tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

005. INTERVIEWS

"I'm sure you've heard a few of the... rumors."

That my mother was using a fake identity. She was a con artist. But I couldn't lose myself. Turn the question around. That's exactly what I needed to do: I started talking about my mother, but ended up raving about how appreciative, awestruck, and dang normal I was.

I was about to speak, but Grayson spoke quicker.

"When the entire world is watching your every move, when everyone knows your name, when you're famous simply for existing, you rapidly stop believing rumors. Last I heard, I was supposedly dating a princess, and my brother Jameson had some very questionable tattoos."

His voice dripped with power as he spoke. I couldn't help but look at him. He was good at this, too good, much better than I was.

"Your family has been very closemouthed about this entire situation," she told Grayson. "The last the world heard, your aunt Zara was implying there might be a legal solution to your dilemma."

Grayson clenched his jaw. "You can say a lot of things about my grandfather," Grayson replied smoothly, "but Tobias Hawthorne wasn't known for leaving loopholes."

Something about the way he stated it indicated that the topic was over. How does he do that so easily?

"Leah." Kenny zeroed back in on me. I snapped back up, meeting her eyes.

Kenny's brows furrowed. "You're a minor, correct? And your legal guardian is your sister, Leslie?"

Redirect. "After my mother died, Leslie took me in. She wasn't required to. She was twenty-four. We hadn't spent much time together because our father was never around. Despite the fact that we were essentially strangers, she welcomed me in. I don't know what I would've done without her."

"I suppose that's one thing Leah and I have in common," Grayson added beside me. I turned to him, just as confused as the interviewer.

"And what is that?"

"If you're going to come at our siblings," he told her, his smile sharp, his gaze full of warning, "you're going to have to come through us."

This was the Grayson I'd always known: dripping with power and confident in his ability to win any fight. He didn't make threats. Because he didn't have to.

"Did you feel protective of your brothers after you realized your grandfather had essentially written them out of the will?" Kenny asked him. I knew she wanted to pick and prod at the message he was delivering. I knew she wanted him to say that he hated me.

"You could say that." Grayson held her gaze, then broke it to glance deliberately at me. His eyes were cold, fathomless.

"I think we're all protective of Leah now. It's not something that I expect you..or any of my brothers do expect you to understand, but the simple truth is that we're not normal. My grandfather didn't raise us to be normal, and this was what he wanted. This is his legacy." His gaze burned lasers into mine. "She is."

He made every word count. Anyone could believe that he thought I was special.

"Grayson, do you have any desire to overturn the will?"

His jaw clenched. Of course he did. He gave her a half meaningful smile.

"I've already told you: That can't be done."

His confidence was bulletproof. Grayson was a master of the art.

"But if it could?" Kenny asked.

"This is what my grandfather wanted," Grayson replied, returning to his core message. "My brothers and I are lucky— luckier than almost anyone else watching this. We've been given every opportunity, and we have a lot of the old man in us. We'll make our own way." He glanced toward me again, but this time it felt more choreographed. "Someday, what I make of myself will give your fortune a run for its money."