A Ruthless Game | Grayson Hawthorne x reader

06

     "That's an original piece. Be careful," a voice spoke from behind me. I turned to see a tall, muscular figure in the door.

     "I won't break it."

     The figure stepped into the light, and I could now make out who it was. "Be careful," Grayson repeated.  "With Jameson, I mean. He has a lot going on already. He doesn't need anything else getting in his way."

     "You mean me?"

     "My family is a wreck as of late. My mother has locked herself in her room. Xander nearly blew himself up at school today." What? "And Jameson is as impulsive as ever. Do you know none of us can leave this house without being followed by the press?"

     "It's not my fault they're here."

"Oh, I think we both know that's not true," he said coldly.

"Are you suggesting that I had something to do with your grandfather's will?" I snapped.

"I think you know what I'm suggesting."

"Oh, really? Enlighten me."

"You grew up poor and in foster care. You wanted a better life for yourself and your brother. So when you met an old man, and you convinced him to change his will. And took his fortune," he sneered. His tone was sharp enough to cut glass.

     "Is that right? Did you're little background search tell you that? I promise you, Grayson, that I have no idea how this happened. And believe me when I say I want to know just as much you do," I paused as I felt my face heat up. "And don't you dare talk about my upbringing. Someone like you wouldn't know anything about it."

     There was silence between the two of us. "This is your warning, Ms. Pierce. Stay away from my family." He gave me one last dirty look then began walking away.

     "What are you going to do?" I called out after him. He stopped and turned his head to side a little, not daring to look at me.

     "Excuse me?"

     "What. Are. You. Going. To. Do," I repeated, my tone lower. I wasn't going to lose this fight. I wasn't going to let him think I was scared of him. "Kill me? What a shame. I like being first, but I guess I wouldn't be the first girl to die here," I sighed. It was a low blow, and I knew that, but to be quite honest, I didn't care.

     "What did you just say?" His body stiffened. He sounded like he was trying to keep his angry demeanor but was about to breakdown at any moment. "You have no right to talk about her."

     I wondered what Emily had meant to the Hawthornes if even mentioning her had this kind of effect on Jameson and Grayson.

     He looked to have regained himself a little and continued, "You won't be a problem much longer. You won't last more than a month here." Is that a threat? "I'd bet money you won't make it to the end of the week."

     "Too bad I have all your money."

•  •  •

     When I got back to my room, I saw a notification from Aidan with a link to a press conference video. I opened it to find the two Hawthorne sisters standing behind a podium.

"Our father was an amazing man. He was an entrepreneur and philanthropist, but above all that he was family man. His family met the most to him." Zara paused and looked at her sister. "As we grieve our father's passing." A single read fell from her cheek. "We will make sure to continue his life's work. Rest assured the Hawthorne Foundation will continue its operations. You can also rest assured that we are working to get the bottom of this situation. We have hired legal specialists to look into elder abuse; we will not allow our father to die a victim."

I rewinded the video a few seconds. 'We have hired legal specialists to look into elder abuse; we will not allow our father to die a victim.' These people are insane. When are they going to get it through their thick skulls that I've never met this man?!

Alisa found me in the morning.

"I assume you saw the press conference?" I asked when she walked into my room.

"I did. I promise you the firm is doing everything they can to shut that whole thing down. What Zara may not understand now is that if she challenges this will and wins, then Tobias Hawthorne's previous will goes into affect. And that will leaves them even less."

I let out a small chuckle under my breath. Good. I didn't want to hate these people when I came here, but now they're making it so hard not to. "When did he write that will?"

"His previous will was written in August 20 years. That was the same time he changed his name."

     "Changed his name?" I inquired.

     "He was born Tobias Hawthorne, but added Tattersall as a middle name." Jameson had said he had 'changed his name a few years back'; he didn't mention it was before he was even born.

     "What happened in August that made him do all that?"

     Alisa was silent for a moment. "He lost his son and wife that summer. Toby was his youngest child."

"At the reading, Zara said he died, but Skye said he disappeared."

"Toby died in a fire, and his remains were never found for sure."

"When did he change his will to include me?"

"A year ago."

So for 20 years, he had left his daughters with nothing and left his fortune to charity then suddenly changed his mind and left everything to me?

"Oh and before I forget," Alisa added. "I have someone coming in a few hours to," she looked me up and down. "fix your wardrobe."

• • •

I left my room shortly after Alisa. Once again, I was wandering the halls looking for something before I stumbled into a large room with a rock wall on one side. Yes, this house has a rock wall. I looked up the wall to see Jameson halfway up. He turned to look at me and smiled.

"Ever climb one of these before?" he called out.

"No, and it's probably for the best that I don't."

He was wearing a white t-shirt, his muscles showing through with every move he made. "That's alright. The views probably better from down there anyway," he smirked.

"Do you have to make everything flirty?" I scoffed.

"Oh come on, you know you like it," he said in a singsongy voice.

"Ugh, I do not," I said trying to sound offended, but in reality, he wasn't that far off. I heard him laugh quietly then continue climbing. I stared at him, but I could feel someone staring at me. I searched the room with my eyes until they landed on Grayson, standing in the doorway. I guess that's all he does. He gave me a warning look. Telling me I shouldn't be here. Which was true. I shouldn't be here with either of these two.

I looked up at Jameson again. "I'll see you tonight," I called out to him before leaving through the door Grayson was standing in, walking into his shoulder before leaving.