8

"Natalia, this is Azure my girlfriend, the one you've been dying to spend time with. Azure, this is Natalia, my insect of a sister. I'd love stay some more but, I have got to run back to work. I'll see you later on sweetheart, bye." he gave Azure a kiss on the cheek, "Don't push her to do what she doesn't want to do and if she does push you too much Azure, please do tell me when I come okay. "

Grey wasted no time in rushing back to his car. Due to the commotion at the office the other day, a meeting was held to discuss it and apparently, the head of the legal team had made a statement.

"Um, it's nice to finally meet you Azu....Ruth? I really don't know what to call you because, Azure seems like a name that only Nick calls you and I heard that you don't like the name Ruth and I was thinking that maybe I'd give you a new name but then again, you may not like it so like I'm really confused on what to call you because I don't want to upset you..." Azure couldn't help the giggle she threw at Natalia's constant babbling.

"It doesn't matter Natalia, call me whatever you want, Azure, Ruth or even a new name. I don't mind at all, but you're Nick's sister and so....."

"Zuzu, that's what I am calling you. Also, Natalia is a mouthful. You can call me Natt."

"Sure Natt. Zuzu it is then. "

"Well come on in, please make yourself at home. Would you like something to eat? Actually, my friend is coming over today. I had made plans with her already and couldn't cancel that's why. "

"I didn't mean to intrude though, I'm sorry."

"Nonsense. You're always welcome here too, you can't spend all your time with Nicholas, you have to come and see me frequently as well okay. "

"Yes, I'll come often to see you. Do you per any chance know why I came here today?"

"Of course I do. Nick told me you'd give me the details, he just brushed it off as you needing some girl time and someone to talk to, besides him. You can trust me you know, I'm one of the good people."

"Then, can I ask you anything I want?"

At that point, Talia's phone rang.

"Sure, let me get this call, it's Elisa, the friend I spoke about."

While Natalia left the sitting room to speak on the phone, Azure decided to feed her eyes a little. Shortly after, Natt returned with a cup of coffee and some sandwich.

"So you're Nick's girlfriend? "

"Well, yeah. It hasn't been too long we started going out. More like, since my discharge from the hospital."

"And you love him? That soon? Are you sure it's not some sense of gratefulness? "

"I thought it was too. But, I'm grateful to a lot of people and I don't feel this way with them, fluttering heart at skin contact, gladness at the sight of his face, desire to throw away my life if he isn't in it. I know that I'm grateful to him but, what I feel isn't a sense of gratefulness. That I know as well."

"Well, I'm glad to know that you love my brother, unlike his previous girlfriends who were in it for his money. Cheap fucking whores. Gosh! "

"He must have had a lot of them, girlfriends I mean. "

"Yeah, top models, celebrities and much more but you don't have to be concerned, they were more like a one week or night stand. Never more than a week. He never loved any of them, never even mentioned the word love to them."

"Well, that helps a lot. I was wondering, Grey never talks about his parents, and if I try to bring them up, he changes the subject. Did something happen to them?"

"That's not my story to tell. My parents aren't Nick's parents, mine adopted him before I was born and so if you need to know about his birth parents, you'll have to ask him. Don't push it though, if he says no then it's no. It's a touchy subject for him."

"I see. I never expected it, I mean, Nick treats you so well I wouldn't have believed he isn't your biological brother if you didn't say."

"He does, he doesn't let any harm come towards me. To be honest, my parents weren't rich, this is all Nick's doing" she gestured with her hands to indicate the entirety of the building.

"When I got kidnapped, he paid a whole lot of money to get me out and got me the best of therapy sessions. Yes, he is a bit overbearing at times but he is a nice man. "

"I know that he is. He is too awesome to be true,"

"I remember the first boy who had the courage to ask me out in high school. He got beat up by Nick, that was also the time I had my first serious fight with him. Lasted only three days, he came kneeling down to me, couldn't handle me being angry with him."

"Nick did that? "

"Yes, he was so protective, didn't want no fuck boy playing with his little sister's heart. After that fight, he gave me a bit of freedom. Even after my kidnap, he made sure that I had guards everywhere I went, still do though, but just to make me feel comfortable, he makes sure they do a great job of blending in so that I don't spot them."

"And your parents? Where are they now? "

"They don't stay at the city. They say that there's no peace and quiet anywhere here. They like it over there at the country side."

"Don't you miss them?"

"They're my parents, of course I do. I am attending a charity event tomorrow by evening. Nick is coming too, I'm sure you'll be his date. He holds these events in honour of my parents, they'll be there. It's going to take place in their house. You'll come right? Or are you going to look for an excuse to miss it?"

"And miss out on seeing the parents of such amazing people? No thanks, I'll be there if Grey wants me to."

"Great."

"You never got to say what your friend Elisa had to say."

"She has some work to do and that's why she will be late. She's going to show up probably by 2pm and then, well go shopping for the event. Until then, why don't we go out and have some fun, she'll meet us at the restaurant we'll have lunch at. We can get to know each other better."

"We still need to talk.... "

"Zuzu I'm aware. We'll talk about it at the spa while we get some massages."

"That's okay with me Natt."

"Let's get going."

Natt and Azure spent quality time together as they got to know each other. They didn't realize that they hadn't even spoken about what they really wanted to, they were just having fun.

The time for lunch - which Azure had been praying for to arrive soon - had come and they had found a spot in a private booth where they could have some privacy.

"I'm Princess, your waiter for today. What would you ladies like to have?"

"We'll have your special for today. Be sure to make a plate extra large, one medium and one small, thanks."

Azure waited for the waiter to leave before she asked why Natalia had ordered there different sizes.

"Well, you see, I'm aware of your large appetite and my friend will only eat very little. She is a model."

"Oh," Azure felt the blush creeping on her cheeks. 'Had Grey specifically asked Natt to feed her with large potion of meals? How embarrassing would that be' she wondered, and to think that she would be eating with a model made it all worse, she would feel like a pig in the presence of the two elegant ladies.

"Now before you start worrying, I think it's cute and worth being envious of. I believe if I eat a cube of sugar, I add a million kg, so horrifying."

"You exaggerate too much." Azure added with a laugh. "I'm going to use the rest room, I'll be back in a bit. "

Azure was done with her business and was washing her hands when she noticed the face beside her was similar to the one she had recognized 15 years ago as her best friend.

"Katherine Robbhood?"

The young lady by the mirror was shocked out of her wits, for all she knew, the person by her side could only with be Mrs Pierce or Ruth, her best friend and the both of them were dead."

"Mrs Pierce?"

"No Kate, it's me. I'm Ruth your best friend."

"Who the fuck are you and why the hell would you use the identity of a dead person to play a prank on me."

"Katie no, it's really me Ruth. I am not dead, I swear it on my soul and grades. It's me."

Katherine would remember that anytime and anywhere, that used to be the words they used when they were trying to prove that they weren't lying.

"But you're supposed to be dead. Why have you come to see me now? Your ghost forgot about my existence till now? Get the fuck away from me you ghost... Spirit.... What ever the fuck you are!"

"I'm not dead. I was just... I was unresponsive for a while. That's all"

"A while? 15 fucking years bitch! That's not a while, that's a Fucking decade and a half."

"It's me Katie. I didn't die, I don't know why my dad lied to the whole world but.... Let's meet later on okay. Maybe next week. I'll tell you everything."

"My gosh, it's a lot to take in."

"It's fine. I don't expect you to understand me immediately, I don't have a phone yet, so you can call me through my boyfriend's. His name is Nicholas Corner. Here is his number. "

Azure handed over one of Grey's cards to her and quickly bade her off with the excuse to meet her friends who's be waiting for her.

"What took you so long Zuzu?"

"I met a friend from way back. She couldn't believe I was alive so I gave her Grey's number to call me later on. "

"Oh, my friend will be here in like five minutes and the meal will be here soon too. Anyways, what was her name? Your friend I mean."

"Katherine Robbhood."

"Katherine Robbhood? That slut? She's been a whore for Nick once upon a time. She was so clingy and vowed to spread bad news about Nick forcing himself on her. She is a journalist. Cost Nick a whole lot of cash before she let him be."

"She's slept with Nick?" Azure's voice had become shaky. If Katie knew Grey in that way then why didn't she show any emotions when she told her that he was her boyfriend. All of the sudden, she felt betrayed by her best friend. She decided to just leave it aside, she simply decided that even if she asked to meet, she wouldn't meet her.

"Hi babe!" Elisa was always one to make a dramatic, grand entrance into anywhere she went.

"Couldn't make it any more grand could you?" Natalia asked and snorted at the entire procedure Elisa took before she sat.

The three girls had their lunch and thanks to the heavens, Elisa said nothing about Azure's pig eating appetite rather, she also expressed her envy towards Azure's high metabolism rate. Safe to say they all got along pretty well and we're like fireworks best friends from high school. Lisa and Natt talked about their high school boyfriends, prom and not to mention their college days. Basically, they wanted Azure to understand what exactly she would have had if she were with them. They wanted her to feel like she had experienced all of these by talking about it to them. Azure couldn't have asked for better girlfriends.

The three hurriedly ate their meal and took off to go shopping.

While hey shopped, Elisa's Fiance had shown up and they decided to give him a show.

Before they tried on dresses and more, Lucas, being the good friend he was to Nick, couldn't enjoy the show alone. He called Nick and Trevor, Natalia's boyfriend of three years.

It took Nick no less than ten minutes arrive. He wouldn't miss it for the world, Trevor as well. The three guys took sitting positions in front of the dressing room. The three girls had changed into short gowns and heels.

The three walked out of the changing room like the models they were pretending to be -Elisa exclusive... She really was a model... - and the three guys stood, their mouths agape.

Grey Was The first to speak while taking long strides towards Azure.

"Fuck! You look so..... What am I supposed to say to describe your beauty."

"If you have nothing to say, then you should have kept quiet and just continue to stare at them like we are. " Trevor said in mock although his eyes never left Natalia.

"I prefer my view up close Trev, shut up." Grey took one of her hands and gave her a spin letting the dress raise a bit higher. "You look delicious my love. I literally have a boner just looking at you."

"What are you talking about?" she blushed beet red knowing exactly what he was talking about. Elisa and Natt had made sure to explain a lot of sexual stuff to her. "Besides, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I had an early day off. Once I got the text that you'd be modelling some clothes and underwear, I ran over. There's no way I'm missing it for anything."

"I'm not modelling any underwear." she blushed deeper realizing that he had come all the way here to see her in some fancy underwear.

"What? I came all the way here to see it."

"Since you did make an effort, I'm guessing when we get home I could let you have a private show." Grey's jaw dropped to the floor.

All the while, they had been whispering, oblivious to the two girls waiting for her.

"If you're both done being lovey dovey,would you let her go in and try some more clothes." Lucas was the one to speak up this time.

Azure left Grey speechless and wanting. He could feel his erection throbbing, he couldn't help but wonder what those two witches had done to his innocent Azure and at the same time he was glad that she was beginning to understand his needs.

They modeled some more but made not the mistake to wear their attire for the event the next day.

Despite Nicholas' protest, Natalia had managed to convince Azure to go home with her for the night.

Azure understood, Natalia had planned to have the conversation when the two of them had become very comfortable with each other.

Trevor and Nick decided to hit a bar together since Elisa and Lucas had left together leaving the excuse that they had a problem they needed to take care of. Of course everyone but Azure understood however, Natalia ended her confusion by explaining what they meant in a whisper making her blush profusely.

"Zuzu, you have understand therapy doesn't make you forget all that you went through. It only helps you deal with it better.Therapy makes you realize what all your fears are and how to overcome them."

It had been more than five hours since the both of them returned and they had been talking about the entire need for therapy and what really goes on there.

Natalia had explained her experience in the custody of the kidnappers, what her fears were, how she overcame them and many more.

"Did it help you overcome all your fears?"

"Does that seem possible to you? "

"It seems impossible. I thought I had it all under control, thought I had overcome my fears, I thought I wouldn't have anymore suicidal thoughts because I had control but today, what I almost did... I promised Grey I wouldn't ever try it again but.... You can't tell him I tried to kill myself today. It'll break his heart."

Whilst they packed their clothes into the shopping bags earlier on that day, Azure had been feeling quite uneasy and so she took an excuse to use the bathroom. Natalia had waited for ten minutes and Azure still hadn't come out so she went to see what was up. The toilet was locked and no amount of knocking would make Azure open the door.

Natalia had the workers get an extra key and what she saw scared her like never before. Azure had a bleeding wrist and a knife was across her on the floor.

She held some paper towels to her wrist and there were a lot of others on the floor covered in blood. The entire floor was messed up with blood.

"I won't tell it to him only because you have to tell it to him yourself. You still have to get that checked up tomorrow, what I did is only like a first aid. You're only lucky that the cut wasn't so deep else you'd be dead."

"I swear I didn't want to. I didn't even know when I did it, if I tell him, he's going to be so sad and I don't like it but, I know why it's necessary that I tell him."

"Maybe you should see the therapist. If you don't like her then you can just tell Nick, he'll find another one for you. He is very patient with you. Nicholas has never been one with little sexual appetite but he's never made any advances to you because he knows you're not ready. He has also always been one with a short temper but not with you. It's all because he loves you and since you say you love him, shouldn't you get better so that you an love him properly."

"I know, I'll tell him tomorrow. There's something else. I want to visit my father, but I don't know how Grey is going to take it. I don't think he wants me anywhere close to my father, but I really want to see him. Maybe, it'll be a closure to me. "

"He may get mad and ask you not to, but explain your need to see your father. He will understand and take you there himself. You have to understand that communication is important in every relationship."