The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Flair

POV

I killed a man. I shot him in cold blood. He was unarmed and that didn't stop me from taking the gun and shooting him right in the head in anger. I could still smell the gunpowder, see the bullet hole in his forehead, see the blood as it spurted from the wound, and see the look of shock in his eyes. As I lay on my bed in my room, finally free of the IVs and constant hovering of the doctors and nurses, there was only Grayson and my family left with me, all of the men looking sidelong at each other as they tried to communicate with me while I relived every moment of what I had done, over and over again in my mind. I was a disgusting excuse of a human being who didn't deserve their pity.

"Flair," Grayson said, his hand clasping mine as he sat beside me, his expression grim and almost foreboding "Honey, I need you to eat" he urged as I turned my head and stared at the plate of food he held in his hand, my stomach instantly revolting at the mere mention of food.

How could I eat after what I had done? My father shot my brothers a troubled look, stepping forward and adjusting his tie. "Sweetheart, you need to eat, otherwise you won't get your strength back up. Just eat a little" he coaxed "Please baby? Just try" his voice broke a little on the last few words.

lan and Knox were watchful. Even though I was dressed in the most luxurious pajamas and scrubbed clean, my wounds carefully cleaned and disinfected, my hair silky smooth and free of dirt, and my nails clear of grime, I still felt dirty. Like I would never be clean again. It had taken a female nurse with the utmost patience to help me bathe and as I glanced at Grayson's bowed head, I could see the look of concern in his eyes. In all of their eyes. I played absently with the bedspread, while Grayson continued to hold and balance the plate of food on his lap.

"Flair" Knox's voice was teasing and lighthearted, "listen sweetcheeks" he drawled as I glanced up at him mechanically "I know what happened blows, but you can't let it drag you down. You're a Grant, you're bloody stronger than this. Where's the woman who defied all of us to marry that cad Johnathon? I feel like I'm staring at an empty shell" he said dramatically. lan shook his head at his brother "Leave her alone" he admonished in a low voice "Give her time to process things. Pushing her too early is only going to result in her having an emotional breakdown."

He spoke as though I couldn't hear them. Maybe they thought I wasn't listening. But I could hear every word spoken in the room, I just didn't have the energy or the motivation to respond.

"Leave" Grayson's voice was flat, devoid of emotion "I want to speak to my wife alone."

Knox and lan nodded, reluctantly leaving but my father looked ready to refuse. "It's nighttime," lan said diplomatically, as my father scowled at him "Leave Grayson and Flair to sleep. She needs her rest," he said and my father moved towards me, bending down to kiss me on the cheek as I turned my face up reflexively and then he sighed, turned and walked away, shutting the bedroom door behind him.

"Flair I know how much you must hate me right now" Grayson began and I turned my head to regard him in disbelief.

Hate him? Why would I hate him? What reason did I have to hate him for? None of this was his fault. He couldn't have known that I was going to be taken. But the look on his face was sheer grief. He put the plate of food aside and clutched at my hand with both of his as I was forced to look at him.

"Yell at me, scream at me," he said almost begging as I bit my lip "Anything. Hit me, I don't care, just talk" he pleaded "even if it's to tell me you hate me. I'm the reason you got hurt and the reason that man touched you. Don't pretend everything is fine between us, because it's not" he choked out.

I blinked. My husband was practically begging me to show some sort of emotion. Anger, rage, hatred. My hand trembled. Tears pricked my eyes. He reached for me and I flinched, leaning backward without thinking.

"I hate that," Grayson said in a trembling voice "I hate that you're afraid to be touched now. I hate that you even have to be scared that you'll be hurt. The look of fear in your eyes makes me want to cry" he said in a choked voice "and I can't fix it" he whispered as I felt my own tears begin to fall "I can't fix it, Flair, no matter how much I desperately want to."

A tear of mine drops onto the bedspread. His eyes are shiny with unshed tears. "All I could think about was that I might lose you today. That this might be the end of us. You were gone and I was going crazy wondering where you were" he said in a low tone of voice, his hand reaching up with infinite slowness to cup my cheek, causing me to gasp slightly "All sorts of things were running through my mind about what might be happening to you and it was driving me crazy,"

He breathed shallowly. "I would never have forgiven myself if you were killed because of me. If your brother hadn't been able to find your location in time..." his voice cracked.

My arms slowly raised up and embraced him awkwardly, his head resting on my shoulder. I felt something wet against my cheek. Was Grayson crying? I blinked and then my hand moved, a finger touching the wet drop and bringing it to my stunned eye. A tear. My hand moved down to his shoulder and I looked at him stunned.

His eyes were closed. His grip was so tight on me that I was struggling to breathe and yet, I did not utter a word. There was strength in his hold of me. His tears continued to fall. My heart began to feel broken. This man had been forced to go through so much and yet, his only concern was for me. His fear had been for me. This was not the reaction of a man who didn't care. He was visibly trembling in my grasp. Both of us were.

He exhaled and pulled back to look at me. His tears dripped down onto the bedspread as I watched wide-eyed. "This whole time, all I could think was that you didn't know how I really felt about you, that I hadn't told you my true feelings," he said, his eyes fixated on me as I felt my heart beat quicken slightly "and that I hadn't been truthful to you. I felt like I was going to lose you before I could confess my feelings to you."

He reached over and gently tucked my hair over my shoulder. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. His eyes grew soft and there was a gentleness to them that had me looking at him in wonder. For a moment, everything else was forgotten about. All the horror, all the trauma. There was nothing at that moment except for Grayson and myself as I held my breath and waited for him to tell me what was on his mind and what was in his heart. He was giving me a glimpse into his soul and I was not about to let this opportunity slip me by. Not now. Not when death had almost come for me.

He kissed the tip of my nose and a slow smile spread across my face. "Flair Grant," he said quietly, keeping his eyes on me as I stared into his eyes "I love you. I have loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you and I cannot imagine my life without you in it. You are everything to me and the thought of ever losing you is more than I can bear."

I began to cry, causing him to look stricken. "Oh gods, what have I done, Flair," he said in dismay "It's okay if you don't feel the same way, I can wait or..." he trailed off as I gave an unladylike snort.

"You i***t," I said, finally speaking as he paused and looked at me in shock "You moron Grayson Oakes" I bit out.

He looked confused. I reached out and put my hand against his chest, right where his heart was. "I'm in love with you too," I said, a small smile curved on my lips "and I thought I might never get to see you again."

I dissolved into tears, before losing my composure and turning on my side, curling underneath the bedsheet as Grayson sat there, looking lost.

"You love me," he said out loud, while I closed my eyes, feeling stupid "You really love me," he said overjoyed as I nodded tightly and kept my eyes closed.

He gave a low growl and then rolled onto his side, gathering me close against him, his arm wrapping over my side protectively. I stiffened and then relaxed against him as he nuzzled against me.

"Tell me what you need" he murmured "Whatever it is, I'll do it, anything you want, anything at all."

My eyes shot open and I stared blankly at the door, images beginning to flash in my mind again, the feel of Brady's hands over me like it was happening again. I shivered and then held tightly onto Grayson's hand.

"Just hold me" I whispered, fighting back more tears "Hold me until I fall asleep" I pleaded and felt him snuggle up against me, while I lay there, lost in memories and fighting the urge to scream as I became lost in a neverending cycle or horror and devastation, the images continuing to flash through my mind even when I finally fell into a deep exhausted sleep. Through it all, Grayson never once left my side.