GRAYSON

I knew I was in deep with this girl, but it didn't take me long to realize that today would be the day that I came to terms with how deep.

As annoyed as I was that she kept trying to run to her friends' sides to fight off some murderer, there was also a bit of something that swelled in my chest. Nessa was so fierce, so loyal.

It wasn't only that, though; she was wild, too. I nearly lost my goddamn mind when we started texting. I'd always known it would be like this once she let down her guard. I'd known that since she grabbed my face and kissed me at Julian's house all those months ago. Still, holy shit.

When Nessa's phone rang an hour later—that was the moment, though. That was when I realized.

She sprang out of my bed, answering the call before it even had a chance to ring a second time.

"Beau?" she gasped.

I heard his muffled voice from the other end of the line, but I couldn't make out what he was saying beyond the fact that his words were quick and tense. I studied Nessa's face, which was quickly crumbling. There was a sharp inhale at something Beau said before Nessa held her breath, nodding and making little mhm sounds.

It wasn't until she hung up that she fell apart, and something twisted in my chest as I caught her in my arms.

Sweeping Nessa up, I brought her back to bed. She was crying hard enough that wet tears soaked through my shirt, and I prepared myself for the worst when I leaned down to breathe in her ear.

"What is it?"

Nessa took a few controlled breaths and lifted her head, wiping her cheeks.

"Bren's dad was already there when Beau and Madie showed up. He—" She broke off, swallowing hard before whispering the last words. "He stabbed Madie before the cops could arrest him. She's already in surgery, has been for a while. It's bad, Grayson. I should—I should go to Fresno. What if—"

Choking on the end of the sentence, Nessa looked at the ceiling, blinking rapidly.

Shit.

The terror in her voice and eyes knocked the breath out of me for a moment. But then I came to my senses, pulling Nessa close. We faced each other, and I brushed a tear off her cheek as I spoke in a low voice.

"Everything will be alright, okay? Beau's there for her, and so is Bren. Madie will be out of surgery soon, and then we'll get an update so we can decide what to do."

Her eyes were shiny as they searched my face. She sniffed.

"We?"

"There's no way in hell you're getting rid of me right now."

A small smile inched its way onto her face. And then she inched closer to me, biting her lip as tears continued to fall in fat droplets from her eyes. But she wasn't gasping for air, and she wasn't running for the door. Progress.

"I don't even remotely want to get rid of you," she whispered.

My heart flipped. Deep. I was in so, so very deep.

Her face scrunched up, anger mixing with the pain. "I knew something bad was going to happen. I fucking knew it. I just didn't think—"

She blinked quickly, and I wondered why she thought she had to fight tears in front of me.

"God, Bren's probably a mess," she muttered, still trying not to cry. "He better not do something stupid."

Definitely an understandable concern. I'd witnessed how Bren got about Madie, and I could only imagine how he was handling this. I could only imagine how I would handle something like this. If Nessa got hurt and my family had been behind the blade, I didn't even know what I'd do.

Probably a good thing I didn't have a dad.

Cupping Nessa's face, I brought it toward mine. She closed her eyes as our foreheads touched, and for a long moment, all I heard, all I felt, all I knew was her. Tossing my arm around her back, I drew Nessa even closer. Because the only way I could think of comforting her was by holding her as close as physically possible.

She didn't protest, though. We were chest to chest, and I felt her breaths begin to measure up with mine, slowing.

"Everything will be alright," I repeated, closing my eyes and inhaling her sweet scent that I recognized as being distinctly Nessa.

When she whimpered my name, I was quick to find her gaze again.

Watery, brown eyes traced my face, and I could tell she was on the verge of a sob.

"I'm here."

"I know," she choked out. Leaning in, she closed the space between us. I was breathing Nessa Elez, and I froze, terrified I'd break the spell.

"I know," she whispered again.

And then she brushed her wet lips over mine.

Oh, God. It was a goddamn miracle that I managed a measured response, that I didn't lose all control and ruin this tender kiss. Cupping her face, I kissed her back, letting our lips slide over each other in sensual, gentle caresses.

When she pulled away with a humorless laugh, I smoothed my thumb over her cheek to wipe another tear away. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess and—"

"Sh," I interrupted, shushing her worries. I couldn't think of a single situation when I wouldn't accept a kiss from Nessa Elez. Like hell would I be turned off by a few tears.

"It's just not how I imagined—" Nessa clamped down on her lip, blinking nervously up at me.

It wasn't how I imagined our next kiss to be, either. But still, I smiled, still rubbing her cheek. "Plenty of time for that later, Adler."

Nessa released her lip as it snuck up into a bit of a grin, and then she twisted her arm around my neck, pulling me in for another kiss.

Soft lips. Such soft, wet lips. I tried to ignore the stirring of desire within me. It wasn't the time. I didn't try to deepen the kiss, didn't try to take more than she was willing to give me. And right now, that was gentle presses, little nips, and the briefest flicker of her tongue on the seam of my lips.

The kiss ended with a sigh. Our mouths hovered, exchanging hot breaths as I waited to see what Nessa would do next. Eventually, she licked her lips, flicking the corner of my mouth. My grip tightened on her waist as I tried not to groan, and I felt Nessa chuckle a little as she tucked her head into my neck.

I barely heard as she murmured thank you against my skin.

"Anything for you."

And it was scary how true that was. How goddamn true it was.

***

Nessa fell asleep, and I took the opportunity to grab some food from the student union, hoping she wouldn't wake up and bolt while I was gone.

Luckily, she was still curled up in my bed when I came back. The room was dark. The sun had vanished, and all that was left was a foggy haze outside my window. Nessa's locks of long hair fanned out over my pillow, and I resisted the urge to tuck her deeper under the covers.

But I needed to wake her. One, because she needed to eat. And two, I had news.

After dropping the food on the foot of the bed, I bent over her face, pushing a strand of hair out of it.

"Can you wake up for me, Adler?"

She groaned and shifted in the bed.

I chuckled and tried again.

"Nessa, darling. Wake up."

This time, her eyelids fluttered open. It took her a few moments to come to, and then I watched as a light bulb flicked on in her head. She shot up.

"Oh my god, I fell asleep." She swatted my arm angrily. "Why did you let me fall asleep?"

Smiling, I said, "Because you needed it."

Nessa scowled at that.

"I got you some food," I added, hoping that would brighten her smile. But she just shook her head.

"Not hungry."

"When's the last time you ate?"

She shook her head again, this time crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't know. This morning?"

She scrunched her nose, thinking.

"No, last night."

Sighing, I sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist to hoist her in between my legs. She didn't protest, letting me hold her from behind as I leaned up against the wall. Her hair tickled my chin, and I couldn't resist dropping a kiss onto the top of her head.

"Eat," I said, plucking a fry from the bag and shoving it in front of her face.  She took it and began to munch while I kept talking. "I have an update on Madie."

Nessa stiffened in my arms.

"How? What—"

"Bren texted me."

"Bren texted you?"

"Your phone must have died. He said it went straight to voicemail. Wanted you to know that Madie's out of surgery, and she should be fine. She's sleeping and recovering now. He's a little stir crazy. You might want to give him a call after you eat."

Because she was going to eat, goddamnit.

"Thank god," Nessa sighed, relaxing into me. Her whole body melted against my chest, and I tightened my hold, pulling her into a backward hug. Cocking her head to the side, she tried to look back at me.

"Bren really texted you?"

I chuckled. "You think I'm making this up? I wouldn't do that. Here." Pulling out my phone, I unlocked it and tossed it in her lap.

She didn't even look at it, flinging it onto the pillow.

"I don't think you're making it up. I just didn't realize Bren had your number. Or that you guys are on texting terms."

"We, uh, talked. After the gala. When he came to have his little conversation with Brodie."

"Oh, god. Madie told me about that. I probably never should have told Bren where to find you guys."

"I wondered if you had something to do with his sudden appearance."

"Yeah. I ran into him after I left your room that morning. He asked about Brodie, and I wasn't going to say anything but then ended up giving in," Nessa said softly before tucking into her food again. Comfortable silence lingered between us.

"He's pretty protective of you, ya know."

"Who, Bren?" she asked, the words muffled from a mouthful of food.

I smiled into the back of her head. Not because of her possessive-ass friend but because she was actually eating her cheeseburger.

"Yeah."

"He's dramatic sometimes. Thinks the weight of the world is on his shoulders, and everyone is his responsibility. Just ignore him."

I couldn't see her face, but I could imagine from the tone of her voice that she was rolling her eyes.

"I told him I would never hurt you. Just like I told you." I paused. "Have I kept that promise so far?"

She nodded slowly. "You have."

"Good." Leaning down, I found her ear, nuzzling my mouth next to it. "Stay here with me tonight, Adler."

Stay with me every night.

"Okay, Grayson," she said.

And this time, there was absolutely no hesitation.

She wasn't a game to me. And she never would be.

But if she were, I'd be sitting at a first and goal. And the next stop was a touchdown.

💗

thanks sm to everyone who is reading.
i hope you're enjoying!
xoxo