CHAPTER 9

*WARNING GRAPHIC CHILD ABUSE*

Christian Pov

How am I going to explain all this? I said, "Father. Mother. I think we should finish eating first and move to the living room. Trust me you don't want to hear it while eating." I sat back down with Anastasia. I can't tell them about having sex with Elena. I'll have to say she thinks she's entitled, for getting me to stop drinking and misbehaving as a teenage child.

Mia said curiously, "Christian, you let Ana touch you. Why is that?"

I honestly said, "I am not sure. For some reason it hasn't hurt since the moment I met her."

Grace put her hand to her cheek and said, "She is healing you." I believe she may be right too. She is a beautiful angel. I look over at her and smile, while reaching out to put a piece of hair out of her face and put it behind her ear. She blushes so prettily. What on earth is she doing to me?

When we finish eating, we move to the living room and take a seat. I say, "Elena has been throwing in my face, that she saved me from drinking and misbehaving on a constant basis. She claims that she made me who I am and it entitles her to use me for basically everything. She gave me the start-up money for my business and I gave her back one million dollars for her $100,000 investment, to help her back when she was just divorced from Linc. It wasn't enough, she wanted me to financially back her when she started her salon and then expanded to three now. It wasn't enough, she uses my name to eat for free all over town and charges $1,000 bottles of wine to my account. It wasn't enough, she begged me for that 2010 BMW M3 black car six months ago. She said I buy cars for my family and she is considered family, so I should get her a car too. She wore me down and I did it to shut her up."

Carrick said, "How does Ana fit into this now?"

I sincerely said, "I don't know. I can't figure out why she is targeting her. I asked Anastasia to go out to dinner with me at the Mile High Club. Elena showed up and that's when it started. She started talking down to her condescendingly. I tried to get her to back off telling her that she was my new CFO and she started on her again. She started telling me that I shouldn't hire inexperienced people. I blew up and told her that she has no say in who I can hire in my company. She then started spewing how she made me who I am. Then Anastasia tells her that she has two masters degrees and is very qualified to do the job as an executive. Anastasia got mad and told her come Monday, she better worry that she has her business finances in order. She also said she was cancelling her appointment at her salon and going to The Four Seasons instead. I laughed. I told Elena that if she didn't remove herself from my restaurant in the next two minutes, I would have her removed. She left spewing that I would regret this."

"The next day, she showed up trying to attack Anastasia coming out of The Four Seasons, after her spa appointment. She tried to hit her with a crowbar. Can you believe it, a fucking crowbar?! Then again with her hand after she released her the first time. I saw her attack her on the CCTV as they were out front and it is on my phone. The guard came up to Anastasia and gave her a copy of the entire confrontation on a thumb drive. She gave it to me to hold on to for her."

Anastasia said, "She kept going on and on about me being a gold digging whore and using Christian to get his money and job. It's all there. I used my Krav Maga teachings and took her down with her pressure points, in her thumb to disarm her and then in her wrist."

Carrick said, "Do you want to press charges against her?" Anastasia shook my head, no.

She said, "No, but a restraining order might be handy."

Carrick said, "I can have one drawn up Monday and come by to get your signature at GEH?"

She asked surprised, "You would do that for me?"

Carrick smiled and said, "Of course I would, dear girl. You are bringing my son alive. I've never seen him smile so much in years. It's all you. I can meet you for lunch if you like tomorrow?" She smiled and blushed.

She said, "Say, around noon?" He nodded. "You honor me, Mr Grey. Thank you." Grace was smiling from ear to ear.

Grace said, "I don't understand why Elena is acting like this at all, but I will never condone trying to assault you, Anastasia. Christian, she has interfered in your professional, financial or personal relationships. If she doesn't back off this second, I will distance myself from her, completely remove her from all committees, memberships and end her socially. I promise. It's just after all these years, I never knew she was doing that to you financially, Christian."

I said, "Mother, beware, she is a consummate actress and a manipulative liar. I have seen her hone her craft of manipulation over the years, using it not just on me, but others too. She has never been our friend and I just discovered that very recently within the last three months. You just chose not to see it and so did I. You think only of the good in people is why." Grace smiled at him and shook her head.

The drive home was quiet. Grace looked aty bruise before I left and said it was bad and I needed to be very careful with it. I pulled into the Escala parking garage. I parked and said, "Christian, thank you for introducing me to your family. I think your father and mother freaked watching that video. I'm sorry she is causing you and your family so much trouble. I have to ask you something, that's been itching at the back of my mind." He looks at me worried. "What does she have on you? She has threatened and insinuated that she has the means to ruin or destroy you. Is she holding some damning evidence of your BDSM lifestyle over your head?" His face fell and he looked away uncomfortably.

He said nervously, "She has pictures and videos of me having sex with her over the six years until I was twenty one and she has it all on many others too. Some of them go back to when I was fifteen." My mouth dropped open.

I took a minute to let it absorb. I yelled, "Christian, that pedophile bitch loaned you out to others?!! Didn't she?!!" He nodded affirmatively. I was in shock. I couldn't imagine the horror of what they could have done sexually to him with an extreme sexual deviant as a mentor. I felt so sorry for him. I unbuckled myself and carefully slid into his lap, with his help. I kissed his forehead and wrapped my arms gently around him. He wrapped me in his arms.

Suddenly, he started to cry in the most gut-wrenching way that caused me to cry too. I whispered softly, rubbing his back and hair gently, "That was a terrible thing to do to someone's trust. I swear, I would never treat you badly like that. I swear that I will find a way to protect you and keep you safe from people like that. I'm clever like that. Don't worry, everything will be okay. I'm getting quite fond of you, my handsome friend." I lifted his head and kissed his eyes. He claimed my mouth, capturing my tongue and kissing me deeply.

He looked into my eyes as tears still slid down his cheeks and said, "I think I am falling in love with you, Anastasia. I can't stop myself. It's getting so hard to stay friends when all I want to do is touch and kiss you all the time. It's only been a week that I even knew you existed. I don't understand it, and I can't seem to get a full rein on it. I have never felt this comfortable or desired by anyone like this before. My whole life has been about fear and control, but I just want to be, when I'm with you. I feel vulnerable but safe, passionate, happy, desired and content when you are near me. It has been like getting hit with lightning. I have been feeling emotions I don't recognize from before you came in my life. It must be that electrical current I feel touching you. You're changing me, healing me and making me unafraid. It's like you are an angel sent just for me and I have been waiting around my whole life for you to appear." What can you say after an honest declaration like that? It's so earnest.

I lean down and capture his lips controlling the slow languid touch of tongues. I try to put everything I am feeling for him in this kiss. He hooded his eyes and let me lick, suck and pull gently on his lips. His breathing is panting and his cock is hard as a rock under me. I was sorry to destroy the mood now.

I looking past him over his shoulder like in a trance of emotional detachment and said, "Christian, I can never let you touch me like you did to all of them, in a world of sexual pain, pleasure, punishment and extremes. I'm going to tell you in detail why and you will be the only person on earth who knows the whole truth, except my mother." I inhale deeply and exhale.

"I was beaten, abused and molested, until I almost died at seven years old. My father rescued me from the brink of hell and death, healed my body and mind and taught me a new way to survive. I can never repay him but to live as he taught me to honor him. I have scars that do not show because of the way I dress. I am still a virgin technically, in the way of never having penile penetration. I never got this close to a man since then, except my father. It scared the crap out of me seeing the implements in your red room. I have been beaten with canes, whips and belts before. I know the blood, skin tears, bruises and bone fractures that can be caused by them. My mother just stood there and watched him do everything to me, not caring at all. I have no hymen anymore, because he shoved implements inside of me and ripped it away. She just stood there soberly and watched as my blood curdling screams of agony tore from my throat. The blood ran down my back, dripping down my thighs and running to my heels to pool on the floor. I will never speak about it again to you, because you know now. I never told my father the details about it, but he saw the carnage of my filleted back, broken bones and virginal blood that day. My mother's third husband disappeared and has never been seen or heard from again. My father told me one day that he was erased and we never talked about it again." I break the mental connection and look at him weeping quietly in a horrified state.

He looked into my eyes and said, "How can you bear to touch me or even look at a monster like me?" His face crumpled and he hung his head crying. It was heartbreaking.

I petted his head and said, "You didn't know any better because you were taught by a true monster. You were her victim of her kind of abuse. She tried to make you like her, but dependent on her emotionally. Now, the scales have fallen from your eyes and you know the truth. It is truth and perspective that changes you inside. Coping with the mixed feelings and fears whether mental, emotional or physical in the aftermath of realization will be the next challenge. I had to separate the memory from the emotions in one instance. I had to file it away as an experience in my mind and not relive it every time I thought or spoke of it. It takes time and maturity to achieve that separation in your mind." He stopped crying and I kissed his forehead and he looked at me like a lost little boy.

Christian Pov

I am wrung out from crying. I will never hit another person in that way again. Everything Elena taught me or told me was poison to my soul. I will have that room completely gutted immediately. I want to learn about love and experience it within an angel like her. She has survived the horror and risen above it. I want to try and be the man she needs and I want to be. I'm calling Flynn tomorrow to do this thing she spoke of. I know it won't happen overnight, but I can learn. I ask her, "Will you help me learn to do that? I want to try to overcome it too. I am calling my therapist in the morning. Will you come with me to talk with him?" She softly caresses the side of my face, wiping my eyes away and smiling at me.

She said, "Of course, I will, Christian. I will help you." She kissed me softly and caressed my cheek. I opened my eyes and smiled at her. What did I ever do, to get a chance to be touched by her? I am marveling looking in her eyes.

She said, "I have to get back in my driver's seat and not hurt my arm or you to do it." She giggles. I love that sound. I unbuckled my seat belt I never undid, opened the door and helped her stand up outside. She stepped back around the car, opened the driver's door and I got out to walk around. I cupped her face and caressed her cheek.

I said softly to her, "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I am hopelessly in love with you and I've never been happier about it. You don't have to say it back. I just want you to know how I feel. I will let you go now, but text or call me when you get there. I can have Taylor follow you home to make sure you are safe?"

She had her hands on my waist and said, "I'll be fine as long as your covert is watching." I was shocked and looked sheepish at her.

I asked her, "You knew?" She laughed.

She said chuckling, "Of course I knew. My father taught me environmental awareness. I can spot coverts pretty well. I was caught off guard the day I ran into you. The person I have the restraining order against was lying in wait for me in the cafe after he knew I liked that particular coffee cafe in the morning from following me with his damn camera from a long distance. I should have recognized his truck before entering. I thought my new apartment and car would throw him off the trail longer."

I said, "Anastasia, I need you to tell me his name."

She shrugged and said, "At the moment, I believe, according to the SPD, he's in jail for breaking the restraining order and causing bodily harm to me. It hasn't gone to court yet, but I know he is in custody. His name is Jose Rodriguez. He was an ex-so-called friend, who tried drugged me to rape me, but put me in the hospital with a drug overdose that could have killed me five weeks ago. My ex-other so-called friend thought it was funny and I should have just let him fuck me. Even after I spent five days in the hospital she never even cared or noticed. I punched her in the mouth and moved out the next day. They thought I was low middle class and I let them think that way. I never mentioned my two inheritances and kept it hidden. I had a steel bedroom door installed wherever I lived with her because of the parade of guys passing through the apartment and her bedroom. I learned from college to keep everything under lock and key, even when taking a bathroom visit from my room. I kept a key around my neck on a chain."

I asked, "That's no way to have to live. What was her name?"

Anastasia wrinkled her nose like a bad smell and said, "The infamous Katherine Kavanaugh, daughter of Eamon Kavanaugh of Kavanagh Media, Incorporated. A major whore and gold digging trust fund baby. The bitch only knows how to party, fuck and shop for clothes. She was flunking out of college but daddy paid off somebody, so she passed. Christian, I have to go. I have tons to do to get ready for tomorrow. I'll text you." I kissed him and got in the car. I started the engine and waited until he was in the elevator before I pulled out of the building. When I get to The Olivian Apartments, I see the covert drive by as I enter the parking garage.

I get up to my apartment and text Christian to let him know I'm home and fine. He sweetly tells me sweet dreams. I take a shower, lay out my clothes and pack up my candy in boxes and bags to give away to the heads of departments I'll be working with and a few others. I have a couple reusable shopping bags I put them all in and stick them in my not so full refrigerator. I round up my computer and pack up my Christian Louboutin Leather Tote Bag. I grab my daddy's electronic bug detector to take to the office. I hate people watching and spying on my work and conversations. It's midnight and I lay down setting my alarm for 6am. I roll over and sleep the sleep of the dead.