Unproven Chapter Fifty Two "Fist Meet Face"

If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, decide what to be and GO BE IT
-The Avett brothers

Recommend Reading Introduction to Unproven

DEFINITELY READ Prologue

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three

Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six

Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two Chapter Twenty Three Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five Chapter Twenty Six Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight Chapter Twenty Nine Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One Chapter Thirty Two Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Four Chapter Thirty Five Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Seven Chapter Thirty EightChapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Forty Chapter Forty One Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Three Chapter Forty Four Chapter Forty Five

Chapter Forty Six Chapter Forty Seven Chapter Forty Eight

Chapter Forty Nine Chapter Fifty Chapter Fifty One

Chapter Fifty Two

She continued watching in confusion as Grant attempted to push Grayson backward without success.

“Get off man, it was just a hashbrownie!"

CRACK. Grayson drew his arm back for another blow just as Ary’s jumbled mind processed the situation. She lunged and grabbed his fist before he let it fly again.

He glared down at her and she squeezed tighter.

“Stop it,” she pleaded, blinking hard as she fought for coherence. She heard him make a sound, half growl half exhalation, right before she was hoisted over his shoulder. She watched Grant recede from view, his eyes narrowed as he rubbed his jaw, then gasped at the rush of chilly air as Grayson strode outdoors.

He yanked open the passenger door of his car and tossed her inside, shutting it behind her. She barely managed to get properly situated by the time he threw it in gear and drove out of the parking lot.

Twenty minutes later he pulled to the side of the back road he’d taken and leaned his head on the steering wheel breathing heavily. Her THC induced buzz had faded a bit, thankfully she’d only taken a small bite, and her heart squeezed as she looked at him. Pain. He was in serious pain. She waited for him to speak and jumped when he slammed his hand against the steering wheel. He repeated this several more times, and it was almost scarier that he didn’t punctuate each strike with the word ‘fuck’, because she heard it anyway. She winced at the angry purple his palm was turning.

“I don’t have a choice,” he whispered, still staring at the steering wheel.

She swallowed, tears burning the back of her lids, and put a hand over his injured one. “I know,” she whispered back as the tears broke free and slid down her cheeks.

He pulled his hand from hers and grabbed the door handle, getting out and walking up the small embankment. What the fuck am I supposed to do now?

So much for his icy fortress, the moment Grant had planted himself next to her it had begun to crack apart, shattering completely once he’d recognized the signs of her altered consciousness. She was on something and…He hadn’t thought about her in terms of another guy. Not once had it entered his head. So it had taken him off guard and now, what now? He listened to her approach and continued staring into the small plot of woods.

“What did he threaten you with?” She asked.

He blinked, laughing shortly. She had a knack for cutting through the bullshit, getting right to the heart of things. But what could he say? The threat hadn’t been spoken, yet he was certain he would endanger her by continuing a relationship, which made him the most selfish asshole in the entire universe for even standing here. Unlike her. I wish him all the best…with love. Meaning every word of it. When her voice had wavered- He clenched his teeth as a silent sob pushed upward through him and caught in his throat. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Gray?”

He shook his head and took a deep unsteady breath. Time to do the hard thing, he thought as he continued staring into the woods. “He brought me a mistress. A beautiful Hispanic girl. I fucked her all night after dropping you off. And yesterday morning, and last night, and again this morning.” Lies. Once the first night just so he wouldn't be called back into his father's office. Hating himself for touching anyone after what he and Ary had shared not an hour before.

Ary swallowed thickly, trying not to picture it. “Oh,” she said thinly. “Sounds great. So what am I doing here?”

His hands fisted. “I just wasn’t prepared to think of you with another guy," he said thinly, "I’ll get over it.”

She started to respond and stopped. Started again, stopped. There were so many things she wanted to say, wanted to ask, but what was the point? She tried to take a deep breath but it hurt. “Okay,” she said in a tight voice. “If that’s all, then take me back to school.”

He turned toward her, his eyes suddenly blazing. "You say that you love me, that love is real, well how the FUCK do you know that?" He demanded. "Where is the proof that love exists? What is your goddamned proof?"

"Where is the proof that it doesn't?" She answered softly.

He stared at her for several seconds, the anger draining away, his eyes suddenly swimming with grief and hopelessness.

“Gray,” she breathed and reached for him.

He pulled her against him holding her so tightly she could feel the beat of his heart against her chest.

“If I don’t let you go he will take you from me anyway,” he breathed into her hair. “I’m so sorry Aryanne, but it’s too dangerous. Being here with you right now is making me nervous. I’m so fucking sorry," his voice broke and he squeezed her tighter, sinking them onto the grass. “I wish we could run away but he would find us. I hate him for that more than anything else. I would give everything up to keep feeling the way I feel with you. Good and whole and loved. Healthy of mind and soul.”

The sound of a phone ringing interrupted the moment and the look on Grayson’s face told Ary who the ringtone was for. He was staring at the car like it might explode at any moment. It fell silent for a second then started up again, reminding Ary of a scene from a horror movie she once saw. When it happened a third time she pulled back.

“Answer it.”

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