Chapter 16
I was packed and ready to leave. Or so I kept telling myself. The prospect of seeing my loved ones again kept me together.
Gemma came bursting through the door. “Is it true? Are you leaving?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. Gemma threw her arms around me and hugged me tight, holding me for a few minutes before letting go.
“I don’t get it. Just yesterday you and Grayson couldn’t keep your hands off each other and now he’s taking you home? Did you talk to him like I asked? Is that it?” She looked at me questioningly, her eyes misty.
I shook my head, sucking my lips between my teeth to keep the tears in. “No, it’s just… It would have never worked, Gemma, you know that.” And I knew it. Gods, I had been a fool.
Gemma nodded slowly. “But now I lose a friend.” Tears were streaming down her face, which she tried to hide by looking off to the side.
I took hold of her hands, squeezing them tightly. “Oh, Gem. Please don’t cry! You’re gonna make me cry.” But, of course, it was too late, I was already crying.
She nodded again, trying to swallow back her tears.
“I know we haven’t known each other for very long, and I don’t get to make new friends very often, not real ones, but I really enjoyed your company.
And having another woman around. And I’m gonna miss you so much. ” She threw her arms around me again.
“I’m gonna miss you too, Gem.” I hugged her tightly to me.
“Really? Even though I helped kidnap you?”
I laughed through the tears. “It was for a good cause,” I joked. “You were kind to me. I won’t forget that. And thank you for being my friend.”
“Ready?” Grayson’s voice was soft. He was standing in the doorway, his expression sombre at the scene in front of him.
Gemma let go of me. “I will walk with you.” She glared up at Grayson as she passed him, towing me behind her. When we reached the front door, Hunter was there, waiting.
He looked uncomfortable, fidgeting with the cuff of his shirt. “What will you tell the police?”
“Hunter,” Grayson warned from behind me.
Hunter ignored him. “Are you outing us? Because I swear to God, Ava…”
Grayson was in his face in an instant. “Don’t you dare fucking threaten her, Hunt. Don’t you dare cross that line.” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that Hunter would be a fool to ignore.
Hunter took a step backwards. “Well, someone has to look out for this family, since you’re so fucking blind to anything when it comes to her.
You’re letting her walk out of here with all the matches she needs to burn us to the ground.
What the hell is wrong with you, man? You’ve never been this fucking reckless! ”
“Have I ever let you or Gem get hurt? Have I ever done anything to put you in harm’s way? You know damn well I would fucking die before I let that happen.” Grayson paused. “I trust her, Hunt. So trust me.”
Hunter dropped his head, cursing softly at the floor. Hate vibrated out of him when his eyes met mine, but he reluctantly moved to the side so we could get through the door. He was letting me go, but he sure as hell wasn’t happy about it.
I stopped in front of him. “I know you don’t like me very much and, frankly, I don’t care for you either. I don’t know what I’m telling the police yet, but I won’t say anything that would hurt your family. You have my word.”
He looked up, searching my eyes for any lies. He nodded stiffly, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he stared at me. There was a promise in his eyes that sent a jolt through my spine. If I talk, I was as good as dead.
Gemma squeezed his arm before we walked out. We followed Grayson into the woods. I was very much aware that we were not heading in the same direction from which we came that first day. I expected a whole day’s hike back to the van, but it was only a fifteen-minute walk before Grayson stopped.
In the middle of the clearing stood a black helicopter. My jaw dropped. “Had this been here the whole time?”
Gemma snickered. “Yes, it’s usually stored in a hangar, but when we stay in the cabin, we have it brought here. Our when shit hits the fan mobile.”
Grayson was inside doing gods knew what. “He can fly it?” I asked sceptically.
“Yeah, he’s pretty good. But I’m better.” She winked.
“You can fly it too?”
“We can all fly it. Just in case. Grayson likes to cover all our bases.”
Grayson hopped out. “Are you ready?”
I turned to Gemma, sadness bubbling up into my chest. She had become such a good friend I couldn’t say goodbye. She was chewing on her lip, trying to quell her own emotions.
“Can I write to you? Maybe send you a postcard now and then?” she asked.
“I would love that,” I answered through a new wave of tears.
She hugged me tightly. “Okay, I’ll find your address.”
I laughed, swiping at my tears. “Goodbye, Gem.”
“Goodbye, Ava.” She squeezed my hands one last time, before walking off, trying to hide the onset of her own tears.
Grayson placed a hand on my elbow, guiding me around the helicopter.
I hadn’t even had time to say goodbye to my crow friend.
I had called to him, but he didn’t show.
Grayson opened the door and lifted me in, then picked up a headset and placed it around my ears, wiping away a few tears as he went.
I couldn’t look at him. He buckled me in before sprinting around to the pilot’s seat.
He worked in silence, the blades whirring to life.
It was louder than I expected. I gripped the seat tightly as we lifted off the ground.
Grayson’s laughter echoed in my ears. He was laughing at me.
I scowled at him. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” I asked a bit louder than usual, the noise sweeping my voice away, even with the microphone at my mouth.
“Yes, except I’ve never known what these buttons do.” He pointed to a row of buttons on the dashboard, shrugging.
He was kidding, right?
I decided not to ask any more questions. My heart wasn’t strong enough.
We lifted higher and higher, and I could see the cabin with nothing around it for miles and miles. I looked up at the horizon and gasped. There was snow on the mountain peaks. They were magnificently beautiful beings. I said so much to Grayson, who smiled.
“Then we’ll take the scenic route.”
And by the scenic route, he meant flying deeper into the mountain ranges and then doubling back to the way we were supposed to go. I was awestruck by how exquisite the forest was from afar.
We flew over a small town and Grayson announced that we would be landing soon, which saddened me. I couldn’t get enough of the scenery beneath us.
Grayson spoke to an air traffic controller, and we landed in a small airport.
A man came running to open the door for me.
He helped me unbuckle and steered me away from the whirling blades, then went back to fetch our small luggage.
He stood with me, waiting on Grayson, but was very hesitant to speak to me.
He wouldn’t even look at me. But it wasn’t dismissal, it was something else.
Grayson finally joined us, and the man shook his hand vehemently.
“Mr. Johnson, I hoped you found your helicopter as you requested?” The man seemed a little jumpy.
“Yes, Tom. The car?” Grayson was not saying anything rude, but his tone was clipped and impolite.
“Yes, sir. It’s in hangar two. Will you be using the chopper again, or should I take care of it?”
“I’ll be back in a few days. Be ready.” Grayson placed his hand on my back, steering me towards hangar two. “And Tom?” Grayson looked over his shoulder and I shuddered at his expression. Tom seemed to cower beneath that stare, shrinking a few inches.
“Yes, Mr. Johnson, you were never here.”
“Good man,” Grayson said and started walking again.
I kept pace with him. Tom followed a good distance away with our bags. The whole interaction between them had me insanely curious. Is this what Grayson meant when he said he wasn’t usually nice to anyone? But this man was downright frightened of him.
“Johnson?” I questioned, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Grayson shrugged. “Johnson, Smith, Jones… Anything that’s mundane enough to not attract attention.”
“Then what’s your real last name?”
“I can’t make it too easy for you if you decide to turn on me.” He winked at me as we walked through the large doors. There was a black Range Rover standing next to a private jet.
Tom hurried forward to open the passenger door for me, but Grayson waved him off, opening it himself.
I slid into the leather seat, and watched Grayson move around the car to where Tom held the door open for him.
It was obvious that Tom was no chauffeur.
He took a few steps back from the car, uncertain where to stand as not to be in Grayson’s way.
But Grayson slammed the door shut again.
I couldn’t hear what he was saying to Tom, but the man was getting more nervous with each second he had to stand in Grayson’s presence.
And I could see why. Grayson was intimidating.
Everything about him, from his clothes to his size, to his stance, to his expression and now the scars over his eye, would make lesser men cross the road to avoid him.
Tom nodded fervently every now and then, and visibly relaxed when Grayson finally turned away from him.
I couldn’t help but peer up at Grayson as we drove off. I had to know what the deal was with Tom.
Grayson’s mouth twitched. “You’re staring, Princess.”
Did I always do that? Or did I just stare at him without realising? “What did you do to that man? He looked like he was about to flee.”
Grayson looked unaffected by my words. “The recipe for the best employee is a bit of fear and good money. In my line of work anyway.”
“So, he works for you?”
“In a sense. He’s on the payroll.”
I nodded. “Is Grayson even your real name?” The thought unsettled me deeply, opening a pit in my stomach.