Okay... I'm so freaking sorry, I thought this chapter was too short and so I kind of squashed it in with another one and suddenly it's the longest one yet, so here we are, a little over 10,000 words! Also, I'm insanely tired right now but I want to post, so I'm super sorry if I've messed up with spelling/grammar etc, I know I'm a bit shit for it but I'm doing my best!
As ever, thank you SO MUCH for all the kind words that I keep seeming to get, they mean the world to me. I adore writing and this story is holding a special place in my heart, so others enjoying it is a dream come true. Please continue to enjoy!
The shaking of so many hands was a dull, tedious task, but it was one that Greyson endured. Such was the way of business. So, beside his father, he shook the hands of what felt like a million and one potential investors and partners, all until a familiar face stood before him.
"Heather?" He tried not to sound so accusatory as he said her name. After all, she was a model with little interst in the work that he and his father did. So the question remained, what was she doing there?
She smiled lightly, her pretty features giving nothing away. "Greyson." She reached out to shake his hand. Oh, right, that's what he was doing. He gave her his own, not liking the grip that they both took. "Mr. Grey." She then did the same with his father who seemed equally as confused.
Funnily enough, his thoughts were consumed quickly by images and imaginings of River. She swirled around his brain, infecting any worries with her smile. Whatever Heather was doing, whatever her intentions were, it didn't matter. He'd long since moved on. He didn't doubt that there was some ulterior motive to all of this. River would never have done something like this... whatever this was. So, while he and River may not have been dating, he already considered her more of a class act than Heather who, even with all of the money and followers in the world, couldn't seem to just freaking leave him alone.
"It's a surprise to see you here, Heather. I hope that you're well?" As words failed Greyson's confused, clouded mind, his father stepped up.
Eyes were on them. Just because they were in a room full of business minded folks didn't mean that none of them knew who Heather was. Hell, she'd been to company events with him during their years together. So, as people looked on, he simply wracked his brain to figure out what possible reason she had for being there.
"Gray-son!" That was when it came. The booming voice of none other than Beaufort "Boof" Steward. He had been a good friend of both Greyson and Heather during high school and the following years, but Grey hadn't heard so much as a peep from the other man since his breakup. Only, now he and Heather just so happened to be at a work event, one that Heather had no reason to be at, at the same time?
Before he even had time to turn to the side and face Boof, the juggernaut of a man was before him and was lifting him directly off his feet, jumping excitedly like a child holding a puppy. "Boof? Jesus- oof! Put me- ugh!" As Boof finally laid him down on his own feet, Greyson began piecing it together. "Oh... you're here together?" He asked, not even properly greeting his old friend as it fell into place. He wasn't stupid. They were either remaining friends, just not with him, or there was something more going on between them. He hadn't ever noticed anything between the two of them in high school or the following years, so he chose to believe the latter since Boof had practically fallen off the face of the earth.
Boof was a massive guy, nearer seven foot than six, with a huge personality and not much else. He was rich, sure, but upstairs? Well, the lights may have been on, but no one had been home in quite some time.
"Well, not together." Heather stated, looking semi-disgusted by the idea. "Beaufort was kind enough to let me tag along though. I wanted to see how you were faring."
Oh god, that again? Greyson couldn't help but feel suspicious. After all, the last time he'd seen Heather, there had been a fallout. "And where are the cameras hiding this time?" He decided to ask directly. Beside him, his father cleared his throat. A warning to play nice at work. "You know what, why don't we talk in my office? Come on, Boof, I've got a bottle of something expensive with yout name all over it." As he spoke, getting a nod from his father, he looked at Heather. If nothing else, he was curious.
Only, shocking him, Boof groaned. "Uh, no can do, man." The big fool started, crossing his enormous arms over his chest. "My dad says he'll kill me if I start drinking again. Said the last DUI was the last straw." He shrugged as though that explained everything.
The last DUI? God, Greyson had known he was a fool, but how many had he gotten?
"We can still go and talk, Beaufort." Heather snapped dismissively, stalking past him and Greyson in search of the aforementioned office, not so much as smiling Christian's way.
Greyson gave his dad an apologetic look, feeling terrible about leaving him there alone, but he'd gone in on one of his days off to help out and had been told beforehand that he wasn't needed, so he tried not to feel too crappy about it all.
As the three of them went down the hall and into Greyson's office, he thought the whole thing odd. The last time they'd been in there together, he'd been sitting behind his desk, Boof had been sprawled across the leather couch with a bottle in his hand, but Heather? Well, sure, she'd been nearer Greyson than Boof, but she sure as shit hadn't been with him. She'd sat on his lap for all of a minute before standing and perching on the edge of the desk, just out of reach.
This time, as Boof took himself to the couch and assumed the same position as before, now without a bottle, Greyson and Heather stilled awkwardly for a moment.
Grey was first to move, putting himself in his rightful place, sitting behind his desk. Heather glanced around for a moment before perching herself on the arm of Boof's couch, batting one of his heavy legs off of it to give her space enough to sit.
"What are you both doing here?" Greyson asked almost immediately. He tried not to sound harsh, to keep his voice level and to remember the years of friendship that he'd shared with them both.
Heather opened her mouth to speak, but Boof groaned loudly over her. "Dude, my old man? He's said that I'm a drain on the family resources. Can you believe that?" Frankly, Grey could very easily believe that. Boof hadn't ever worked a day in his life, yet he had no issues with spending his father's billions on stupid shit for a social media channel that was full of teenage boys telling him how cool his toys were. Oh, and to be abundantly clear, he had a paid team of people who did everything for him, so further than being the moron with the cash, it wasn't even his social media stuff, he was just the rich face of it all after the high school buddy he'd started it with had moved on and gotten a life, in which time it had started to decline.
"He, uh," Boof continued, flopping around until he could prop himself up on his elbows. The couch groaned beneath his humungous body, protesting against his weight. "He said that if I don't start acting right or whatever, he's gonna cut me off."
Huh. Well, that was actually better than Grey had been expecting. Boof was a massive baby, so taking away his access to a fortune was hardly a bad idea. "So why are you here, Boof?" He asked, desperately trying to keep the new amusement from his voice.
For so many years, Boof and their other rich friends had called him boring when he'd made a point of going to work with his father. They'd all told him that he was rich now and to act like it.
From the couch, Boof shrugged pathetically. "I told him I'd come and see you. You work, you know, so I figured you could tell me about how to work?" Holy shit. Ho-ly shit.
Silence hung on the air for long enough that even Boof noticed.
Somehow, Heather was the merciful one to break it. "This is a day for making connections, after all." She voiced, sounding hopeful.
Okay, it was stupid, but he'd bite. For old times or whatever, sentimental crap.
Nodding, Grey sat up straight in his chair and cleared his throat. "Okay, so what's your plan?" He asked, looking practically through Heather to see Boof's big baby face. "Pitch it to me. I'll see what you're working with." Hey, that was fair, right? Hell, it was more than fair. If he knew Boof even half as well as he thought, there wasn't an idea worth shit floating around in there.
In his pocket, his cell buzzed lightly. River, he hoped. She was working today, same as he now was, but they had plans for her to swing by after work. Fuck, he really hoped that she wasn't cancelling. They both had certain stresses at work these days, River with the ongoing theft saga and Greyson with whatever the fuck this was.
Groaning, Boof sat heavily, crossing his legs like a kid. "That's what I thought you could help with, man. Can't you let me work here or something? I could have the same job as you, you know? Bring this old place into the modern day with my channel-"
"You could have... the same job as me?" He couldn't help it, he laughed.
At the laughter, Boof stiffened. Heather's eyes went wide. "What's funny about that?" Just like that, the usually calm giant was annoyed.
Stifling his laughter, Greyson waved his hand and shrugged. "Oh, nothing, man." He chuckled, shaking his head. Was this some kind of prank. "What, uh, what's my job?" He then asked.
Heather narrowed her eyes. "Don't be cruel, Grey."
"Don't call me Grey." He didn't let his smile drop, didn't put any venom in his tone, but he knew that his words had cut Heather. "Seriously, come on, Boof. What the hell do you think I do? What's my job? You know, since you think you can do it, too."
Arm crossed stiffly over his chest, Boof scoffed. "Whatever, man. You don't have to be an asshole about it." When Greyson looked across at his friend, he felt nothing. Or, nothing good.
"I work my ass off." He stated into the room. Neither Heather nor Boof said anything. "I have worked my ass off every fucking day since I became a Grey. I've earned my family's name more than my siblings, more than any of my cousins. I don't just have this job because I'm a Grey, okay? God, I sacrificed every fucking weekend around school to be here. I never went to parties and got wasted-"
"So you're better than us because, what, we had fun?" Boof stood angrily from the couch. Heather didn't make to move, looking like a deer caught between two sets of headlights.
Sighing, Grey shook his head. "I earned what I have, Boof, because I remember what it's like to not have any of this." And there it was, the truth. Boof and Heather hadn't ever worked more than they'd wanted to because they hadn't ever had to work. Greyson, while he had the security that his name provided, refused to be a part of that problem. He refused to live on money that he'd had no hand in making, simply flaunting his wealth and screwing everyone over in the process.
"You think you earned this? This is your dad's company, moron!" For the first time, as Boof yelled at him, Greyson wondered how this was all going to escalate.
Alas, he refused to stop and simply allow someone so dense to act like this. So, he laughed humorlessly and spat his words back at him. "You think he just handed me an office and told me to play pretend? Even you're not that stupid-"
"Don't call me stupid, Greyson!" With each word, Boof took a heavy, menacing step towards him.
Scoffing, Grey created a little space, rounding his desk and shoving his glass door open. "Whatever. I think we're done here." He stepped through the doorway, disgusted by the faces that were looking at him from within his office. He'd always known that they were further along the spectrum of being assholes than he was, but he was just now finally seeing just how far gone they both were.
Boof and Heather began to make their way toward him. While Boof looked furious, Heather still had this oddly terrified expression.
As the bohemoth passed him, he leaned down and growled something truly vile. "God, you're such a douche now. Is this really what some cheap pussy does to you?" As the words left Boof, Greyson saw red.
"The fuck did you just say?" He snapped, grabbing the jacket that the taller of them was wearing, stilling him.
Boof laughed cruelly in his face, swatting his hand off like it was nothing. "Well, you're fucking that poor chick from school, right? The one you used to bring everywhere like a little fucking emotional support dog." As he spoke, he prodded Greyson hard in the chest. It hurt like being jabbed with a baton, his fingers were as massive as the rest of him.
Grey wanted to hurt him. He wanted to start beating on him. What was worse? He knew he could beat the dumn bastart in a fight. Boof was massive, sure, but he'd never fought in his life. Greyson could have pummelled him, beating him until his teeth fell out of his fucking mouth. He could have become the very person he so desperately wanted to be in that moment. After all, who the fuck did he think he was, saying that kind of shit about River? No, he wouldn't allow that, but he also wouldn't get arrested over someone with half a brain cell.
"Get out." He snapped up at his former friend, briefly considering paying one of his security guys to go slash one of Boof's tires. It wouldn't have been worth it though. "Get the fuck out, right now."
"Grey-" Heather started, but Greyson cut her off harshly.
"Both of you." He stated loudly, fixing her with a withering glare. She hadn't ever been nice to River, not really. Sure, there had been some fake niceness in the beginning as she'd been worming her way into his life, but it hadn't ever been genuine. "You didn't come here to check on me, Heather. Just like you didn't call me out to dinner to check on me. I was blind to you both for a really long time, I missed what shitty people you both are and that's on me. Things are different now though, I'm actually fucking happy. Apparently I just needed to drop some extra fucking weight."
Scoffing, Boof finished squeezing past him, shaking his head angrily as Heather wordlessly followed him. She looked back at Greyson once as they were walking away, something in her eyes fuelling the hateful fire inside him.
"Oh, and Boof?" He called out, waiting for the oaf to turn and face him. "Don't ever fucking talk about River like that again. I'll ruin you."
Truly, he would. From old videos of them in high school alone, he could. There wouldn't be any digging required. A simple scroll through his cell and he could destroy him.
He would if another thing was said about River, he decided then and there.
"Go to hell, Anderson." With his final piece said, like a knife slipped directly into Greyson's own heart, Boof turned back and stalked off.
"Get the fuck out." Greyson barked after him, watching them both slip into an elevator before he finally allowed himself to back down.
Fuck! What the hell had that been?
His heart was racing a mile a minute, beating so hard and furiously within his chest that he feared it would explode. It wasn't any kind of fear at Boof's height advantage, nothing like that, just sheer anger. How the hell had such a stupid request become that? He had no idea, but he didn't care. Fuck, neither of them were worth wasting another thought on, so he wouldn't.
As anger coursed through him, he shut himself back in his office, closing the door and heading back to his desk. The awards and tokens of appreciation lining his office walls felt hollow now and ill deserved. Had all of this just been handed to him? Sure, he'd lucked out as far as opportunity was concerned, but hadn't he worked for this as hard as the next guy? Did his years of commitment melt away simply because of who his adoptive father was?
Huffing, desperate for anything at all to dull his mood, he yanked his cell from his pocket. Please, he begged silently, please be River.
Somehow, against the day's odds, he was in luck. There was only one message from her, nothing especially interesting or important, but it was enough. More than that. It was everything. She was like a tonic to his freaking soul.
River. 10:23
"Whoever the fuck invented HIIT classes needs shooting..."
Checking the time, it had barely been ten freaking minutes since she'd sent it to him. In the time he'd lost a friend, seen an ex for who she truly was and... well, he'd moped for a good minute or two. What a freaking ride.
Pulling a smile onto his face, he took a deep breath in and replied.
Greyson. 10:34
"You want someone taking out? I know a guy. Just give me a name and I'll have it taken care of"
It a stupid, meaningless exchange between two of River's classes, but it helped. It helped to ease the stress and the tension, even as she didn't reply. He knew why. She was already back to work, as he should have been. It truly had helped though.
Feeling far better than he had a couple of minutes prior, he took just another selfish minute to sit alone before straightening his tie and leaving his office once more. He could only imagine how River would have touched his tie, had she been there. He could practically see her smirk as he imagined how she'd tell him that he looked cute or some other equally sweet sentiment.
As he found his way back to his father and all of the guests, finding Christian alone as he grabbed a glass of water, River's influence waned. He was right back where Boof had put him, worrying about how he had come to have his job.
Fuck.
"Mm, Heather and Beaufort couldn't stay?" His dad asked with a gentle smile.
Taking a stressed breath in through his nose, he decided that he had to know. "Did I earn my spot here, Dad, or did you give me my job because you felt sorry for me?" It was eating at him, so he asked.
Stilling, Christian looked him up and down before pulling him softly to one side, just out of the doorway and away from prying eyes. The guests were content to snack at a small but ample buffet, non the wiser for any of it.
In that moment, he decided. Whatever it was that his dad was about to say, he'd take it like a man. If he found out that he got his job through familial connection and nothing more skill related, he'd have to think about what that meant and how it changed things for him. Maybe he'd have to think about a new job, about changing what he did for work. Whatever it was though, he'd at least give his father the respect he owed and would listen to him.
"Look at me. I want you to listen to what I'm about to say." When he spoke, his father's voice had that same firm but loving hardness to it that he'd grown to love. There wasn't an ounce of anything even remotely bad in there, just what he felt was about to be a helping of tough love. "Neither your mother nor I have given you anything that you didn't earn or deserve. Do you understand me?" In his eyes, there was nothing but the truth.
Greyson's heart swelled, but he knew that parents often thought their kids deserved more than they did. Had he earned any of this? "Right, but-"
"I built this company as a young man." Christian cut him off so very gently with a warm hand on Greyson's shoulder. He gripped solidly, steadying the younger man. "When your brother was born, I decided that a Grey would always sit on the board and would always own this company, but I truly didn't believe that another Grey would run things here."
Fuck.
"So you felt sorry for me." And there it was. There it fucking was.
Another Grey wasn't meant to carry on Christian's work. It hadn't ever been the plan, not until sad, little Greyson had come alone. God, how had he never seen this?
Smiling widely, his father shook his head. "No, son. You changed my mind. You came here with me day after day, so eager to learn and impress. You were so willing to put in the work and for any doubts that any of us may have had, you proved us wrong along the way. I've given you some of the toughest cases of my career because I had to be certain that bringing you in was the right thing. I haven't ever regretted it, not for so much as a second."
A silence took the space between them.
So, wait, he had earned his place? Maybe Boof was exactly as big an idiot as he'd thought.
"Greyson, you may not have been born into this family, but I need you to hear me when I say that you are my son. Just as your grandparents were meant to find me, we were meant to find you." With his father's words, his chest grew tight. A light burning behind his eyes forewarned him of tears. His father wasn't done yet though, not when there were still things to say. "When the time comes for me to step down, I can think of no man or woman more deserving of my seat than you. For every obstacle you've faced, you've grown stronger. With all my heart, I mean it when I say that you, my son, are an incredible man. You deserve everything that you've worked so hard for."
Oh, shit. "Dad..." Seriously, he couldn't find the words.
"I wouldn't lie to you, not ever." He could tell that his father was telling the truth, just as he swore to be. "I know why Beaufort was here. I've had innumerable emails from his father, just begging me to give him a dose of whatever your mother and I fed you. Each time, I've explained to him that you're here by your own merit. I didn't know that he'd be here today, but I can assume that's why."
Grey nodded glumly. He didn't mind that his dad had known and hadn't told him, he wouldn't have expected him to just show up expecting a job either. "He said I should just give him a job like mine. Said that... Fuck, he called me Anderson, Dad." That truly was the thing that had destroyed him.
He didn't want to be Greyson Eugene Anderson, not ever again. That name had only ever brought him pain and suffering.
Seeing his son's face as a single tear escaped, Christian pulled him into a hug immediately. "My boy. My sweet, loving boy." He murmured into the side of his son's head, hugging just a little tighter as he spoke. "You are a Grey. Nothing can ever take that away from you, least of all that ape of a man."
The day was busy and so was the office, so as quickly as Greyson managed to collect himself and assure his dad that he was fine, they were back at it.
Christian tried to tell his son to go home, that he was fine alone, but the young Grey refused. He needed to work right now. He needed to prove to himself all of the things that his father had said to him. So, it was agreed. He could stay so long as he left on time and had a good, relaxing evening. Unbeknownst to his father, he planned to do just that with River.
He and River shot a few texts back and forth throughout the day when either of them had time, though there wasn't all that much of it for either of them.
When it finally came time to leave, Greyson was exhausted. He offered to pick River up on his way home in order to avoid her having to drive separately, silently thrilled when she actually took him up on his offer.
In the elevator down to the parking lot, in there with only his father and the accompanying security, his insides warred. While his father's words had helped to ease his insecurities, part of him still felt like an imposter.
"Why don't you come over tonight?" His dad asked when the doors slid open. "I can bring you back in the morning for your car. You can come and watch movies with me, your mom and Amelia? Hell, we'll see if Phoebe and Jen are free, too, if you'd like."
Smiling, Greyson shook his head. "I'm seeing River tonight, Dad." He kept his voice level, trying not to show how his mood improved at the simple mention of her. "We're, uh, gonna watch some old movies. Some of the ones we watched as kids. I can ask if she wants to shoot over though? You know, if you guys want?" The blush, naturally, crept up his cheeks. They sure as shit weren't planning on watching any movies, that much was sure.
Thankfully, Christian chuckled and shook his head right back. "Oh, no. You guys have a good night." He said simply, clapping his son on the shoulder in some oddly proud gesture. Then they were parting ways. "I'll see you tomorrow, kid. Oh, and Grey? I love you, son."
"I love you too, Dad." With another smile, this one genuine and full of emotion, they were gone and in their own cars.
The drive to River's gym wasn't exactly in the direction of his apartment, being the opposite side of town, but Grey didn't mind. He was actually a little shocked that River had agreed. Maybe the HIIT classes had caught up to her.
He drove there in relative silence, pulling into the parking lot slowly. It was getting on the later side of the day, having been a long day.
As he sat there, looking toward the gym, something caught his eye. It was just a glint of light, barely even there, but he saw it. A fucking camera.
Quickly, seeing it pointing toward the doors, he messaged River and let her know.
She, to give her her due, replied almost immediately that she was aware. Her strategy, it seemed, was banking on the fact that they were waiting for her to exit in her bike gear. So, having left her helmet, jacket, pants, boots and gloves all in the safety of her manager's locked office, she bolted from the door wearing a pair of workout shorts, a tank and a branded gym cap that sported the company logo.
The photographer, sadly, noticed her.
From his spot, there was little to nothing Greyson could do. The camera got a few decent shots, though they were only of River jogging across the parking lot. It was infuriating though to see that she was still being photographed. Hell, Greyson wasn't being stalked at work any more than usual, so what the hell?
Still, as River hopped into the car, he didn't plan on giving the asshole anything else to photo. As soon as her belt was buckled, he shot off.
"God, they're still camping out here?" He groaned as they put the cameraman in the rearview. "Hey. Decent shift?" He then added in general greeting.
Groaning, River slumped in her seat. "Decent shift? Grey, I think my manager just tried to exercise me to death!" She whined loudly. "Oh, and those guys? I mean, yeah. It's mostly just that one, he's freaking obsessed. He's leaving the customers alone, so no one really cares all that much." She shrugged off the camera wielding fool quickly enough, clearly not at all bothered by his presence.
Amused by her, Greyson laughed at her attitude. "Well, hey, you say the word and I'll set Teddy on them for you. He may be an idiot, but he's got a way with those guys." He offered, glad to hear her snort of laughter.
Teddy truly was a force to be reckoned with. He had, after all, been followed by cameras his entire life. It wasn't anything new to him, nor had it ever been. He was also, in his own words, a shameless attention slut who just fucking loves to pose for the shouting men, so yeah, he was utilized from time to time. Ironically, they usually got bored of him chasing them and would leave him alone. No, seriously. He'd been called over more than once by Phoebe and Jen, especially when their relationship had first become public knowledge.
As they drove, they talked about their days. Well, River did. Greyson, infatuated, was content to listen.
So, as she animatedly told him about what had been happening in her day, he was more than content to let the car drive itself and give her his undivided attention. His own day seemed to melt away, not a second of it mattering as she eased everything that had previously felt wrong. Any qualms he felt about seeing her as beautiful were long gone now, he was comfortable in the fact that she was beautiful, especially now as she was so passionate.
"Wait, she fell off?" He asked, chuckling as River told him about a woman from earlier in the day.
Cackling, she nodded, holding her sides. "She just-" The laughter took the words from her as she made some kind of flying motion. "Oh, God. Grey, it was so funny. Fuck, I don't usually laugh at that stuff but she was such a bitch."
"Karma." Grey supplied happily. Beside him, still laughing, River nodded enthusiastically.
"Fucking karma." She agreed heartily.
The rest of the drive was smooth and uneventful. Surprisingly, so was their walk from the parking lot up to Grey's apartment. Sure, one of the other residents gave River a look as he recognized her, but she simply kept her head down, glad when Grey stepped in front of her and cut the guy's view off.
The elevator, Greyson decided, was a decidedly less sexually charged space when it was full of nosy neighbors and anyone who wasn't just him and River.
As soon as they stepped out, alone in the corridor, the change in mood was near immediate.
River reached out and took his tie in her hands just as he'd imagined earlier, using it to lead him toward his apartment with a grin.
Infected by her newly playful actions, Greyson followed obediently with a smile of his own. When they reached the door though, he didn't grab his keys, not right away. Instead, he reached up and around her, planting his hands on the doorframe either side of her, boxing her in.
"Hey." He smirked down at her as she looked him up and down.
"Hey." Already a little breathy, she chuckled. "You know, Grey, this? This is kinda hot." She looked him pointedly up and down, then to where he was boxing her in.
Seeing the glimmer in her eyes, he felt a surge of confidence. "Oh, yeah?" He asked smoothly, leaning down until they were so very nearly kissing. "You like that?"
In spite of the position that they'd found themselves in, their lips didn't meet in some kind of crazed frenzy. Instead, as River tugged softly against his tie, Grey simply leaned down and caught her in what could only have been described as a tender kiss.
Their lips were almost careful against one another as they moved, tasting and savoring each moment.
That familiar heat was growing in his gut, spreading throughout his body and desperately searching for her. With each second that they stayed in the doorway, the tender need grew stronger still.
When they finally broke apart with a soft sound from each of them of contentment, Greyson took his keys out and opened the door behind River.
She backed slowly into his apartment, tugging him along by his tie the entire time. Having left her bag in his car, she had nothing but her clothes to be rid of. Grey, having done the same, had nothing of his own to set down either.
He shucked his suit jacket as River carefully undid his tie. As she made to lay it down carefully, he simply let the jacket fall to the floor. It didn't matter, not right now. All that mattered in the entire world was her.
God, he needed her.
Their lips came together again between each piece of clothing that they removed, each kiss a little more urgent that the last, though no less tender.
When they were both finally entirely naked, bodies touching from head to toe, Greyson lead them over to the couch. Well, he stumbled in the direction of the couch, all but carrying River as her feet scurried to move in time.
Laughing with their arms wrapped around one another, they fell heavily onto River's back on the plush surface.
He hadn't ever imagined that he could have been so completely comfortable around someone, least of all naked, yet there he was. In spite of their lack of clothes, he didn't feel an ounce of fear. Even as his half-hard appendage awkwardly slapped against River's thigh, he knew that her laugh was amusement and not so much as an ounce of any kind of judgement or anything even remotely untoward. So he laughed with her.
They made out for a while on the furthest end of the couch, both of them seemingly content to be taking things a little slower than usual.
As River's body rocked and moved beneath him, Greyson knew that nothing would ever feel as good as this. No one would ever compare to River. He'd heard before though that there was always something special about your first, so that's what that was, right? He was meant to feel as though she belonged on some kind of pedestal, that was how he figured everyone felt about their first.
When River's hand, patient and guiding, moved his down to between her thighs, he couldn't help but groan audibly into her mouth. Not that she minded, of course.
The wetness that he was immediately met with was, if nothing else, a confidence boost. More than that though, more that a simple confidence boost or an extra puff of air into his inflating ego, it was hot as hell. Hot to be wanted, sure, but to be wanted by River so very clearly? It was mind boggling madness that he didn't ever want to be rid of.
Holding himself most off oh her by one arm, Greyson tore his lips away from hers only for long enough to attach them instead to the column of her throat.
As his hand between her thighs was left to its own devices, one of her hands came up to cradle the back of his head to her as she arched and moaned lightly into his lips while the other trailed heavily down his body until she took the length of him into her palm, encircling him entirely with her fingers.
A single finger slid easily into her, followed eagerly by another with her encouragement. With each passing second, River's hand moved perfectly in time with his own. He tried so desperately to remember how she'd moved their hands together, to do his best to make things good for her, but hell if his mind wasn't clouded as hell while she stroked him so fucking perfectly. Luckily, if her noises were anything to go by as his eager, hungry lips fell to her chest, he seemed to be doing just fine.
Confirming his thoughts, it was barely a minute later before she was pushing him to sit up and was clambering into his lap. Her kissed were heavy and deep. He was more than happy to find himself there with her in that moment.
Then, all too quickly, she was gone. He didn't even have chance to grab her before she was off his lap, chuckling breathily as she announced that she was going to find a condom in his room.
So, he watched her as she walked away, groaning loudly that she was freaking killing him, thrilled to hear the telltale snort of her laughter under her breath as she made a point of swaying her hips until she was out of sight.
She was gone for a little longer than it should have taken for her to find a single condom in his dresser, something that began to worry him for a second, but then she was back. Only, that look on her face? Well, paired with her empty hands, he realised all too quickly what the issue was.
"Shit." He grumbled, chuckling humorlessly.
"Looks like you're out." She told him with a shrug. "I'm fine with it, but if you're not then that's completely okay."
Oh. "You are?" He asked, clearing his throat lightly afterward at the embarrassingly excited squeak in his usually deep voice.
Smirking at the sound, River simply shrugged and continued to come closer to him in all her naked glory. Holy shit, she was hot. "I've got an implant and I'm on the pill. If you can take me to a chemist tomorrow, I can get the morning-after pill and I'll pop it in front of you. If that's not safe sex, then I don't know what is."
As she got close to him, she plopped herself heavily down onto his lap, humming at the contact.
Mind clouded briefly at the feeling of them both touching so fucking intimately, Greyson's eyes closed as he breathed for just a moment. "That... the pill thing, it doesn't, like hurt or whatever, right?" In spite of the possibility of losing out on the imminent pleasure that was sitting quite literally on his dick, he still needed to look out for River. He'd learned pretty early on that protection was geared more toward the comfort of men than women, so he wanted to look out for her too.
Chuckling, she kissed the side of his head. "It's gross but it's nothing I can't handle. I've only had it a couple of times and it's just been like a bad period for me." She told him honestly, laying another kiss on his jaw.
He could tell what she was doing. She knew that he wanted this, that he wanted her and she didn't want her own discomfort to be the thing that stopped them.
Only, unlike her, he gave a fuck about her discomfort.
Groaning, he grabbed her hips with both hands. "That means it sucks though, right?" He asked, silently hating himself for a second for risking this.
Smiling with her lips against his skin, she nodded. She was, after all, always honest with him. "It means that it's likely to suck. I'm okay with that though." She answered aloud. "Don't get me wrong, the chances of anything happening while I'm on two forms of birth control are insanely low, but I'm happy to have the morning-after pill too to keep your mind at ease." She then added, sitting back a little on his lap.
Even now, naked and discussing something serious, she looked beautiful. Perhaps it was her flushed skin, maybe even his ever horny mind, but it didn't matter what it was. She looked amazing.
"I mean, most people only use one, right?" He asked, trying desperately to think with his head as opposed to anything else.
River nodded, a hand absently spread across one of his pecs. "I've got the implant and I'm happy enough with it for one night stands or whatever, but if I'm sleeping with someone regularly then I get on the pill, too. I just feel safer like that." She shrugged as she explained it to him, fingers flexing softly against his skin as she looked him over hungrily. "Number three's more for you than me. You're kinda famous, Grey, you need to make sure no one's baby trapping your ass." As she spoke, though he could tell that she was being serious, the teasing tone was clear as she mentioned his fame.
Smirking, he rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer. "Well," He started, laying a kiss on one of her bare breasts. "I trust you not to baby trap me, Nivalis." He chuckled his words softly into her skin.
"Oh?" She grumbled, letting her hands come back to gently holding his hair, scratching and tugging so fucking perfectly. "That's all part of my plan." She then whispered evilly, teasing.
Then, not forcefully enough to hurt, she tugged his head back up until he looked at her. "You okay?" He asked, checking in immediately.
Smiling, she nodded. "I wanted to check in." She told him, caressing his jaw for just a moment. He found himself leaning fondly into the touch. All of this, for some reason or another, felt immediately more intimate than even their first time together. "I want to make sure that you're definitely okay with this, Grey." She then added, glancing down at their skin as it touched.
Emotions ran through him, all of them warm and adoring. God, she was fucking perfect. Immediately, he nodded. "More than okay." He told her, just about keeping his voice level as something swelled inside him. He wasn't sure what it was, not really, but it was nice. He wanted to feel it more often. "As long as you're happy, I'm definitely good."
Relieved, River grinned. "Oh, I'm definitely happy." She chuckled lightly.
Just like that, they were back on track.
The momentum may have been all but gone, but neither of them let that stop them. With River's assurance that everything was fine, their check-in out of the way, they were both eager to get back into it.
With their lips pressed together, set on devouring one another, they both grabbed and gripped at whatever they could get their desperate hands on.
It wasn't long at all before River was rising on her knees either side of his hips, one arm planted firmly on the couch's headrest behind Grey's head as her other hand reached down between them to grasp him. He, in turn, kept one hand on her waist and the other so very delicately cupping the back of her neck.
The feeling of their flesh meeting was incredible. For every time that Greyson swore that things couldn't get better, River just had to go and prove him wrong.
He breathed out a heavy hiss through his teeth as he began pressing so very slowly inside her. Above him, River's eyes were closed as she drew in breath after shallow breath.
She sank slowly down onto him, moving a little at a time until she was fully seated on his lap.
Together, joined more intimately that Grey had ever been able to imagine before without even a condom between them, they stilled for a moment. Both seemingly some sort of overwhelmed, they simply took a moment to look into one another's eyes. As River stayed there, stilled, Grey couldn't help but adoringly caress her cheek and jaw, elated to see a light smile on her face as she leaned into the touch and hummed lightly.
"You feel so fucking good, Grey." She told him breathily.
Inside her, at her compliment, he twitched. "Fuck." He cussed lightly, letting his head rock back on to her arm for just a second before pulling it back up. "God, you're fucking amazing." He said back, watching something twinkle back at him in her eyes.
Before either of them could speak again, she caught him in a kiss. He sure as hell wasn't one to complain.
Every touch, every movement, it was all heavenly. Every freaking gasp and groan was music to both their ears.
As they moved in tandem, just grinding their hips together, something about this whole thing began to feel different. With River in his arms though, nothing else mattered.
Eventually, in spite of her tired muscles, River began her rise and fall. She picked herself up, breaking their kiss for long enough to gain eye contact, then lowered herself painstakingly slowly. They both moaned and cursed at one another, already spiraling in a pit of pleasure. From there, their movements grew more and more hasty. With the rising and falling of River's hips came the rocking and bucking of Grey's.
It wasn't all too long before the sounds of hips slapping was accompanied by naught more than pants and groans, neighbors be damned.
Though she didn't say anything, Greyson could tell that she was getting tired. River had, after all, been worked like a freaking dog all day, in a gym no less.
So, as she began flagging, he took some initiative. He rolled them to the side, toppling them long enough that he could land them nicely on River's back.
She yelped and whined harshly as, now on the top, he sank quickly into her. Neither of them was willing to stop, their hips writhing together. Their legs ended up tangled as Grey rocked them back and forth, so much so that it barely allowed for more than the rocking that they were both losing themselves in.
Hands gripped and grabbed, holding and wrestling, pulling one another impossibly close as they began to chase their highs together.
"Oh, fuck!" River whined loudly, both hands holding Greyson by the hair.
Arms locked, giving his hips the right range of motion to swing, bouncing himself in and out of her, he couldn't so much as form a fucking sentence. "River-" He managed barely between gruff grunts of pleasure. "Oh, god. Fuck, Riv- Shit... Holy- G- Ah, River!" She was everything, everything that was worth any kind of a damn to him. All that he knew was how fucking incredible she felt around him.
Her hands left his hair, dropping to his back as she began to grip and grab. He couldn't help himself as he dropped down to one arm, framing her as he allowed himself to slip an arm under her back.
His hands met one of the thick scars that lay there, something that he unthinkingly sank the tips of his fingers into. He couldn't comprehend how anyone had ever hurt her, least of all badly enough to leave a scar.
Whether intentional or not, River's hands seemed to find the very same thing on his own back. Though not thick or from a belt, the scars on Grey's back seemed to draw her fingers all the same.
As they held one another together at the seams, they fell apart in one another's arms. They came hard together, huffing and whining, panting and groaning. Hips rocking furiously, they called one another's names into the evening's air, falling deeper into one another until they were little more than a pile of slick, sweaty limbs on the couch.
Not looking to smother her, Greyson made to roll away shortly after he could do more than whine, but River stopped him. She allowed him to slide out of her, releasing some amount of wetness between them that they could worry about later in terms of the couch, but she held him close, seemingly content to just pants up into the side of his head. Meanwhile, with his face in the crook of her neck, a small line of drool that he couldn't find it in himself to worry about yet, Greyson hadn't ever felt so at home before in his entire life.
Also, a small part of him swelled, had he really just cum inside River Nivalis? Well, to be frank, yes he had. Not painfully quickly either, not that he was bragging.
"Holy shit." He managed to groan a moment later, hearing just how thick and almost sleepy his voice sounded.
Chuckling beneath him, River hummed. "Holy shit." She repeated back, agreeing. "You know, you're getting awfully good at that." She then added, running a hand through his damp hair. He couldn't help but grin into the skin of her neck.
"Oh yeah?" He prompted, pleased as she shook softly with a laugh beneath him. "I guess I found a good teacher."
At that, she laughed once more. "Yeah, sure." She snorted, then shook her head. "It's all you, Grey. You're attentive... you care and you listen, it makes for good sex." There was something in her voice as she spoke, something more than simple appreciation, but he couldn't put his finger quite on what it was.
He laid a kiss on her neck, then another on her collarbone, trailing up the column of her throat until he planed one one her waiting lips. "So," He started, stealing just one more kiss before propping himself up on his elbows above her. "You came this time, right?" He asked, teasing as he recalled their first time and just how mortified he'd been upon realising that he hadn't had her cum.
She laughed heartily, swatting his chest lightly, making him grin. Then she nodded. "Yes, Greyson." She told him, rolling her eyes. "I came. Real hard. The hardest ever." He could hear that she was teasing right back, stroking his stupid ego, but he didn't care. He only cared about her, about that laugh and those beautiful freaking eyes. Making her smile, even at the cost of him being teased, was as rewarding as hearing her whine her pleasure in his ear.
Later on, once they'd both managed to get up off the couch, they grabbed a crappy beer together from Greyson's fridge. They sipped them in the kitchen, still naked, as River sat on the kitchen counter. At every opportunity, they were touching. It wasn't all sexual, but when Grey found himself kneeling between her open legs, eagerly lapping at every inch of skin that she would allow? Well, that was most definitely sexual. They continued on like that for most of the evening, even as they feasted on snacks together under a blanket, watching old movies just as he'd told his dad they'd be doing.
Boof's stupid comment from earlier seemed like little more than a distant memory now, something so entirely unimportant and stupid. Still, he told River.
With the movie paused, he filled her in one his day.
There on the couch, only a blanket over them as they sipped shitty beers and ate nothing but snacks, things were perfect. Even as he told her just how shitty his morning had been, she was there. She comforted him, truly listening, stroking his hair comfortingly and telling him how sorry she was that he'd lost his friend.
It was actually kind of funny, he decided. For what assholes Boof and Heather had always been, River had never so much as wasted enough time on either of them to seem bothered what they thought of her. With all that money they both had, or didn't in Boof's immediate future, River was the one with the class. Sure, he'd thought it before with Heather and River, but now seeing it was the same with Boof, too, he really couldn't see how he'd screwed up with her all that time ago. He couldn't ever let that happen again. He couldn't lose River again, not ever, no matter what.
.
.
.
.
.
Dropping River at work after he'd eaten her out on his counter top for the second time of the morning had been quite the experience.
Still, as he stepped into his dad's office, he did his best to tone down his grin.
"Morning, son." His dad greeted, looking up from his desk for long enough to see... well, his freaking face. "You're looking pleased." He then added pointedly.
He let his grin back on. Hell, it was his freaking dad. "Yeah, I guess I am." He supplied, mind immediately back to River. God, if he thought hard enough, he could almost feel her writhing against his tongue. Fuck, that wasn't exactly suitable for work.
"Good night with River?" His dad then asked, stopping his heart for a second. Right, that was what he'd told him.
Okay, just act natural, right? Smiling, he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, we had a good time." He nodded again. Shit, was that too many nods? Was there such a thing? Oh god, he didn't know how many nods were too many. He swallowed. Fuck, that was suspicious. "She, uh, she's still got some creep with a camera camped out outside the gym." He then said, hoping that diverting attention from what they had been doing would help things.
At that, whether in a serious moment of thought or simply in some second of mercy, his dad's brow furrowed. "Still?" He asked, voice sounded firm. River, Greyson knew, was as important to his folks as she was to him, so this was like hearing that Phoebe or Jen was still being followed to his dad.
He nodded again, hoping this wasn't one time too many. "Yeah, I figure they're just desperate for something new since she works in a public place, but the same guy's apparently there every freaking day. Photographs her getting to work on her bike, leaving work, even tried to get her manager out to give a quote the other day apparently."
Christian clenched his jaw for a second, thinking, then pressed a button on his desk. A second later, in came a security guard. Mason, the same guard that had actually considered carrying Teddy to a car when he was drunk. "Yes, Sir?" His voice was all business even as he flashed Greyson a kind smile.
"Mason," Christian started, pulling his cell from his pocket. "I need you to talk to Taylor. There's a gentleman with a camera hanging around the gym that River works out. I'd like to know more about him, please." With that and a few taps on his screen, he was done. Mason was dismissed to his task. Then he turned to Greyson. "Have you thought about sending your brother there?" He asked, only half joking.
Chuckling, Grey laughed. "I was telling River that yesterday." He admitted, earning a smile from his father.
"You drop her at work on time this morning?" His father asked. They both knew what was really being asked though. His dad wanted to know whether or not River had stayed the night.
There it was again, that nervousness. Smiling as calmly as he could, he nodded. "Yeah, Dad, she got there with plenty of time." He assured his dad.
Before he could speak again, his dad was standing and clapping him on the shoulder. "Good." He stated simply. "I know that you're probably sick to the back teeth of hearing it from us all, but I'm glad that River's back in your life. The two of you... well, you were drawn to one another the second you met. It always felt like a shame to watch you lose that."
Swallowing, Grey smiled as his dad. "You know we're just friends, right, Dad?" He asked, watching a knowing smirk appear on his dad's face.
"Of course, son." He answered, though he could see that his dad knew more. "Whatever the two of you are, I'm just glad that you have one another. River's always seemed to understand some part of your that you held onto from before."
Okay, so he had to chuckle at that. "We were the same." He stated surely. "She was the only kid at school that actually understood." He then added, remembering the way that she'd looked at him across the canteen when she'd realised that he was just like her. She'd been so wide-eyed, realising that she'd had him pegged all wrong as he'd wrapped his lunch up to save for later for fear that he wouldn't get to eat again soon.
Proud and loving, his dad squeezed his shoulder. He was ending the conversation, saving his son the pain of remembering the life that he had lead before he was a Grey. Worse, the thoughts of what River had continued to be when he'd been adopted by a nice, clean, rich family.
"Come on," His dad prompted, heading back to sit behind his desk. "I've got a meeting in ten, I want you in there with me."
So, with that, he set about reading some file notes and talking with his dad about the business partner at hand in the time before the meeting.
When the time came, they entered the meeting room together. Barely a minute later, in came a young woman and her secretary. A recent heir to a vast fortune if their notes were to be trusted.
Miss Li was young and beautiful, though both of those things were the least interesting things about her. She was a true humanitarian, not all that cut out for the world of business, but she was coming to them for advice more than anything.
"I understand, Mr. Grey, that my father has been an investor of yours for over a decade now." She started. With her pitch black hair tied in a sleek pony, light makeup and smart clothes, there wouldn't have been any doubt that she belonged if not for the way her voice shook anxiously as she spoke.
Christian nodded, smiling kindly. "Yes, Hiro and I spent many a long day in this very room together. Your father was a strong personality, we were all deeply saddened to hear of his passing." He stated easily, passing a tissue to the now orphaned young woman as a tear already threatened to spill.
She took it with a light thanks. "He told myself and my sisters that there was nothing quite like having the Grey family as allies in this world." She stated into the air, eyes locking onto one of the photos on the wall. Her father, Greyson realised. "I wanted to assure you, Sir, that I have every intention of continuing that relationship, as my father would have wanted."
"Well, my son and I are certainly gladdened to hear that."
"Yes, of course." She spoke softly, as though she was worried that she was going to offend one of them. "The only issue to speak of, I suppose, is that I find myself unfit for leadership. I'm sure you understand, the accident that took my father, it also took my brother from us. He was the one that my father wanted in this seat, meeting with you... I have no idea how to run a company." As she spoke, it all became so very clear.
She was terrified, leading a business with no idea how to do so.
Just as Greyson's dad was about to speak, she carried on. "I understand that you own a portion of my father's company. Frankly, I was hoping that you might have someone in your own ranks who could, more or less, take over while I learn the ropes? I know how huge a thing I'm asking for, but I know that my father would have trusted you with this, Sir."
The issue at hand was, no doubt, huge. So, Christian agreed to look into it. He first advised the young woman to meet with her father's lawyers and to listen almost solely to them over even himself. He told her to take their advice and, if they told her that it was wise, he would gladly appoint someone to lead and to train.
They were in there for another hour or so, talking over anything and everything business related. Naturally though, the time of all involved was precious, so things were wrapped up quickly when appropriate.
"God, I feel for her." Grey told his dad once they were alone.
Sighing, his father nodded sadly. "I can't imagine a moment of what she's suffering." He admitted, looking sadly through the doorway that she'd gone through minutes prior.
Honestly, neither could Greyson. That would have been like him and his dad dying in a crash and leaving Amelia in charge of everything. The pressure must have been monstrous. He was glad that he and his dad were trusted, of course, but he wished the circumstances simply hadn't come about.
Just as he was about to leave and get on with his workload, in came Mason. He shot in as though his ass was on fire, eyes wide.
For a second, Mason's mouth opened, then he saw Greyson and shut it quickly. Odd. "Mr. Grey. A word, Sir?" He asked so very formally, looking at the older of the Greys.
Curious, Christian nodded. "Son, give us the room." His dad was gone, leaving his boss instead.
"Is everything okay?" Greyson asked dumbly, but his feet were moving even as he was asking. Fuck.
The door was shut between them the second he was out of it. A stone set itself in his gut, tugging and sinking. He felt sick. What the hell had that look been from Mason? He knew a look when he got one, and that? That was a freaking look.
Raking in a sigh, he stood outside his dad's office for what felt like an eternity. He even spied his dad's face through the blinds and watched it as confusion and then anger flew across his features.
Mason and his dad turned, both looking at the door. Looking at where they assumed he was, then to him as they caught him through the blinds. He considered turning and acting as though he hadn't been standing right there as they both approached the door, but he couldn't. They'd caught him. Whatever.
"What's wrong?" He asked immediately as the door swung open.
"Mason, get the car. Take Greyson to my house." His dad ordered, ignoring him. He then turned to the receptionist who was already nosily looking their was. "Phia, cancel everything on the rest of my day. Greyson's, too."
"Dad?" That ball was growing larger in his stomach, especially when his dad simply grabbed his arm and began leading him to the elevator. "What's going on?" He asked, getting no reply until the two for them and Mason were in the elevator.
Taking in a deep breath, his father looked in his eye. It was a stilling moment, holding him firm and silent. "Come on. I'll tell you in the car."
The second the elevator doors opened, someone had already pulled one of the security's trucks around. He was pushed into the back first, followed by Mason. "Dad!" He barked when the door was slammed shut between them by his own father. He got the window down, seeing the dark look on Christian's usually pleased features. "What the hell's going on?" He demanded.
On the other side of the door, his father looked once to Mason, then back at his son.
There was a long moment before he spoke, then he did, stilling Greyson's world.
"River's just been arrested at work. They're saying that she was the one stealing files."
Okay, honestly? I wasn't planning for it to happen quite like this, I initially planned that last reveal bit for the start, hence there being more office time, but I thought Heather and Boof could provide a little something earlier on, too. I know it's all a bit wacky and all over the place but I'm hopeful that it's enjoyable at least! Either way, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed/want more! Please feel free to let me know what thoughts/feelings you have, I always adore hearing them.
Thank you again and have a great day! Sorry again for any spelling/grammar stuff, I was just super eager to get this chapter out!