Present Day
"Send her back."
"Boss... Are you sure?"
"Send her back."
It was the only option he had left. He couldn't bear to have her living in constant fear anymore. Bianca may have hated her life in Crescent Cliffs, but at least there, she would feel safe... From him.
For three days, He'd tried to keep her from jumping every time he entered the room, from hyperventilating when he began talking, from tucking her knees to her chest and covering her head with her hands whenever he got too close. He'd left the estate all through the following week, hoping that space between them was what she needed. This turned out to be of no use, however, as Jackson's frequent updates told him she hadn't stopped screaming at the hallucinations that haunted her mind.
What had happened in there, that night, in that cave? Searching for the answer to this question was driving him mad. He'd dug through his memories, but each time, he'd come up empty.
How vivid were the memories for her? Did she remember every last detail, similar to how he couldn't remember a single one? Did she relive it in her nightmares each time she fell asleep?
It was the last thing he wanted, but he wouldn't force her through another day of being in his presence. She needed to get as far away from him as possible.
Now, were she not living proof that he'd completely shredded her apart, things might've been a bit more complicated. Grayson was well aware of how paranoid Lorenzo was. Lorennzo might think there was a sliver of a chance Grayson had gotten Bianca to turn on her own father. He wouldn't trust her right away.
But, cutthroat killer or not, what reason would Lorenzo have to distrust Bianca now? It was a miracle she had survived, and her scars told this story very well.
One day, a time would come when either Grayson or Lorenzo would kill the other. And if Grayson was the one to come out victorious... What would happen then? Would that be the final step in setting Grayson and Bianca's story on fire? Or had it already been burnt to ash without his knowledge?
That was a problem for his future self to worry about. Right now, he focused on not breaking down as he watched Reyes and Jackson struggle with Bianca's flailing figure. Her foot caught Reyes in the face, and Jackson used that moment to jab a syringe of wolfsbane into the side of her neck. The poison gradually showed its sedating effect. Bianca crumpled to the ground, and Jackson lifted her up. After setting his broken nose back into place, Reyes followed Jackson out of the room. Grayson walked after them.
As it was complete suicide for a Briare wolf to be in Blackburn territory right now, they had one of the humans under The Six's employment take Bianca to Crescent Cliffs.
It was only after she'd been taken away that Grayson realized he hadn't said goodbye.