Grace Leaves CJ
Somehow through everything, Audrey and Harrison had finally been able to get through to Grace. There had been a lot of shaking her head and crying, but then there had also been a lot of being held by both of them as she did it. She didn't really want it to be true, but they were right when they said he didn't treat her right. And when sat down and told, it was hard to deny it.
That was what lead to Grace being in the penthouse, packing two suitcases worth of her things while Audrey and Harrison had waited downstairs. She'd tried to pick a time when CJ would be out at a meeting or at the office, not really wanting to confront him with this. She wasn't that strong, knew she'd crumble if he said the right thing in just the right way. Doing it this way, she hadn't expected him to be there as she walked through the living room of the penthouse, eyes widening a little.
When he'd asked what she was doing, she had answered softly as her eyes blinked away tears and one hand clutched the shoulder strap of the suitcase tightly. She was so much more the frightened rabbit than a Queen in this moment. The fact that anger, sharp and stern, flashed across his face and caused her to take a quivering step backwards didn't help. That step back only darkened CJ's face more as he took a step towards her.
"CJ...don't. Please." Grace nearly begged softly as she shook her head. She moved to get around him and whimpered softly when he cut her path off.
"You can't leave me, Grace." Despite the anger on his face, his voice was soft and sweet. "I need you."
Her head shook a little. "No you don't. I'm just a toy to you," she winced and cut off whatever else she was going to say at the flash of darkness from CJ. "I need this...please don't stop me..."
CJ reached out to cup her cheek, a look of actual hurt sliding through his eyes when she pulled away. "You're not a toy, Grace. You're my Queen and I need you."
Grace shifted a little, edging through the living room in a warped dance that kept them the same distance apart. "I can't anymore, CJ." She gave a soft sob as the tears finally started to fall. "I can't..."
Grace jumped when a hand touched her shoulder from behind her and again at the dark sound that came from CJ's throat. "Come on, Grace. You're safe," Harrison murmured softly.
Grace knew that Audrey would never step foot in this place again, though a part of her hadn't expected her sister to send Harrison up to rescue her either. She nodded quietly, curling back into the arm he wrapped gently around her waist to guide her out of the penthouse and keep her separated from CJ.
"This isn't over, you stupid Russian prick. No one will ever separate us." CJ snarled at Harrison, letting his anger finally lash out.
Grace curled a little more in on herself at CJ's words, chewing her lip sharply. Harrison didn't answer or rise to the bait though. He just herded Grace to the car waiting and settled her in the backseat where Audrey pulled Grace into a tight hug. The two had already planned, since Grace would be packed, that the easiest thing would be for them to visit Russia for a little while and keep the two apart until Grace was strong enough to face dealing with CJ in a work environment. Small steps, but they'd be there with her all the way.
That was what lead to Grace being in the penthouse, packing two suitcases worth of her things while Audrey and Harrison had waited downstairs. She'd tried to pick a time when CJ would be out at a meeting or at the office, not really wanting to confront him with this. She wasn't that strong, knew she'd crumble if he said the right thing in just the right way. Doing it this way, she hadn't expected him to be there as she walked through the living room of the penthouse, eyes widening a little.
When he'd asked what she was doing, she had answered softly as her eyes blinked away tears and one hand clutched the shoulder strap of the suitcase tightly. She was so much more the frightened rabbit than a Queen in this moment. The fact that anger, sharp and stern, flashed across his face and caused her to take a quivering step backwards didn't help. That step back only darkened CJ's face more as he took a step towards her.
"CJ...don't. Please." Grace nearly begged softly as she shook her head. She moved to get around him and whimpered softly when he cut her path off.
"You can't leave me, Grace." Despite the anger on his face, his voice was soft and sweet. "I need you."
Her head shook a little. "No you don't. I'm just a toy to you," she winced and cut off whatever else she was going to say at the flash of darkness from CJ. "I need this...please don't stop me..."
CJ reached out to cup her cheek, a look of actual hurt sliding through his eyes when she pulled away. "You're not a toy, Grace. You're my Queen and I need you."
Grace shifted a little, edging through the living room in a warped dance that kept them the same distance apart. "I can't anymore, CJ." She gave a soft sob as the tears finally started to fall. "I can't..."
Grace jumped when a hand touched her shoulder from behind her and again at the dark sound that came from CJ's throat. "Come on, Grace. You're safe," Harrison murmured softly.
Grace knew that Audrey would never step foot in this place again, though a part of her hadn't expected her sister to send Harrison up to rescue her either. She nodded quietly, curling back into the arm he wrapped gently around her waist to guide her out of the penthouse and keep her separated from CJ.
"This isn't over, you stupid Russian prick. No one will ever separate us." CJ snarled at Harrison, letting his anger finally lash out.
Grace curled a little more in on herself at CJ's words, chewing her lip sharply. Harrison didn't answer or rise to the bait though. He just herded Grace to the car waiting and settled her in the backseat where Audrey pulled Grace into a tight hug. The two had already planned, since Grace would be packed, that the easiest thing would be for them to visit Russia for a little while and keep the two apart until Grace was strong enough to face dealing with CJ in a work environment. Small steps, but they'd be there with her all the way.