Chapter 165
Grayson’s POV-
I wanted to be mad at Liam, especially after I asked, “How long and he replied, “Three months.” That was a month longer than when Ava and I had been sent into that cursed world.
At first, his words burned through me like fuel to an already raging fire, but then something unexpected happened. I realized I didn’t want to feel that way anymore. I didn’t want to keep replaying the issues in my head, holding onto the anger that clawed at me like a beast. I didn’t want to keep looking for fights, whether it was with Luther, Liam, or anyone else.
There was enough weighing me down already–an entire realm to shoulder as the Alpha King, the curse in my bloodline – that needed to be broken, and whoever had gone quiet after the killing spree. And maybe, just maybe, it was a good thing
my wolf wasn’t here right now to growl in disapproval of my sudden desire for peace.
Because that was all I wanted.
Peace.
And Ava… she made me feel it. When she was near, the weight on my chest didn’t press as hard. The darkness didn’t seem as suffocating. She made me feel lighter, and for that, I was willing to try. To focus on something resembling normalcy, even if it felt foreign to me.
That’s why I showed up at the hospital. Not just to check on her after her meeting with her superior–I had already decided what would happen if it didn’t go well. If he fired her, I would pull every resource at my disposal to shut the hospital down. I wouldn’t care about collateral damage or who would be affected The moment I saw a frown on her face, I would act.
But instead of charging in like a storm, I remembered Isabella’s annoying voice echoing in my head, as she always seemed to know what I needed to hear. “Just show up.”
So, I left everything behind. To Liam’s credit, he had been keeping things in order, which gave me the time to come here.
When Ava met me outside, the grin on her face was enough to make the
everything worth it so I said the first thing that popped up and it was thWorld stop. It was the kind of smile that made
I was
taking her to lunch.
The remodeled restaurant wasn’t my first choice, but it felt appropriate. Just because I was trying to play nice didn’t mean people didn’t need occasional reminders of consequences for disobedience.
Ava’s soft laughter pulled me out of my thoughts as she looked up at the building.
“My mother is going to be so pissed,” she giggled.
I extended my hand to her but didn’t say anything. That was the reason I had bought it in the first place.
She took my hand, her smaller fingers fitting perfectly in mine, and I led her inside.
Andrew Waters was already standing by the entrance, his tie notably absent. The sight brought a faint smile to my lips. His expression faltered the moment his eyes landed on me. He swallowed hard and approached us, his movements cautious.
“Mr. Blackwood,” he stammered, his voice betraying his nerves. didn’t realize you’d be coming in today.” His gaze flickered nervously to Ava before darting back to me.
I ignored him, letting my eyes scan the restaurant. The once overly extravagant decor had been replaced with something simpler, more refined. The false pretense that had clung to this place like a second skin was gone, replaced by a sense of
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Chapter 165
honest elegance.
“What do you think of it?” I asked Ava, my attention still on Andrew.
She hesitated for a moment, as if sensing the undercurrent of terision. “I love it. It’s really beautiful”
Andrew exhaled audibly, relief washing over his face. “I’ll take your to your table.”
He led us through the restaurant but paused midway. “I’m sorry Mr Blackwood, but all the VIP tables are currently taken-”
I opened my mouth, ready to tell him to have those tables cleared immediately, but Ava’s soft voice cut me off.
“It’s fine,” she said, surprising both of us. “I never liked those tables anyway. They’re always in positions where everyone can `see you. It feels like being under a microscope.” She muttered the last part to herself before brightening up and adding, “A
regular table is fine.”
Andrew nodded a little too eagerly, leading us to a cozy corner table. As he walked away, Ava turned her gaze to me, a knowing look in her eyes.
“What did you do to him?”
I tilted my head. “What?”
Her lips curved into a smirk. “He was practically shaking while he stood near you. Did you threaten him?”
Ishrugged, reaching for the menu. “I didn’t say anything to him recently.”
She rolled her eyes but mirrored my action, picking up her menu. Her gaze scanned the options before she let out a soft sigh. “Oh, they didn’t change the menu.”
I was about to call Andrew back to rectify the oversight, but she continued, her voice softening.
“I always liked the food here. It just never went down well with all the stares.” She glanced up at me, her cheeks tinting slightly. “I don’t mind if I order more than one dish, do I?”
She didn’t need to finish the sentence. I already knew. Evelyn Pierce had never let her order more than one.
Something in me twisted at the thought.
Maybe another reason Ava and I matched so well was that we both had parents who deserved to be locked forgotten. Mine had hit me. Hers hadn’t, but they’d done something worse. They’d forced her to put up a facade that placed her with someone who did.
away
and
I made a mental note to revisit my list of eventual punishments. There was no rush–vengeance was best served cold, after all.
“No,” I said, my tone softening as I leaned forward. “You can order as much as you want. Everything on the menu, if you’d
like.”
Her gaze softened, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”
“I don’t think so. You deserve it.”
Her smile grew, and for a moment, the world outside of this table didn’t exist.
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Chapter 165
As we waited for the waiter to arrive, the conversation drifted to lighter topics. She teased me about my lack of subtlety, and 1 countered by pointing out her habit of biting her lip when she was nervous.
“It’s not a habit,” she argued, crossing her arms.
“It is.”
“Is not.”
I smirked, leaning closer. “You’re doing it right now.”
Her lips parted in surprise before she quickly stopped herself, shooting me a playful glare, “You’re going to regret saying I could order everything.”
The waiter came right on cue, holding a notepad and pen with a rehearsed smile. Ava glanced up at him, her expression soft as she started to order. Her voice was light, but confident, listing off a few dishes with enthusiasm. She added a small laugh after her last request, “I’ve always wanted to try the dessert here without my mother breathing down my neck about calories.”
I watched her, pleased by how she was slowly letting herself enjoy this moment. But then, something caught my attention— something that made my jaw tighten.The waiter, standing too close, lingered as Ava spoke, his eyes fixed on her a moment too long. His smile widened, and I could see the faintest trace of something in his expression I didn’t like.
I cleared my throat, sharp and deliberate.
The waiter’s eyes snapped to me. I didn’t say a word, but my glare was enough. He paled slightly, visibly swallowing as he turned back to Ava. His pen trembled against the notepad, but instead of trying to recover, he stammered, “I’ll, uh, I’ll put this in for you right away. Will you be needing anything, Sir?”
“No,” I said coldly. He froze, his pen mid–air. “Leave and don’t come back here.”
His eyes darted nervously between us, and when I didn’t break my stare, he swallowed again, nodded quickly, and scrambled away like a chastened child.
I leaned back in my chair, expecting to hear Ava chastise me for overreacting. But instead, a small smile tugged at her lips. She shook her head, amused, and said, “Well, now that you’ve scared him off, I wonder if I’ll even get my food.”
Her words instantly eased the tension in my shoulders. Her eyes sparkled, but then her smile faded, replaced by a more hesitant expression. She adjusted her posture, clearing her throat as her fingers played nervously with the edge of her napkin like she was suddenly uncomfortable.
“Since we’re here and talking…” she began, her voice quieter now. She hesitated, her eyes darting down to the table before flicking back up to mine. “There’s… something I wanted to talk to you about.”
I raised a brow, watching her closely as unease crept into her posture. “What is it?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she shifted in her seat, clearly trying to muster up the courage to speak. My hackles rose instinctively–was something wrong?
“I…” She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. Her blush deepened, and she finally blurted out, “It’s about sex…”
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