26
“Idon’t like this,” Gruff says for the hundredth time since we pulled up outside the small supermarket and parked the giant SUV.
“I mean, we could have taken a less conspicuous car, you know?” I shrug like that’s the problem.
Truth be told, I hadn’t really thought this plan through, I just needed to get out the house and I did need the store. I didn’t think about how nervous I’d be when I got there. After all, it’s twice someone has tried to kill me, first my father, who’s not actually my father and then a seemingly harmless housekeeper.
But realistically, how is anyone going to know I’m here?
Paranoia has no place inside my head so I tilt my chin up and pop the door. It’s warm today making the sweats and sweater a bad move but I needed comfy rather than convenient.
“Hey, wait!” Gruff scrambles to get out the car and then he’s right next to me, curling his hand around my arm, not hard or aggressively, more protective than anything else.
“It’s okay,” I tell him, patting the paw that circles my bicep, “let’s just get what we need and go home.”
He grunts and we make our way across the lot. I glance sideways at him, he looks out of place next to me, dressed in his pristine tailored suit, Italian loafers loud on the asphalt as his steps cover more ground than my little ones could ever hope to achieve. We look every bit the fucked up pair that we are. The air conditioning of the store hits me like a bucket of water, refreshing considering the heat outside and we move quickly to one of the aisles containing fresh produce.
“Doing some grocery shopping at the same time?” I ask.
Gruff drags me through the aisle, turning at the end until we find the one we are looking for. His nerves are rattling my own.
I realize there would be no real way of defending ourselves here, so open and public, it’s not like Gruff could whip out his gun and shoot someone should he need to. No that shit is done behind closed doors with no witnesses.
They may run the city but there are still rules.
I stop at the section where the products are and pluck the bits and pieces that I need from the shelves, bundling them into Gruff’s arms.
“This is a bad idea, Wren,” Gruff tells me, I’m ready to snap back with a retort but when I turn to Ryker I notice how very nervous he is. Shit, now my guilt is warring with the anxiety inside of me.
“It’s fine, let’s just get this and we can go.”
“You don’t need anything else?”
I grab some heat pads and a packet of painkillers and then shake my head, “This’ll be fine, let’s go.”
He sighs with relief and we begin to make our way back down the aisle. A familiar face right at the end catches my attention.
“Shit,” I hiss, grabbing Ryker and tugging him down another aisle, hiding.
“What!?” He hisses.
“I know him,” I point to the familiar face at the end of the aisle. Griff, my personal trainer and self-defense teacher. Once upon a time I would have never questioned whether I trusted him but it’s obvious that Valentine has had a lot of influence on my life if Lex is telling the truth. I still needed to learn it all but I knew enough.
Was it Lawson or Valentine forcing me into that training? Either way, neither of them could be trusted. Who was Griff really?
I used to trust this man without question but now as I look at him, I realize he’s just like the rest. There’s a darkness I hadn’t recognized before, a way he holds himself, a controlled beast that when rattled will be unleashed.
“Who is it?” Ryker asks.
“His name is Griffin, I used to train with him.”
“Okay, so what?”
“He was employed by my father.”
“Which one?”
I roll my eyes, “Lawson.”