22

"Get the jet ready, we'll be leaving here in thirty minutes." He spoke to Fishwill before directing his next statement to Azure.

"Ruth, stop moping around, we have caused enough damage as is already from being together, you should go shower first, I have to make some phone calls before I come up. We will leave immediately." he didn't even turn to look in her direction, he just dismissed, her like a child.

Grey didn't mean to use her name or act that way towards her, he just happened to be so angry at himself and everyone because while baby sister was suffering, he was busy burying himself in his girlfriend. It seemed easier to blame her for stealing all of his time when he could have been productive.

He didn't even want to start with how much the company would have lost, if only he had just gone straight to the company after coming out of jail instead of this trip. He didn't know why he even bothered with it, Azure would have been okay with not travelling, she wasn't needy and would've been alright staying at home while he worked and at least tried to earn back all of the money he would have most likely lost from being away for too long.

Then again, he would do anything to get the ecstatic look he saw on her face when he mentioned the trip.

He was grateful though, that Azure didn't make a drama out of it, that she just obliged and ran upstairs.

"Get Trevor on the phone now!" He roared at the guard once he knew Azure was no longer in sight.

"Sir Trevor has not been reachable since this morning but sir, I assure you, he did not slack. Miss Natalia happened to be using the bathroom when she got abducted."

"She is supposed to have female guards go in with her. That's not an excuse Fishwill."

"It is an excuse when one of the female guards turns out to be a disciple and easily disarms the other, knocking her out."

"So the female guard was the abductor? Well, what do we know right now?" Yelling wasn't helpful right now, he needed his wits together, his sister needed him. He wouldn't let her be one of the victims of the psychotic woman. He had heard of the death of Andrew a few days ago, it was expected.

"Perhaps we can talk on the way there. While you were arrested, Miss Pierce did a lot of research and it's for that singular reason that we aren't at a dead end. Miss Natalia was kidnapped yesterday at noon and we know we can find her. I even happen to think that the serial killer will contact us however, I think you need to be on your way to dress up and apologize to Miss Pierce."

"Apologize for what? I didn't....."

"She doesn't deserve to be at the end of your frustration. She will not say a thing but she doesn't deserve it. She did nothing wrong and if I remember, she was never in agreement with the entire no connection with the outside world thing. I do recall the day she asked you to get some work done or switch on your phone and just make sure everything was alright at home."

Leave it to Fishwill to always call his boss on his shit. He earned that right though. Grey had come across him around the time he made his first million. He had been framed by a gang member in a gang he belonged to and he had been beaten up and dumped at a sideway to die. Grey took him in and nursed him and made him the head guard, the man had a lot of manpower so it was expected. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if he simply had an affinity for broken and damaged people, maybe because he too used to see himself as that way before.

"You're right. I'll come down soon and we'll take off."

When he got to the room, he saw Azure dressed. Her hair was wet and in a messy bun. She was packing for both of them at once. She didn't even realize he was right there until be came close to her and hugged her from behind causing her to gasp in fright.

"I'm sorry babe. I didn't mean to be hard on you outside, that too, in front of Fishwill."

"I'm not upset. Your sister was kidnapped because of me. I'm so sorry Grey, ever since I showed up your life has gone sideways. You had to spend a great deal on my hospital bills, had to put up with my irritating attitude and pitiful tears, got publicly humiliated because of me, watched an ex die, went to prison, probably lost a lot of deals at the company, now your sister has been kidnapped. I'm so sorry Grey." She felt her eyes getting watery, she didn't want to cry.

Once she went home, she would do anything in her power to stop that woman for good, even if it meant going to prison herself for murder.

"I love you and I wouldn't change a thing. We're going to save Natalia, nothing is going to happen to her or anyone else, I'm sorry for having you think that you're a burden, you're not. I love you Azure, I panicked for a minute there but I love you, and I'm sorry."

Azure didn't know what to say to him again, she didn't let the tears fall but she couldn't trust herself to carry on the conversation without turning into a sobbing mess and they didn't need that right now.

"You should take a quick shower and get dressed. We have to leave soon, I'll soon be done packing. " She turned and continued to neatly fold the clothes she already pulled to the bed.

Grey couldn't tell what was going through her head, he didn't want them to leave the island on a bad note. "Are we okay? Are you angry with me?"

"What! Yes of course. I mean, yes we're okay and no I'm not angry." She looked down to her feet and managed before she whispered the rest. "I just don't know what to say to you and I'm afraid I'm going to cry soon if we continue the talk."

She slowly walked towards him, snaking her hands around his torso. "I love you."

He returned her embrace by wrapping his hands around her shoulders as he bent his head and pecked her hair.

****

While they were on the plane, he had called his parents and had to comfort his mother who was crying and begging for him to save their daughter.

Azure saw past through his facade, she knew he was trying to stay strong and look after everyone else but who was going to look after him?

She went into the cabin few minutes after he did just to give time to himself. He had been talking with Fishwill and he had unconsciously clamped his hands with hers, she noticed though, but she wouldn't say anything. She knew he needed contact with her, she knew it calmed him down.

When she got inside, she saw him sitting at the edge of the bed as he sobbed into his hands making sure to make minimal noise.

This was her Grey breaking down here, away from the world. She went to him and stood between his legs. She lifted his head up and rested it on her stomach letting him grab onto her waist as his cries increased.

Azure couldn't tell how long she had been standing there while he cried out his heart. She felt his sobs reduce and his hands leaving her waist to wipe the tears off his face.

"I don't know what to do Azure, I'm so lost right now and I don't know what to do."

"We will figure it out together Grey. Together, there's nothing we can't do. We're smarter than she is, she is blinded by revenge but we are driven by love. It's for that singular fact that I know we will defeat her."

****

Immediately they reached New York, he went right over to Trevor's house. His friend needed him as well, he had to quit being selfish. He however wasn't surprised when he saw Luke and Elisa there as well.

"Thank God you're here." Elisa was the first to see Grey, Azure walked sluggishly behind him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here from the start. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now Trev but I can assure you that we will get her back." He paused, taking his eyes off Trev who looked like a complete mess and taking in the appearance of all of them at once. "Because we are driven by love, we will overcome."

Trevor just nodded and said something about him being sorry for not taking better care of his sister.

Azure felt proud that he actually listened to her words and actually soaked it all in, she felt proud that he wasn't treating her like a child and was really considering everything she had to say.

Everyone turned to Azure whose phone had started ringing.

Azure was confused, the number was unknown.

"It's not someone I know." She mumbled to herself as she looked at the number again, she was good with numbers, she would remember it if she had seen it before, even if it was once.

"You should pick up and put it on speaker."

Grey went over to a couch and patted beside him for her to sit down as well.

"Hello? Who is this please?"

Azure started the conversation with the stranger after sitting down.

"Oh my! It actually went through." the person on the other side laughed like a psychopath.

"Who is this please?"

Azure managed to ask again.

"I'm disappointed, I thought you already did your research on me. Andrew said so anyways and I want to believe that he was right."

"Victoria St Louis." Azure managed to make out of her lips before she heard the deranged laugh of the woman again.

"Surprise!"

The woman's laugh spread through the room once again.

Azure took in the appearance of everyone in the room, Trevor had his jaw clenched, his nails clawed into the couch, Elisa was red and for the first time, Azure managed to see the emotion called fear in her eyes, Lucas was holding Elisa and was obviously barely holding his anger together.

Grey ran his fingers through his hair and Azure could tell even him was confused as to what emotions to show. Should he be angry, sad, should he cry, scream? She saw how conflicted he was but the pain was obvious. She took his hand in hers before she continued the conversation.

"What do you want?"

"Your company darling. I think it's time that you and I have a face to face chat don't you think?"

She seemed so serious as she spoke but nothing made Azure tense as much as she did when she heard her last remark.

"As dirty as your soul is, I'm willing to stay in the same room as you for a while until I end you." Just then, her giggles filled the room again.