Page 64 of Grizz

Understanding dawns in her eyes.“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Make it sound like—” She stops, breathes, steadies.“Elias and I have known each other forever.He’s the closest thing I have to a brother.”

Brother.Is that where she’s going?

The word hits me where I don’t want it to.But the burning in my chest doesn’t simmer.If anything, it heats up, because all I see is Elias touching her back again.His hand resting casually, intimately, like it’s natural, like this is where it is whenever they’re together as “friends.”

He does it again now—palm brushing the small of her back as someone squeezes behind them.I see fucking stars.

My jaw grinds so hard I feel my molars protest.

“… and then Daisy told me she thought this game was the most exciting display of sports she’s ever seen.”

I try to focus in on what Elias just said, but all I can see is that fucking hand on her lower back.

Daisy flushes and gives a nervous laugh.“Ididnot phrase it that dramatically.”

My head snaps to her.

She said that.

But not to me.

I feel myself about to explode.

Elias clocks it instantly.His eyes light up.“Relax, big guy,” he says, understanding exactly what he’s doing, even if Daisy doesn’t fully get what’s going on.“We’re just friends.”

And that’s the moment I snap.“I’ll accept that you’re just friends if you accept the fact I’m going to break every bone in your hand if you don’t get it off her.”The restaurant stills around us—or maybe it only feels that way.Daisy stiffens.Elias lifts his brow.

“Well,” Elias says, voice amused, but thankfully for him, his hand falls away from her back.“Someone’s a little proprietary.”

“Grizz,” Daisy whispers, eyes wide.There’s even a hint of empathy in her voice, but it grates on every last nerve in my body.I don’t need her feeling sorry for my big emotions.

I have to get out of here.

I turn and exit the private dining area, past the velvet rope, past the host stand, past the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that reflect my expression back at me, but I’m someone I don’t even recognize at this point.I shove through the door into the whipping New York air.

The chill hits me hard and so do the footsteps behind me.

“Grizz!”Daisy’s voice cuts through the noise of the city.

I don’t slow, lengthening my strides.I hear the click-click of her boots as she tries to catch up.

Surprisingly, she does and grabs my arm.“Stop.”

I turn to face her so fast she takes a step back.“What the hell was that?”she demands.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You are, Grizz.”Her voice cracks with emotion, frustration or fear or something that stabs at me in ways I don’t want.“You were angry.Jealous.You stormed out like—”

“I wasn’t jealous.”