AN: Thank you to all of the readers who expressed concern over my illness, and shared their well wishes. I began chemotherapy on Valentine's Day (I know right?) of all days and my last treatment was on May 30th. I was originally scheduled for eight infusions, but learned after my sixth infusion and third scan that my lymphoma (I thought about capitalizing lymphoma, but decided against it because it clearly is not so tough – since I kicked its malignant ass) was in remission though I have to be monitored for the next year for reoccurrence. I have no hair and have gained weight believe it or not, because my chemo regimen included heavy doses of steroids, but I am ALIVE and as well as expected at this junction, so I'll take it! Slowly I am beginning to feel like myself again and each day I feel stronger. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.
I have been working on the Pinterest page for Tempt-Ting – please let me know your thoughts.
Pinterest dot com slash Tempting1097 /
Chapter 17 – Here comes…forever
APOV
"Shit Ana!..." Christian grunts, trying hard not to fall apart too soon. My body feels like I am on fire, in a good way, as I ride my husband grinding my core roughly as I take him all in while leaning and arching my back bracing myself on his knees. In a moment of passion and boldness I grab his hand and suck his newly minted ring finger into my mouth, the finger that now boasts the platinum yesterday, today and forever band I chose for him. I get now just what a turn on my engagement ring was for Christian, it is so sexy having him beneath me naked accept for my ring…my mark…mine.
Christian leans forward licking my sensitive nipples while thrusting upward to meet my determined strokes.
"So wet baby…so good…Ana, come for me baby…I want you to come so hard for me baby…" He says as he reaches between us and lightly pinches my clit between his thumb and forefinger, I scream out my release falling apart at his words and ministrations.
Day ten of our honeymoon has started just as fabulous as the rest. We have wined and dined in Europe's finest restaurants, Mia put together a restaurant guide of sorts that included all of the sage traveler must eats as well as hidden gems the locals cherish. We spent many days both sailing and swimming in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, it's funny, Kate and I took a trip to London after graduation along with our parents – we had a fabulous time of course, but nothing compares to seeing Europe with Christian, nothing will ever rival the sight of my husband, CEO extraordinaire on a tandem bike riding carefree, smiling and laughing like the teenager that was lost, my heart swells when I think of that day. Later today we are heading to Saint Johns for the remainder of our honeymoon, we plan to relax, regroup and be pampered before returning to the real world, and while we plan to snorkel and take advantage of the water sports in the beautiful Caribbean – relaxation is the name of the game for the last leg of our vacation – sated and relaxed that is.
Our wedding was absolutely beautiful and I say that without any false modesty – the weather was perfect and our day went off without a hitch. Our small group of about eighty-five people made the occasion all the more meaningful. It was not that we were being snobby or exclusive about our list at all – it was just that our wedding meant something very sincere, loving and private to us – therefore we only wanted to be surrounded on that day by those who actually love and wish us well. Neither of us was interested in some sideshow media event, our black and white wedding that began promptly at six was so incredibly elegant and special – it was everything I could have dreamed of and more, but the best part was the man of my dreams that waited for me at the end of the isle. I. Am. So. In. Love.
The cocktail hour was elaborate and lasted for more than two and a half hours – starting at about three thirty. There were passed heavy hors d'oeuvres, champagne infused with blackberries and an antipasto display that was gorgeous. Mia did an amazing job with the menu, there was everything from Asiago and sausage stuffed mushrooms to Sushi, the displays were gorgeous and the food was delicious. Our bridal party of course enjoyed our cocktail hour in our suites, but Mia made sure we had photographs of the displays before they were disturbed, and both the videographer and photographer captured every single moment of the event – leaving nothing out. I cannot wait to see our pictures and videos and relive what was the most amazing day of my life.
We decided on traditional vows, with a bit of a twist in that we recited them at the beginning of the ceremony as if we were just talking to one another. The officiant weaved in other traditional parts of the ceremony, but we did nothing in order so that it seemed spontaneous and tailor made to fit Christian and I. It was lovely.
Christian chose live chamber music for the cocktail hour and hired Calvin Harris and DJ Khaled for the reception along with a local cover band that was incredible with a diverse repertoire. We danced for hours! Our first dance was Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts, we chose this song together and agreed that there were so many mishaps, twists of fate and chicken pox that had to occur in order for Christian and I to find one another – it's also fitting that though the road that led us together may have been a broken one, we pulled together the pieces and are made strong together. We danced our first dance in a room full of people in a space that quietly overlooks the Pacific Ocean – a view both spectacular and fitting. I waiting all day to be enveloped in my husband's arms, this like our view as we danced was paradise.
The days leading up to the wedding had been challenging and with the wedding taking place in California there were logistical bumps and with two perfectionists like Christian and I neither of us wanted to leave anything to chance. Navigating the issues that arose were made considerably less complicated due to the fact that my parents live in California albeit hours from the venue and that we had taken over the entire resort as of the Wednesday before our wedding. Even though the rest of the party did not arrive until Thursday, Christian and I flew out on Tuesday evening along with Gail, Taylor, Sawyer and Lillian and had a day alone at the resort on Wednesday, we needed this time together before the wedding festivities got underway and Taylor and Sawyer got some much needed time with their significant others. A friend of Taylor's owns a firm that arranged executive security for our time in California, including the securing of the resort and close protection, which Taylor coordinated. The rest of our security team arrived with the wedding party. Most guests will be arriving to attend the wedding on Saturday and staying over until Sunday morning.
Hyden was such a distant memory at this point, as was Elena, though I could not help the feeling that perhaps she might pop up to somehow interrupt our nuptials, because her ultimate goal was – I actually cannot fathom what really. But there was no doubt in my mind that she would fly over on her broom and scribble 'Surrender Anastasia' across the sky as I stood with Christian on the precipice of our happily ever after. She had to understand on some level that Christian would never be hers romantically, so I believe her desire was to have control over Christian if she could not have him for herself, it was why she had always been so invested in finding companions for him, that way she could control his love narrative.
What Elena did in the process was to create a vacuous existence for Christian, ensuring that he would never find happiness or even contentment – scarily she almost succeeded. What she did succeed in doing however, is creating a fifteen member legion of the walking wounded ala Grey. The women Christian contracted, or should I say some of the women Christian contracted were broken souls who in spite of the origins of the relationship romanticized their involvement and having found no comparable or suitable companionship – were left a mere shell of themselves, longing for a life that unfortunately existed solely in their creative and in some cases broken minds. When I think back to the week before our wedding, I realize how naïve I had been, in that I had focused primarily on the damage that had been done to my now husband. I could not have anticipated how wrong I was or how damaging her influence had been in the lives of others.
###
One week before the wedding
"Ana? Your ten-thirty is here." Terri informs through the intercom.
My morning has been buzzing along quite nicely - so far I have been mired in paperwork, my self-imposed directive to stay atop of all things Elite though I have complete confidence in my partner and staff I cannot help the feeling of abandoning the team, this is actually the first time I have taken any time off, I need to learn to relax. We have tons of work to do because the office will be closed on Thursday and Friday of next week to allow our staff to attend the wedding as well as allot for their travel time. In just over a week I will be Christian's wife and I cannot help the perma-smile that graces my face.
I enter reception and I am greeted by a striking red headed woman, very well dressed in I believe a DKNY suit I perused in Nordstrom recently. I read her curriculum vitae and while on paper she is quite impressive, I find her spotty work history and quite frankly her need for a head hunter at this stage in her career a bit intriguing. She received her J.D. from Columbia law, attended Yale undergrad – so while I am not sure about a placement for her, my curiosity tells me there is quite the story here. My reputation for matching the right partner with the right position and company is one I take seriously and while ultimately the satisfaction of the client is the ultimate goal, I also look for a win in every match – partners with hinky work history generally do not get a second look but her education and work history piqued my curiosity and what mini-mogul does not love a challenge.
"Ms. Parker? Anastasia Steele," I say in greeting extending my hand.
"Please call me Susanna." She says, perhaps gripping my hand a bit too tightly before releasing, maybe she is nervous. I am not sure.
"Yes, why don't we get settled in the conference room – I have your profile and matrix all set up."
After we have gone over her work history and her goals in meeting with a headhunting firm and reminding her that she granted permission to record both our interview and a mock interview at the end of our session, I get down to brass tacks.
"So, Ms. Parker why have you chosen Elite to aid in your employment search?"
"Well, Anastasiaaa…" she sing songs my name, and I sense both tension and a challenge of some sort.
"Ms. Steele." I interrupt.
"Miss Steele." She repeats with a smirk for good measure.
"I wanted to meet you."
"Excuse me?"
"I wanted to meet the woman that snagged Christian Grey." Oh brother…and there is that weird smirk again.
I stand, but not close to her, and consider pressing the button on the conference room phone that pages Sawyer.
"Whoa! Don't get all weird on me…."
"You want me not to be weird? You show up at my office under false pretenses and I am behaving weirdly?" I say not repressing my anger – making sure she makes no furtive moves towards her purse and that I see her hands. I swear if she moves she will take a Jimmy Choo to the face.
"He will throw you away you know." She says with an evil somewhat satisfied glint in her eyes.
"He was wonderful to me, he left his mark…so to speak. And I know he misses the sex." Oh brother, clearly she believes having a vagina somehow makes her unique, that is so nineties.
"If that is true – then why are you here Ms. Parker and not planning your wedding to Christian? Or better still, why not just sit back and watch the carnage and enjoy whatever sick satisfaction you would gain from watching us fall apart, while you wait for Christian to come running back into your loving arms?" Her mouth gapes open and after at a loss for words, her mouth opens and closes a couple of times – I continue.
"High school catty clique cat got your tongue? Thing is, you have no idea what you are talking about, because you never knew Christian." I emphasize his name, knowing she has likely never spoken his name, out loud anyway.
"Your relationship was clearly defined – and Christian was never dishonest with you in any way, you knew what you were singing up for, we women always do don't we?" I have to be very careful here, she could be wearing a recording device – as a matter of routine I record my partner interviews as indicated in the online application each partner candidate must sign, I want it clear that there are no secrets between Christian and I without indicating anything implicit about his former life. She raises her eyebrows, clearly surprised that I know anything about his life before me.
That's right bitch. I know everything.
"You came here hopefully to what? Hurt me? Stop our wedding? Do you honestly believe I am the reason the two of you are not together? Or are you just petty and jealous?" Her eyes are wide filled with an emotion I cannot decipher.
"You do not know me, or anything about me – yet you dressed and came here today, clearly you have known about me for some time now, I mean we have been all over the tabloids and local media, but you waited until now to pull this, clearly your intent was to hurt Christian and I. Tell me, how is that working out for you?"
"You know nothing about him." She says barely above a whisper.
"Why don't you enlighten me then – I mean what exactly is stopping you? Tell me all of the dirty secrets you have on my fiancé – and allow me to sort it all out for myself." She knows that she is in direct violation of her NDA already, I want to see just how far she is willing to take this – as well as just how far she has already gone.
"Why are you here?!" I yell, startling her.
"I…I he said he could never give me more! He could never give anyone more! What is so special about you!? You're nothing."
At this point Sawyer rushes through the door, having no doubt been alerted by Terri or Jose about the shouting. When he walks in he is immediately stunned by the sight before him – clearly he recognizes Susanna, though she is now a red head – I am sure that her appearance has not changed much in just under two years.
"Ana, are you okay?" He asks not taking his eyes off of Susanna.
"I am fine Sawyer, Ms. Parker here…"
"Her last name is Hartley." He interrupts.
"That is why there were no flags raised – she is using an assumed name Ma'am."
That certainly explains it – Christian had provided Jerome with the names of all of his former subs and a few other people who might pose a threat to me, including some weasel named Skinner from one of those rag magazine/online newsletters. Those names were fed into our system to create an alert that would not be detected by the end-user should they sign onto our system. It was intended to prevent an occurrence such as this one.
"I sent T a message and he is on his way as is Welch."
"Perfect."
"I need to contact Mr. Grey – he may want to be here as well." I notice the corners of Ms. Parker Hartley mouths turn up at the mention of Christian coming here…both of her mouths.
"Absolutely not! I will call Christian – from my office, I do not want him anywhere near her. This whole thing or at least part of it was her sad and desperate attempt to find herself in his company again." I say as though she is not even in the room. I then direct my attention to her.
"You will never again for the rest of what is about to be your miserable life occupy a room with my soon to be husband – never again." Her face falls.
I leave the room temporarily to phone Christian, and after he gets over his anger at the fact that I was in a room alone with his former sub for any length of time, having not summoned Sawyer immediately – he agreed that his showing up would ultimately give Susanna exactly what she wanted. He was completely thrown for a loop that Susanna of all people would have pulled this given the fact that she is an attorney and willingly signed the NDA.
"Why the fuck would you come here?" I hear Taylor shout as I re-enter the conference room. Susanna is in tears and I notice the contents of her purse have been emptied onto the conference table and her shoes have been removed."
"I wanted to warn her – he told me he could not love anyone."
"Have you ever stopped to think he was just trying to soften the blow of blowing you off?" Taylor snaps, shaking his head with pity. She looks crestfallen.
"You are an attorney Ms. Hartley…" Welch continues as she tries to compose herself.
"You signed an NDA, did you not?" She nods her head yes.
"Did you drive the Audi A6 Mr. Grey provided for you here today?" Her eyes widen in horror.
"Yes."
"Please hand over the keys."
"No you cannot do that! Wait!" She laments, unwittingly touching the pocket of her blazer in the process, giving away the location of her car key.
"Would you like to establish a repayment plan today or shall I email you the details?" Welch states, seemingly annoyed having rattled off her email address. NoHrdLims1? Really?
"Details of what?"
"Repayment of the more than fifty thousand dollars of post agreement assistance you received from Mr. Grey, in addition to the car, per your signed agreement."
"Please don't do this."
"I am sorry, but it is done. You may keep the key, the car has already been removed and you are hereby given notice of your impending eviction from the condominium you rent from Mr. Grey's business associate, at a considerable discount I might add." At this she dissolves into tears.
"As of…" He checks his watch.
"Fifteen minutes ago you have been locked out of that residence. You make take my card and contact me when you are ready to remove your belongings – you have forty-five days from today…"
"Please talk to Mr. Grey, please tell him…?"
"Save your breath Ms. Hartley. This is at Mr. Grey's direction – I speak on his behalf. You have forty-five days to arrange to pick up your belongings or they will be disposed of."
"Why is he being so cruel to me…I will have nothing." She says sobbing a bit too dramatically for my liking. Whatever chick.
"Why is he being so cruel to you?" I can no longer hold my tongue.
"You come into my office – a move you have been clearly planning for some time – saying hurtful things about my relationship with Christian in an effort to destroy our future together and you think Christian is being cruel to YOU! Does the word irony mean anything to you?" She continues to cry, while averting her eyes from my now deliberately hateful gaze.
"Please…I'm sorry. I should have never taken her call." Boom! And there it is.
"Whose call?" Welch asks, as Taylor removes a recording device embedded in the lining of her knock off Chanel clutch.
"Elena." She says lowering her head.
"You have been in touch with her? Have you been hiding her?"
"What!? No! She contacted me a couple of months ago – she was calling a lot of us from what I heard. I was told by Melanie to ignore her because she had fallen out of favor with Mr. Grey. But, she called from a number I did not recognize and I answered it. You have to understand, she made me believe I was special to him and that he turned me away because he was just not ready for a love like ours. She told me that Ana…Ms. Steele was manipulative and conniving and was only after his money, that he only thought he loved her because she had been successful in turning him against our lifestyle and Mistress Elena. She told me the only way that Sir and I could be together is if we killed Ms. Steele, we were supposed to do it at the ball – I mean I was supposed to help her take her – but she was never alone…"
"You were there?" I ask, having not remembered ever seeing her before today. Though they were unable to kidnap me that night her confession makes my blood run cold.
"Yes – she was supposed to create a moment where Sir was distracted and you were alone, but she approached the table, that was not part of the plan and security only got tighter around you two and I was on my own after she was thrown out – so I just went home."
This whole thing is truly sinister. I want to keep her talking though, so I nod at Welch.
"When did you last speak to her?" Welch pushes.
"I talked to her the day before her place burned down – I came back that morning to see her, to talk about what we should do to try again and there were police and fire engines everywhere. I saw everything on the news and I just gave up I figured she was dead or on the run. I kept waiting for police to come and arrest me, but they never did."
"So you decided to come here, to what try to talk me out of marrying Christian?"
She does not answer.
"Well?"
"I wanted to see how tight your security was, get you to trust me – but I, I had to know I could not help myself. What is it about you that is…more, what do you have that I don't?"
Crazy bitch.
Since Susanna had basically admitted she conspired with Elena to kidnap and kill me we had her arrested. She readily confessed after being reminded of the videotaped evidence to which she agreed when she signed up for Elite, she is in jail awaiting sentencing for aggravated stalking and conspiracy. Her attorney tried to mount a diminished mental capacity defense, sighting childhood abuse and a former abusive boyfriend, however, the evidence of her stalking found in her condo and computer was overwhelming – she had been stalking Christian and I for some time. She began stalking Christian after their contract ended and continued when we started dating. At one point her attorney threatened to expose information about Christian's past if we refused to drop the charges – was that ever a mistake. Carrick stepped in and asked how he planned to make the fantasies told to him by a woman for whom he just argued diminished capacity believable. Additionally, Carrick's team had discovered that her attorney had been her dom prior to Christian and he had been angry that Susanna did not renew their contract opting instead to become Christian's sub. He folded and convinced his client to plead guilty, which she did for a reduced sentence. Elena's charges were also upgraded as a result, she will never come out of hiding now. I hope.
We learned that Susanna was the one who had contacted Elena, according to phone records, not the other way around. Additionally, she had even slept with Elliot shortly after she and Christian ended. From what we could tell she did extensive research on the Greys and decided Elliot was a soft target because of his penchant for womanizing. She hooked up with him at a club he frequents and he had gone to her place. Elliot being the dog he was had left while she slept and since her plan was to get into his phone and or use him to glean information on Christian – that plan failed miserably. She wanted Elena's help and was turned down but after the article Elena contacted her along with every other ex-sub just like she said. All contact had ended after the gala – she did manage to tell the truth about that. We are not sure why Elena brought attention to herself, it seems very odd for her to have done that considering what was at stake, there had to be another prong to that plan – one that Susanna did not know about. My guess was she was likely to be the fall person in this scenario – It is clear there was someone else involved in the plot who was also there that night.
In addition we discovered that Elena had used Susanna to glean information on and tank an embezzlement case involving some associate of hers that Susanna's firm handled as her show of loyalty to Elena and her nefarious plans. The breach of the case information was quickly discovered by an astute paralegal and Susanna was dismissed from her position when she was unable to present a valid reason for why she had signed onto the electronic file cabinet for the case and download confidential work product for a case to which she had not been assigned.
###
CPOV
Ana was so surprised when I walked her into our new penthouse in Paris. She absolutely loved it and thanked me that night – repeatedly. I have never known such gratitude, I smirk to myself. It took some maneuvering to get Gia Matteo flown to France to secure the deal before we left, but I have a way of getting things done. Ana is having a facial right now after I made her late for her appointment – I cannot seem to get enough of my wife. Tonight I plan to gift her with her charm bracelet – I have been collecting charms along our journey – and while I am sure there will be a place in St Johns to add to her charms I want to make sure she has a beautiful momentum of our last night here, before leaving here.
The day of our wedding was without question the best day of my life at that point, everything was perfection. I have never danced and laughed and enjoyed myself so much, ever in my life. I have an amazing wife and family, life could not be better.
It was all I could do not to interfere when Susanna decided to show up at Elite and attempt to cause trouble for Ana and I – and while I was really pissed initially I ultimately yielded the dust up to the wisdom of Ana and my security. Right now back at home my team is working full steam ahead to find Elena's other accomplice in the plot to kidnap Ana – talk about insanity. I am grateful that both of those criminal masterminds were unable to control their emotions causing them on two occasions to foil their own plots. Welch assured me that he believes Elena had no intention really of taking Ana – but used that as a ploy to get Susanna involved, and that she had always intended to expose her as the patsy when her true plan was realized. Elena never believed that her little stunt at the gala would cause me to pull the rug from under her – and since she is underground now we cannot torture the details out of her to find out who she had as an accomplice. But we will find them and when we do – they will be brought to justice.
The resort at Pelican Hill is opulent and exclusive – our wedding party including our families enjoyed the luxurious villas, while our guests had their choice of bungalows and all of the amenities the resort has to offer. The wedding party, which included all of our parents arrived late Wednesday evening because we scheduled a day for the men aboard the Grace which I had Mac and the rest of the crew bring over on Wednesday as well. The women in the party bonded over spa treatments, lunch, a winery tour and shopping – we thought it would be great to spend the day aboard my boat fishing, eating and drinking entirely too much Hendricks. The idea seemed benign enough – but nothing could have prepared us for what did happen.
Thursday – two days before the wedding
"Hey." El greets kissing the top of my head. "What are you doing over here all by yourself?"
"Nothing really, I was just taking in the view, wondering if Ana is having a good time."
"Kate would barely let me out of bed – if she hadn't thrown up again I would have missed our departure." He remarks – then his face morphs into regretful El when he notices my reaction to the word again.
"Elllll?"
"What?" He chuckles, looking anywhere but at me?
"Okay fine! Yes. And I have never been happier about anything…ever."
I grab my brother and hug him close to me. "Congratulations. When were you going to tell me?"
"When you guys got back from your honeymoon. She is only about nine weeks right now, so we want to get through the first trimester and Kate was adamant that she did not want to take any of the attention away from the two of you and your wedding."
"We appreciate that, but you know that Ana would have been thrilled regardless, but I understand. You nervous?"
"Only because I had planned to ask Kate to marry me after you guys left for your honeymoon and I don't want her to feel like I'm only asking because she's pregnant. She was always my future, I just don't want her insecurities to make her doubt that, you know?"
"I understand and I'm happy for you both you will make a great husband and father El…I cannot wait to meet..." I am interrupted by the slurred ramblings of Mr. Kavanaugh. Great.
"Faaaathur!? Faaaathuuur!?...Well it figures, she never has been too bright."
"What the fuck!?..." El starts towards a very inebriated Mr. Kavanaugh causing me to have to restrain him, though I don't know why I should have – if anyone is in desperate need of a good shellacking it would be this smug bastard.
"Just our luck she picks the manual labor Grey. Perfect. Way to lower the baaah."
"El, please…let me handle this." I plead.
"Mr. Kavanaugh my brother runs a multimillion dollar construction and real estate conglomerate that employs many, many people and with all of the innovative technology he hopes to introduce to market soon, he will put many more to work – not to mention increase his earnings exponentially. He is hardly some loser. What exactly is your problem with my brother, more importantly with your own daughter?"
"Fuck you Grey, you don't know shit about my family." He slurs.
"I know you cheat on your wife, who on a purely esthetic level could do so much better than you. I know you treat your kids like shit, especially your daughter who has finally found happiness and love with a man who worships her and you have a problem with it. Why?"
"You have no idea what you are spweeking about…"
"I know I have had it with your imperious bullshit Kavanaugh. I know if you don't want to swim your drunk ass back to Pelican Hill you'll shut your fucking mouth or I will shut it for you. How about that?"
"Don't expect me to bail you out when your swittle construckshun company goes belly up…"
I point to my chest.
"Billionaire. Elliot will NEVER have to ask you for anything, and that goes double for his wife and child."
"She got around you know…do yuuuuu even know if…"
He doesn't get the last word out before I flatten him and he's tasting the upper deck of the Grace.
"You would think with all that media capital you would have bought yourself some manners. Now listen to me, when we return to the resort you will make an excuse to your family, pack your shit and go."
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm going to fucking slue...slue…I swill see you in court Grey, I'm going to rooon you!"
"Fine, you do that – and I will make sure that your lovely wife gets the photos of you and Donna Harper, your latest twat, leaving your suite at the Waldorf Astoria last month where she travelled with you for the Media Now conference." He turns white as a ghost.
"She is a colleague." Well that sobered him up.
"Well that much is true sir, I understand, after all I am a businessman – I don't however kiss and grope my colleagues in hotel hallways." If he thought he could kick my ass he would make a move, but one look at me and at El who looks like he wants to rip him apart with his bare hands and he shrinks away.
"Like I was saying, I will have a car waiting for you once we return to Pelican Hill…"
"I don't give a shit, tell her – what is she gonna do, leave me? She will wind up with…" Why does this jackass keep interrupting me?
"Everything!" Ethan says. I have no idea when he arrived, but this is bad, very very bad.
"You in on this you little ungrateful schwit?"
"Yes, that's it – I have conspired with the Greys because nothing is ever your fault is it Father? Okay…so! If you fail to do as Christian says, I will make it my mission to not only make sure that Mom leaves you and takes every dime she can get from you, but I will also gift her my majority shares of KM and throw your sorry ass in the street."
"Majority shares my ass!" He scoffs and chuckles at his son.
"Yes, majority shares. You see if you focused on your company that you basically ran in the ground as much as you did on your dick – when you sold off those shares to that CBS subsidiary you would have figured out that that company was publicly traded and paid attention to the trades, you sanctimonious prick. I own seventy percent of KM, which means I own you and if you fail to follow Christian's instructions and I mean to the letter, I will fucking sell KM to Elliot for the sum of one damn dollar. Do you understand?!" Ethan is shaking at this point, so I touch his shoulder – to both let him know we have his back and to make sure he is okay.
"As I was saying Mr. Kavanaugh, the car will be ready when you arrive at Pelican Hill. If you open your mouth about Kate, after Ethan has taken your company and ended your marriage – I'll let El here kick your ass."
El, Ethan and I turn and walk away leaving him to stew in his pickled juices, and to enjoy what is left of the day he tried to ruin.
"So, Elliot? We should chat huh?" Ethan says, raising his eyebrow at El.
###
ElenaPOV
Without food and water I have been weak, very weak. The pain I feel is enormous – for what must be weeks now I still hear noises in the background, noises I cannot discern.
I knew when they placed me back in here that I would not be leaving again, the wire in my mouth has cut into the sides of my mouth and it hurts so bad even though the wounds have begun to heal around the wire – this is the least of my misery.
I am aware when I begin to hear sounds like tapping on top of my box that – I am being buried alive – I feel the grit of dirt hit my face through my breathing hole, and although I know it is my end, I am so hungry that if I could open my mouth and produce enough saliva to swallow I would eat the dirt.
I can no longer breathe and I am in agony, not because of the lack of air, but because I know this was intended to take a very long, long time.
My throat and eyes burn as I gasp for non-existent air.
I don't deserve this.
I did nothing wrong.
I made Chri…
###
APOV
Sounds of waves hitting the shore
"Christian, I wish we could stay here forever."