“I’ll keep you in the loop, okay? Promise.”
“Okay, okay, go. But be back by eleven, all right? I know it’s not a school night, but you know nothing good ever happens after midnight.”
“Thanks, Mom,” she called.
She threw open the front door and practically sprinted to the car. Luckily for her, she’d already committed the directions to Grayson’s house to memory. It wasn’t exactly the closest place nearby, but as long as there were no cops on those back roads…
She could push it.
Yeah, it wouldn't be the wisest idea, but she could push it.
She cranked the radio in her car, letting the opening guitar riff of ‘Be My Escape’ fill the air. Maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe it was fate. But Grayson was the escape she’d needed for so long. And no matter how fast she had to drive, she’d get there.
Because as crazy as it seemed, she was already starting to feel like she’d do anything for him.
Even as upset as Grayson was, he couldn’t help but feel relieved as Sophia pulled up. She was a godsend in so many ways. Everyone in his family had noticed a change in him, and it was hard to deny that she had the power to lift him out of the darkest mood.
Grayson’s mother peeked out at the two of them from the living room window, watching as her son climbed inside Sophia’s car. Of course, being a parent, she wasn’t privy to every thought and every feeling her children had. All three of them were beyond the phase where they told her every last detail of their lives.
But it was plain as day to see that Grayson was absolutely, one-hundred percent head-over-heels with the girl. He didn’t have to say it.
It was etched all over his face.
Sophia put the car in reverse, letting it quickly roll down the driveway as Grayson fumbled with his seatbelt. “Thanks again,” he said. “I really didn’t think I’d be able to make it to work tonight.”
Sophia smiled, keeping her eyes focused on the road ahead of her. “No worries. I’ll get you there in no time.”
“Just don’t take off out of here like a bat outta hell. I don’t need my Mom getting pissed.”
Sophia stifled a laugh. “I can’t even imagine your mom getting mad. She’s always so chill.”
“Trust me, she can get mad. Not usually with me, though. Usually, it’s Brian that she gets pissed at.”
She let out an audible sigh. “Oh, the things I miss out on by not having siblings! I’m sure it’s never a dull moment around your house.” She looked over, noticing Gray squirming in his seat like an inchworm. “What the heck are you doing?”
Grayson lifted himself from the seat and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Trying to fish this out,” he said, holding up his phone. “Have no idea who the hell would be texting me right now.”
“Maybe it’s someone from work?”
Gray stared at the screen in disbelief. “Okay… I guess I’m not alone in this fight,” he mumbled.
She glanced over at him, noticing the scowl on his face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Gray ran a hand through his hair. At least some of the pressure was off now, though it still didn’t explain why he’d been targeted. Then again, did any criminal ever need a reason to cause trouble?
And he sure as hell didn’t know how to feel about the text he’d just received.
“It was a news alert. I guess there looking to see if anyone has any tips about who’s been vandalizing shit.”
Sophia’s mind swirled in a thousand directions. There was only one person she could possibly think of that could be behind it all, but suspicions wouldn’t be enough. She needed proof.
Cold, hard, undeniable proof.
And by God, sooner rather than later, she was going to get it.
Gray paused for a moment, feeling something in his heart settle in place as he Sophia finally came to a stop. What he was beginning to feel for her was something far bigger than he ever thought possible. And though he didn’t know how to fully explain it, one word flashed over and over again in his mind like a neon sign.
Love.
Snapshots of the future flickered in his mind. He’d never thought that far ahead, even with his own life, but now that Sophia was here, things were just… different. A whirlwind. Chaos.
And he loved every minute.
Funny how one single, four-letter word had the power to turn everything inside out, unlocking doors to emotions he never thought possible. And now that the doors were opened, he never wanted them to close.
He leaned in, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to her lips. He’d been waiting for this moment for so long that it almost didn’t register that it was happening. It was really, truly happening. And he never wanted it to end.
“Thanks again,” he whispered. “I’ll call you tonight when I get out.”
The next few moments were nothing short of a blur as Sophia’s world flipped upside down onto its head. He kissed me. He actually kissed me. A slow smile spread across her face.
Maybe for once, her wishes were finally coming true after all.
♥♥♥
The high Sophia had quickly faded as she pulled into her driveway, only to find Steve standing at her front door talking to her mom. Of all the places that arrogant asshole could’ve been, and he chose this night and this moment to come crawling up to her doorstep. Some luck, she thought. God only knows what the hell is doing here. The very thought made her cringe. Whatever this was about couldn’t possibly be good.
At the sound of her car door opening, Steve turned to look at her, staring at her with cold eyes. It certainly hadn’t been the first time he’d looked at her that way.
And it probably wouldn’t be the last.
She stormed out of her car and charged up the sidewalk. Judging by the look on her mother’s face, the conversation wasn’t going well, and now that Sophia had arrived, there wasn’t any doubt in her mind that this evening was going to be an absolute shit-show.
“I’m surprised you’re over here,” Sophia snapped. “Figured you would’ve preferred to stare over here from the comfort of your own home, instead.”
Steve’s face went white as a bedsheet. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Her eyes darted to her mother, standing frozen like a statue as her daughter tore into the poor kid.
“I saw you, okay? You don’t have to act like you weren’t spying because I’ve already caught you. More than once, actually. And I don’t know what the hell your problem is, but fix it. Because my business isn’t yours.”
“Sophia, honey, I—”
Sophia cut her mother off. “You just can’t stop defending him, can you, Mom? I mean, really! Whose side are you on?”
“Honey, he was just trying to see if it had started snowing yet.”
Snowing? Yeah, freaking right. Like anyone would buy that line of total crap. “You’re joking, right?” she asked, turning to Steve. “That’s the best you could come up with?”
“It’s the truth,” he said coldly. “And as far as the other night goes, I’m sorry you don’t want to listen to me. But you have to believe me.”
Sophia let out a laugh. “Trust me. That’s never going to happen.”
She pushed past both of them, making a beeline for the stairs. They could sit there and babble at each other all they wanted, but she was done with both of them for the evening, and there wasn’t a damn thing that would change her mind about Steve. He was nothing short of certifiable at this point.
And she was thoroughly sick and tired of his bullshit.
She locked her door behind her and flopped down on her bed, staring at the ceiling in exasperation. With any luck, her mom might just leave her the hell alone for the rest of the evening.
And as far as she was concerned, that would be just fine.
With a half-hearted laugh, Cassie strolled up to Sophia’s locker first thing Monday morning. “So, did you blow up at Steve over the weekend or something? He seems to be in a mood.”
Sophia rolled her eye
s. “Yeah, well, apparently he thinks he needs to lecture my mom about all the reasons why I shouldn’t be around Grayson. Not that he’s bothered to tell me what those reasons are.”
“That’s so freaking weird. I mean, why exactly does he give a shit so much about what you do?”
Sophia burst into laughter at the sight of Cassie’s contorted face. “Because he’s a possessive nutcase? I don’t know. I swear, the guy has all the makings of being a serial killer.”
Cassie nearly spat out her water. “God, I can almost picture that. That’s scary.”
“Tell me about it. I’m half afraid I’ll wake up one night and he’ll be standing in the corner of my room.”
“Well,” Cassie said, “at least your bedroom window doesn’t face his house.”
Sophia sighed as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder. “Still doesn’t make me feel that great, though. But at least when I move, I won’t have to deal with him anymore.”
“If he doesn’t hunt you down and take you out first,” Cassie snickered.
Sophia gave her a playful shove, half-joking yet feeling half-terrified at the thought. “You’d better hope that doesn’t happen.”
“I hope not. I don’t really know what I’d do without you.”
“Well, I know you wouldn’t date Grayson,” Sophia laughed. “So, at least that’s a weight off my shoulders.”
“Damn right. If I have to hear another word about freaking history or science, my eyes are gonna roll back into my head.” Cassie stopped just outside of her next period class. “And speaking of Gray, let me guess, you’re going to busy with him this weekend again?”
“Not all weekend, but Saturday, yeah. I’m meeting his grandma for the first time.”
“That sounds…” Cassie’s voice trailed off. “Interesting?”
“It will be. I’m actually kinda excited. And nervous.”
“Why?” Cassie scoffed. “She’s old. What’s there to be nervous about?”
Everything, she thought. She’d never reached this stage with any guy before. This would be a whole new experience.
And it didn’t matter that the woman was eighty years old. She wanted to start things off on the right foot.
“Um, everything. I want her to like me, Cass. She means a lot to him.”
“Just be yourself. You’ll be fine.” Cassie pulled out her phone and checked the time. “Shit, I gotta get in there. Wanna meet at Clem’s after class?”
Sophia shook her head. “I can’t. I’m heading to Gray’s afterward.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Fine. But who passes up caffeine?”
Me, Sophia thought. She didn’t need a caramel macchiato to put a little extra spring in her step.
Because Grayson Cawthorne was doing a pretty fine job of that all by himself.
♥♥♥
With her back aching from the weight of her backpack, Sophia trudged her way to her car, feeling every last ache and pain along the way. It had been a long day, but even as exhausted as she felt, that little silver lining she’d been daydreaming about all day had been all the motivation she needed to keep going.
Yes, a movie night was just what the doctor ordered. It didn’t matter that they were about a thousand years past Halloween. They were having a scary movie night in the dead of winter.
But at least now, she had the perfect snuggling partner to go along with it.
She let out a sigh of relief as she opened her car door. A little popcorn, a little horror, and a whole lot of cuddling.
Yeah, that was the perfect recipe for the perfect night.
Sophia smiled. She could practically smell the popcorn popping to life on the stove. Gray said there was nothing better than a movie night with some old-fashioned popcorn.
And truth be told, he was right. Some things really were better back in the day.
Like the comfort of a warm blanket, pulling into Grayson’s driveway felt like coming home. And in a way, it was home, at least, where her heart was concerned.
Grayson stared from the window, waiting in anticipation as Sophia made her way to the front door. At least tonight wouldn’t end like it had the night before. It still sucked beyond all belief that his car was a complete disaster, and God only knew how long it would take to save up for all four tires.
But as shitty as the situation was, it could’ve been worse.
Much worse.
Except, the string of bad luck never seemed to stop coming to the doorstep of the Cawthorne household.
“Everything okay?” Sophia asked as she walked through the door.
His jaw tensed as he pulled a wrinkled piece of paper from his pocket. “I found this in my locker right before I left for the day.”
Goosebumps formed on the back of Sophia’s neck as she read the words aloud. “Your sister’s next.” She pressed her palm to her mouth. “I just don’t understand. It’s like someone has it out for everyone in this town.”
Gray remained silent, though his gaze lingered on Sophia as she pulled off her coat and tossed it on the couch. The less time he spent dwelling on the situation, the better off he would be.
And thank God Sophia was there to distract him.
“Do you want me to take that for you?” he asked.
Sophia smiled. Even facing a whirlwind of chaos, he was so sweet. So kind. And so much of everything she ever wanted. She nodded. “You can if you want.”
“Well, sure, it’s no problem. I mean, at least this way it will dry faster.”
She settled down on the couch, unraveling the throw blanket that had been piled on the other end. She had been chilled to the bone—not only from the freezing cold but from the fear that was growing inside her.
Was this what Steve meant when he said Gray wasn’t the type of guy she should be hanging with?
She brushed the thought aside. It couldn't be, and that nagging idiot needed to get out of her head and out of her business.
A few minutes passed before Grayson returned plopped a giant bowl of popcorn between them. “I figured we could share.”
Sophia smiled as she snuggled further down into the blanket. “Deal. Do you want some of the blanket?”
“Nah,” he said, popping a kernel in his mouth, “I’m good. But thank you.”
“So, what’s on our watch list for tonight?”
“Drag Me to Hell. Which, from what I’ve heard, it’s not even that scary. Plus, it’s only rated PG-13.”
“So? I get scared shitless over anything. But I like scary movies.”
“That’s so weird,” he laughed. “I mean, how do you like something that freaks you out?”
She thought about it for a moment. “I dunno. The adrenaline rush, I guess. And it’s an excuse to cuddle.”
Grayson laughed. “So, that’s the real reason why. I see how it is.” He grabbed another fistful of popcorn. “I guess we’ll have to watch scary movies more often.”
Thirty minutes into the movie, Sophia’s eyes were growing heavy, struggling to stay open as she cuddled against Grayson’s arm.
“You’re not falling asleep, are you?” he whispered.
“Nope,” she yawned. “Just resting my eyes.”
Grayson smiled as he gently threaded his fingers through her hair. She looked like an angel as she sat curled up against him.
And truth be told, she was the closest thing to heaven that he’d ever known. It didn’t matter what else was going on in his world.
All that mattered was that Sophia Hillcrest was in his arms.
♥♥♥
Sophia woke with a start. At first, she thought she was still at home, tucked away in her own bed. But a quick glance at her phone told her that not only had the movie completely passed her by, but she was going to be late.
Very late.
“Shit!” she cried. “Shit, shit, shit!” With her heart pounding furiously in her chest, she tossed her half of the blanket aside and scrambled to her feet.
Grayson stirred, feeling as though he was still lost
in a hazy dream. “Soph?”
“I’m so sorry,” she said frantically. “I didn’t realize what time it was.”
Grayson wiped the sleep from his eyes, then looked at the clock. “Oh, damn. Yeah, I guess it is late.”
She grabbed her bag and fumbled with her coat, desperately wishing the zipper would cooperate for once. “Yeah, and they’re going to kill me.”
“Just for staying out late?”
“Yeah! It’s a freaking school night! You’re lucky you don’t have to deal with this shit.”
Grayson bolted to the door, capturing her hand in his as he pulled her into his arms. “Okay, well good night,” he said, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Drive safe. Text me later.”
She tossed her bag into the front seat, barely sitting down before turning the key in the ignition. Five minutes. If she floored it all the way there, she might be able to make it in time.
Maybe.
A few blown stop signs later, and she was right back home, safe and sound by the saving grace of something nothing more than a miracle. Just as she suspected, the lights were off in the living room. More than likely, her parents were already upstairs getting ready to head to bed. And that was all the more reason to be as quiet as a mouse, as she tiptoed up the stairs.
“Glad to see you know how to read a clock,” her father sneered.
A jolt of adrenaline shot through her, making her freeze in place as he confronted her in the darkness. “I’m sorry. I lost track of time.”
“Yeah, well, when we tell you to be back in this house by eleven, that doesn’t you show up at 11:02.”
“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I’ll try to pay more attention.”
“It’s not a matter of trying,” her father said. “It’s a matter of doing. And if you want to be treated like an adult, then act like one.”
With a heavy sigh, he turned and headed back up the stairs, leaving Sophia to stand there frozen. This can’t happen again, she thought. She’d be lucky if they didn’t ground her indefinitely, and that was something she couldn’t stomach.
Because if she had to go without seeing Grayson, there would be hell to pay.
Here In Your Arms (Fort Haven Book 1) Page 5
