So, this is a true first for me. I don't think I ever have or honestly wanted to write a chapter from Elena's point of view, but to give you all more information and more of the backstory between Flynn and Elena, I feel like it is needed... so here we go, enjoy?!
Elena
„I have told you this is a mistake... you couldn't just hand him over and now look where your sick obsession with the boy has gotten us." John hisses at me and I glare at him.
„He was too good of a fuck to give him to anyone else... you know I have no problem pulling a Mrs. Robinson to lure those little fuckers in... but Christian was different."
„And now Anastasia is on to us... you don't understand, Elena... we are done... at this point, we need to cut our losses, cover our tracks and get the fuck away."
„Oh don't be so dramatic." I groan, John believes the little bookworm can be a danger to us, which is laughable, she is in way over her head.
„I'm not being dramatic, Elena. I have conditioned Christian for years to control him, but Anastasia has always been his weakness. I couldn't get him to leave her and she will eventually figure out a way to break through to him. In addition, I'm telling you now, Anastasia Grey is not to be messed with. You haven't seen her, I have. She always had the potential which your boytoy tried to slap down... but now that she has taken control, she will find out."
„Oh please, the little bookworm doesn't know anything and she won't find any proof."
„What about Christian's security... I'm telling you, we need to get out."
„For fuck's sake, John or dare I say, Martin." I say and he glares at me.
„Don't you ever fucking call me that again!" He hisses, slipping from his British accent just for a second.
„Why not, you might as well start using your real name again once you have pissed your pants enough and run off because of a mousy little girl like Ana Grey. Plus, you have done all the dirty work... there is no link to me." I let him know with a triumphant smile and I can see the tick in his jaw.
„Careful, you left the anger issues behind you the day we killed John Flynn and you became him."
„Funny you mention that because if you even think of putting this all on me, I will bury you right next to him." He says and I raise one brow.
„Sweetheart, I made you. You were nothing but a fuck up who was doing little hypnosis tricks at parties before I found you whoring yourself out at that shady BDSM club. I own you and if I disappear all my secrets will come out and you will be the number one suspect. We are in this together, don't you ever forget that." I threaten him, if he gets any ideas I'll crush the loser just like I made him.
„I think we are done here, Elena. I'll have one more deal to wrap up, we split the cash and then that's it. I'll get Rhion and the kids and I'm out of here." He says and I roll my eyes.
„You want to run like a bitch when the business is running better than ever?" I ask but he just gives me a look and leaves.
I should have known better, years ago when we met he was convened. A broke piece of trash willing to do whatever it took to make quick cash. His little hypnosis tricks were what gave me the idea of him becoming a shrink. Dealing with fucked up kids and young adults, manipulating them into the lifestyle and then selling them to their new master for big numbers. I had the idea as soon as I heard what some of the people at the club were into. So, when I met Martin, he was perfect for my plans to get into the business.
Of course, we needed a new identity for him and in came John Flynn, a young shrink from London traveling the US. No friends, no family... way before social media was a thing. He had just received his license to practice in the US and knew no one, so we killed him and Martin became John Flynn. It was perfect and then Christian happened.
He was supposed to be a kid like all the others, just another paycheck for me, but when I had him, I knew I needed to keep him around. He was perfect, young, handsome and eager to give up control to get better. Only, I didn't want him to get better, needed him to remain broken so I could allow him the illusion of being in control when really he has been my puppet all those years and I would have been his wife by now if it wasn't for Anastasia.
She came in and everything changed, she nearly broke the hold I had over him, but John made sure it wasn't going to happen. Still, for all the control we had and still have over him, he never listened or could be manipulated into leaving her, clinging onto her like a life raft. John thinks his love for her on a subconscious level makes him understand what is happening to him, which is why he needed her to himself. At least his obsession made it easy to talk him out of wanting a family with her and made him fear the very thing he was looking forward to. He was so desperate to keep her in his life he would have done anything to achieve his goal and in the end, it even broke them up.
Of course, then the stupid bitch had to get into that darn accident and when he saw the kid he turned into the world's best Dad. Fuck my life, I wish both of them had just died. Poor kid already is as mousy as her mother and Christian should have been happy to be rid of them. Instead, I was the one who got kicked to the curb when the fucker somehow managed to break through all the brainwashing. John thinks it's because his instincts to protect his child from any harm are stronger than anything we could do, but I proved him wrong by having him pull all the triggers we have planted in his brain over the past years. I admit I didn't think he would end up as toast... but oh well, at least I have a lot of cash and know that my secrets are safe, because now that John has become a danger to my business, I will make sure he is dealt with permanently.
Taylor
„Jason, you need to sleep, please, I'm worried about you." Gail says but I shake my head.
„I need to figure this out, Gail. Grey is useless at the moment and with Ana rattling the cage she might be in way more danger than anyone can imagine. I know, I'm missing something. There has to be a connection between them, I just need enough proof to hand this over to the police."
„Have you talked to Carrick Grey?"
„Yes, he is in on it and livid, he is ready to kill them both with his bare hands. Ray Steele is also coming over, he has connections with many of his old friends from the army. Maybe we can find someone to go undercover to that club and try to... fuck I can't even say it. They are fucking selling kids, Gail. Fucked up kids who are in desperate need of help and they sell them to perverts with whips and chains." I say in utter disgust.
„Do you think that Mrs. Lincoln... you know tried to use Mr. Grey for that purpose too back when he was a child?"
„I guess so and then she kept him to herself. Christ, I should resign." I mutter.
„Why would you say that?"
„Because I didn't see any of this shit coming when I should have and now I can't even figure out their connection." I hiss and slam my fists onto the table.
„Jason, calm down. You'll get through this and will make sure that everyone involved in this will get punished. You have Leila as a witness." She says and I roll my eyes. Leila might be stable right now, but I don't trust her one bit, so she won't make a good witness to any judge.
I'm just about to reply when Ryan storms in. „Here, we just received this... the new guy is worth his weight in gold." He says and shows me pictures of first Elena and then Flynn entering the fucking BDSM club Grey was or still is a member of.
„Did he get a picture of them together?"
„No, but he said Flynn looked fucking pissed when he left and Elena was talking to someone on the phone. He couldn't hear everything she said, but what he did hear was that she told someone to fucking do it."
„Triple security on Ana and Arielle immediately, I don't care if she is giving us hell for it. The old bitch is up to something and I will be damned if that involves bringing any harm to Ana or her daughter."
„On it, and Ray Steele called, he will arrive in about fifteen minutes... he wants to see every last bit of information we have gathered so far... he is out for blood."
„Can you blame him, Ana is his only child... if my Sophie would find herself in a mess like this I would have had a lot of bodies to hide by now." I mutter darkly and start to go over the files again.
When Ray Steele arrives I can tell that he is not fucking around, barely acknowledging anyone before he starts to go through pictures and files I have given to him.
„Are there no older pictures of the bastard?" He asks after about an hour of studying everything.
„Flynn?"
„Yes, all those pictures are from after he moved to the US... where are the ones from before?" He asks and I haven't even noticed that.
„Hold on." I mutter and dial Barney. „Barney, I need you to find me pictures of John Flynn that have been taken before he moved to the US in 1995."
„Sure, on it, Taylor." He says and thirty minutes later I receive an e-mail and open it with Ray watching over my shoulder.
„Fucking hell, who is this?" I mutter.
„John Flynn.. so I guess we now have to question who the hell the guy is that pretends to be John Flynn." Ray says.
„You think he is an imposter?" I ask even though I have the evidence in front of me.
„I think the kid in the picture is John Flynn and even twenty years of aging can change the facial bone structure or eye color... so whoever the fuck Christian has been seeing as his shrink is not the same John Flynn who studied to become a shrink in England. So, who the fuck is this guy?"
„I have no idea, but I think it is time to pay him a fucking visit." I murmur and Ray follows me.
„Sir, I..."
„Don't even say it, Taylor. My daughter is now involved in this and I will not sit back and wait for shit to go down. I can handle myself and take that son of a bitch down if I have to, now get the car." He says and his tone makes it clear that I have no choice.
„Of course." I mutter and get the car, knowing that it is pointless to argue with Ray Steele. He is worried for his daughter's safety and I wouldn't act any different.
Arriving at Flynn's house Ray whistles. „Well, looks like Christian has paid him well for literally nothing."
„You could say that." I reply and ring the doorbell.
„Oh hello, Mr. Taylor." Flynn's wife says with a smile. The poor woman has probably no idea that her entire life with Flynn is nothing but a big, fat lie.
„Good afternoon, Mrs. Flynn. Mr. Steele and I need to talk to your husband."
„Come in, John came home early today, he is in his study, it's the third room on the right. Can I get you something to drink?" She asks kindly and I feel fucking bad for her.
„No, thank you, Ma'am. We're not staying long."
„Ok... how are Ana and Christian doing... I've heard some rumors at the last luncheon I attend this week."
„They'll be both better soon." I say and she points to the study and leaves us in the hallway.
Entering without knocking we catch Flynn about to throw some folders into the fireplace, but I rip them from his hand.
„Isn't it a bit warm to light the fireplace, Flynn?" I ask and hand the files to Ray.
„Taylor, what can I do for you?" He asks back.
„Tell me who the fuck you are for a start." I demand and can see him losing his composure.
„I have no idea what you are talking about."
„Fine... this is John Flynn... who the fuck are you?" I say and present him with one of the pictures.
„I have never seen this man before, but I'm sure there are many people out there who share my name." He says arrogantly and this seems to do it for Ray.
He walks over to the desk and grabs the pictures of Flynn's wife and sons.
„See them... do you care about them? Then here's your one chance... you tell us everything, we hand you over to the police and you will at least live long enough to see them grow up. Lie again and I assure you that fucking old bitch you are working with is going to get rid of you once she doesn't need you anymore, which seems to be now. So, make up your fucking mind!"
„You need to leave."
„And allow you to destroy evidence, I don't think so. Listen to me, I will tear this place down if I have to. I will find enough evidence to send you on death row. Your chance to avoid that is by spilling your fucking guts right now." I let him know, I'm done fucking around this will all come to an end right now.
We both watch as he starts to pace, runs his hands through his hair and then cusses. Fucker knows there is no way out, we may not have all the answers yet, but what we know is enough to have the police involved and put him through trial.
„It's all her fault! The fucking bitch wanted him all to herself and this is what it got us!" He finally explodes.
„What is that supposed to mean?"
„Elena is obsessed with Christian, has been since the first time she sat on his dick." He says and I remain stonefaced but inside I'm fucking cringing, the boss was a fucking kid when that happened and that old cunt shouldn't have been anywhere near his dick.
„How do you fit into all of that?"
„He was supposed to be just all the other fuck ups... a paycheck for some rich, sicko to turn him into his little pet. But Elena wanted to keep him... said she could turn him into her own pet... a success story for her to milk... it worked for a little while, but then Anastasia showed up and weakened the hold we had established over the years..."
„What kind of hold?"
„Ever heard of MK Ultra... the thought of being able to control a person always fascinated me... I'm not into torture, but the mind control aspect of it... the possibilities..." He says almost in a dreamy voice and I want to fucking murder him. Fucking with a person's mind is dangerous... and probably the reason why my boss is now institutionalized.
„Is that what you have done to Grey? Fucked with his head until it was fried?" I ask.
„Not fried... but I assume he realized that he wasn't in control and regressed back to a time where he felt save... what I did was to condition him by telling him that hypnosis therapy could be a good way to overcome his issues... go back to the root..."
Fuck my life... Grey really is their puppet. „For how long is that going on?"
„Since he first became my patient."
„So, you are telling me he was under constant hypnosis?"
„No, I established triggers that would make it easy for me to control his behavior if needed."
„Is that why he can't remember he fucked with the security system?"
„Yes. I told him to do it and forget about it. Simple."
„Simple... you fucking son of a bitch... he is a real person, not your puppet." I hiss.
„You think I care... he is just a fuck up, the son of a crack whore and without Elena and I, he would never have become the successful man he is today. We made him..."
„He has a free will!" Ray insists.
„I know that, and a strong will, I may add, I could never get him to leave your daughter and he almost broke free completely when he cared for his daughter... so we had to break that bond and what better way than to make his nightmare of Ana choosing the child over him come true... it was so easy, so predictable. I love how simple humans are." He says and it dawns on me, that Flynn is not a fucking sicko, but a sociopath with no empathy for anyone. He sees people as his puppets.
„How did you meet Elena?"
„I was dealt a shit hand of cards in life... she found me and gave me a second chance in return of becoming her partner. I was already into mind control back then... and she gave me the opportunity to work on my skills on a daily basis."
„What happened to the real John Flynn?"
„We killed him." He says void of any emotion and I give Ray a look letting him know it's time to alert the authorities. I got more than I was hoping for the rest is for the authorities to deal with.
After Flynn has been taken into custody and we have made sure that his hysterical wife is been taken care of by a neighbor we leave, but all I can think of is that this may have been too much. Maybe they have just messed with Grey's head so bad that there is nothing left to fix and I have no idea how his family and everyone else in his life will deal with that knowledge.