Chapter 26: 26: Fleeting Comfort

BELLE

Grayson wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flush against him. That was all it took for me to burst into tears. My emotions came pouring out all at once, exhaustion and pain nearly overtaking me.

“I’m so sorry, Belle,” Grayson repeatedly whispered in my ear. “It’s always been you. I promise it’s always been you.”

My knees buckled beneath me. I nearly dropped to the cement beneath us, but Grayson didn’t miss a beat.

He scooped me up into his arms, hugging me close to him as he began to walk. I didn’t even care where he was taking me. I just needed to be close to him.

I sobbed into his chest like I had done earlier this morning when he’d found me. The information that he hadn’t slept with another person and that he was still technically my mate was shocking.

I didn’t know how to process the relief and pain that was coursing through me. So I didn’t. I just cried and let Grayson hold me.

Only minutes had passed when I heard Grayson speak again. “Belle, where are your keys?”

I lifted my teary gaze from the crook of his neck. To my utter surprise, we were in front of the door to my apartment. I frowned. How the hell had we gotten here so fast?

How had he even known where I lived? I guess he really did have ways of finding out my information.

“Belle, baby. Keys. Please, I just need to get you inside and into bed so I can take care of you properly,” Grayson said.

I blinked, finally processing what he was saying. “I left them at the diner,” I realized. I weakly wiped the tears from my eyes. “It doesn’t matter, though. The lock doesn’t work.”

“What?” Grayson snapped. His hand flew to the doorknob and twisted. The door opened with no problem.

He growled, the feeling vibrating against my chest. “You’ve been staying in an apartment that doesn’t fucking lock?”

I shrugged sheepishly. “It’s not like I have anything worth stealing.”

He swore under his breath, his body trembling with the evidence of his wolf, but he stepped through the doorway without arguing.

And that’s when sudden panic rose in my chest.

“Wait!” I yelled.

Grayson’s movements paused, and he looked down at me in concern.

“The fact that you didn’t sleep with someone else doesn’t change anything,” I said, swallowing thickly.

Grayson’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re not forgiven,” I somehow managed to say without fumbling over my words.

“You may not have had sex with that girl, but you still cheated on me. I saw it—~felt~ it. A-And you still said horrible things to me and hit me and abused me and… ” I paused, breathing deeply.

“What you did to me is still unforgivable.”

Grayson growled. “No. Fuck this. You need to know what happened. It wasn’t me—”

“I don’t care!” I yelled back. “I truly don’t care! Nothing, absolutely ~nothing~ can excuse what you did to me! Now, put. Me. ~Down!~”

Grayson’s throat muscles shifted in a pattern, and he made a hoarse animal sound at the back of his throat. He still didn’t let me go. And I wanted to scream.

Finally deciding I’d had enough, I brought my leg up as hard and fast as I could and slammed my knee right into his crotch, knowing it was the only place that wasn’t covered in pure muscle.

And therefore also the place where I could do the most damage.

Grayson immediately groaned. His face turned red, and the muscles in his neck bulged, shock and pain taking over his features.

He didn’t let go of me, but his hold loosened just enough for me to squirm my way out of his arms and onto the ground.

Still overtaken with pain, Grayson doubled over slightly. Knowing this was my only chance, I pushed him out of the doorway of my apartment and slammed the door shut directly in his face.

I didn’t waste a second before grabbing a folding metal chair from the table nearby and placing it under the doorknob.

Then I grabbed the door chain and bolt lock and made sure both were secure, praying it would be enough to keep him out. My apartment may not lock from the outside, but it sure as hell did from the inside.

I wasn’t stupid enough to sleep in an apartment where any random person could come in at any time while I was in there.

It only took a second for Grayson’s angry voice to be heard from the other side of the door. He banged against the wood. “Belle! Let me in right now!”

I didn’t reply as I watched my door shake on its hinges. I backed up, afraid he would come smashing through at any moment.

I knew Grayson could break it down if he wanted, but I really hoped he would give up before it came to that.

I could feel tears start to fall again as Grayson continued to bang against the door. “Open this door right now, Belle, or I swear I’ll break it down!”

I sat down on my mattress, which still left me in view of the door, bringing my knees close to my chest. I couldn’t stop the sobs that took over my body.

I didn’t even care if Grayson could hear me. I didn’t care about anything anymore.

I just sat on my bed and... cried.

The banging stopped the moment the first sob left my mouth. I could barely hear Grayson’s broken voice whisper, “Belle…”

He sounded so sad, so broken. But not as broken as I felt. And definitely not broken enough for me to do as he asked.

I wasn’t sure how long I stayed like that. I cried for what felt like hours until my throat was coarse, and my voice was gone. I didn’t hear Grayson again. I wasn’t even sure if he was still outside my door.

I tried telling myself I didn’t care.