Chapter Forty-Two

Brittany what are you doing in here. I slowly put Gen down and force her to stand behind me.

“You thought I would let you do what you did tonight with no consequences”.

Her eyes darted towards Gen.

“And the money-grabbing whore is here too, perfect. Do you know I’m curious what was it that made you fall for this one Grey? A quick fuck and cash drop to keep her quiet”.

“Don’t fucking talk to her like that Brittany how the fuck did you even get in here”


“Oh… Now I get it. You love him don’t you”.

She stares at me now, as I stand stone-faced in front of Gen.

“No, wait... It’s more than that, isn’t it...You love her too. This couldn’t be any more perfect if I had planned it myself. It all makes sense now”.

“What the hell are you even talking about. You need to leave before I call security “

She steps closer towards the sound of her heels clicking on the tile floor.

“Who do you think let me up here”.

She back away again throwing herself onto the sofa as if she owns the entire place.

“See here’s the thing Greyson, your little miss has messed quite a few things up for me. Tonight, was supposed to be wonderful, it was supposed to my night. The night I was ushered in as the future Mrs Maddox”.

She runs her hands through her hair before resting her arms in her lap.

“But you ruined that. You just couldn’t take the money and leave, now I’m a laughingstock”.

I hadn’t realised at first but in this light, she looks dishevelled, her hair is a mess, her makeup is spread over her face from tears, even her lipstick seems to be askew.

She looks as if she has just run a marathon in a ball gown, she even has a few loose leaves in her hair and her knee is bleeding.

“When I left tonight, I thought I would have cowered down and hidden and then I thought. What would hurt little miss wonderful the most? You know I’ve been watching you, Gen, at first it was to see what Greyson saw in you.”

Gen steps forward, her fists clenched, and her shoulder squared.
“You’ve been following me?”

Brittany stands up nodding like a crazy person her eyes wide as she answers her.

“Uhuh, and I have learned quite a bit. Who your friends are … or aren't in this case? Where you like to hang out and more importantly what you like to eat”

“What the hell are you talking about, your deranged”.

**Genevieve**

Greyson’s booming voices echo’s off the walls, his rage rising as she admits to following me. I don’t want anything to do with this woman. She has lost her mind but something she said doesn’t sit right with me and I can’t stop myself from asking.

“What do you mean what I like to eat?”

Her eyes widen as she comes closer to me once more, I stand my ground determined not to let her intimidate me.

“I’ve seen you at that little dinner, I watched you in there playing happy families while you took away my shot”.

There is a glint in her eye. It's like a flash of knowing and it sends shivers down my spine.

“What have you done?”

Cackling she holds a finger to her lips and zips them as she turns away to take a seat once more.

“Brittany, tell me what the fuck you have done”.

Grabbing her arm, I force her to face me, the fear growing that she has done something to Nona and Luca, she struggles with me trying to escape but I don’t budge.

Finally, she gives in, she tilts her head to the side as we study one another.

“Hit a nerve have I. I told tonight that he would be mine I just always figured it would be willing, but I’ll take him this way too”


I can feel Greyson’s eyes on the two of us, his palm pressed firmly on the small of my back letting me know he is here.

“You need help”.

I loosen my grip on her and she yanks her arm away.

“Get the fuck out of my house”


Her eyes widened once more before I knew it, I had been tackled to the ground, my head hitting the hard floor as we wrestled with one another.

I can see Greyson’s panicked face from above her, he’s trying to pull her off, but she has a good grip in my hair.

“Greyson just call security”.

He rushes off his frantic voice shouting loudly for someone to come up. For one second she gets distracted and I manage to overcome her and pin her to the floor.

She desperately waves her arms and legs trying to hit me, trying to contact any part of my body.

Deciding enough is enough, I stand up from pulling her up with me. She continues to punch and kick me; I don’t even think I just want her to stop.

Pulling back my fist I launch it at her, it connects with her face causing her to fall back onto the sofa. She stares up at me once more.

“You are fucking bitch”.

Just as she is about to come at me again jack comes out of nowhere and pulls her arms behind her back.

She struggles with him, but he is big enough to contain her and he begins to pull her toward the door. She doesn’t let up.

Still screaming profanities at me her nose crooked and her mouth filled with her own blood.

“YOU BITCH YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME. I WILL GET YOU BACK FOR THIS”

She is screaming through tears of anger and frustration; she doesn’t stop when two officers come out of the lift and handcuff her. It’s oddly satisfying seeing her this way, I’m not a fighter but it's nice to know I got some good hits in.

They pull her into the lift as she is still screaming like a banshee, just as the door closes, she stares deeply at me before screaming.

“BETTER GO QUICK OR THE WHOLE PLACE WILL BE ASH”


It clicks and panic sets in. I rush out of hitting the button for the other lift.

“Gen will you calm down you are bleeding; we need to get you looked at”.

I push his hand away and hit the button again. If she has done something to them it would devastate me, they are like family.

“Greyson if she has done something to them because of us… because of me, I would never forgive myself”.

Gripping both my wrists from beginning to stop me pressing the button he pulls me away.

“Will you just stop for one second”.

He forces me to look at him and I see nothing but concern.

“You are bleeding at the back of your head; you have a fat and busted lip, and your dress is torn at the front”.

Looking down I see my boob is almost completely exposed and I scramble to wrap my arms around myself.

“I have sent Jack to check on the diner and we will go straight over there as soon as you are cleaned up”


I nod and let him lead me back into the apartment. As the reality of what just happens begins to sink in, I start to feel the pain.

The back of my head throbbing along with my lip and cheek. Greyson leads me to the sofa and ushers me to sit.

“Don’t move okay, I’m just going to get the first aid kit”.

I hear him fumble around the kitchen cupboards, while I’m sitting alone all of the emotions from the night seem to explode out of me and I burst into tears.

“Hey hey come on don’t cry it's fine. She’s gone. I promise she has gone”.

I manage to stem the flow as I begin to clean the cut on my head.

“Is it bad”


I wince as he dabs it with antiseptic causing it to sting.

“No, it's small, it seems to have just bled a lot. We should get you checked out by a dr through”


“No! I want to go and check on the Diner”.

“Fine but we are going afterwards”.

“Okay”


He finishes cleaning me up, my lip busted open and a nice black eye forming, he helps me change after I yelped a few times doing it myself.

“I think she might have broken a rib you know”.

For some reason it makes me laugh which hurts even more.

“Why are you laughing?”


He has that smile on his face, the one I’m pretty sure is just for me.

“I don’t know. This night has just been crazy. The story of our engagement will be a riveting one”.

He laughs again as he helps me to put on my jacked.

“Yeah, imagine what will happen when we tell our kids “

The two of us stop the realisation of what he has just said out loud hitting both of us. Then his face changes to one of panic.

“I don’t … I mean not now… but you know only if you want to, besides it’s your choice we could not. I don’t mind, I mean I would like them, but we don’t have to”.

I put my hand over his mouth to stop his word vomit as he is clearly panicking.

“Greyson. It’s fine, we haven’t spoken about this before it was just a shock is all”.

“Look, Gen, I didn’t mean to pressure you or anything”


“Greyson it’s fine besides, I quite like the idea of a mini us running around”.

I'd never really thought about it before, but now that he has said it a little mini us would be amazing so long as it has his eyes.

Without waiting for a response, I walk past him and to the door. The journey to the Diner is relatively silent when we arrive outside Luca is there with Jack.

I climb out of the car with Greyson’s help and Luca rushes toward me.

“Woah, what happened to you?”


“I’m fine but you should see the other guy”.

He gives me a playful smile as we both walk to the front doors.

“What happened here?”

It looks as though a tornado had ripped through the place; everything was upside down.

“Well, Gen, that woman smashed the back window and climbed in, I guess she trashed the place and then left”


“That’s it, there is no fire or floor or anything?”

“No. She had turned the knobs on for the cooker, but we always turn the gas off at the end of the day in case of a leak also this place is old, and I don’t trust the pipe works with Nona living upstairs”.

“That would explain the scratched on her knees”.

“I don’t know about that but she for sure killed Nona rose bush out the back, it looks like she fell in it”.

“Lucas I’m so sorry about all this, I’ll pay for all the damage”.

“There’s no need I recently got a new investor, and we were looking to renovate remember “

Turning around I see Greyson talking to one of the officers on the scene, he gives me a short smile before re-engaging in conversation.

Luca and I chat more but it's nearly 3 am at this point and I can feel my head getting heavy. A large arm wraps around my middle as I yawn.

“I think that’s our cue to leave. Will you be alright Luca, everything is sorted with the police and insurance, they just need someone here while they board up”


“I’m fine you too go, besides it's not like I live far “
He points to the apartment above and smiles.

“Come on let’s get going”.

I follow willingly to the car letting Greyson help me in. He slides in his seat and we are again on the move.

“Greyson where are we going, home is the other way?”

“I’m aware, but the hospital is this way”


“I’m fine, can’t we go tomorrow?”

“No, I'd like to wake up to my wife functioning tomorrow, so we are going to get your head checked out. Maybe the ribs too”

I don’t argue with him, I guess he right I do have a headache, but I also just want to sleep.
After three hours of being poked and prodded, we are finally back in the car, the sun now rising slowly over New York.

“See I told you I was fine”.

I’m pissed at him and also exhausted so I huff and turn away.

“Yes, but now a doctor has told me so I believe it, besides, you aren’t fine, you have a cracked rib and a concussion I would class that as fine”.

When we reach the apartment building Greyson ushers me into the lift, my eyes are getting heavy. Greyson sweeps me off my feet carefully and carries me to the bedroom. I say nothing still in a mood, the apartment smells of bleach and cleaning products and I assume Beverly has been up to clear everything away.

I’m still angry at him, but his subtle gestures are making me go soft, the old Gen would have slept in another room tonight out of sheer stubbornness.

“Come on we need to sleep Gen”.

He closes the blinds while I get unchanged, the two of us climbing into bed. He pulls me closer to him and I can’t help but kiss him. My lip stinging but I ignore it.

“I thought you were mad at me for forcing you to go to the doctor”.

He whispers softly as the two of us are wrapped in our embrace, our eyes locked, I lean in again and kiss him this time a little more forceful.

“You are aware you have broken rib Gen”.

He’s trying to speak through my kisses on his lips and leading down his neck.

“I figured that I have the rest of our lives to be mad at you Greyson but for tonight I just won’t be with the man I love”.

He kisses me back, his hands beginning to roam my body, both of us becoming hungrier for the touch and feel of the other.

He pulls away for just a second.

“What if I hurt you?”

“Then I’ll add it to the list of things I have to be mad at you for”.

The words barely come out as his trails kiss down my chest, I watch him as he admires every part of my body, making me forget all about my pain.

If I have learned anything from this is that life with Greyson Maddox will never be boring, and when I thought his simple deal was too good to be true, I should have trusted that it really was.