“Did Griffin paint them?”
I shake my head. “No. I don’t know who did.”
I don’t bother bringing up the blonde woman in the photograph because I can’t fit her into the picture. I have no idea if she’s a part of Griffin’s life now or if her memory was born in his past.
“I take it Griffin found out that you were in his home office without him there?” Her voice softens. “It upset him, didn’t it?”
“He found me in there.” I close my eyes to push back my emotions. “He looked so vulnerable, so lost. I just wanted to hold him, but he told me to go.”
She clears her throat. “Maybe he wasn’t ready fo
r you to see that part of his life.”
“I can’t change the fact that I saw it.” I exhale as I look back at her. “It doesn’t change how I feel about him.”
“How do you feel about him?”
“I think I love him,” I admit.
She moves closer to the edge of her chair. “If you do, find a way to show him that.”
“I don’t know how.” I swing my legs over the side of the sofa until I’m sitting upright. “I feel as though I saw a side of him tonight that I never knew existed.”
“You’re not talking about the fact that he told you to leave, are you?” She rests her cheek against the back of the chair.
“I know why he did that.” I tuck the blanket around my legs. “He felt exposed. I’m talking about the paintings. They are so intense. He has them hanging in his office. They must speak to him in a way.”
“Or they remind him of something or someone.”
“I wish I knew what or who.”
“Give Griffin time, Piper.” She lowers her voice. “Let him accept that you’ve seen a part of his world he obviously wants hidden. He’ll come to you when he’s ready.”
Or he won’t. Time will tell and until then, I’ll find a way to move on with my life.
Chapter 48
Griffin
“If we weren’t partners, I would have fired you days ago.” Dylan stalks into my office. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Everything. Every fucking thing.
It’s been more than two weeks since I found Piper and Sebastian in my home office. I lost it in that moment. My rage over the intrusion was enough for me to send them both out of my life. I haven’t spoken to either of them since.
I know I’ll mend my friendship with Sebastian in time because we’ve weathered storms worse than this.
It’s Piper that keeps me awake at night.
I miss her. I need her. I wish to fuck she wouldn’t have seen those paintings.
It made me feel bare in a way I’ve never felt before.
I hated it. I crave it now. I want more of it but my fear of her rejection is stronger than anything else so I pushed her away before she could do it to me.
“I broke it off with Piper.”
“You what?” He stops short of my desk. “Why?”