Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“You left her alone so this piece of shit could speak shit to her!” Grant yelled.
“What?” Jase asked.
“Yeah, exactly. You don’t even know what’s going on.” Grant shook his head. “Come on, Aria.”
“We’re not finished,” Aria said. She looked toward Jase.
“What did this man do?” Jase asked.
“I walked in on it,” Grant said, getting into Jase’s face. “Calling her all kinds of fat names. Telling her she doesn’t deserve to be here. Is this the kind of operation you’re running?”
Jase looked toward Sean.
“Get out,” Jase said.
“Jase, come on, man.”
“Get the fuck out of my gym, right now.” Jase looked like he was shaking, his rage knew no bounds.
He looked toward her. Aria stared at him.
“I will understand if you’d like to leave for tonight, but I promise you, you are always welcome here.”
She frowned, looking from Jase toward Grant, then back again.
“I’d like to finish my session, if that’s okay?” Aria asked.
Grant cursed.
She rushed toward him, cupping his face. “Please don’t be angry,” she said.
Grant took hold of her face, tilting her head back. “You don’t need to be here. I wish you could see what I see.” He pulled her in close and kissed her hard. “But I’m not going anywhere. I’m sticking around.”
“He could sue you,” Jase said.
Aria gasped.
“Let him.”
The rest of the session went by without a hitch. She heard Grant’s disapproving grunt from time to time when he wasn’t happy with the plans Jase organized. They did some more warm-up exercises. Jase took some measurements, and Grant didn’t like that. It was the only time he didn’t give them any kind of space. Aria quite liked how jealous he got.
By the end of the session, she was tired, but she also felt quite wired.
Grant took hold of her bag.
“Where’s Wanda?” she asked.
“At home. It was way too cold. My place is closer. That’s where we’re heading,” he said, taking hold of her hand.
There was no room for her to argue as they rushed toward his apartment. The moment they stepped through the door, Grant dropped her bag on the floor and showed her toward the shower.
“Wait here,” he said.
Aria wrapped her arms around herself. There was a mirror to her side and she caught sight of her stomach. She quickly turned her back, but not before trying to suck in her stomach. It didn’t matter what she did, she’d always be too big.
Grant returned holding a pair of sweatpants and a large shirt.
“I’ll get dinner ready.”
“Grant, make sure it’s…”
“Don’t,” he said.
She licked her lips. “This is important to me.”
He stared at her and shook his head. “I’ll cook you something, and stop panicking.” He stepped out of the bathroom and Aria sighed.
He was the only person who didn’t complain about her weight. Who didn’t make her feel like a failure for not being stick-thin.
She took a quick shower, not wanting Grant to wait for her, being cautious of the amount of hot water she consumed. Cleaning up after a workout felt so good. Her hair was no longer slick with sweat. She dried her hair on the towel as best she could.
Changing into the clothes he’d brought for her, she was thankful they had fit, and within ten minutes she stepped out of the bathroom.
The scents of onion and garlic filled the air. She walked into the kitchen to find Grant once again cooking.
“Don’t say a word,” he said.
Aria chuckled.
Wanda came over to say hello.
“I called Bull. I’m heading over to the clubhouse tomorrow to meet the two dogs.”
“I’ll be coming with you.”
“Bull said that. It was kind of a surprise that he told me what you were doing. He’s your brother, right?”
“Yep.”
“Are you two close?”
“Sometimes.”
Aria chuckled. “I’m not too close with my sister either. I don’t know if that’s because we don’t get along or because my mom was always taking her out.”
“Your mom sounds like a bitch,” Grant said.
Aria smiled and then nibbled her lip. Grant had walked toward her and pointed the knife at her. “I know that face. You want something?”
“Yeah and no.” She pursed her lips.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
Aria rolled her eyes. “My mom called me today and has ordered me to go to Thanksgiving dinner. My sister’s husband has arranged for it to be at a fancy restaurant.”
“You’ve been ordered to go?”
“Yes.”
“And you know you’re a grown-ass adult.”
“I know, but trust me, it’s easier if I go and just get this over with. I’ve been able to avoid all the other family get-togethers the past few weeks. There’s no refusing this one. It’ll be easier.”
“You ever thought about telling this woman to go fuck herself?”
Aria snorted. “It’s my mom.”
“And you can tell parents this stuff too.”
“Did you tell your parents?”
Grant tensed up. “Eventually. Yeah, I told my old man. Not my mom.”
“Why not your mom?”
“Didn’t know who she was. Never met her.”