tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

005. INTERVIEWS

I grinned. Take that, Kenny.

"Leah, how does it feel when Grayson says those words: your fortune?"

"Unreal." I shook my head with the dumbstruck grin I'd always gave. "Before the will was read, back when I knew that I'd been left something but didn't know what, I figured that Tobias Hawthorne had left me a couple thousand dollars. And even that? It would have been life-changing."

"So this?"

"Unreal," I repeated, projecting every ounce of gratitude and awe and bewilderment that I had felt in that moment.

"Do you ever feel like it might all go away?"

Beside me, Grayson shifted slightly, his body angling toward mine. I could tell he knew I needed help, but he didn't offer any.

"Yes."

Kenny nodded. Somehow, she must've refrained from moving on.

"Interesting, interesting. Now Leah, we've talked a bit about your mother and your thoughts on the whole situation. Let's talk about your father."

That was one of my "no" questions. I shrugged. "There's not much to say."

She gave me a knowing smile, like she knew I was lying.

"Oh, but there is, isn't there?" Before I knew what she was doing, she hit a button on a remote I hadn't even been aware she was holding. A trio of pictures flashed on a large screen behind us. Pictures of my father.

I took a sharp breath, lightly and quietly. Probably too quiet for anyone to hear, but when Grayson stiffened up besides me, I realized that he must have heard.

I felt like I had been dumped in the ocean, seeing his face after all these years.

The worst part about him was if you looked at him, you'd never be able to picture the horrible things he'd done. I shook my head lightly as I felt my breath turn ragged.

"Please, turn— turn it off," I almost begged. "There's really not that much to say."

In the corner of my eye, I could see Grayson's confused face.

"Grayson," she said, whipping her head around to face him. "You look confused. For those who don't know," she faced the camera now "this is Winston Adler. Currently serving time in prison for sexual assault and rape. 20 years," she clarified.

She turned back to face me. "Now Leah, he's been accused of doing this to a number of others, and stories have circulated that he did it to you as well. Is this correct?"

Grayson stared her down as I fumbled with my words. The room was spinning, and I felt my awareness of my situation rapidly deteriorating.

Lies, lies, and more lies.

"No."

"And what did he do to you? How did it work?"

Before I had the chance to speak, Grayson stood. "How dare you?" Grayson's voice vibrated with intensity. "How dare you ask her a question like that?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Leah." Kenny knew exactly who the weak link here was. "I repeat, what did—"

She was interrupted by Grayson. "This interview is over." Grayson turned to block the camera. He met my gaze, but there was no sympathy whatsoever. Just the words: we need to get out of here.

He ushered me to the wings, where Alisa was trying to bust past a security guard. Kenny followed us, a cameraman with a handheld in her wake. "What is your connection to Winston Adler?" she yelled after me.

My dress and heels were proving unhelpful against the pace we were running at, and Grayson's rough hand was dragging me across the marble floor.

We met Alisa somewhere near the elevator. She jabbed at the button several times— as if that was going to help, hoping for it to move faster.

"What the hell was that?" Alisa waited for the elevator door to close before she exploded.

The elevator door opened.

My eyes found their way to Grayson's, but he wouldn't even look at me. It was like he couldn't.

"I am going to ask one more time," Alisa said, her voice low. "What the hell was that?"

"You'll get your answer," Oren told her. "In the car. We need to move out now. I've sent two of my men to the car and deployed the decoy. We'll go out the back. Move."

As we rushed out, crowds surrounded us from all sides. It was like the news had spread already. We ran in the car, and one of the several bodyguards shoved us all in.

The world was falling down around me. We hadn't prepared for this. I wasn't ready. I was never going to be ready.

Grayson was right. I'd be gone within the week.

authors note

n/a

word count: 3229 words