Page 10 of Fury
"It is," he agrees, his thumb tracing my bottom lip. "You are."
The parking lot, the party, the universe, it all seems to fade away as he leans in slowly, giving me every chance to pull back. Instead, I rise on my tiptoes, meeting him halfway.
The first brush of his lips against mine is gentle, questioning. But when I sigh against his mouth, something breaks loose in him. His arms wrap around me, pulling me flush against his chest as the kiss deepens into something hungry and desperate. I clutch at his shoulders, lost in the sensation of finally—finally—knowing what it feels like to be kissed by Greyson Reed.
When we break apart, we're both breathing hard. His forehead rests against mine, his eyes closed as if he's committing this moment to memory.
"I've wanted to do that since you were seventeen," he admits roughly.
"Why didn't you?"
His eyes open, piercing blue even in the dim light of the parking lot. "Because you deserved the chance to figure out who you were without me. Without all this." He gestures vaguely toward the clubhouse. "And because your father would have killed me."
I laugh, though we both know it's not entirely a joke. "And now?"
"Now you're a woman who knows what she wants." His hand slides to the nape of my neck. "At least, I hope you do."
"I do," I whisper, the words carrying more weight than they should for such a new beginning.
He kisses me again, gentler this time but no less intense. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven," he says against my lips. "Wear something nice."
"Bossy," I tease, though I'm already mentally going through my closet.
His smile is slow and dangerous. "You have no idea."
The promise in those words sends heat pooling low in my belly. I reluctantly step back, needing space to clear my head.
"I should go before my dad sends out a search party."
Greyson nods, though he looks like it physically pains him to let me go. He opens my car door, his hand lingering on mine as I slide into the driver's seat.
"Text me when you get home." The command reflects the concern in his eyes.
"I will." I start the engine, then pause. "Greyson? I'm glad I came back."
His expression turns tender in a way I've never seen before. "So am I, Livie. So am I."
As I drive away, I catch sight of him in my rearview mirror, standing in the parking lot watching until I turn the corner. My lips still tingle from his kisses, and my mind races with possibilities I never allowed myself to consider before tonight.
Coming home was supposed to be about starting over, about finding my place in the world. I never expected that place might be in Greyson Reed's arms.
But as I pull out onto the road from the clubhouse, a strange car parked across the street catches my attention. It's not one I recognize from the neighborhood, a dark sedan with tinted windows. As I watch, the engine starts, headlights flicking on.
The car pulls away slowly, too slowly to be casual, and a chill runs down my spine that has nothing to do with the night air.
For a moment, I'm back in LA, watching that same deliberate departure from my apartment parking lot. The same feeling of being watched. Hunted.
But that's impossible. No one followed me from California. No one knows I'm here except the people who love me.
I shake off the paranoia, blaming it on exhaustion and the emotional overload of the evening. I'm safe here.
Aren't I?
Greyson
I watch her taillights disappear around the corner, fighting the urge to jump on my bike and follow her home. The weight of her lips still lingers on mine, a ghost of sensation I've waited years to experience. For a moment, I just stand there in the parking lot, letting the reality sink in. Livie Bennett is back, and whatever this thing between us is, it's finally happening.
With a deep breath, I turn back toward the clubhouse, unable to wipe the smile from my face. The music hits me as I push through the door, the party still going strong despite the late hour. I scan the room, nodding at my VP who raises an eyebrow in silent question. Later, my look tells him. We'll talk about this later.
