Summary: Kathryn reunites with Sebastian while Hardgrove realizes the truth too late.
Chapter 10: Bedroom Dancing
* Kathryn *
"Something the matter Kathryn? You look like you've seen a ghost."
At this point in my life I thought there was nothing left that could shock me...then I turned around. Right in front of me stood Sebastian very real and very much alive. Wearing a chic black Prada suit and his typical cocky expression he appeared not to have aged a day since the last time I saw him. However even though I could see him clear as day with my own two eyes I refused to believe it was him. It just couldn't be.
Getting up from my chair quickly I backed away and demanded "who the hell are you?"
"Nice to see you too sis." Leaning back on the desk he mused "well actually I guess I can't call you that anymore can I? Although you were never technically my sister to begin with were you?"
"Who the FUCK are you?"
Getting up he walked towards me but I backed away. He laughed "I thought seeing me again might freak you out but I didn't think it would scare you. I didn't think the great Kathryn Merteuil got scared."
He was right I was scared. It took me four years to get my life back under control. I needed that control but now it was all falling away from me. My head was spinning and my dead ex-step brother was mocking me. "I'm not scared" I told him none to convincingly.
"You're trembling" he whispered taking a step towards me. "Don't worry it IS me Kathryn."
Thrusting my hands to my sides I tried to keep calm. "I don't know who you work for or what sick game you're playing but you aren't him."
"Oh then who am I? The ghost of Christmas past?" Taking a step closer he reached out and touched my face "do I feel real enough for you?"
When I felt his warm hand brush against me I knew this wasn't a dream or some drug induced hallucination. Whoever he was, was real but I still didn't believe it was Sebastian. I couldn't allow myself to believe that after all these year he was alive. Pulling away from him I charged past him and yelled "get out! Whoever you are get the hell out of my house."
Before I could reach the door he stood in front of me, blocking the exit. "What's wrong with you? It's me Sebastian."
Backing away from him I shook my head "no you're not Sebastian. He's dead, I saw his body!"
"No you saw the body I had put in my place. It was a closed casket remember?"
He was right it had been a closed casket funeral. I had only briefly glanced at Sebastian once in the hospital. I hadn't wanted to see him because I knew the part I played in his death. I knew if I saw him lying in that hospital dead that image would be burned into my brain for the rest of my life. Sebastian was dead and I tried to do everything possible to put it behind me but I guess there was no out running your past after all.
My head fell into my hands as I murmured "you're not him, you're not him, you're not him!"
He pulled my hands from my face and forced me to look up at him. The arrogant expression was off his face as he told me glumly "yeah I am Kathryn and you know it."
"Then prove it" I hissed.
"What you want an anecdote from the past? Okay, we met when we were thirteen, you like opera, I have a scar on my left shoulder blade from the time you got pissed I told one of your boyfriends you were cheating on him and you threw that paper weight at me." His face darkened as he muttered "before I died I told Annette to get revenge on you."
My eyes widened at that and suddenly I had a realization. Annette was somehow responsible for this. She was the only one who could have known Sebastian asked her to do that. She was the one behind this. Shaking my head I pushed him away "I don't believe you. She put you up to this didn't she?"
"Oh for Christ sakes" he groaned as he pulled me to him suddenly then kissed me. Sebastian and I had only really kissed once not counting that time I kissed him and he pushed me away. It had been after our parents married and it had been the best kiss I had ever received. I knew that if I ever let him do it again I wouldn't be able to stop him from going further, I wouldn't want to. This felt exactly like that time. The feel of his arms around me and the suddenness of it all. Without even thinking about it I found myself kissing him back.
When he pulled away he asked "well now do you believe it?"
I knew it was him, I knew it from the second I turned around and saw him standing there. Those were very much his blue eyes with a flicker of green in them looking back at me. Reaching out I touched his face and whispered "Sebastian."
"Yes" he said grasping my hand.
We stared at each other for one long moment until I quickly pulled away from him and charged out of the room. I walked into the living room and went straight for the bar. My head was spinning and I couldn't think straight. I wasn't sure if I was angry or happy at this news, everything was just a mess.
Sebastian followed me back into the living room. Standing behind the couch he asked "is that helping any?"
"No" I said as I dropped my drink into the sink behind the bar and it shattered. Looking up at him I demanded "what the hell is going on Sebastian. Why would you fake your own death?"
"It's complicated"
"Well uncomplicate it" I hissed. "Does Annette know that you're alive?"
Looking away from me he replied "yeah you could say that."
"Then why would..." I trailed off when I saw that flash of gold on his finger. It was then everything became clear. I suddenly realized what the missing puzzle piece was. "Holy fuck...Sebastian Richard Valmont. So you're Annette's mystery husband."
An amused smile crossed his lips as he held up his hand with the wedding band on. "Yeah I thought you would notice that. Actually I would have thought it would be sooner rather than later."
"You used your middle name?"
Sebastian shrugged "well I needed to choose a name at the last minute and I wanted to hold on to some part of my old identity."
Watching him then with his cocky, obviously amused expression I became angry. "You son of a bitch, you faked your death, married that little hick, then had her ruin my life!"
"Well it didn't exactly happen in that order but yes I did."
I charged up to him and hit him across the face. Sebastian stumbled back but when I tried to do it again he grabbed me by the wrists and pushed me away. "Calm the fuck down Kathryn."
"Calm down?" I asked incredulously as I shook with anger. "Do you have any idea what you've done? When you faked your death and gave her that journal it destroyed my life!"
He looked around my posh living room and snarled "you seem to be doing all right for yourself."
"I went to hell and back to get everything I have today! I did things you couldn't imagine."
"Try me"
"You didn't just destroy my life, you destroyed me and you stand there smiling about it like it's some joke!"
I went after him ready to attack once again but before I could he grabbed me by the arms and hissed menacingly "an eye for an eye sweetheart. You destroyed my life so I was more than happy to return the favor."
Sebastian pushed me away roughly and I tumbled to the ground. I was stunned to say the least at his sudden mood swing but also intrigued. Sitting on the floor I watched as he went to the bar and poured himself a scotch. "What happened to you Sebastian? Why did you fake your death?"
He didn't say anything for awhile he only sat there drinking his scotch. Finally he finished and he told me his story. "When I woke up after the accident I couldn't feel my legs. The doctor told me I was paralyzed and that I would never walk again."
"You seem to be doing all right for yourself" I threw his words back at him coldly.
"Yeah well I wasn't all right" he sneered. "The prospect of spending the rest of my life in a chair was one thing but the idea that I would have to face you and everyone else was too much. I mean talk about having the last laugh, I could just picture everyone's faces when they saw the almighty Sebastian Valmont crippled."
"You're telling me you were afraid people would laugh at you?"
"Wouldn't you?" When I shrugged in response he continued on "I would have sooner died then spend my life in that chair with everyone I had wronged in the past clucking there tongues saying I got what I deserved. So I told Annette what I was going to do. I had enough money and resources to fake my death so even my own family wouldn't know. Of course she was against the whole thing but she went along with it because she loved me. I got a place up in Maine and she continued to go to school and visit me whenever she could get away."
"Well isn't that touching. Didn't someone notice these little trips of hers?"
"Hardgrove eventually figured out something was going on so she told him. As you can imagine he wasn't terribly happy that his daughter was devoting her life to a guy in a wheelchair, who faked his death, and had a reputation like mine. But Annette was determined to be with me so he didn't stand in her way."
"That year I lived for her visits and I was seeing a physical therapist so I thought any day I would regain the strength in my legs. When she got into Northeastern she begged me to come with her and suggested we could get married. She told me we could start a new life there and thinking I had very little options anyway I agreed. We got married before she started school and I was hopeful we would have a happy life."
"But you didn't, did you?"
Sebastian's blue eyes fell on mine as he replied "no we didn't. For the first few months everything was fine but then I started to get frustrated being in that wheelchair because I was starting to believe I would never be able to walk again. Meanwhile Annette was making best friends with this other guy and becoming more distant. She insisted they were just friends but I knew better."
I watched as his jaw tightened as he spoke and the hard look that appeared in his eyes. "When were you able to walk again?"
Leaning forward on the couch he said "well you should know what a great motivater anger is Kathryn. During her second year of school, right after Annette's buddy convinced her not to become a doctor I began to work harder than ever. I was obsessed with getting out of that damn chair and eventually after a slow and very painful process I was able to walk again. After that I was eager to start my life back up again and I wanted to go back to New York. Annette however was insistent that I shouldn't given she was starting up GATT and if her supposedly dead husband showed back up the papers would get wind of it and she would never secure financing. I offered to give her the money but she refused. Luckily her benefactress showed up."
I raised an eyebrow and replied "I see, so while the little wife was out starting her business what did you do?"
"I stayed in Maine" he said coldly. "whiling away the hours. I got a couple different jobs one was for this magazine out of New York but I turned it down."
"Why?" I asked shaking my head at him. "You could have gone back to New York."
"Yeah I could but I didn't because I promised Annette I wouldn't. The funny thing was the whole time I knew she was cheating on me with that loser Owen but I just didn't want to believe that after everything that we'd been through she would do something like that. Then one day this videotape shows up on my doorstep of the two of them fucking right there in her office. Right then I decided I had enough so I called up a lawyer and flew to Paris. The prospect of living in the same city as her wasn't terribly appealing. I came back to the states a few days ago to get some things before moving to Europe permanently. Then tonight I get a phone call saying Annette is in the psych ward of the hospital after stabbing her father. So I came back to see what was going on with her but when I was in the cab I told the driver to come here instead."
"Why?"
Sebastian's eyes locked with mine "you tell me."
As I ran his story back over again in my head a few things became clear. One was he had no idea I was responsible for sending Owen after Annette and two he sounded nearly as bitter as I did. That wasn't necessarily a good thing because god knows how he would react if he discovered I was the one responsible for the destruction of his marriage not to mention his wife.
Getting up from my spot on the ground I walked towards the bar and asked him "so what are you saying? That we are even now?"
He got up from his seat and stood closely behind me "no I wouldn't say that."
"Good" I retorted as I turned to him. "Because we are a long fucking way from being even."
"I would tend to agree."
We stared at one another for a long moment before I sighed "Sebastian what do you want from me? Why did you come back?"
He smiled faintly "I don't know."
Being this close to him again was bringing back all sorts of memories. It I allowed myself I could almost pretend the last four years never happened. However they did happen and I knew Sebastian was just as responsible for them as I was. That wasn't something I could forgive and I wasn't really sure if I wanted to. Still it occurred to me this was the first time I had actually felt something in a long while. The emptiness had vanished as soon as I saw him.
Pushing the thought away I walked past him and said "since you don't know what you want and it's late, maybe you should leave."
"Actually I do know what I want from you." Sebastian grabbed me suddenly and pulled me into his arms. His face was hard at first but then something flashed through his eyes when I looked at him. Before I could ask just what it was he wanted he kissed me once again. Instinctually my hands pressed against his chest trying to break away but then I realized this is what I wanted too. For years I had taunted and tempted Sebastian with sex. There was a part of me that always wanted to give into him but I never did because I knew I would lose my power over him. But now there was no reason for games so I gave into what I wanted.
As we continued to kiss and his hands slid down my body, we stumbled backwards until we fell onto the chaise lounge. I broke away from him long enough to pull my dress off. After I did he sighed "you are beautiful."
I smiled at him before leaning back in for another kiss. His hands slid around my back and unhooked my bra as I started to undue his pants. Just as I began to lower myself down on him Sebastian rolled him quickly me onto my back and I let out a yelp of surprise. I was going to insist on being on top but I quickly forgot about it. As soon as he was inside me I began to forget about a lot of things. The past, my revenge and everything else that I thought mattered. The only thing I cared about was him and that scared me but I also enjoyed it.
Sebastian fucked me hard, thrusting quickly into me while he nibbled my neck and breasts. I loved the way he touched me and the way he felt inside me. Sex had always been something I enjoyed but it was different with him somehow. For once it wasn't just to get off.
However I did get off. Pulling away from my neck as he continued to pump into me he whispered "are you close?" When I nodded in response Sebastian snaked a hand down my abdomen and reached in-between out joined bodies until his fingers brushed against my clit. I let out a loud moan as I felt my muscles clamp around him. I came clutching my legs around him and withering against the chaise in pleasure. Sebastian came in me shortly after groaning my name before collapsing against my neck.
We laid there clinging to one another for a long while before he rolled off of me. I shifted my body and rested my head against his chest. Sebastian caressed my hair as we stayed in contemplative silence. It was finally broken when he asked "so where's your bedroom?"
* Ben *
"How are you feeling honey?"
Annette smiled softly as she fingered the gray material on her shirt. I could tell she looked tired and there was a sadness in her eyes but like always she tried to hide it. "I'm fine daddy don't worry about me. How are you feeling?"
I touched the bandaged area on my right side and smiled reassuringly at her "I'm going to be just fine pumpkin. Don't worry about your old dad."
She reached out and took hold of my hand "but I do worry dad. I can't believe what I did. I could have killed you!"
"But you didn't and the important thing now is that you're getting help."
Earlier that morning I had awoken feeling much better. Since I hadn't seen Annette since arriving at the hospital I was anxious to get up and see how she was doing for myself. Kathryn has assured me after I signed the papers that Annette was just fine and would get the best care possible in the hospital. I trusted her but I needed to talk to Annette myself.
Sure enough when I arrived she looked much better than she had the night before. She was calm and was even able to not throw a fit when I mentioned Kathryn. I honestly thought we might be able to put this behind us but then she asked "daddy is Kathryn the one who suggested I stay here?"
"Well it was really the doctor and psychiatrist who thought it was best, but yes Kathryn agreed this them. She just thought that with everything that has been happening lately you might be under a little stress and should-"
"Dad" she interrupted me "she wanted you to put me in here. She might not have planned what happened last night but she purposely maneuvered you signing those forms to put me in here."
I sighed trying my hardest to hide my disappointment that she was still not yet over her obsession with Kathryn. "Annette, Kathryn didn't maneuver anything. Do you honestly think she has so much pull with me that she can control everything I do?"
She shrugged "it's starting to seem that way. I know you think I'm paranoid but just hear me out okay? Now isn't it just a little convenient that the same time Kathryn shows up in New York all the people who've wronged her in the past are now having accidents. Court is dead, her mother gets ran over by a car, Cecile is suddenly a drug addict and a prostitute and I'm in a psych ward. You can't honestly believe that it's all coincidence. I mean Cecile told my herself what Kathryn did to her."
There did seem to be a margin of truth in what Annette was telling me. I wasn't so fool as to believe it wasn't at least slightly possible that Kathryn could have something to do with those events, yet at the same time I didn't really want to believe it. When ever we were together she was so caring and sincere. It seemed impossible that it could all be an act.
"I see what you're saying Annette and you're right it all is a little convenient."
"See!" she said excitedly.
"Well hold on I'm not saying I think she's guilty of all these things"
Annette's face crumbled when I said this "oh."
"Look I promise you baby that you only have to stay in this place for another week and then you'll be released. When you get out we'll sit down and figure out this Kathryn thing but for now I want you to concentrate on getting better."
"Okay daddy but you have to promise me one thing in return."
"What's that?"
Leaning closer to me she whispered "I want you to watch your back. Whatever Kathryn is up to it's not over yet. She'll hurt you in any way she can if she thinks it will get her what she wants. Please just promise me you'll watch your back when she's around."
Looking into her frightened eyes I could tell she honestly believed I was in danger. For a moment I wondered if she could be right. Annette had never acted irrational in her whole life so why would she start now? Squeezing her hand I gave her a peck on the cheek as I assured her "I promise I'll be careful honey so long as you take care of yourself."
She nodded sadly "I will dad." Glancing up at the clock on the wall she told me "visiting hours are over with I better get back to my room. We'll you stop by tomorrow?"
"Yes I promise."
I gave her one last hug good-bye before exiting the visitors room and heading back down the hospital corridor. As I left the hospital I kept thinking about what Annette had said about Kathryn. There had to be a way to find out if it was true or not. I decided I would go and visit Cecile at that rehab center she was staying at. Maybe she could give me some answers.
As I walked out into the parking lot I noticed that there were several police cars scattered around. Not thinking much of it I headed to go get a taxi when a young man in a brown blazer approached me "are you Benjamin Hardgrove?"
"Yes, who are you?"
The man didn't answer and instead jerked his head to the side. A second later I felt myself being grabbed and then slammed down onto the hood of a police car. "What is going on?" I demanded as I felt my wrists being handcuffed.
"I'm detective Benson, Mr. Hardgrove. We took a look at your computer while you were in the hospital. Do you know what we found?"
I couldn't understand what he was talking about. What could I possibly have on my computer that was illegal? "I have no idea."
"Try several hundred photos of young boys. Several of which featured you."
My eyes went wide in horror "that's disgusting, I would never!"
"Yeah right" the man scoffed. "We got a tip last week from an anonymous young boy who claimed you made him pose for some photos with him."
"He's lying! I would never lay a hand on a child. I am a good Christian man!"
The detective scoffed "yes which makes it all the more disturbing. Put him in the back guys."
I was roughly pushed back into the police car and detective Benson got in the front. "I want a lawyer" I told him.
"Oh you're going to need one. You see I'm going to make it my personal mission to make sure you pay for what you've done."
As the car pulled away from the hospital I racked my brain trying to figure out how this could be happening. However as worried as I was for myself I kept thinking of Annette. This would destroy her when she found out. Then something she said came back to me: watch your back.
Kathryn. Could she possibly be responsible for this. I couldn't see how she could have done it. She would have needed...
Right then I recalled a few weeks ago when I awoke in the middle of the night to find her missing. I went down stairs and found her sitting at my desk doing something on the computer. At the time I thought nothing of it but now I realized what she had been doing. She set me up just as she had Annette and everyone else who she believed hurt her. Annette had been right all along but I refused to believe it. Now I would pay the ultimate price for my mistake.
* Kathryn *
For the first time in four years I woke up feeling happy. The anger and the emptiness was gone, in it's place was something else. I was content for the first time in a long time. Stretching out across my bed I opened my eyes to find I was alone. Frowning I sat up clutching the sheet to my chest. As I turned around I nearly screamed when I saw Sebastian sitting beside the bed staring at me, his expression unreadable. "God damn you scared me!"
"Sorry"
"Why are you sitting there watching me?"
A faint smile graced his lips as he replied "I got up to go to the bathroom and I didn't want to wake you climbing back into bed. Besides you know I've always enjoyed watching you sleep."
"Yeah and it freaks me out now just like it did back then" I told him.
"You thought I left you." It was a statement rather than a question. When I only shrugged in response he laughed "playing it cool as always Kat."
I cringed "don't call me that."
Sebastian leaned forward in his seat and leered at me "you didn't mind it last night when we had our little adventure on the table over there."
"Oh yes" I sighed as I glanced over at the now broken end table.
Smiling he remarked "I always said we'd break furniture together."
"Yes you did."
Getting up from his seat Sebastian took my hand and pulled me up. "Come on lets go take a shower."
Following after him I asked "are you planning on getting me dirty later?"
"Maybe"
Sebastian pulled his boxers off while I stepped inside the large glass enclosed shower. I enjoyed the sensation of the hot water running over my body when I felt him come up behind me. When I felt his already hard dick press against me I grinned and rubbed myself against him. He kissed my neck and murmured in my ear "we can play later. I want to wash you first."
"All right then" I pulled away from him and leaned my back against shower wall. Sebastian took the soap and started to lather up my body. His hands caressed me all over and when he squeezed my soapy breast I moaned.
"So you never told me, do you know this Owen guy?"
Immediately my eyes flew open, I wasn't expecting the question. This was my chance to tell him the truth but I decided against it. No way would Sebastian understand why I did what I did. Looking away from him I said nonchalantly "no not really."
He nodded and I thought he believed me until his hand moved up to my neck and then suddenly started to squeeze the life out of me. As I tried to push him away he whispered in my ear "liar, liar Kathryn." He continued to choke me as I gasped for air and tried get him off of me but he proved to be too strong.
Sebastian's eyes were now cold and I realized then I had been played. "Yes baby I know it was you who sent that asshole after Annette. I know every thing you've done and I've decided it's time you pay."
I struggled to say something back as I gasped for air but it was impossible. I passed out a second later.
- to be continued (Please Review)