I could admit I fucked up, but I didn’t know how to fix it. Grayson deserved an apology, but family get-togethers were going to be hell once he learned everything.

  “Guy problems,” I confessed. “Just some…issues.”

  Rowan grabbed the seat of her chair and scooted her ass closer to my desk, and Mystic followed suit. “With Grayson?”

  Surprise erupted all over my face as I felt my eyes practically bugging out. “What?”

  Mystic snorted. “Oh, please, woman,” she drawled out. “Do you honestly believe none of us noticed how you two disappeared after the reception?” Rowan nodded in agreement. “We just figured you guys wanted to tread carefully, seeing as how your siblings are married to each other, but I was under the assumption that you’ve been dating since the wedding.”

  “Me, too,” Rowan added.

  Well, hell.

  “Well-wait, hold up.” I looked at Mystic. “Where are the boys?”

  She grinned. “I told Gage I needed some girl time, so he had me drop them off with him at his office.”

  “Your gazillionaire husband had you drop your twins off at his office, in the middle of his workday, because you told him you needed girl time?” She nodded. “Holy shit, Mystic.”

  “Give it up, Molly,” Rowan interjected. “Don’t go hoping for that kind of devotion because it doesn’t exist outside Mystic’s marriage.”

  I arched a brow. “My brother dropping the ball?”

  Rowan laughed. “Your brother’s perfect. Just not as crazy as Gage.”

  “That’s debatable,” Mystic huffed.

  “Okay, okay,” Rowan chuckled. “Back to Molly and Grayson.”

  I looked over at Mystic. “For the record, we haven’t been dating since the wedding,” I clarified. “That night had been meant to be a one-time thing, but…recently we’ve reconnected.”

  “The plant fiasco?” she asked.

  I nodded. “When I called him to help me replace the plant, well…” I shrugged.

  “Wow, I guess my plants are special,” Rowan teased.

  “So, what happened?” Mystic asked. “Shouldn’t you guys be super-honeymooning it right now?”

  “I just…I just don’t think he’s the guy for me.” I looked over at Rowan. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” she replied easily. “I’m just surprised because he really is a good guy, brother or not.”

  “It’s not that,” I told her. “Or maybe it is.”

  “How do you mean?” Mystic asked.

  I gave her a sad smile. “I think, maybe, he might be too good for me.”

  “Are you insane?” Rowan asked. “Molly, you’re one of the best people I know.”

  Mystic cocked her head, and I could swear the woman was looking right through me. After a few seconds, she said, “A general piece of advice?” I nodded. “Let the man see all your broken, cracked, and shattered pieces and let him make up his mind for himself, Molly.”

  Tears started to spill, and Rowan quickly jumped out of her chair to run over and wrap her arms around my shoulders. “Awe, Molly, babe.”

  “But what if they’re not just broken, cracked, or shattered pieces?” I asked. “What if they’re ugly, dirty, vile pieces?”

  Mystic’s face softened. “Then you still let him make up his mind for himself, Molly,” she said. “Fear leads to some real regret, so don’t let Grayson be a regret. And if after seeing you bare, if Grayson decides you’re not for him, then all that means is that he’s not the one for you either. And it just clears the way for the man who is meant for you.”

  “Whatever it is, my brother’s not a cruel man, Molly,” Rowan said from beside me. “Even if your worst is more than he can handle, he would never make you feel ashamed for it. Grayson’s…Grayson really is the best.”

  And that’s what I was afraid of.

  Because no matter what anyone said, Grayson Lewis was too good for me. So, what was the point when he’d see it eventually?

  Chapter 32

  Grayson~

  It’s been four fucking days since Molly slammed her front door in my face, and the only positive thing there was to say about this entire fucking mess, was that she hasn’t blocked me from calling or texting her yet. But that could be because I had stopped with the harassment Tuesday night, or else I was positive she would have.

  And the only reason I had stopped?

  Her brother was married to my sister, and I wasn’t going to push Molly to the point where our situation could possibly cause problems for Rowan and Lorcan. I didn’t want to have to make up excuses for missing out on parties and get-togethers, simply to make sure Molly was comfortable where she stood.

  That didn’t mean I still wasn’t pissed, though.

  Because I was.

  More than anything, I was pissed and offended that Molly thought I would judge her-for anything.

  Sure, I wasn’t down to share, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t see the benefit for a woman to desire being shared or even be curious about it. How many men have enjoyed sucking on a woman’s tits while another woman sucked his dick? How many times has a man looked down to see one woman swallowing his dick while the other licked his balls? How many times has a man been able to have the pleasure of a woman riding his dick while enjoying eating pussy at the same time?

  I didn’t fault Molly for being curious or even acting on that curiosity. I faulted her for not being honest. I faulted her for daring to think that I’d judge her after everything we experienced last weekend. She wasn’t the only one with unconventional desires, and that was the real shit of it all. Because if she judged herself for what she enjoyed, how could she not be judging me?

  “Damn, man, you look like your dog ran off on you.”

  I looked over at my best friend, Darius Miller. A fellow teacher, he taught with me at Halston as one of their math teachers, and he also coached girls’ soccer. At six-foot-four, he was an imposing figure, but his approach with kids was golden. He had such a good rapport with his students and soccer team, that, one year, he had paid someone to dye his cornrows Halston colors for Homecoming week. It took three months for the colors to completely fade.

  Every year, the first official week of our summer, he threw a little barbecue at his house for all us teachers. His wife, Loraine, always took their kids to go see he
r parents for the week, giving Darius some winding down time without any kids anywhere.

  The barbecue had started out as a small gathering, with just a few of us, but when word spread that there was an actual kid-free barbecue, it kind of grew. While we all loved children, the absence of them, after ten months of being surrounded by them, was a welcomed break. There were even some teachers who got babysitters for their kids just to attend.

  “Just a lot on my mind,” I commented before taking another drink of my beer.

  Standing next to the barbecue pit, I always helped Darius with the cooking and preparations. Loraine always did her best to buy everything before she took off to her parents, so cooking was the easy part.

  “I’ll say,” Darius remarked. “You’ve been walking around here like a zombie all day.”

  “Have not,” I automatically denied.

  “Have to,” he argued.

  “I just-”

  “Okay, okay, okay,” Brandy Horowitz said, rushing over. “I pick you two.”

  Darius side-eyed her. “Picked us for what?”

  Her shoulders drooped and she rolled her eyes dramatically. “There’s an educational benefit tomorrow night, and I have six tickets I’m supposed to give out.”

  “I thought those kinds of things were for administration…people,” I said. Brandy was both a teacher and very involved with the school board and the administration side of things.

  “This year, they thought it would be a good idea for the actual teachers to see all the hard work that goes into the benefits,” she explained. “I guess it’s to make us appreciate how some people still care about the education industry.”

  Last week, I would have been interested in going. This week, not so much. “Thanks, Brandy, but I’m going to have to pass.”

  “Noooooooooo,” she whined. “There’s a good chance that this thing might be boring as hell. I want fun people at our table.” I didn’t miss the way she glanced at Darius. “It’ll be you two, me, Maria, Carlisle, and Franklin.”

  I had to give her points. She made sure not to pair it off evenly. By inviting Carlisle and Franklin, it made it appear innocent and friendly, but I knew better.