Page 30 of Paths
“Is this some sort of kinky sex game?” Grady looks up from what I’m doing and into my eyes. “Do I get to do you next?”
“Since you insisted on coming, we might as well get you on the electrical stimulator.” I don’t wait for him to say anything more and turn to the machine. It might not be nice of me, but I’m not in the mood so I don’t ease him into it. I flip the dial all the way to the highest surge before turning it back down to a moderate level.
“Fuck, Maya,” he exclaims, even though he hardly jerks from the initial shock of the strongest possible electrodes pulsing into his body.
“What?” I tip my head, copying what he’s done to me regularly over the past few days, and grin. “You’re a big, tough guy. I thought you could take it.”
“I was just shitting you the other day, but now I do think you get off on inflicting pain.”
“This will increase strength, and prevent disuse atrophy since you’re behind on your PT. It’ll even reduce the pain during therapy, if you can handle it.” I step back and cross my arms, watching his muscles jump and twitch from the stimulation.
I can tell he’s settling into it because he looks up from his bare chiseled chest and shakes his head at me. “You know this means I’m going to get even with you someday.”
I give him a smirk and only tell a half-truth. “I’m only doing what’s best for you, Grady. It’s not like I’m getting some weird satisfaction out of this.”
“Yeah, I bet.” He looks around the room and when his eyes settle back on me, he states, “You’re good at this.”
“I haven’t fixed you yet—you might want to wait on that assessment.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t mean the therapy stuff. As much as you’ve hurt me, I assume you’re good at that. I meant working with the people here. They really like you.”
I shake my head and shrug. “They’re sweet, but really I just herd them around and try to keep them active. They’re fun. I’ll miss the activities with them every day if I get to work back here. That is, if I’m still working here.”
He looks at me questioningly. “You goin’ somewhere?”
I shake my head and sigh, not wanting to talk about this so I change the subject. “Why did you let them believe we’re together?”
A smirk appears. “We felt together last night.”
“I explained that.”
Grady narrows his eyes and leans back on his good arm. “Why are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding,” I sort of lie. I’ve always thought of myself as running. As desperately as I needed to get away, the longer I’m gone, the guilt has become a heavy burden, harder and harder to bear. Weston showing up last night only made that worse.
“Maya,” he starts and lowers his voice. “It’s obvious you’re hiding. You ran away from a man who insists you’re his when you tell me you’re not. You’ve got a brother you’re worried about. From what I see, you know no one here other than the people you work with, and now you’re talking about leaving. No one talks about leaving a place where they like to work and people they like to be around without a reason. What’s going on?”
I swallow over the lump in my throat, because he’s right about all that. But I’m not about to tell him anything, so my only choice is to go on the defense. It’s worked before.
“If you tell me how you got hurt, I’ll think about it.”
This time he doesn’t look defensive at all. He pulls in a big breath and softens his voice. “Come here.”
My brow furrows. “Why?”
His hand comes up gesturing to his chest and he sounds a little frustrated when he continues. “Maya, you’re basically electrocuting me. I’m stuck to this machine or I’d come to you. Would you please come here?”
I sigh because he’s right and take the few steps separating us. When I get close, he reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me the rest of the way. He then separates his legs and pulls me close. My hands come up to his chest because he’s pressed my torso to his so we’re face-to-face.
I know I should pull away, tell him to stop, to leave me alone because my life is nothing but a bad made-for-TV drama right now. If he’s smart, he’ll want no part of it. But ever since last night, his sweet touches and affectionate ways are too much. I haven’t experienced anything like it in a long time. If I allowed myself to really think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced it.
One of his big boots wraps around the back of my leg as his arms come around me. Before I have the chance to complain, ask what he’s doing, or even enjoy the feeling of being held tight to Grady Cain, he looks into my eyes and shocks me. “My work was dangerous. On my last job, I was captured.”
My eyes go big and his arms constrict around me when my body tenses. I can’t believe what he said, but I’m also surprised he called my bluff.
“What?” I whisper.
“You heard me. Not gonna lie, I was lucky to get out alive. You wanted to know, so I told you, but I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell anyone else how I got hurt. It won’t be the end of the world if you do, but I like to live lowkey. My life is no one’s business but mine and who I choose to share it with.”
