you’re not there I’m leavin’ your ass.”
“Fine, I’ll be there.”
Chapter Twenty-One
I have a happy personality with a heavy soul. Sometimes it gets weird
~ The Idealist
Ruby
“The snow’s melting a bit today and it’s not too cold out. You wanna take a stroll out to the back of the property?” Grim’s voice comes up from behind me. I turn to face him and cock a brow, glance out the window and see it’s bright and sunny.
“I’m gonna need boots, aren’t I?” My question almost seems idiotic, but I’m not fucking around with him.
“Yeah, but Nat’ told me you and her were the same shoe size so I grabbed you a pair from the store in town.” Grim hands me a bag, and I pull the cardboard box out from inside the bag. Peeling back the lid my eyes instantly land on a deep plum colored boot. Grim could’ve just bought me some plain Jane black ones, but nope, he got me a pair with a bit of flair.
I smile lightly and look up to him while taking off my flats. “Thank you for this. I really appreciate it.”
“It’s not a big deal. Figured you’re gonna need ‘em if you’re so determined on staying here.”
“I am, determined on staying here.” I confirm his thoughts, knowing he’s digging for information.
He nods once, accepting what I’ve said and clears his throat. Obviously, this is a bit awkward for him. “Are you going to do your classes online and stuff? I mean, you’re not dropping out, right?”
I blink at him like he’s lost his mind, because he damn well might have. Why would I drop out of school after everything he and Axel have helped me with? It would be a huge slap in the face to disrespect them like that. “I’ll be able to finish my degree online, remember? My professors know I’ll get the work done. I’m only a few credits away from graduating, Grim. I’m not going to screw that all up.” He’s worried I’m throwing it all away to be here with Zorro. Or maybe he’s worried I’m throwing it all away because of what happened on Halloween. I’m not sure, but the important thing is that he knows I’m okay.
“Okay, cool. Just making sure.” Grim dips his hands in the pockets of his jeans, acting nonchalant. “I’ll go wait outside for you. Hell, I need to sneak in a cigarette anyway.”
Narrowing my brows in at him, I’m instantly intrigued. “Since when did you smoke?”
“It’s a bad habit I’ve always had, bein’ stressed out makes it worse and Nat’s on my ass for me to stop. I mean, with three kids she wants me to be around for a very long time.” He can’t even blame her. Natalie loves him so much, and her three girls, and the baby she’s carrying right now. My brother might not be the girls’ father, but he loves them like he is.
“Fine, go be a choo-choo train outside. I need to go chat with Portia anyway. I haven’t really seen her since the shooting.”
Grim widens his eyes. “Yeah, you’d better go check on her.”
It’s adorable to me how Grim automatically seems concerned. He shouldn’t be. Portia is an ice queen. Okay, scratch that. She’s a privileged ice queen. Honestly, she’s probably the most least shaken person after a traumatic event like that.
Portia’s been staying with Cheyenne and Frost, I have seen her a little bit around the club but she’s kept her distance from me and vice versa. I know we’re doing it because both of our emotions are a bit high right now, but I expect sooner or later things will be easier.
After I finish putting my boots on, I walk around the club until I find her in the kitchen, talking to Rosa. They’re both day drinking from the looks of it and the moment I walk in the kitchen the air immediately intensifies. My eyes lock on Portia’s and Rosa reads the energy in the room. “I’m gonna go. I have to shoot some content later anyway. See you girls later,” she says as she struts out of my view.
“I’m shocked you haven’t spoken to me until now,” and here she goes with the instantaneous bitchy attitude.
“I could say the same.”
Her mouth drops open and she looks right at me. “You’re kidding me, right? You have barely spoken to me in months. Granted, I know why now but, I mean, I’ve been here for days. Instead you’ve been off with your boy toy.”
Anger