Love is a Fight

Chapter 16

Ryder's P.O.V.

When I got to Grayson's house he was still acting really weird. He opened the door for me. And then placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me upstairs. He asked if I wanted anything to eat or drink, and told me to go to his room to clean up my 'wounds' better.

As I sat on his bed thinking about the strange way Grayson is acting, curiosity regarding his mother starting to take over me. Was she doing better? Is that why he's treating me kinder? I smiled to myself at the thought of his mom becoming healthier. I was interrupted when Grayson walked through his door with a first aid kit in his hand.

He smiled at me and sat down next me.

"Can I, uh, see your stomach?" He nervously scratched the back of his head avoiding eye contact. I chuckled lightly which caused pain to shoot through my stomach. I clenched my jaw but gently pulled my shirt up.

Maybe just this once I'll let someone take care of me. I'm usually stubborn and don't accept help, but Grayson is looking out for me. And no one has ever done that before besides my mom.

Gray continued to rub cream on my stomach lightly careful not to hurt me. I looked up at him as his hands caressed me smoothly.

He bit his lip as he carefully concentrated on not hurting me. I admired his beautiful face. I can't let myself fall in too deep but I can't help it if this beautiful specimen is in front of me.

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I sat there waiting for Grayson to react. He was gonna kick me out. He was gonna pity me. Scream at me. Something. Anything?

Nope.

Instead Grayson sat in front of me with his hands laced together as his chin rested on top of them. He stared at me blankly as I bit my lip in anticipation. He opened his mouth just to close it again. I would have commented that he looked like a fish gasping for air, but now was probably not the time.

I closed my eyes thinking back to our conversation just a few minutes ago. Fuck, I wish I never even opened my mouth.

"So Tony said something about your dad?" Grayson asked but I could tell he wasn't trying to pry.

I sighed and swallowed the lump forming in my throat. Maybe I can tell Grayson now that my dad promised not to hurt me any more. But what if he tells the cops? Then they'll probably take him away and i can't let that happen. He's the only thing I have left that can be considered family.

"Ryder?" Grayson's voice broke me out of my thoughts. I sighed.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone" I said sternly. Fuck I can't really believe I'm about to tell him.

"Yeah, I swear, whatever you're about to tell me is safe with me" he said, his gray eyes boring into mine.

"Well you already know that my mom died" I started as he nodded in remembrance.

"My dad. He was always a great guy. He had this amazing heart that he hid behind a cold wall so no one could see. One day him and my mom got into an argument. And well, he hit her. She knew from that point on he wasn't the same man that she fell in love with. So she choose the only escape route she thought there was. Death." I closed my eyes and took a breath.

"I walked in the room as she shot herself with a pistol that my dad would hid under the bed for emergency situations. I remember making eye contact with her as she pulled the trigger. She didn't scream. She didn't yell. And when I looked in her eyes she didn't have a single ounce of regret. When she put a bullet in her brain she was finally happy after years of nonstop fighting and abuse from my father.