“Oh, shit.” I pull him into my arms and hug him. “Oh Grayson, I’m so fucking sorry.”
I don’t know what to say. What do you say to that news?
I pull back from him and cup his face in my hands. “Are you okay?”
He nods and strokes his thumb across my cheek. “It’s just a shock you know.”
Nodding, I drop a soft kiss on his lips, wanting to comfort him. “We need to book flights home.”
He runs a hand through his hair, looking lost.
“I’ll call my dad and get him to sort us some flights. You get showered and dressed.”
He nods and silently leaves the bed and takes himself off into the bathroom.
Fuck.
I call my dad and it takes a few rings before he answers.
“Everly, is everything okay?” I hear the anxiety in his voice and then I remember that it’s two hours behind at home and only five o’clock in the morning. “Dad, Mr St. Clair is dead. The police just called. Can you sort us flights home?’
“What? He’s dead. How?”
I run my hand through my hair. “I don’t know much. I think Grayson’s in shock. He just said that he was found in his study with a single gunshot wound to the head.”
“Jesus,” my dad exclaims. “I’ll get online now and sort you both flights.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I tell him. I’m so grateful that I can call him and know he’ll sort things for us.
“I’ll call you back as soon as I can, honey.”
I put the phone down and just sit for a few seconds and try to process things. I climb out of bed and pad down to Dom and Izzy’s room and knock gently on the door.
“Go away,” grumbles Dom, sleepily.
“It’s urgent,” I whisper-shout to him through the door. A second later the door opens and Dom stands before me in his boxers, rubbing at his eyes.
“It’s seven in the morning Ev,” he groans.
“Believe me, I know,” I say. “Grayson’s just had a call, his dad is dead, Dom.”
Dom blinks, and he is suddenly awake and alert. “He’s dead?”
I nod. “Gunshot wound to the head. I think Grayson’s in shock. I’ve just sent him to get showered.”
Dom blows out a breath and swears under his breath. “I’ll get dressed now.”
I leave him to get changed and return to our room. When I walk in Grayson is just standing there with his towel wrapped around his waist staring out of the window. I walk up behind him and press a kiss to his back.
“Baby, talk to me. You scare me when you’re this quiet.” I wrap my arms around his middle and lean my face against his back. He places his hands over mine and pats them.
“I’m okay, I promise. It’s just a shock. How am I going to tell Ems?”
“I don’t know, but I know she needs to hear it from you.”
He nods and gently pulls away from me. Dropping his towel, he grabs some boxers out of the drawers and pulls them on. “I need coffee,” he sighs as he pulls on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
My phone rings, and it’s my dad.
“I got you both flights for in three hours’ time, I’ll collect you both from the airport.”
“Thanks Dad, we’ll see you later today.”
THE NEXT FEW HOURS are a blur. Everyone silently gathers in the kitchen as we wait for the taxi to the airport. Owen is pacing the floor as he tries to sort a flight home. He wants to be there to support Ems. Everyone else agrees that they don’t want to stay on after this and Jacob is trying to book flights for everyone else.
I still can’t wrap my head around it. He’s dead. Grayson is an orphan. He is almost eighteen and both his parents are dead. How unfair and unjust is that? Our taxi arrives and we say quick goodbye to everyone and head off for the airport.
Throughout the flight Grayson is eerily quiet, but he never lets go of my hand.
MY DAD IS WAITING FOR us when we come through arrivals. His face is grim as he hugs me, and then he pulls Grayson into a hug.
“I’m sorry, son,” he tells him and Grayson just nods and thanks him.
Dad suggests we head back to our house and then he’ll take Grayson down to the police station. Izzy texts me as we pull up at home to say they have managed to get flights for seven o’clock this evening. Owen has got an earlier flight at four o’clock.
When we enter the house Sophie is there to hug us and she fusses and makes us both a cup of tea. Grayson doesn’t even drink tea, but he takes the cup, thanking her, and sits himself at the island. I go to sit beside him and he reaches for me and pulls me onto his lap. I don’t question him, if he needs me close, then he’s got me. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his head.
“You’ll both stay here,” Sophie suggests. “Do you have other family?”
Grayson blinks and shakes his head. “Not that I know of. All our grandparents are dead. I think my dad had a brother but they’ve been estranged for years.”
“Oh god,” he says, going pale, “They’ll put my sister in care.”
My dad puts his hand on Grayson’s shoulder. “We won’t let that happen. I promise you, Grayson. I’m going to give our solicitor a ring now and get some advice. You’re both staying with us and that is that.”
Grayson nods, looking reassured. I hadn’t even considered that they were both still classed as minors and were now without legal guardians.
My dad and Grayson leave for the police station some twenty minutes later.
I drop my head into my hands as soon as they have gone, feeling exhausted. Sophie comes up to me and pulls me into a hug.
“I still can’t believe it,” I tell her. “Do you think it was suicide?’
Sophie shakes her head. “I have no idea. It has
