Unconditionally, Inevitably, Forever Yours.

Hold me.

--Chapter 43--

"I know it's a bad idea-"

"It's not a bad idea- it's borderline fucking suicidal!"

"But, giving the situation, we don't really have any other option do we?" April tried to reason against the, still fuming, Grayson seated beside her. The maniacal flames in his eyes had yet to simmer down, and April felt rigid and anxious as if she was sitting next to someone who could spontaneously combust at any moment. But, despite how against the idea Grayson may have seemed, it'd been through his actions that they'd ended up back in his truck. "And like you said, we can't go to Brianna and Jason, or Maxwell; tonight's been a clear reason why." Her head pressed against the cold glass of the passenger window. "We can't keep putting others at risk, just to postpone the inevitable."

"Don't say that." Grayson pleaded desperately, apparently not liking the tone April had taken; the sound of someone giving up. "We're getting Cohan back for this, remember? We're not quitting now." The clenched, icy fist on her thigh began to melt for a moment as warm, long fingers were draped across it. Grayson's reassuring grip on her hand eased April a little. "Besides," He didn't take away his hand until a sigh passed his lips. "I think we're both a little too deep to back out of this now."

Turning away from the window, April shot Grayson a questioning glance.

"What does that even mean?"

"It doesn't matter." Grayson shook his head, pulling out of the space at the side of the road where they'd abandoned the truck. The road was empty, unsurprisingly, giving the time of night. But April knew as soon as they headed a little closer to the city action, the roads would get packed pretty quickly from there. "But, back to my original point: what do you suppose we do if, in your Uncle's apartment, we bump into the three D-bags?" April bit back a smile at the nickname. "Because, I'm telling you right now, after hearing what those sick pricks did to you, I-"

Their car swerved on the road, and April's seatbelt barely managed to save her from barrelling out of the windscreen. Instead, she fell into Grayson; and he smashed into the car door. They both groaned simultaneously.

Safety first, kids. Always wear a seatbelt.

"Would you please just be more careful?" April clenched her teeth as the pain from her already injured leg intensified at the sudden jolt. Her leg would heal quickly, but April wished it would hurry up. She pushed herself away from Grayson's incredibly still form, wincing. "Okay, take the next right downtown-"

"You didn't have to pull away just now." He interrupted, scowling lightly at the road of concrete in front of him. By now, it had already gotten a lot busier, but Grayson had no problem ignoring the irritated drivers behind them as he pulled back into his lane. He'd just put up his hand, grimacing, in some form of apology. Better than flipping them off, April considered. She knew a certain punky brunette who'd do that like a second nature.

Her brows drew together. "It would be bad for you to drive with me crushed into your side. Besides," She tapped the gear stick separating the two of them. "You wouldn't have been able to reach your stick with my body in the way."

Grayson's lips curved upwards slightly. "I wouldn't have to be worried about reaching for my stick if you were on my lap, April. Thank you for the concern."

It took April a couple of seconds, additional to the sideways suggestive glances Grayson would throw at her from the corner of his gaze to realise what he'd intended. Despite her cheeks undoubtedly lighting in colour, April rolled her eyes, turning her face to cover the embarrassed smile that broke across her lips.