You Are My Strength
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine. I’m just borrowing them for a little while and will return them when I am finished.
Author’s Notes- This is my entry for day 25 of my January writing challenge: “you’re love makes me stronger.” I had multiple requests for this prompt for Grayson/MC and this is my last Grayson story for the challenge since this makes 3 for him, my personal limit. This is set sometime after Book 1 and after Lexi returns from the prism zone.
Pairing- Grayson/MC
Rating- PG-13
Summary- Grayson comforts Lexi after she reads some nasty gossip.
Words- 1210
I walked out of the bathroom, into the master bedroom, just in time to hear my phone ring. I walked across the room and picked it up, a glance at the caller ID showing me it was Poppy. “Hey, Poppy, what’s up?”
“Have you had a chance to check the news today?” Poppy asked hesitantly.
I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see it. “No, I’m not going into the office today, so I slept in a bit. I just got up. Why is there something I need to see?”
There was a moment of hesitation on the other end of the line.
“Kind of the opposite,” she said finally, “just maybe avoid the news sites for a little while? Is Grayson there?”
“Yeah…” I said slowly just as the man in question emerged from the bathroom, a towel slung around his waist. “Do you want to talk to him?”
“Yes please,” Poppy said instantly. I handed the phone over, wondering what was going on and feeling very apprehensive.
Grayson raised his eyebrows as he took the phone and I just shrugged. “Hello?”
I headed to the dresser and grabbed some clothes, half-listening to Grayson’s half of the conversation. “They what?” The outrage in his voice had me turning to look at him, my clothes in my hand. “Thank you for telling me.” His voice was calm, but I could hear the anger simmering underneath the surface.
What was going on? Grayson hung up the phone and walked towards me and it was easy to see how tense he was.
“What’s going on?” I demanded as I slipped on a pair of jeans.
Grayson hesitated.
“I can just check myself,” I pointed out.
He sighed. “There are some unflattering stories.”
“About me or Starstorm?” I asked, trying to keep calm. I was a big girl, I could handle a little bad press, besides it went with the territory, both with being superhero and being Grayson Prescott’s fiancé. Though, I had a feeling this might be worse than usual, given the reaction from both Poppy and Grayson.
Just then my phone beeped in Grayson’s hand, alerting me to a text. Grayson passed me my phone reluctantly and I took it, opening the message. A text from Kenji. R U Ok? You can come over and punch stuff. Just preferably not me. The fact that he was texting this early in the morning, meant that something was definitely going on.
“You never answered my question.” I reminded Grayson as I watched him get dressed. Normally the sight would be enough to distract me, but I had a feeling something big was going on.
“Both,” he admitted.
I froze in horror. “Was I outed?” I could think of a million reasons why I didn’t want my secret identity to come out and most of them involved other people, not only would it throw my life into chaos but it would have a negative effect on the people around me, especially my mom and Grayson.
“No,” Grayson assured me, crossing the room to wrap his arms around me. “Just some ugly stories, that’s all and some bad timing making them run simultaneously.”
I took a deep breath and opened my phone and clicked on a search engine. It didn’t take long for me to find the stories that he was referring to. One was a long feature in one of the local papers calling out the so-called superheroes, Starstorm, in particular, and making some very cutting comments about our purpose.
It was unpleasant, but not worth this level of reaction from those around me, so I took a deep breath and typed in my real name and then almost dropped my phone as I poured over the headlines accusing me of sleeping with Kenji behind Grayson’s back and being a gold-digging whore. Apparently, one gossip site had started it and the others had run with it. Even as I told myself it was just words and I knew it wasn’t true, I couldn’t stop the tears from welling up in my eyes.
Grayson took my phone away and tossed it on the bed, before cupping my face. “Lexi…”
“I’m ok,” I said in a shaking voice, “I mean… It goes with the territory right? People like to speculate about the rich and famous and I mean a CEO marrying his secretary is bound to raise a few eyebrows.”
“You are so much more than that,” Grayson reminded me, “you were my friend before you were my assistant and I never considered you a ‘mere’ anything.”
I leaned against him, taking strength in his arms. “I know.” I took a deep breath. “It sucks. It sucks that they’re saying gross things about me and Kenji and that someone is taking shots at Starstrom again, but it’s not the end of the world.” I paused suspiciously. “There’s not more is there?”
“No,” Grayson shook his head. “That’s it. I guess, we just all feel a little protective of you.”
As if to prove his point, I could hear my phone going off again, probably Eva or Dax, but I ignored it. “I know and I appreciate it.”
“We should go to The Grand tonight,” Grayson said after a moment, “as a group, make a point of being seen.” I made a face, but I knew he was right. Pictures of the two of us hanging out with Kenji would be the most effective way to refute the rumors and show that we didn’t care.
“I probably shouldn’t go over there to workout though,” I commented, thinking of Kenji’s invitation.
“Probably not,” Grayson agreed, “though if you want to go to the gym, I’m happy to work out with you, just remember I’m a little more fragile than Kenji or Eva.”
I laughed. “I appreciate it, but I’m fine.” I smiled up at him. “However, thank you for the offer and for just being so sweet and supportive.”
“I feel like this is my fault,” Grayson said quietly, “If you weren’t engaged to me, then they wouldn’t be saying these nasty things.”
“It’s a small price to pay,” I assured him, “and I can take whatever they throw at me because I have you. The intrusion of the gossip columns is a tiny thing in comparison to everything you give me, your love makes me stronger, Grayson. Strong enough to face anything.”
He smiled softly, running his hand over my face. “Given that you are the strongest woman I know, both physically,” I smirked, “and emotionally, I think you are giving me far too much credit.”
“Never,” I told him, lifting myself up to kiss him.
“Are you levitating?” Grayson teased against my lips as his arms anchored me in place.
“Maybe,” I admitted, “It’s not my fault you are so tall.”
Grayson just laughed and deepened the kiss. He swept me up into his arms, cradling me against his chest. “If you don’t want to go to the gym, may I suggest another way to take your mind off things?”
“I like the way you think,” I told him, as he placed me on the bed. I reached up and pulled him down with me and as our lips found one another again, there was no more talking…
- End
