𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 || 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

Three

"are you really afraid of the dark?" I say to him, hunched over on his bed.

"J is lying, he always does that to get under my skin." He lays down next to me, looking up at the ceiling. His silver eyes were so impossible not look at, even at such a small age.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about," I say, sitting up, "I mean, we all have our faults." There's a perky tone in my voice, one that suggests i'm clearly making fun of him.

He sits up next to me, a smirk tainting his beautiful lips, "Don't make fun of me, Eva."

"Why not?"

"Because you might.." He digs into my sides, tickling me at my weakest point. Laughs erupt from my belly and the pure bliss I'm feeling right now compares to nothing else. I don't want it to.
—
❥

I couldn't sleep. Avery was right, there really was too much to think about. After finding my way down to the kitchen (and getting lost repeatedly) I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. Blame Tobias Hawthorne for putting me in his will and making me miss my lunch that I—

"Miss Grambs," His voice comes from next to me, and when I look to my side Grayson Hawthorne is walking into the kitchen. I follow his figure as he reaches for a bottle of champagne in the fridge. "Surprised to see you up."

"I could say the same about you." My body was stiff, and something about Grayson was unnerving.

"I do live here, I have my whole life." The accusing  tone in his voice threw me off guard. I never wanted to even come here. He knows that, right?

Clearly not.

"That doesn't mean anything to me." I sputter.

"Obviously, because you and your sisters are so hellbent on taking everything."

My eyebrows raise, "Excuse me? Me and Avery—"

"Enough of the lies," He cuts me off, "I don't know who you are, or what you're doing here," He pauses, placing the champagne bottle down and inching closer to me, "But this isn't a coincidence. You and your sister have taken something me and the rest of my brothers have been waiting for our whole lives."

"That's really not my—"

"Problem? It is." He runs a hand through his hair, gaze still locked on me. "I don't think you understand, Miss Grambs. I will do anything and everything to protect this family. My family. So no, I don't believe that my grandfather left two random girls huge parts of his will, his life. You're a con—"

"You clearly don't understand me," I took a step towards him, "You may be willing to do anything to protect your family, but so am I. Avery and Libby are my only family, and i'll be damned if I let you hurt them."

He smirked, "I'm glad we're on the same page, Miss Grambs."

"It's Evelyn."

His breath hitched for the second time since I'd met him. There was a flicker of emotion in his face, but it left as soon as it came.

I didn't want to fight with Grayson, because I barely knew him. Telling him I didn't want Hawthorne Foundation would probably anger him more, but what else can I do?

"Look, i'm.." Say it, say it! "Sorry, about Hawthorne Foundation. From what I can tell that was meant to be yours and I.. I didn't mean for—"

"It was."

I have seriously had enough of this guy.
—
❥

The next few days were a blur of information and more information. Between learning about Alisa, who is Avery's lawyer from Ortega, McNamara, and Jones, and Oren, who is Avery's bodyguard I think? It was all too much.