Chapter 44

Ava’s POV

Nothing has ever stunned me to silence like Grayson’s words just did. The sheer intensity left me frozen, my mind struggling to process his admission. We stared at each other, the seconds stretching into eternity before I managed to find my voice.

“I… I’m…”

The words fumbled out in a stutter, barely audible. Grayson’s gaze hardened, his entire presence shifting; the warmth gone in an instant. Without another word, he turned away, grabbing his phone and jacket. He left the room as quickly as he’d torn down my defenses, leaving me staring at the empty space he’d filled moments before.

I flopped back onto the bed, a frustrated groan escaping me. His words echoed, flooding my mind: “I am prepared to watch the world burn to the ground before I let anything happen to you, and it’s driving me insane!”

A part of me knew I should stay back and let him go, but I felt the pull—the need to face him, to understand. Within seconds, I was pushing myself off the bed, my feet carrying me through the hallways in search of him.

I had no idea where he’d gone, yet something drew me toward the pool, closed for the night. Just as I was about to cross the boundary, I heard his voice, low and bored, as if he’d been expecting me.

“There’s a clear sign that says the pool is closed, Ava.”

I closed my eyes, letting out a sigh. I could sense his presence behind me even without turning around. “You’re out here; you didn’t see a sign that exempts Billionaire Alpha Kings.”

I didn’t need to look to know he’d allowed himself a rare, brief smile. I took a deep breath, finally gathering the courage to face him. His cold gray eyes glinted under the moonlight, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I caught the faint trace of a smile before his expression hardened again.

He pushed himself off the wall, his tone distant. “Go back inside. It’s cold. You’re already shaking.”

Wrapping my arms around myself, I felt the night’s chill more acutely, but I stayed where I was. “We need to talk about what you said. About what happened.”

Without a word, he brushed past me, heading toward the edge of the pool. The silence that followed was weighted, a tense expectation that made my heart beat faster. He sat at the edge, fully clothed, dipping only his legs into the water. I followed, sitting beside him and letting the cold water wash over my feet. Somehow, it mirrored the mix of warmth and cold that Grayson seemed to leave in his wake.

Finally, he spoke, almost to himself. “I keep wondering why you let people push you around for so long when there’s so much fire in you.”

The question took me by surprise, and I glanced at him, his profile shadowed in the moonlight. It was as if he wasn’t even speaking to me, but letting a stray thought escape. I sighed, mirroring his posture as I watched the ripples in the water.

“Because it was all I’d ever known,” I murmured. “Since I was young, I followed my parents’ rules, did what was expected of me. It kept me safe, or so I thought. I hated it at times, but the idea of stepping off that path scared me as much as it angered me. I didn’t know what I’d find if I did.”

He was silent for a long moment, staring into the dark pool. I decided to break the silence this time. “What about your parents? Do you still talk to them?”

The question landed like a stone between us, and I felt him tense beside me. His answer was cold, almost bitter. “No.”

I glanced at him, feeling a strange ache in my chest. Whatever had happened with his family was buried deep, and I knew it had been part of what shaped the cold, unreachable person he had become. He continued to stare straight ahead, a silent fortress of hurt and anger. Even in profile, he was captivating, in a way that felt almost dangerous.

A sigh escaped me, and I mentally reminded myself to stop. Whatever he’d said, whatever rare emotion had broken through, it didn’t mean anything. Getting involved with Grayson Blackwood was a losing game, and I couldn’t delude myself into thinking I’d be the one to break down his walls. It wasn’t my place; I didn’t have the time.

I forced myself to focus, clearing my throat. “We still haven’t discussed the schedule for your sessions. That’s why we’re doing this, remember? It’s best we stay focused on that.”

I watched his face closely, searching for any reaction, but all I got was stony silence as he looked straight ahead, his gaze as still and cold as the water before us. His jaw tightened, and for a second, I thought he’d divert from the conversation as he had been doing.

Then he spoke, his voice even, steady, almost like he’d rehearsed it. “We’ll do the sessions twice a week. Afternoons. I’ll let my assistant know to arrange it.”

There was nothing in his tone to indicate that the same man who had, minutes ago, declared he’d burn the world for me was sitting beside me. Now he was back to the businesslike, impassive man I’d first met. It stung more than I expected, and before I could stop myself, I spoke again.

“That’s all you have to say?”

His eyes flickered to me, brief and sharp. “Yes, that’s all I have to say.”

A mix of frustration and confusion churned inside me. “You say one thing, and then act like it meant nothing. Do you get some kind of thrill from confusing people like this?”

He let out a low, humorless chuckle. “Confusion? Ava, you were the one who came out here. I didn’t ask for company.”

And that was all it took for me to snap. His sudden coldness was so infuriating.

“You said you’d let the world burn before you’d let anything happen to me, and now you’re acting like I’m just another employee on your payroll. What am I supposed to make of that?”

He paused, as if considering my words, his expression unreadable. Finally, he let out a breath, his voice softer but still guarded. “That’s what I do, Ava. I protect what’s mine, and as long as the world believes you are my Luna, you qualify in that category. That’s it.”

Memories of Luca’s blood and the words—or lack of a declaration of him calling me his—came back with full force. “So that’s all this is? Your protection is just to keep up the facade to the world?”

A flash of irritation crossed his face, and he looked away, jaw clenching. I had the sense that he was struggling to keep a grip on himself, like he didn’t want to let me see any crack in his armor.

“Ava, don’t push this.”

“Why not?” I shot back, frustration creeping into my voice. “Why won’t you just let yourself be… honest? If you’re saying these things, then clearly, there’s something more. Why hide behind this wall?”

“Because it’s safer,” he said, almost too quickly, and then seemed to realize he’d let too much slip. His gaze darkened. “People who get too close always end up hurt.”

The rawness in his voice surprised me, cutting through the cold façade he worked so hard to maintain. I didn’t know what to say, so I just sat there, absorbing his words.

“What if I don’t care about that?” I asked softly, not even sure if he heard me.

He looked away, his shoulders tensing. “Then you’re a fool.”

For a second, we were both silent, the weight of his words hanging between us. I should’ve let it go, should’ve left the poolside and gone back to pretending this arrangement was only about some contract, nothing more. But I couldn’t leave it like this.

“Maybe I am a fool,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “But I’d rather be a fool who’s honest than someone who’s too afraid to even try.”

No words followed, and with that, I pushed myself to my feet, shaking my head. There was really no point to this. I’d focus on the sessions, count down the days until the contract ended, and then disappear from this twisted drama once and for all.

I was halfway to the door when I heard him say my name. I stopped, resisting the urge to turn back. No. Not again. I steeled myself to keep walking, to just let him be, when his voice came again, cutting through the silence like a blade.

“Ava, get down.”

It took a moment to register, the urgency in his tone not quite sinking in—until the world seemed to slow, Grayson lunged, his hand outstretched to reach me, but he was just a second too late. Pain burst across my shoulder, white-hot and ringing, the impact sending me staggering. Warm droplets splattered against my face, the metallic taste of blood coating my mouth. I didn’t fully grasp what had happened until I was on the ground clutching my shoulder as a scream tore from my throat.