Are We Okay?

Grayson's POV (Continued)







When I was seventeen, dad had almost committed sucide. I had only been able to exact a promise that he wouldn’t try such ever again when I swore to complete his mission. A mission that was beginning to look like it would be the end of me.




Promise made, I had joined the guild when I was eighteen and enlisted in the army because father had thought it was good for me. Thirteen years later and two tours of Afghanistan, I was unemployed and cursing the day I promised my father that I would complete his mission.




Glaring at the bronze double doors, I cursed my existence, and hers. Protecting her had destroyed my parent’s marriage and now it was about to snatch my love from me. But what could I do? I made a promise to my father to always protect her. 




I blew out a gust of frustrated breath and tried to keep my temper in check. Josie had no fault in all this, I had to remember that. She was blissfully unaware of the cold war going on or the part she will be forced to play in it. Sometimes, it feels like Jo’s path is set, no matter how much I tried to guide her away from it. I had erroneously thought that when she turned twenty eight, I would tell the truth and be free, boy was I wrong. I had failed to take into consideration the fact that when she turns twenty eight, her power awakens and that was when she became useful to Vladimir and the witches. 




During my tossing in the night, I had come to realize that I was as trapped as Josie was, I just never wanted to admit it. Josie also had the advantage of ignorance. Knowledge was such a grueling burden. 




Another worrying question had made itself known in the dead of the night as well. I knew what Vladimir wanted Josie for but what exactly did the seven sisters need a Breaker for?




“Do you plan on going in or you just want to glare at the door all day?” A sardonic voice asked from right behind me.




I whirled around, mortified to have been snuck up on even after all my training and found her standing arms akimbo a few paces away. Her silky white blonde hair was left flowing unchecked behind her. The simple yellow gown she wore molded to her modest curves in all the right ways and enhanced her olive skin. Anna had always been the beauty of the family ever since she was young with her delicate features and refined skin. Now though, the adorable child was gone, now she had matured and was all woman. Her catlike eyes were screwed down into a frown though, her ever present smile nowhere to be found.




I took a step towards her and she straightened to her full height of five feet and seven inches. Her frowning face turned into a guarded one. “Are you mad at me?”




“Mad at you? Why would I ever be mad at you?” She asked sarcastically. “I mean, it’s not like you went all neanderthal on my sister before you proceeded to murder my mum’s flowers or anything like that, right?” 




Definitely very mad. “Aww, it’s not like that babe,” I walked closer and drew her into my arms. “I already explained this to you two days ago. I lost my temper, that’s all. Josie is messing with a very powerful and dangerous man and I’m afraid for her, that’s all.”




Slowly, her body lost the tension and she relaxed against me. “Are you still mad at her?”




“Not anymore. Actually I’m here to see her and..” I stiffened when I remembered exactly what I was here to do. I dropped my arms and stepped away from her. I couldn’t afford to hold Anna in such a proprietary manner in full view of the world. Not when I was about to ask her sister to be mine.




“What’s wrong Gray?” She eyed the distance between us with furrowed brows.




“Nothing. Is Josie in? I need to talk to her about the meeting.”




“She already left.”




What? I checked my watch for confirmation. “But it’s just a few minutes past 11 a.m” That damned meeting wasn’t until 7p.m, which was eight good hours away. How could she have left for the meeting now?




“She hasn’t gone to the meeting. She went to the office.”




“Why?” 




“She said she wanted to investigate something, I don’t know.” Anna shrugged.




The office was a good place to make my confession. Honestly, I didn’t think I would be able to go through with it if Anna was under the same roof with me. “That’s alright. I’ll go meet her there.”




I made to hurry back to my truck when she grabbed my arm. “Grayson?”




“Yeah?”




Her wide cerulean eyes fastened on me with a question I couldn’t answer. All she asked instead was, “Do you think Dad will come back home safely?”




“Of course baby girl. He will be back home before you know it.” 




“Do you think I’m a bad daughter?”




I was brought up short by the strange question. “Why would you think that?”




“It’s just, Josie is doing everything to bring father back. I feel like I should do more to support her but I don’t know what to do and she never confides in me. I wanted to go with her to the office but Jo told me I had no business experience and there was no need for me to come with since I don’t even know what dad does.” I scoffed. Even Jo had no business experience. She’d never worked a day in her life or attempted to learn the family business.




Anna’s eyes were wide with unshed tears.  Instinctively, I reached my hands out to hug her but then dropped them halfway. I couldn’t take her into my arms anymore. Soon, she wouldn’t want me to anyway. “You are not a bad daughter, love. There’s no need for the two of you to be gallivanting all over town. I mean, who will take care of your mum if you aren’t home? You need to remember that she needs you right now.”




“I suppose you are right.” She eyed my clenched fingers with a pinched look. “Are you okay Grayson?”




“Yes, I am.”




“Are we okay?”




I swallowed with some difficulty and nodded. Dropping a quick kiss on her head, I walked away as quickly as my feet could carry me. I didn’t turn around, even when Anna yelled my name.