"Why, you must be the famous Nailea", his strong voice booms. I wasn't sure if the sound echoing loudly in both my eardrums was my heart pounding or the ground starting to crack open. Because I felt both veryvery vividly.

It's him, Xavier lunatic Grayson. Here in my childhood home. He's dressed in dark blue jeans and his signature white button up shirt. His sleeves are rolled up and he's even without a tie. I know this isn't the time, and I probably shouldn't be saying this but I must admit, he looks delicious.

"Nice to finally meet you", he says, extending his arm. His voice is husky and low.

I stare up at his serious dark eyes. His jaw clenches as if he seriously expects me to play along with his little game. "Yes. Yes, it's nice to meet you as well", I seethe. I guess I am playing his little game.

Game on.

"Oh, pray tell, we're practically a family now, give her a hug", my mother annoyingly murmurs

I gulp as he bypasses my handshake and gives me a tight hug. I melt into his deliciously seductive scent and for a second I forget how unhealthy he is. I try to pull myself away and instead, he doesn't fully release me.

"I'm so glad we're doing this. I've heard"—he breathes deeply—"...so many glorious things about you", he says to me

Bile creeps up in my throat and I'm starting to feel sick. I don't know what to do. I can't tell my mother. Can I? Should I? No. The last thing I want is for my mother to get involved in my mess. All I need is to get through this dinner and talk to Mr. Grayson. Privately.

"Aw, I'm so happy", mother snorts, "alright then. Dinner is just about ready, shall we head to the dining room?"

I march hurriedly towards the dining room where Daisy, Asher, Chase and Kayden are placing forks besides each plate.

"Uh...guys", I speak up, gathering their attention. "This is...uh...this is my mother's...urgh...friend"

"Anthony", mom adds. Anthony? Of course, he didn't tell her his real name. Of freaking course.

"Nice to meet you all", Mr. Grayson says with a half smile

Everyone is visibly confused and just about lost for words. Daisy's eyes are filled with concern and Kayden looks territorial. The atmosphere is dead silent and no one is really sure how to react. At least I'm not.

"Well then...", mother starts, breaking the silence. "Why don't we all sit down?"

We all sit down. Painfully, Mr. Grayson plops down in the seat across from mine and I feel myself cringe when his long legs brush against my own under the table. Dinner is quick and lifeless. My mother seems to be the only person speaking. Anthony, as he's chosen to call himself, comments from time to time and sends me hidden winks. I'm uncomfortable. I really am. But at the exact same time, deep down, I know that I'm not. I'm really not.

By the time we finish dessert, everyone has basically lived through an hour long oral documentary of my mother's life story. The boys, Asher, Chase and Kayden, leave, and Daisy and I decide to stay behind. Only to keep an eye on my mother. She's been sleeping with a maniac and she's had no idea. If only she knew the half of it. If only she knew the half of Mr. Grayson

"How long has this even been going on? That's what really creeps the hell out of me", Daisy whispers as she puts her hair into a braid for sleeping in. We're now up in my room.

"I don't know but it needs to end tonight", I tell her as I pace back and fourth

"Wait, you're not gonna tell her, are you?"

"I don't know", I stop mid pace. "Should I?"

"...No. Look, he's clearly just doing this to mess with your head"

"Well it's working!", I whisper loudly

A pause.

"So, we fight back...harder this time", Daisy says

"How? We got him fired...what more can we do? Burn his house down?" I mumble sarcastically

"...since you're taking suggestions", she jokes. I look at her sternly and her smile melts away

"I think you should reach out to his wife", Daisy says under her breath

I gulp and my nose wrinkles. "What?"

"He's playing a dangerous game right now Nai. I mean, this guy is insatiable. And now, he's completely manipulating your mom. We need to fight fire with Fire. Hit him where it hurts"

"I... I can't..."

"I know it's not easy, but...you need to do this. I think this is our last option"

"I just... I... I need some air", Before I can even finish the sentence, I feel my entire body start to heat up. I'm having a panic attack at the thought of even being remotely close to Mr. Grayson's wife. What would I even say? "Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm the home wrecker that seduced your husband into sleeping with me and now I don't want him anymore because he's grossly obsessed with me"?

Oh boy, I think I'm gonna be sick. I run across the hall into the bathroom and stand by the sink to wash my face and pull myself together. This entire situation is too much for me. I just, can't handle all of this. I can't. How did I get myself into this mess?

"Did you miss me?", I hear a familiar voice from behind me say with a hidden chuckle.

I lift my head and stare at him through the mirror. He's leaning by the door frame with his hands in his pajama pants. Shirt off, hair messy, beard untrimmed, veins at full display. Oh Goodness. Focus Nai. Remember that this man is utterly in-sane.

"Because...I've missed you", he finishes

A pause as my eyes lock with his through the mirror. The cold water still dripping from my chin.

"What do you want?—From me—What exactly are you trying to achieve here?", I murmur

He takes a deep breath. "I just want you to behave"

"Behave?"

"Yes", he grins flirtatiously before shutting the bathroom door and locking it.

I turn my body around to face him. "You want me to, what? Just do whatever you say whenever you say it? You want me to kiss you all over like you would tell me to? You want me to run my fingers through your hair and beg for you? Is that it?"

"You got me fired Nailea", he states

"You assaulted me!", I defend

Within moments both his arms are by my sides, holding onto the edge of the sink. Leaving me trapped with no room to leave. "What happened? Everything was so perfect. Was it something I did? Something I said?"

A pause. "That doesn't matter. Just, let me go"

"It does matter", he seethes. "Be a good girl and tell me. What...frightened you away?"

I shiver and look at him with a raised brow. "You really wanna know?"

He nods softly.

"I saw them...that night. I saw the...filth that you had kept in your cabinet", I breath. "You're ill Mr. Grayson. You need help"

He stares blankly at me for a moment. We both remain quiet and it's hard to read his lifeless expression. I can't tell if he's angry or not and it's driving me crazy. He's driving me crazy. His gaze darkens and his arm stretches behind me, pulling me closer to his body. I can feel the beating of his heart on my chest. Heat surges through me once more and my head starts spinning. "You still want me"

"No..no, I don't", I croak and try to pull away from his grip

He presses himself further towards me and there's barely any air passing be-tween us. "I'm willing to bet that you do. And you know why? Because I stood by that doorframe long enough for you to have walked out at any minute and you did-n't"

"That means nothing", I hiss

"No Nailea. It means everything", he says immediately as he curls his hand around my neck softly. His voice had the rasp that I knew so well and with each word that fell from his lips, came electric tingles through my entire body

"I excite you. Don't I?", he whispers against my ear, making my entire body mush. "You like that I watch you. Don't you? You like when I scare you a little. You get off on the insanity..."

"Get off me", I whisper weakly

He chuckles devilishly and bites at my earlobe gently, causing my breath to hitch. "I've wedged myself so deep into your blood that you'd have to drain every last bit of it and die just to get rid of me. You'd have to kill yourself, because I'm a part of you now. And you love how much you hate that. Don't you?"

"You're crazy Xavier! I absolutely despise you"

"Then scream", he urges. "If you want me to let you go so badly, scream. Scream for help"

A crippling sensation overpowers me and I feel myself crumble in front of him. He's right. I do want him. I do crave him. And I'm crazy for it. I'm just as crazy as he is.

He smiles, acknowledging that he's won. "...That's my good girl"