Greyson

LIFE IS REWARDING

I don't deserve the good luck that has been overflowing towards my direction. From Sage to finding out the daughter I thought not longer existed is alive and well, I've been more than grateful.

People used to say it took mountains being moved to please me. To sate my constant desire for a semblance of happiness. When in actuality it took the one thing I ran away from.

A family

My grin could not be hidden as I watch my two girls walk out of the bedroom, their hair a mess and wearing their own sleepwear. Scarlett wore a navy-blue gown and Sage a tank top and shorts, which admittedly I wish she hadn't worn. These past few days Scarlett has been sleeping in our bed until I figure out some arrangements towards our living situation. I've been sleeping on the couch because I'm sure three people is a little too much.

That and because I'm not comfortable with wanting to attack Sage, while my daughter is right next to her sound asleep.

"Grey," Sage rubs her eyes, she was up all night telling scary stories to Scarlett. It was enjoyable to hear them stay up until the late hours and get along so well. "do I smell french toast?"

My brows rise. "No, sadly I haven't had the time to make some food. I'll call one of my families chefs here to come over."

Scarlett sleepily slumps onto the couch and starts the TV on. Every morning she's uncomfortably quiet and we try to get her a little more lively but it doesn't work. Sage advises that we let her watch cartoons in the morning and she'll wake up on her own tune. Which made sense given that she's used to being alone in the morning since her bloody mother paid no attention to her and all.

"No need, I'll just take Scarlett out to a diner." Sage walks into the kitchen and grabs the coffee pot.

"I'd prefer if you didn't go out with her by yourself." I fix my tie.

Sage places the pot onto the counter and turns to look at me. "What?"

"There would be too much media nonsense for this family if you publically showcased her." I explain. "I need to handle this in a way where the tabloids won't bother us."

She frowns. "Who cares what they think?"

"Sage, no one does." I sigh. "Yet everyone does."

"That makes no sense."

I look at Scarlett, she's fixated on the morning cartoons. "No one really cares about the wealthy, yet somehow we're their best source of entertainment. Especially when you can take a picture and title the worst assumption you can make. I can't have Scarlett be discovered in any bad light, especially since she's been hidden from the world. Something her mother fortunately did right."

"Greyson."

"No, I can't put us through anymore conflict." I breathe.

Sage walks over to me and wraps her arms around my torso, tightly squeezing me. "We'll be fine, we can get through anything."

"It's not...It's not a matter of getting through anything." I wrap my arms around her. "I just want to enjoy this peace."

She looks up at me and smiles. "Not sure a world where Greyson Blackstone exists is one that can have 'peace'."

Her expression eases my tension.

This past year I've gone through more than my deserved amount of stepping stones. At first I didn't fight it because I believed that this was karmas bidding. Yet as time continues off and after so much pain, I feel I've paid my dues. Not to mention Sage and Scarlett are innocent, they most assuredly don't need to be involved with the Blackstone bullshit.

"You're looking grumpy." She grins. "I know how to fix that."

Jesus

I didn't deserve this woman.

From the beginning I would never have guessed I'd create a sexual vixen like her. "I'm quite interested in your offer, Slade."

"Well just close your eyes and you'll find out."

I did just that and as expected, Sage slid her arms around my neck and pressed her lips onto mine. A slow and sweet kiss, the kind we never get to enjoy anymore really. I've been so busy I only get a quick peck and that's all. Though I'm alright with that because when I have time it'll just make the wait so much greater.

She pulled away and I sighed, then gazed quickly at Scarlett, still engulfed in TV. "How about we take this to where it matters?"

"Woah there, you have a big meaning."

I scoff. "I'm the owner of the fucking towers, they can wait for me. While I attend to more pressing matters.

Sage blushes.

She may have done a 180 when it comes to getting comfortable with her sexuality, but she will always have a remaining innocence within her that makes me go wild.

"B-But Scarlett." She stutters, sheepishly. "And I just woke up, I'm not even like...prepared."

"Scarlett's watching TV." I answer. "And Sage, you're wearing no bra and fuck-me shorts. You my dear, are more than prepared."

Sage smacks my arm but looks back at Scarlett, then at me. "Well, you're going to have to be quick."

"I don't do quick, but I'll definitely get it done before she's wide awake."

Her eyes widen. "That won't happen for probably another hour!"

"Exactly." I grin.

We both stared silently into each others eyes, and without another word Sage grabs my hand and takes me along with her into our bedroom.

Guess I'll have to cancel my morning meeting.

→←→←

Usually I don't look forward to many meetings.

But this one might take the cake.

"It's rude to not say hello, Greyson." Bianca crosses her legs at the table.

Today Bianca and I are having a meeting with our lawyers to discuss the future of Scarlett. I can't necessarily keep her forever unless I'm given total rights to her as a guardian. The possibility of Bianca using my own child to get to me is something way to probable and I need to make sure it can't happen.

"I'd rather not do small talk if you don't mind." I fix my coat and seat myself across her.

My lawyer, Ken, pulls out a folder that will bind the rights of Scarlett to me completely. Bianca agreed to give her up completely to me but I need documentation.

"You were always so uninterested in small talk, we always did cut to the chase. From where to eat dinner to even sex." She grins wickedly at me.

I hope Scarlett didn't inherit any traits from this bloody woman.

Ken slides the folder to Bianca and she doesn't hesitate to open it and skim over the details.

"Boswell." She lays her hand out and waits for her lawyer to hand her a pen.

My eyes were glued to her hand as she smoothed it towards the dotted line that could end any connection between her and I, and her and Scarlett.

But curiosity won over me. "Why?"

"Hm?" Her gaze rises to me. "Why?"

I clear my throat. "Why do you give her up so easily when you kept her hidden and all to yourself over the years?"

Bianca scoffs. "Sounds like you don't want this."

"No, I want this more than anything." I say with total seriousness. "I just need to know, why?"

She leans back and sighs. "Well I just don't want the child, it's to much of a nuisance."

"Then why not get rid of her sooner?" I frown. "Why hide her from me?"

"You wouldn't understand."

I chuckle annoyingly. "I wouldn't understand? Damn right I wouldn't!"

"Judge me all you want—"

"Judging is an understatement." I growl. "You hid Scarlett, the one person you knew would have a tole on me."

"I did it for reasons."

My brow furrowed. "Reasons? What could a horrible person like you want a child for?"

"I didn't want the child." She frowned.

"What? What Bianca, what!?" I yell, Ken tries to calm me down but I'm pissed. "What reasons were there!?"

Bianca's lips purse and her expression formed into something I never saw. Sadness. "You don't know me Greyson. You don't know the shit I've gone through, you just know me as the girl who happily gave you a blow job whenever you wanted and ruined your life for a few years. Well what you don't know is that I have been sick. I've been sick for a long fucking time."

Her statement instantly quieted me.

"I didn't want that child, the constant reminder that you only ever cared about me when you planted a seed in me. She was the only thing that changed you, not me, not my love for you but an unborn child." Her nostrils flared. "And I hated her, oh I hated with every fiber in my being. I hated letting her see me weak, letting your child see me weak."

My shoulders tensed.

"Then when my hair started falling off and I had the complexion of my grandmother, I was stuck with that child. Unable to leave my house and escape her, even her stupid nannies couldn't keep her from knocking on my door." She exhaled, tears threatening her eyes. "I hated her because she was your child, your blood and cared about me when you couldn't."

I open my mouth to start.

But she shakes her head and continues. "But what I hate the most is how much I love her, Greyson." She looks up, pressing a tissue at the corner of her eyes to prevent ruining her eye makeup. "Believe it or not, I care for her. Scarlett is the perfect child, being able to deal with such a cruel mother who doesn't give her hallmark commercial love. She's strong and her eyes were the only comfort that I could get, but it also destroyed me."

The eyes we both share, blue.

"Then...Then why give her up so easily?"

Bianca tucked her hair behind her ear. "Because, I need her to stop thinking she needs to take care of me when someone needs to take care of her. I would have brought her sooner but I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind and there was no way anyone was catching me dead outside in a wig."

"You can still show her love." I explain. "She still needs her mother in her life."

She rolls her eyes. "Your pathetic view on family and love is almost endearing but...being with me will only hurt her more."

"How? If you'd change you could—"

Bianca looked me into my eyes and cut me off. "Because it came back."

My eyes widened.

"Bianca..."

She nodded. "It came back and it's worse."

"You look fine, you've looked healthy and well. I would have never guessed."

Bianca laughed. "Makeup saves lives and so does a good hair salon."

"Well, you obviously beat it once, beat it again."

Who knew I'd be telling Bianca to fight for her life, to feel sympathy. To actually care about her well-being. Then again I just don't have it in me to take a daughter away from their mother, no matter how awful she's been. I'd kill to still see my mom everyday and even if she left my dad I'd still yearn to see her all the time.

"Oh, honey, I'm not giving up." She smiles. "My presence is far too necessary."

It's like two sides.

One arrogant side, and human one.

"This isn't me giving up." She explains. "I just don't know what the future holds for me and right now she needs to build a future with her prince charming of a father. I've gotten her fixated on the idea of spending the rest of her life with you and Sage. I have worked long and hard to make it easy for our separation by making me the villain. Now I just need you to make sure that continues on."

"I can't." I protest.

"Greyson, I'm not asking. I don't plan on dying anytime soon but I see how the Doctors look at me, how they sugar code their words with hope so they can use all my money." She smiles bitterly. "I've enlisted in a variety of experimental programs and I start soon, they're dangerous but my only hopeful chance."

Bianca clicks the pen and signs all required sheets of the custody arrangements. Leaving me almost void inside. It was much better to hate her than know the truth and it's clear that maybe her way of thinking isn't so bad. Teach Scarlett that life is far more better with me and Sage than with her own mother.

However, on the other hand. Looking at Bianca I can see a loneliness I familiarize myself way too well with. It sucks being the black sheep and not accepted, to lose everything due to unwanted circumstances.

"It was good seeing you Greyson." She stands up, smoothing her hands down her skirt.

I remained silent as the required sheets that made sure I kept my daughter slid towards me. Ken immediately checks it over and gives it the 'OK'.

One last time I looked at her, at the woman who claimed to be near death but looked more alive than she had almost a decade ago.

Then she opens the door, and without looking at me says one thing. "Take care of her."

The doors close behind her and I am left perplexed about the future decisions of my life. It all became clear to me why Scarlett insisted her mother wasn't a bad person. Scarlett loved her mother and always knew her circumstances. Never holding it against her and continued to love her.

Bianca gave her traits, maybe they were bound to be bad in the future but I can't deny how strong that child is and that's all because of her mother.