Craved (Book 2)

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Update: 02/04/21

Chapter Thirty-Two

Greyson

Greyson closed the front door quietly being sure to not wake Red. It was 4 in the morning and he knew she'd be asleep. After the big blow out between him and Diggy's men almost two months ago, more and more enemies were trying to intimidate him. He would never back down from a fight, and if they wanted war, then war is what they were going to get.

He had just gotten back from a meeting with a Don from New Jersey. His only ally right now in this coming war. He needed all the help he could get as well as level minded people on his side.

Creeping up the steps he peeked into her room and found her sprawled out on the bed in only a big shirt to sleep in. She had insisted on sleeping in a different room while she stayed here. Something about not wanting to invade too much. What she hadn't realized was just how much she had already invaded his life, his thoughts, his sleep, his every waking moment. It was filled with her scent, her touch, her laugh, her smile, her everything. So against his deepest wants, he fixed up the spare room he had for her to sleep in. Red only shared his bed when they both needed a good night of wild sex.

A thin strip of light from the moon shining down on her, like an angel guarding her while she slept. Her red hair wildly spread across her pillow like a cape blowing in the breeze. The thin sheet she had covering her had slipped off sometime during the night exposing her bare legs and smooth skin. The shirt she slept in bunching around her waist exposing the most intimate part of her body.

He let out a soft chuckle as he once remembered her saying she hated sleeping in anything but a t-shirt, underwear included.

"Makes me feel trapped."

She had said with a frown. He didn't question her logic as he too enjoyed sleeping in the nude. It was freeing and less hot, even during the winter nights.

Greyson walked in and placed a soft kiss upon her forehead. She let out a small sigh of contentment, rolling over to snuggle further into her pillow. His heart pumped more and more love into his bloodstream as he found a slight smile upon her face at the action. He couldn't help but think of how hard and fast he fell for her, his best friend. Under all the hurt and pain she's felt over the years, she was still that same fearless girl that climbed the giant tree in their front yard on a dare. Even after twisting her ankle, she was still tough.

Greyson finally left and went to his room, after stripping and taking a much-needed shower sleep took over his body.

If you're reading this, I'm long gone. I wish it didn't have to turn out this way. But everything was turning to shit and fast. I didn't feel safe anymore even with him permanently out of the picture. I need to get back to the root of me. I want you by my side but I know I would never be able to give you what you want most. My love. I don't know where I'm going but it has to be far from here.

It's killing me to even write this. To say goodbye in this way. You've been so good to me this past month and you deserve everything your heart desires, but sadly I'm not a part of that deal. Until I can learn to love me again, no one will be able to have my heart.

Until we meet again,

Red ❤️

Greyson didn't know which emotion to feel first. Anger? Sadness? Heartbreak? Confusion? It was becoming too much as he sat on his bed and read the note again for the hundredth time.

He had awakened in the early part of the afternoon ready to face the day with his best friend only to find her and her stuff gone. He tried calling her but her phone kept going straight to voicemail each time.

He tried again and again after finding the note and still nothing. He even thought to call Jess to see if she knew where Red had gone but decided against it.

He stood and took a deep breath willing his frayed nerves to calm down a bit.

"She'll be back. She has to." He wasn't sure how true his words were but they made him feel a little better about the situation.

Greyson climbed into the shower washing away his worries to prepare for the grueling day ahead. There was a lot to do and his men depended on him, he couldn't afford the distraction right now.

Once he was refreshed and dressed, he called Brandon who gave him the rundown on what they were to expect in the next few months. He would deal with one thing at a time, and if Red needed her space, he would be willing to give it to her. He just felt empty inside knowing she wasn't around anymore.

Thanksgiving was only three weeks away, maybe she'd return by then and they can talk about it. That sparked a small flame of hope in his heart and he had a newfound determination to make it right.

Zamaria

Zamaria stared down at her bags a lump the size of a golf ball lodged in her throat.

What was she really doing?

She knew she couldn't live with Greyson forever, yet a part of her couldn't bear the thought of leaving. She stared around the now empty room, it was bare, the same way it had been when he fixed it up for her. She always kept her clothes in a duffle bag or suitcase, never fully moving into the room. It didn't feel right somehow, no matter how hard Greyson reassured her that it was okay.

Shaking the dreadful thoughts away, she snatched up her bags and brought them out to her car, shoving them in the trunk. She had to leave before she changed her mind. Going back inside, she found a pen and a piece of paper.

As her fingers moved along the clean white sheet the lump formed bigger filling her eyes with tears. She tried holding them back but each word brought a sharp pain to her heart. She didn't want to leave like this, but she knew one look in his eyes and she would stay no matter what.

Zamaria felt she needed this. This is how it had to be before she became a shell of herself. A part of her wanted to leave the option open for him to search for her, and a part of her hoped he'd never find her. Her emotions had been haywire for the last few weeks. She wasn't sure what to do with herself. But this seemed to be the best option for them both. He couldn't keep confessing his love for her when she didn't know if she felt the same. It's too painful for either of them to continue that way. It had to end like this.

But maybe it didn't have to be the end, maybe just a pause before they find a new beginning.

After their soul-shaking night the week before she thought she had clarity, but it only made her more confused.

A few drops leaked from her eyes splashing onto the paper sealing her words with a simple kiss of sorrow. A few more sprang free trailing down her soft skin to dangle from her trembling chin. Taking a deep breath she carried the note up to his room. Zamaria knew she could have left it on the counter, but she didn't want him to worry for much longer. Placing it on his table he'd be able to find it once he woke up.

She knew when he often came in at the early hours of the morning, he had the tendency to sleep until midday. Giving her the perfect opportunity to slip out undetected.

Zamaria sat the note under his phone after plugging it into his charger. She leaned down and kissed his forehead first then moved to leave a soft kiss upon his lips. Greyson responded by kissing her back slightly before sleep dragged him deep under.

Watching how peaceful he looked in his sleep was making it impossiblefor her to leave, but she had to. Dragging her eyes away Zamaria sprinted outof the room and down the steps before she changed her mind. She closed thefront door and climbed into her car, pulling onto the street without lookingback. She kept telling herself this was the best for them both. She needed toreconnect with who she is, and really figure out her feelings for Greyson. Shecouldn't do that with him around.