Page 85 of Psychotic Nightmares

Grace puts her hand out, giving me a small smile as I put the device into her palm. “I guess I’ll make the tea then.” I kiss her temple, then watch her sweet ass as she walks away from me, her angelic voice saying hello to the second best woman in my life.

“Morning, asshole.” Dante stretches as he joins us in the living room, Grace gasps and looks our way as I call him a dickhead back. “It’s alright,gattina.It’s just something we do.” He winks, she seems sceptical, but eventually goes back to the conversation with mum. Dante grabs his own cup from the cupboard andmakes himself a coffee -ew- before turning all his attention on our woman. “That mum on the phone?”

“You know it.” I roll my eyes.

“And you’re okay with her talking to Grace? What if…” I shrug, cutting him off.

“She’s going to have to meet them some time right?” I exhale loudly. “I just hope it’s later rather than sooner.”

“Same,” he nods. “Hopefully she understands why you haven’t told her already.” I finish making the teas, walk over to Grace, followed closely by Dante and hand her her drink.

“No way.” She laughs at something my mum says. “Pink, really?”

Oh, God no.

“It’s where?.” Grace stands quickly and runs into my bedroom, taking my phone with her.

Shit.

Dante bursts out laughing when he realises what Grace is going for, I go to run after her.

Too late.

Her entertained howls echo around the whole building. She’s found the secret photo album mum adds photos to every year. Luckily they’re just me and none of my family. She comes back into the room, holding a photograph in her hand. “I’m keeping this one.” She informs me. “It’s going straight up in my living room.”

“No.” I catcha glimpse of the bright pink hair bow I begged mum to get when I was six. And then, because I was a very curious and mischievous child, I decided to raid mum's jewellery box and makeup. Instead of getting mad at me at the time, my petty-ass mother decided to take a picture, print it out and tape them to lamposts all over the town on my 18th birthday.

Dante saw them first as we exited the first pub. And then she made me pay her back for all the makeup she had to replace. I moved back to the US soon after, too embarrassed to show my face in London again.

Now when I visit I stay in Nana’s house, never leaving until it’s time to go to the airport.

“Aww, let her keep it.” Mum says over speakerphone while Grace pokes out her bottom lip.

“You’re fucked, dude.” Dante chuckles.

“Hi, Dante!” Mum slurs.

“Ciao, mamma.” Grace slides the phone across to him while he and mum carry on their conversation in Italian.

“Grace…” I narrowmy eyes at her. She takes a step back with a smirk.

“If you really want it back, you’re gonna have to come and get it.” She spins and runs. I wait a few seconds before giving chase. She doesn’t know her way around the warehouse, but it’s not large enough for her to get lost. Seeing her having so much fun, hearing her giggles bounce off the walls, does something to me. Something primal yet tender.

She chose us both.

Both!

And I don’t know if my heart can take it. When she didn’t stop us last night, when she begged for us to touch her the organ in my chest burst into a fucking rainbow. No longer the black background with Grace’s colourful paintings, my heart belongs fully to her.

I need to quit the hitman life. I need to give her the normal life she deserves. I just hope my boss understands.

I check the tattoo room first, hoping she will let me ink her again, and to my disappointment she’s not in here. After checking another two rooms - the one where we keep all our cleaning equipment and the one with all the spare clothes for the team - I findher in the bedroom.

Kneeling on the bed. Holding my mask. Naked. All thoughts of the photo long gone after her giving me the ‘come fuck me’ eyes.

“Grace.” I slowly saunter toward her. “What are you doing?” The tee she had on less than two minutes ago is discarded on the floor.

“Put this on.” She throws my mask at me. “And then I want you to lose all control.”