Nova's POV

The car ride is peaceful, however, the closer we get to Grayson's childhood home, the more restless he gets. His knuckles get tighter and tighter the closer we get, his skin turning white from the pressure. I comfort him with small touches, whether it be rubbing his arm up and down or placing my hand on his thigh, just to let him know I'm there.

I know it's not just the nerves of seeing the house or his mum, but his dad. I see him trying to conceal his anger, for me or for his mother? I'm not sure. I try to distract him with small talk, random things that pop in my head I'll blurt out. Sometimes he would reply or chuckle, or he would just give me a concerned look.

He can look at me all he wants, because I know for even just a moment I've taken his mind off from his thoughts. And I'm okay with that. We pull up to a gas station only half a mile from his home.

"I need to stretch my legs!" I groan, opening the car door and nearly tumbling out.

"It was a two hour drive, suck it up." I stick my tongue out at him making him roll his eyes at me.

"I can't sit still for long." I shrug leaning against the car as he fills it up.

"Yeah, I've noticed." He mumbles.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I frown. He looks at me with a small smile, letting out a breathless laugh.

I continue to frown at him as he takes the pump out of the car and places it back. He turns to me with a smirk, walking towards me slowly. He pushes my hair behind my ear and leaning down. "It means, you're always quivering beneath me." He whispers into my ear kissing my neck softly.

He walks off towards the small shop to pay for the gas leaving me with a blush on my cheeks. I let out a large breath and round the car to climb back into my seat. I just put my seat belt when he comes back with snacks in his hands.

My eyes light up when I see he got my favourite sweets. "You didn't?" I ask.

He looks at me then towards the sweets in his hands, with a roll of his eyes he tosses me the sweets. I grin and let out an exited 'yes, yes yes' and tear the packet open.

"You're such a child." Grayson shakes his head but I don't miss the small smile on his lips.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of his smile, not caring how big or small it is. I cherish It.

"Oh shut up, you love me really." I grumble popping more sweets into my mouth.

"Mmh." I cast him a confused look as he stares at the road ahed of him. Shrugging off his weird behaviour, I sit back with my sweets.

"Are you going to bring your mother with us?" I ask softly.

"I don't know." He sighs. "I mean, I want to. But I don't think she'll leave willingly." He shakes his head.

"How come? I mean, if she's treated so horribly, why not just leave?" I ask.

Grayson briefly looks at me letting out a forced laugh. "It's not that simple. Her whole life has been with him, she may not of realised it then but he's always controlled her." He bites his lip while shaking his head in frustration. "If only it was so simple to just leave." He mumbles.

Guilt crashes into me hard. I look down at my sweets, no longer wanting to enjoy them. I push them away and look to Grayson who scowls at the road ahed. "I'm sorry." I whisper.

"You don't have to be."

"No, I do. I was being inconsiderate and naive. I'm sorry, Grayson." He lets out a huff and takes my hand into his, kissing my knuckles and laying our joined hands in my lap.

"You'll never do wrong in my eyes, Angel." I secretly smile behind my hair.

I look up and see us pulling into a large stoned driveway. When I say large, I mean fucking huge! This place looks like Buckingham Palace. Something so huge for so little people, I would never like to live in such a huge house with no one to fill it.

I'd feel lonely.

I couldn't imagine how Grayson felt growing up there, always being alone after his sister. No one to talk to or play with. No one to comfort or support you.

Having no one to go to.

Oh Grayson.

"This is it." Grayson says bitterly.

I squeeze his hand letting him know I'm here if he needs me.

"We're in this together." I remind him. He looks over to me and nods his head.

"Okay, come on." We get out of the car and meet half way where our hands join again.

His hands grips mine tightly, his jaw cleaned as we step closer towards the doors. I rub my thumb across his rough knuckles watching as he takes in a deep breath, knocks on the door and lets it out.

The big door opens revealing a man, who must be in his late fifties, wearing black trousers and blazer and a white shirt. Just like a butter he greets Grayson with a small bow.

I scrunch my face up at the action. Grayson nods his head towards the man and steps in pulling me closely behind him. I go to thank the man but when I turn around I see him already out of sight.

"He's forbidden to speak to anyone." Grayson says lowly beside me.

"What do you mean?" I ask utterly confused why such a thing is forbidden.

"None of the staff are allowed to speak to a guest or house members. My father wouldn't allow it, when I was a child I tried to make friends with them, having no else to talk to. They were either kicked out or killed." I stare at Grayson as he tells me the sorry with a straight face.

I can already see the walls building up again. I reply a small 'oh'. Grayson begins to walk and again pulls me with him. We walk up, way to many stairs that my lungs complain of lack of oxygen. We come to a stop at a white french doors with gold handles. Grayson knocks lightly on the door before opening it a crack, looking into the room.

I stand behind Grayson, his large figure making it impossible to see anything beyond him. I briefly glance around the eerie hallways before snapping my head back towards the room when I hear a soft voice call out.

"Come in." Grayson tugs my hand forward into the room. I stay close to Grayson, shutting the door softly behind me. I look around the room, white walls with a mural just above the bed. Blue Butterfly's flying across the wall beautifully.

The king sized bed is covered with grey sheets with a crazy amount of decorative pillows placed perfectly on the bed.

"Grayson, dear. You came." I turn to the voice. Grayson's mother, sits at a desk that's facing a large window with an easel out I front of her. Her dark brown hair is tied into a loose fishtail that's falls down her back. Her eyes, like Grayson's, are an unique shade of green shinning in the sun that's bounces off of the window.

She grins at Grayson, smile lines covering her sun kissed skin. Grayson releases my hand to embrace his mothers small frame. I smile at how gentle and caring Grayson is as he wraps his arms around her body, practically bending himself in half because of the height difference.

"It's good to see you, mum." He kisses her on her cheek softly.

She smiles up at him, caressing his cheek. "It's good to see you to, honey. You look thinner. Have you been eating three meals?" She looks over his body with worry.

"Yes, mum." Grayson groans making me chuckle lightly. My laughter caused her attention to turn towards me.

"Hello, sweet. Grayson, you've brought a girl." She looks at at Grayson with a raised brow. I swallow all of a sudden feeling rather small.

"Mum, this is Nova. Nova, my mother." Grayson introduces us with a confident smile.

I shuffle on my feet, bitting my bottom lip anxiously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Blackwell." I hold my hand out with a nervous smile.

I blush when I hear Grayson snort behind his mum. "Oh such good manners. Shame I don't care for them." I'm taken aback as she wraps her arms around me, hugging me tightly.

I wheeze as I pat her back awkwardly. For someone so small and gentle looking, she has one hell of a grip. I feel like I'm going to combust. The hug Grayson and her shared did not look like how this felt, I'll tell you that.

She pulls back, Grayson smirking at me, I smile at her. "You're just a beauty. Now how did you and my son meet?" I blink at such an innocent question that holds such a story one should not share with there boyfriends mother.

Ew, boyfriend.

He's mine.

That's better.

"Uh, we met at the annual ball." I smile.

"Oh that's lovely!" She claps her hands in excitement. I smile softly at her, she's too cute. "You know, you guys have your own Cinderella story." She whispers, although I'm sure Grayson heard her telling me by the smile he shared with me.

Our little secret.

"Evelyn!" I look away from Grayson towards the door as a voice yells.

"Grayson don't." His mother warns but Grayson's already out of the door.

"Don't worry, I've calmed him down enough times. I'll deal with this." I pat her hand and chase after Grayson before his anger gets the best of him.

As soon as make a couple of turns I'm lost. There's so many hallways that look identical, I can't tell where I began and where the hell i should go. I release a sigh of frustration. My eyes spot a cracked open door and I decide to try that. I open the door to a large office.

I look around the large place and shake my head and turning on my heels after not finding Grayson. I groan leaving the room but I bump into someone as I turn around. My back straightens when I see Grayson's father staring down at me with his cold eyes.

I stagger back glaring at him. "I didn't realise Grayson was bringing whores around with him." His voice is deep and thick with disgust.

I breath heavily through my nose begging my anger to not lash out on this monster. Because I can guarantee he will kill me.

"I was just leaving." I mumble pushing past him. His hand grips my upper arm, his grip tight on my skin.

I wince and glare at him. Now he's just asking for me to beat his pathetic ass. "Now where do you think your going?" He sneers down at me. "I'd like to know what has my son failing."

I snatch his hand out of my grip with a harsh grip on his hand of my own. "You have no right to call him your son." I spit taking a big step away from him.

He bellows out a cold laugh. "After everything I've taught him to be the man he is today, he owes me everything."

I scoff at him. "Do you know what you've done?" I ask. I feel the anger course through my veins, my body heating up. "He can't even live with himself because of the things you've made him do!" I yell right in his face. Well, as close as I can get to his face. Because just like Grayson, his father is a giant. "He thinks he's a monster!" I scream.

Mr Blackwell glares at me and although fear spikes I don't show it. He takes large steps towards me, his hand wrapping around my throat. I fight against his hand, my blood rushing to my head as I try to take deep breaths.

"So weak. Who do you think you are challenging me? I'm the most powerful man alive, you can't kill me!" He screams into my face. If I wasn't practically dying I would laugh in his face at the size of his ego.

Instead tears fall down my cheeks as I slowly feel my self falling into darkness. I kick my legs wildly, my nails scratching against his arms and hand. I try and fight so hard but I still feel myself slowly losing conciseness.

Just when I feel like giving up.

Mr Blackwell freezes, his grip on my neck loosing making me fall to the floor gasping for air. I watch as he collapses to the floor, blood covering his white shirt. Standing behind him, Grayson with a raised gun.

Grayson shot his father.

Shit.

"Grayson, what have you done?" I gasp.

***