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"And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name. And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away. I'd never walk Cornelia Street again"
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Jess's P.O.V
"You're going to need someone to run interference if you want to search Zara's wing." Grayson said to Avery.
I had been confused about what ring Jameson had been referring to after Grayson's talk with him, but after Avery explaining it to me I now knew it was the next step in her mystery. Earlier that day Avery had visited the Hawthorne vault. She said there was every jewel and crown a person could possibly imagine, but the ring was nowhere to be found. She had also learned that Zara was the one in possession of the ring, as it was the last thing her father had left her.
Avery had now come up with the plan to search Zara's wing for the envelope with the ring in it. Grayson had volunteered to help, and where my boyfriend and sister went, I went. So now I stood outside of her wing as Xander, Jameson, Avery, Max, Grayson and me figured out a plan.
"Gray excels at distraction," Jameson said, breaking me from my thoughts. "I attribute it to hisuncanny ability to be boring and longwinded on cue."
"We'll need to make sure Constantine stays clear, too." Grayson said, not even paying attention to Jameson's taunting.
"I, too, excel at the art of distraction," Max said, volunteering to help Grayson. "I attribute it to my ability to channel any or all of my favorite fictional spies on cue."
"I'll help too. I also excel at the art of distraction, simply bring up anything about a new Netflix show and they'll either run away or talk about it for a few minutes." I shrugged as everyone stared at me in a weird way, even Max. "Trust me it works." I said, crossing my arms.
"Grayson, Max, and Jess can set up a perimeter." Xander said. "Jameson, Avery, and I will do a sweep of the wing."
"This is a very bad idea." Eli, Avery's second body guard, mumbled from behind us. I almost agreed with the young bodyguard but I was also used to things being a bed idea, this plan was no exception.
...
Me, Max, and Grayson all took posts outside of Zara's wing. Max went to the left, me and Grayson went to the right. I felt my stomach turn into knots as we walked down the hall. It didn't feel good to let my sister search someone's wing behind their back but how else was she supposed to get the ring?
"This doesn't feel right." I whispered, gripping Grayson's hand tightly. He stopped then looked over his shoulder to me.
"What do you mean? Sneaking into Zara's wing is nothing compared to some of the things me and my brothers have done." I raised a brow at his statement. Grayson brushed my curiosity off. "I'll tell you later."
"It still feels wrong. This is the last thing Tobias Hawthorne gave his daughter and we're trying to steal it from her." I said, Grayson looked down.
"My grandfather never intended for Zara to keep the ring just for the ring. He set up a game for his daughter's, the ring and compass are important and the only reason Avery's the one solving the mystery is that my mother and aunt can't figure their relationship out for long enough to figure out the last thing my grandfather asked for, if they had this wouldn't be pushed onto Avery. But of course in usual Hawthorne nature we can't handle things ourselves so they get pushed onto someone else. No one wins, relationships get ruined and everyone ends up hurt. That's why I hadn't wanted to get involved in this mystery but I'm to far in to go back now." Grayson finished breathlessly. When he stopped talking we both stood there for a few moments.
I bit my lip as the two of us stood in silence, our hands still interlocked. I felt a sort of dread wash over me. This all seemed so familiar. Grayson worrying that someone will get hurt because of him. I hated seeing him like that, I hated seeing him so worried that he could do something that would make me leave him. Nothing Grayson did could make me leave. I worry that him thinking that he is going to hurt me will drive him away, and that was worse than death.
"Grayson, I-" He cut me off by putting his finger to my lips. Soon I heard tapping, no, not tapping, it was the sound of high heels clicking against the hard wood.
Zara.
Somehow we had failed at our one job. I tried thinking of a quick way to warn Avery but I only thought of one thing, and it could possibly be one of my dumbest ideas I've ever had, but I don't work well under pressure so this is the best thing I could come up with. I let go of Grayson's hand and ran to Zara's door right as she turned the corner. I smiled as I came face to face with Zara.
"What are you doing?" Zara questioned. "I never realized you had any reason to come down here?" Zara gave me a suspicious glance.
"I just um, got lost." I really sucked at this.
"Jess you have 10 seconds to move away from the door and tell me what's going on." I didn't move away from the door, I glanced slightly to the right, Zara looked over in that direction.
"You mine as well come out Grayson." Grayson looked as if he felt like he was a little kid again, shrinking underneath his aunt's gaze.
"So sorry Zara, we were just walking past your wing and there was a weird smell so we just want to keep you out." I mumbled which made Zara roll her eyes and push past me into her wing.
"I thought you got lost." Zara mumbled as she pushed past me, entering an empty room. She walked around the wing before putting her hands on her hips and sighing.
"You might want to get better distractions." Zara said, her voice loud and clear in the quiet room. "You might as well comeout."
"Iwas hoping we could talk," Jameson said as he left the closet. He peered behind Zara to see me and Grayson. He gave Grayson a look that read 'we'll talk about this later.'
"Of course," Zara replied. "After all, the proper way of startinga conversation often involves lurking in your conversation partner's closet." Zara looked past her nephew towards the closet he just came out of, I could only assume Avery had been hiding in there with him.
"I'm waiting."After a long moment, Avery stepped out of the closet.
"Now," Zara said. "Explain." Avery looked to Jameson then answered Zara's question.
"Your father left you his wedding ring." Avery said.
"I am aware," Zara said.
"Twenty years ago, when the old man first revised his will to disinherityou all, he left you the exact same thing," Jameson said, Zara arched a brow at him.
"And?" Zara said.
"Can we see it?" Xander said, climbing out from under the bed.
"Allow me to get this straight," Zara said, pushing past Jameson to get to Avery. "You, to whom my father left virtually everything, want theone and only thing he left to me?" Zara said, pointing a finger at Avery.
"When she puts it that way," Max said, entering the wing, "itdoes sound like kind of a deck move."
"Five minutes." Jameson said, willing to negotiate. "Just give usfive minutes with the ring. There must be something you want. Name yourterms."
"Five million dollars." She cracked a grin as she said the words. "I'll give you lotfive minutes with my father's ring," she paused, "for the low, low priceof five million dollars."
...
This isn't a very long chapter but I felt like I needed to post something. The next chapter will be more interesting I promise.
I am also planning on posting a chapter probably once a week. It will most likely be posted on the weekend so expect chapter 9 next Saturday or Sunday!
I also really want to do a Christmas chapter at some point cause you can't tell me Christmas at Hawthorne House doesn't sound like the most amazing think. So when we get closer to Christmas I'll post a chapter. I do believe I've had about 3-4 months pass sense Avery arrived at Hawthorne House so Christmas would have already passed but I'll figure it out.
Thanks for reading!