Page 113 of Seeing Grayscale

As I try to pull one out, I realize the pack is gone.

Poof.

A guttural sob explodes out of me as I throw the empty container as far as it’ll go, which is only by my feet dangling off the hood.

“You’re a piece of shit.” And boy, don’t I know it.

I should’ve never brought Gray home with me—never should’ve let it get this far. What’ll happen to him now? My dad is going to demand that I get rid of him. He’ll swear up and down that Gray staying with me in any capacity will tarnish our hard-earned images. If only people knew what they really lookedlike—all black tar and sprinkled with shit. Maybe a handful of feathers thrown into the mix for ultimate humiliation.

I let this happen. Imadeit happen.

No matter how badly I try to justify what I’ve done as something noble, it’s anything but. I’m a selfish fuck who has no choice but to break an innocent’s heart.

Because I’m weak.

Because I’m a coward.

Because my father’s approval has always meant more to me than anything else. Ineedit. What else do I have?

Friends? No.

A social life? No.

Hobbies? Forget it.

I’m a miserable man with a fuckton of money I won’t ever be able to spend in my lifetime.

And most of all…

“I hate who I am.”

Swiping at my damp eyes, I gather up the pathetic tears and let my hand drop with a loudthunk.My teeth chatter as I hiccup more fries and booze. I glance at the dark, gloomy sky, wishing it were still snowing. Just bury me and all my secrets so I don’t have to face the music. I sniffle loudly, my stomach churning on raw guilt.

I need to warn Gray. At the very least, prepare him for what is coming.

I’m…falling for him. Hell, I might bein lovewith him. He doesn’t deserve any of this, and there’s no way he’ll survive the fallout without some help.

I try to sit up, but my body is limp. Three more times I try and fail, so I resort to just…sliding down the hood of my car until I land on my ass. My phone is inside my car. It’s so far away. Flopping onto my hands and knees, I start crawling. As if God iswatching, I’m suddenly illuminated in bright light. Pain shoots through my eyes, and I close them tight.

Tires screech to a halt.

Fuck. Security finally got the call that I’m littering and loitering…and I’m drunk as shit.

“It’s fine,” I slur, still on my hands and knees. “I’ll…,” I burp loudly, “get a ride or…”Oh god, the fries are fighting back.

Hurrying to sit back on my ass, I smack my lips, using sheer willpower to keep the fries in my stomach and not on the asphalt. “Hunter,” I hear, and his voice sounds like an angel’s.

“What the fuck!” A very pissed off angel.

Unable to stop the flutter in my heart, I lift my head to meet icy blue eyes glaring down at me. They are red-rimmed, a little swollen, and the tip of his nose is bright red. “Baby,” I slur.

“What did you drink? An entirebarrel?” Alex is here too. Why is my assistant here? “You smell so bad, sir.”

I hiccup loudly before flicking my eyes back to Gray. His jaw is wound tight, his shoulders shaking, and his fists are balled at his sides. “You didn’t text me. I passed my test, and you didn’t call me. You didn’t sayanything.”

My mouth opens to talk, but nothing comes out.

He looks so,soupset.

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