Greyson

~*One Month Later*~

AT THE AGE OF TWENTY-SEVEN YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE BABYSAT

"Greyson!" Sage scolds. "What are you doing?"

I sigh. "Sage—"

"Don't Sage me." She crosses her arms. "The Doctor said you were supposed to take it easy."

I scoff. "Asking me to 'take it easy' is like asking Leonardo DiCaprio to return his Oscar. It's just not happening."

Ever since the incident where I was stabbed repeatedly by some brute I've been placed on strict home security. The Doctor says I should heal in no time but in order for that to be accomplished I can't work the hours I'm accustomed to.

As for Sage, there was no way in hell I was allowing her to live at her home anymore. Her father then me, both getting stabbed in the same house is enough to put her on lock down. Which means she'll have guards on her twenty-four seven, I've given Todd the convenient time slots to watch her because she likes him best.

Not to mention he feels bad for taking the break when he should have been with her and offered to give her the best security possible. I believe him. So he'll be on her watch when she's outside going to school or whatever. At night I'll have a guard at the front door watching for suspicious activity and/or if she wants to go out for any needed items.

And luckily for me, Sage's birthday is next week. That means next weekend we will be announcing our engagement. Emerson and my Father have been preparing the event since I have been placed in house arrest by my entire family and the medical professionals.

"You know—" Sage begins but is immediately cut off by a loud ringing sound. "I've got to get this." She blushes at the screen, then looks at me and frowns. "Don't do any work, lay down!" Then she walks away.

The most unfortunate part about this all is that Sage has some kind of puppy dog crush on Dorian still. She doesn't hesitate taking his calls and they text endlessly through the day—and yes I watch them. What else am I supposed to do? Being bored makes you horribly observant.

Hudson couldn't split him, because of my incident with the stabber, that wasted precious time he needed. And his family had him flown back to England within seconds for some important issue, he said he'd come back and finish what he stared, but by the time he's back Dorian and Sage will probably be having kids.

"I'm not exactly busy." I hear her say behind the door. "Weeeeell..." She stretches the word. "I mean I could go, I'm sure I can get someone to fill for me."

Anger boils inside me but I can't say anything.

This is simply karma returning the favor, I've earned this.

There was silence and the door suddenly opens. "Greyson I'm going—"

"Go ahead." I gesture her away, not even looking at her.

"But I didn't—"

I clench my fist on top of my keyboard, preventing myself from snapping. "Just go."

"Alright." She says. "But...do we need anything?"

I sigh. "I don't bloody know."

"What the heck? What's got your panties twisted in a bunch?" She hisses.

I close my eyes and exhale. "I'm fine."

Truth be told I've got a lot of pent up tension inside of me. Having these injuries means I can't go out and find some random woman to sleep with. Not to mention, I've unexpectedly grown bored of the game and the thought doesn't appeal to me.

What's happening to me.

"If you say so." Sage cuts through my thoughts. "I'm going now. But I'm calling Dawn to come over and make sure you don't work."

I stand up.

"Greyson what are you doing?"

Without saying anything I shoved myself past her through the door. "I'm going out."

"You can't do that!"

I slice my eyes to her. "I'm tired of being in this bloody house, I need a change of scenery. Tell Dawn I'll be at the loft if she wants to check in."

"The loft?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "She'll know what I'm talking about. Just tell her that."

Ignoring Sage and her questions I grab a coat of the rack and throw it on. Then press the button to the elevator and get on, descending to the ground floor. The doormen escorted me to a town car that wasn't driven by my usual drivers and I got inside and went on my way to my loft for some relaxation. That is if I can get any.

→←

When I get back home it's already midnight and I am greeted at the front by an angry—no fuming Sage. Her arms were crossed and she was thumping her foot anxiously onto the wooden floor.

I sigh. "Why are you up?"

"Because you're home...AT MIDNIGHT!" Sage throws her arms up in the air angrily.

Walking past her I said. "It doesn't matter what time I come home."

"Yes it does!" She stomps behind me.

I open the fridge door and grab a bottle of water. "Sage, I'm twenty-seven, I don't need to check in with you about what time to come home."

"Don't say 'you' like I'm some stranger, I'm your fiance."

I snickered.

"What's so funny?" She frowns.

I look her in the eyes. "That's a bunch of bullshit."

"What is?"

Placing the water bottle down, without even drinking it, I clear my throat. "You being worried about me and claiming it to be because you're my fiance. That's bullshit, Sage."

"How so?" Her brows tightened into a v-shape.

"Because," I start. "you probably wished I was dead. You'd be free from this stupid contract with my family. Be rid of me. No more painful experiences. And you get to be with that fucker Dorian."

Sage's lips pursed and I can immediately tell she was fighting tears.

What did I do now? That was only the truth.

"I told you this at the hospital that's not the truth and you know it."

I rub my face. "Sage, I got stabbed, you were feeling emotional. You can stop lying to yourself."

"Why would I lie about that? Why would you believe I'd want you dead!?"

My eyes fell to the ground. "Because it'd be easier to live in a world where I didn't exist."

"Greyson, why...why would you think that?"

I push myself off of the counter and walk out of the Kitchen. Sage doesn't hesitate to follow me from behind.

"Why would you think that Greyson? Tell me!"

Ignoring her plead for an answer, I started walking towards my room, when I got inside I closed the door behind me. When I went to lock it I saw her hand between the door and wall, ruthless isn't she? Sage opens the door and looks at me with teary eyes.

"Tell me." She repeats.

I run my fingers through my hair apprehensively. "Sage, quit it."

"No. Why would you think the world would be an easier place to live in without you?" She asks. "What have I ever done to make you feel that way?"

Closing my eyes, I fight the anger burning my lungs. "Sage. Quit it."

"Not until you tell me."

Inhale

Exhale

"Greyson, I told you I loved you..." She whispers. "did you honestly think I was lying?"

Inhale

Exhale

"Did you think that I said it because I'm some impressionable teenage girl?"

Inhale

Exhale

"Or is it because it's inconvenient for you? To have me actually care about you?"

Inhale

Exhale

"Greyson—"

"Enough!" I bark. "You want to know why I feel that way?" I stare her in the eyes, hesitation was there, but so was a strong amount of curiosity. "It's because I think no girl in their right fucking mind ever cares about the jerk who fucked her over more amount of times than she can count on every finger she has." I walk back and forth rubbing the back of my head with both of my hands. "I don't think after I made you cry the I've made you cry that you could feel that way." I shake my head. "And I damn sure don't think if a girl was presented with a much better guy she'd honestly stick with the scumbag."

"What?" Sage breathes.

"Dorian." I say. "He's clearly making you happy. If you think about it I've never made you smile, not once. All I've done if fuck women and have you catch me. That's not fucking normal, to 'love' a man who does that to you." My brows furrow. "That's fucking pathetic, Sage. Know your fucking self-worth, loving a guy like me is a waste. If I were you I would have run away with the fucking good guy. Not stay with me. ME!"

"But..."

"No!" I raise my hand, gesturing her to stop, then lock her in the eyes. "I'm a lost cause, Sage. You know that. Stop caring about me, I don't need your pity."

"Pity?" Sage frowns. "You think I care about you out of pity!?"

"Yes." I answer. "Why the fuck else would you be here? After all the shit that's going on I would have changed my identity and moved to fucking Africa."

"Has it ever come to your mind that maybe...just maybe that someone can love you through flaws and all?"

I scoff. "Sage, look at me, I'm a walking flaw. My only good points are probably in the bedroom and that's never happened between us, so I can't honestly think of anything else."

"You protect me..."

Suddenly I freeze. Then look at her.

"You...protect me." She looks back at me. "Tell me what bad guy protects someone he doesn't have to? If you were truly this so called bad guy you would have left me in my house sent a guard to live there and ignore I ever existed. Or...a bad guy wouldn't stay at my house that is way below average than his comfortable luxurious house to make sure I got back home safe."

I stayed silent.

She kept going. "Or how about how when you came rushing to the hospital when I got attacked?" Tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Or...Or..." She sobs. "When I got drunk and you took care of me?" Her head shakes. "What bad guy would do that?"

"This..." I start and she stares at me. "This is the reason why I think the possibility of you loving me is nonexistent. I make you cry so easily. Tell me, has Dorian ever made you cry—"

"Why do you keep bringing him up!?" She shouts.

"Because it's clearer than day that you two have a thing going on!"

"Do you have factual evidence that Dorian and I have a 'thing'?" She wipes her eyes with her arm. "Because I know for a fact that we don't. I know for a fact that when he asked me to date him I said no. And you know why?"

I waited.

"Do you know what I said to him?"

And waited.

"I told him no...because I said I couldn't date someone when I was in love with someone else!" She cries.

"That's bullshit you were blushing on the phone with him." I hiss.

"Do you know why?" She frowns.

"Probably because he was talking about how beautiful you were. I don't fucking know!"

"Well for your information it was because he asked me about my boyfriend!" She explained. "He knew my birthday was next weekend and wanted to join me and shop for something to wear because I knew that my birthday meant we could finally announce our engagement. That hopefully I wouldn't have to challenge everybody to have you...that maybe I had a chance to win you."

"A chance to win me." I scoff, bitterly.

"Yes! A chance to win you, what's so bad about that?"

I look at her. "That's fucking preposterous."

"And why's that? Because I'm some teenage girl, that I'm not prettier than your model whore friends—"

"It's because you've already won me."

As if the world stopped spinning, everything went to a sudden frozen state. There was an immediate silence between us as soon as the words flew out of my mouth. The truth. Something I dared to never admit, dared to never say aloud.

Sage's eyes were wide and lips parted.

"What...did you say?" Sage asks, silently.

I closed my eyes and swallowed down the lump in my throat. "We're done talking."

"No...No we're definitely not." She gets closer to me. "I won you?"

My phone begins to ring and I appreciate the distraction from the conversation. Sage looks at me, telling me with her eyes do not pick that phone up or so help me...But I ignore the warning glare and grab it, sliding my finger across the screen and answering it.

"Hello." I answer.

"Greyson there's a man waiting for you at the towers, he says he won't leave." Samuel, one of the men at the security station at the Towers informs me.

It's midnight, who could possibly be waiting for me? "Who is it?"

"His name is Oliver Banks, he says he has information that is very urgent." He says. "Should I tell him to wait until tomorrow morning—"

"Mr. Blackwell." An unfamiliar voice takes over the phone. "I'd suggest meeting me, I don't have the patience to see you in the morning."

"I've got no reason to meet with you, I do not know a man by the name of Oliver Banks." I say, looking at Sage, with a concerned expression.

"That's not entirely true, you've met someone who works for me. You both met a month ago...where was it? At the Slade's household."

As soon as the words come out I begin texting Rolland my guard to come retrieve me and escort me to the Towers and to call the police and tell them that the man who stabbed Mr. Slade and I is there. When I sent the text I cleared my throat.

"Very well, I will be there shortly." I tell him.

"Much appreciated, Mr. Blackstone, I shall be waiting." He says smugly.

Hanging up the phone I stand up and walk over to my dresser and grab the security-key to the towers which became mandatory for all workers, including myself, to have. Sage was quiet interestingly enough, she doesn't ask questions about where I'm going and what for.

"Where are you going?" I spoke to soon.

I shove the key-card into my pocket. "To my office."

"What for...? Are you leaving so we don't have to talk about what just happened?" She presses.

I walk up to her, then run my fingers through her hair. "Admittedly, this is not a conversation I want to have. But that doesn't mean I'd run away from you in order not to have it. I know what you're like when you're alone after bad things happen...And I was an ass for thinking you didn't care about me. I know you do...I heard it every night for two weeks. You would cry alone when you thought I was asleep. And everytime I heard it I wanted to comfort you. To tell you I'm alright and alive but I'm not the man who should have the power to do such a thing. That's why I want you to quit thinking about me and go for..." I close my eyes and cringe. "Dorian."

"Greyson—"

"That's what I would say—no what I should say." I open my eyes and gaze into hers. "But I'm not a good man and truthfully I don't want you with another guy. I'm selfish and I have issues. Lots of them. Yet it's clear as day that there's no other woman I'd want to be engaged to than you as long as you won't regret it." I smile.

"Oh my gosh." Sage breathes. "Am I dreaming?"

"Well you're going to have to from now on because that's all you're getting out of me." I chuckle. "I've got to go—"

Before I could finish Sage blurts out. "You don't have to finish but...but..."

I arch my eyebrow, curiously.

"But...just so I know it's not a dream..." She fumbles with her fingers sheepishly. "can you give me a confirmation?"

Then I grin. "You want me to kiss you?"

Sage nods, her eyes pasted onto the ground.

"Alright, Sage Slade, but after I kiss you and for real this time. You and that Dorian guy, yeah that's a done deal." I tell her.

"He's just a friend—"

"A friend who wants the same thing as I." I inform her.

"And that would be?" She crosses her arms.

I lean in and place my face in front of hers, being only a whisper away I answer. "To light you up like a firework and watch you explode."

Before Sage could say anything I slammed my lips onto hers and sealed our already linked together fates.

Hopefully for good.

→←

Storming through the halls of the towers, angrily.

I had Rolland call the police to get this guy and assumed only a few would show up. However, as I get closer to the Security Office where they held Oliver Banks, I see hordes of Officers and Detectives. I was greeted by a familiar but unhappy face.

"What happened?" I ask, my tone laced with fury.

"Two officers came to check ahead and found a few of your security guys wrecked up pretty bad..." He looks behind him and sighs. "Apparently the guy escaped. Didn't kill anyone at least."

"Fuck!" I rub my face stressfully.

"That's not all, he left you a message." Martinez hands me a small white card.

That was it.

This guy was playing mind tricks and there was a new level of concern. He hurt men inside of my Towers this surely will not be a good look when the press gets a hold of it. And Father will be beyond pissed.

"We're going to check the footage and see if we can find anything on him. Also, we had someone get a description of the man. He dressed professionally, like a business man. Brown eyes, blond hair—wavy. A little over six-feet and a Caucasian male. Do you know anyone who looks like that?"

"That's a pretty general description, I have thousands of men working under me, I see men who look like that everyday."

"Correction," Martinez clears his throat. "do you know anyone who most likely hates you that looks like that?"

"Again, that's way to general. My manwhore ways and riches have led me to make a lot of enemies, maybe a boyfriend though I'm not sure who would go that far for a woman. As for my riches I have no idea either."

"You keep thinking about that and call if you figure out any suspects. As for the meantime, I'm going to ask that you update the list of suspects. We've pretty much finished through them and got nothing."

"Sure." I nod.

"Go home and rest." Martinez dismisses me.

So that's what I did, I turned around and headed back home. In the morning I'll go back to working and keeping the Blackstone name strong. It's clear as day resting at home was a shitty thing to do and I intend to change that from now on.

But, in the meantime I will go finish what I started at home, with Sage.