Greyson Blackstone

SAGE SLADE IS BY FAR THE MOST CONFUSING WOMAN I'VE EVER MET

It's been two weeks since the photoshoot and she's made it her goal not to be near me. Not that it's unusual, she's been doing that from day one. What really bothers me about it is how obvious she makes it that she doesn't want to be around me. I'll walk into the living room and the moment I seat myself on the couch she gets up and walks away.

I'm convinced I did something wrong, yet, I do not have a clue what I did.

"Uh...Greyson..." I hear her say behind me. Those are the first words she's said to me in days and I can't lie, it left me a little on the edge. "My father has been out of the hospital for a few weeks and I was wondering if...I can go back home." This was true, her father was released not to long ago and I knew the day came when she'd ask this but I'm sad to say I am disappointed.

I've got one of the most high class, beautifully decorated condo's in NYC, it cost more than the houses she has lined up in one neighborhood. No normal girl would want to leave this unless they hate who they're living with. This seems to be the case with Sage, however, after that episode she had I won't allow her to leave my sight. "The first time you talk to me in days, you ask to leave?" I can't deny the anger I felt about this and I can tell from her wide eyes she knew I was cross with her about the request.

"Greyson..." Her eyes drop.

The fact that she doesn't even have the strength to protest against me like before boils me. If I got angry she'd get angry back, not drop her fucking eyes and get scared. "Remember you are the one who came to me and told me not your father that you could not stay alone. If you really wanted to leave you know more than anyone I cannot go against your Grandfather and that you could have left and been secure with him. So the day you told me your fear was the day I made a promise to make sure you'd be al-fucking-right."

"But—"

"No fucking buts!" I snap. "You're not leaving, your father may have been asked to leave the hospital but that does not mean you are safe in his hands. Now if you're worried about his safety just know I arranged for security to watch over him. That does not mean you'll be any safer with him than you are with me, but just know Sage, this isn't the first time either of our families have been targeted by some asshole and it's best to be around someone who knows the protocol."

I know that more than anyone.

"Greyson...honey...it's going to be alright...mama's going to be alright...don't cry..."

I cringed at the memory.

Sage pursed her lips. "I just want to go home and be with my father."

"Well I'm going to be honest with you I don't trust your life in his hands. In anyone's hands at that." I look her in the eye, waiting for that fire to build up inside of her. Right now it's like having her putty in my hands and this was not an enjoyable feeling.

She looked up at me. "He's my father."

"And I'm your fiance, the man you're going to have to get used to living with regardless."

Her brows furrowed. "Which means you should enjoy not having me around because you clearly haven't had any down time for yourself."

Before I could argue that point, my phone started ringing, breaking the deadly air surrounding us. I gave Sage one more look, telling her this isn't over and picked up my phone then walked away. "Hello?" I answer bitterly.

"Someone's crabby." Dawn says.

"What do you want?" I ask, closing the door behind me as I enter my study.

"Well I just wanted to tell you, Dad is doing an emergency family meeting tonight, he said under no circumstances are you to miss this." She informs me. "It's serious Greyson, Hamilton has traveled back."

Shit.

Whenever my older brother comes back home it's a definite emergency alright. One that usually ends up with me getting a crap load of unnecessary bullshit. My Father favors Hamilton over me, for years we have been butting heads for my Father's approval. Obviously he's been winning. Dawn plays no part in this because she's Daddy's little girl, she doesn't have to worry about anything and will soon inherit Blackstone University and other things to do anything she pleases.

Dawn and I are close in the family, so whenever Father doesn't inform me of anything she will. Her and Hamilton have no relationship other than blood. She doesn't hate him, he's just extremely hard to connect with, just ask his wife of ten years.

"He also wants us to bring..." She clears her throat. "Our partners...since it is a family dinner which means family. You have to bring Sage."

"You've got to be bloody kidding me!?" I growl. "She's hard to deal with as it is, why the fuck would I bring her to a dinner with one of the most cold-blooded men on the Earth."

"I know...I tried to tell him it should be Blackstone but Emerson put the idea in his head to get Sage used to being around for these."

"Sage is seventeen years old, we don't qualify as a couple or lovers or whatever. She also cannot be around Father, he'll eat her alive."

"These are his orders, sorry." Dawn genuinely knows my struggle with this engagement. It's sad to say I got the bad end of the family issues having to be engaged to some child. I'm almost thirty and she's not even legal to drink yet. The fact that they think they can get away with putting me through all of this without repercussions furies me.

"I'll see you tonight." I say then hang up.

Then I walk outside of my study and went to Sage to tell her the grand news.

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The Blackstone estate is one of the oldest in New York, my family has owned it for generations. Originally the Blackstones were servers, but Adam Blackstone was a smart man who studied the rich minds of our country. He eventually learned and taught himself how to acquire riches not many even see in their lifetimes.

So it's not surprising that our family has a cliche way of going about things. Like those movies about rich people you see, when you walk through the halls of Blackstone manor you will see portraits of the head of the family. My Father has his and soon when he is gone, Hamilton or I will achieve one, then we will live in this house and deal with the future of Blackstone.

"You guys are seriously loaded." Sage says. I want to tell her that it's not lady-like to speak that way but I'm done caring. She can do whatever she wants here and if it reflects badly on me I could care less. My Father wants her to be like Princess Diana when she's just a regular suburban girl, she deserves some sort of comfort.

Niles, the butler, escorts us the the waiting room where we'll be summoned for dinner. Inside was Dawn and her husband giggling. Hamilton was nowhere to be seen, thankfully.

"Hello!" Dawn stands up and zooms toward Sage. "Darling I haven't spoken to you in so long how have you been?" Sage smiles back warmly. "Great, kind of nervous to be here, I had no choice though."

"Oh no need to worry." Dawn reassures her with a wide smile. "Our father won't bother you, he never treats our company with anything but respect."

Sage relaxes at her words and nods. I wish I could put her in that kind of ease, it bothers me that my sister who she barely speaks to and see's can but not me. The girl truly hates me, I give her that.

I was just about to join in the conversation when the door behind me opened. And without turning around I knew who was standing there. "Well, well, well." He started. "Everyone got here before me, that's quite a shocker, then again I did come all the way from London after doing an extremely important business meeting."

Dawn immediately looked at me, knowing very well there would be a scowl on my face. One that I wear without trying every time he is around.

"Dawn, lovely to see you." Hamilton says and Dawn nods with a forced smile. "And Mr. Mercer, great to see you as well." He says to Dawn's husband. Then silence and I knew exactly who he was planning on speaking to next. The question is, do I want to stick around to hear him talk or walk away? It was apparently to late to decide when he opened his mouth and said. "Greyson, it's rude to have your back facing towards your own brother."

Sage looks at me and I can tell from her wide eyes that my expression was far from warm. She surprisingly got closer and grabbed my arm. I cleared my throat and turned around, then with my million dollar smile I greeted the pestering prodigal child. "Hamilton."

"I'm far to tired to talk about your condescending attitude." Hamilton scoffs, then looks at Sage. "You must be Andrew's granddaughter. I'm Hamilton." He smiles at her, when I looked back at her she nodded her head awkwardly. Usually at times like this I'm supposed to tell her it's impolite to not greet when greeted but I enjoyed watching her care less about Hamilton.

However, Hamilton did not, instead he frowned at her and I. "Looks like Greyson hasn't been teaching you any lessons, don't you know it's rude to not say anything back? We are going to be family." He crosses his arms. "Maybe not with the way you're acting, but then again you will be Greyson's wife after all. A woman who lacks class is perfect for a man who has none."

I felt Sage tense and before I could look at her to prevent what would come, she opened her mouth. "If you must know, I have nothing to say to you that would be nice. Isn't it more rude to say something mean than to never say something at all?"

All eyes were on her, Dawn and her husband stared at her with shock. Hamilton was still frowning and well I...I was on the verge of laughing. Somehow I'm proud. "I'd be happy to speak though, if you like, but know whatever is coming out of my mouth will be my real thoughts. However, if you don't want me to speak I'd like it very much if you apologized to not only me but your brother."

Hamilton stared silently for a moment, studying her. He's never quiet so that means she got to him and it was way to amusing to subside the smile I was fighting. He cleared his throat. "I'll be back, I've got to figure out what's taking my wife so long in the ladies room." He then turned around and went inside the hallway.

And as I looked at Sage with everyone else, I knew tonight would be interesting.