Free Grayson (This is Our Life Book 1) by F.G. Adams

without saying it aloud.  Fuck him!
    Seeing that Ella is finished with her food, I rise to take our plates to the kitchen, leaving Ella in good hands with Sage.
    Approaching the kitchen, I see Jocelyn and her husband, Keagan, are huddled together affectionately in a sweet, loving embrace.  Keagan is a big son-of-a-bitch, though he’s not as tall as Lukas, towering over me only by an inch or two, but that’s not what makes him huge.  He has muscles everywhere, sculpted by years of military service and his current line of work.  Although, if his bald head and goatee didn’t create a menacing aura, his eyes always give me pause.  Piercing, ultramarine blue that seem to glimpse into the soul.
    Jo looks up at me. “Oh, hey, Gray.  I didn’t realize you were standing there.”  My sister uses the nickname she gave me so many years ago.
    I smile back down at her and understand.  It took a while for her and Keagan to arrive at the place they are today.  They fought hard to have the loving bond they share.  So I can’t say anything to hurt her. Instead, I start my picking.
    “Well, maybe you should get a room?”  I joke with her.
    She blushes instantly and I know Keagan’s steely gaze is on me.  Not wanting to ruin the moment, I ignore it, because this is what Jo and I do.  Hearing the chair move, my attention is directed toward Keagan.  Unfolding himself from the chair, he approaches me, holding out his hand. 
    I nervously take his hand in a manly shake and hug.  “We’re all so proud of the person you’ve become, Grayson.  So damn proud of you.  I look forward to seeing more of the man,” Keagan praises.  “I’m gonna go talk to Ollie for a few minutes. Trident business never ends . ”
    Before I can say anything else, he reaches down and places a soft, sensual kiss on Jo’s lips.  The man can be a bear most of the time, but he loves his woman.  It gives my heart hope.
    Going around to the empty chair, I sit down beside Jocelyn.  Instantly, she reaches out to grab my hand, pulling it to her mouth for a sweet kiss. 
    “I loved your speech tonight, baby brother.  It was beautiful.”  Jo sighs and I know she’s referring to my reference of the Giving Tree.
    “I knew you would, Jo.  You gave that to me.  Fueled my love of reading, escaping to so many different places while never leaving my room.” I pause for a second. 
    “Those nights I read to you are some of my most cherished memories, Gray.  It still hurts so badly that I had to leave you and Addie.  I’m glad I gave you something of me though.”
    I feel the anguish in her voice, because like my other two sisters before me, we all have those ‘fond’ memories of living at home.  Not!
    “So proud of you, Gray.  Just one word of advice though…” she whispers.  “I see the way you look at Ella and the way she looks at you.  I’ve seen that look with Fallyn and Oliver, me and Keagan, even Sage and Lukas.  Be careful.  You have to find a way to accept yourself first, forgive others, and heal before you can make any kind of commitment to anyone else.” She takes a breath and immediately, I'm inundated with so many emotions. 
    “Don’t look at me that way, honey. I’m just saying, I know you, Gray.  The real you.  You have so much to offer the world and someone special,” she accentuates the last part.
    “It won’t happen overnight, baby brother.  Look at the rest of us.  But just know that it can and will happen.  I love you so much, Grayson Taylor Blackwood.”
    Knowing what my sister says is the truth, I lean over, placing a gentle brotherly kiss on her cheek and wrapping my arms around her in a heartfelt embrace.  
    “I love you too, JoJo!”
    After everyone is full and the conversations begin to meld together, Fallyn heads to the piano in the corner of the room.  The anticipation is building, because we all know what's about to happen.  My sisters and I gather in the center.  One of our favorite