Ch. 16

More was all Damon had ever wanted from Elena. He'd wished it from the moment he felt her trembling hand in his on that rainy day. Now, that might all be gone forever. Damon sighed as he remembered the morning's events. It all began with his father.

One hour earlier...

He'd been in a rush to get ready, as Elena lay asleep underneath the covers on his bed. He had taken a moment to relish in her beauty, before puling on his jacket— no tie, there wasn't time—and heading out of his office across the hall into the lions lair. His father Giuseppe Salvatore had always been a hard man to get close to. Even in his childhood Damon could barely recall a moment in which he had done something to make his father beam with pride. That pride seemed to always be kept for Stefan and his accomplishments. Sure Damon had done his best, busted his butt putting himself thorough every higher education level he could think of in order to please his father. Yet somehow, even on the days of his own celebration he would find his father inebriated or not interested in what he had to say.

So, why was meeting him this morning now so important to him? He'd done everything his father had wanted. He'd distracted Elena. Hell he'd even fallen more deeply in love with her than he'd anticipated. How could this go wrong?

Entering he closed the door behind him and found Giuseppe sitting behind his desk smoking a cigar. Damon found this behavior odd, as his father only seemed to smoke when he'd taken over a business.

"There you are son. Come sit down, we have a lot to discuss."

"Well there's a first." Damon stated sitting in a leather chair opposite his father.

"Don't get smart with me boy. I could end you as easily as I made you." Giuseppe snapped. The comment made his father shoot him a look of pure malice, so he sat up straight and listened. He knew his father could crack the whip when he wanted to, and he didn't want to be around when it did.

The silence within the room only seemed to magnify. Damon decided to be the first to break the tension.

"So what seems to be the problem?"

"No problem Damon, as long as you do what I ask."

"That seems a bit vague, care to clarify that statement?"

"Well, I was talking with Bill Forbes last night. It seems that he's had a lot of guys after him and his business…what's another word for that?"

"Whore." Damon spat. His father's eyes met his then, with a fierceness that shook him to the core.

"Actually I was thinking something more, debutante. Somebody else wants to 'be in bed' with Forbes Magazine. It seems Intel has also given him an offer. One where he doesn't have to worry or be told how to run his company."

"He can't do that, he doesn't have the resources." Damon stated in disbelief.

"He said he couldn't possibly entertain the offer, because we are practically family. Although there was some hesitation from his end seems Caroline has been feeling neglected lately. Stefan doesn't seem to be holding up his part of the deal."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Oh darling son. It has everything to do with you." He stated, standing up and going over to the window. "You're little plaything has been more of a distraction than I initially gave her credit for. Seems she's been able to dig her claws into both of my sons."

"Don't talk about her like that." Damon said coolly. He would not have his father thinking of Elena as another slut that Stefan used to preoccupy his time. She wasn't like that.

"You know what intrigues me? Your sympathy for her. What does she have over you that you would let this million-dollar merger go to waste, huh? Must have some pussy on her."

"That's enough." Damon said firmly, his anger rising as he closed the distance between him and his father. "You know nothing about her, and she is not a plaything for you to toy with. She's the woman I love." He added coldly as his father turned to face him, his expression was one of disdain.

"Love? " his father questioned, chuckling as he put out his cigar.
"What is love in the name of business? You were told to be a distraction, but that plan has gone to waste. You're just a cog in a machine that doesn't work anymore, and I will not lose this company to your selfishness."

Damon swallowed as tightness lined his throat. It felt as though his father and cut his very soul.

"I built this company. You wouldn't have it if it wasn't for me." He spat at his father, his anger was white hot, and he was just getting started.

"Like hell you did. I'm the one that holds your job in my hands, along with your reputation. Never forget that." Giuseppe said, his hand coming to rest firmly on Damon's shoulder. His hand clasped around his clavicle with the amount of sensitivity as a bulldog. He was staking his claim, and showing him his strength.

This was a threat.

"So what's your plan then? Surely you're not going to give up that easily."

"No, I'm not. I'm fighting back and you're going to help me do it. This little charade with Elena will continue. You will find a way to get rid of her, permanently. Or you will lose this job, and I promise no one in this town will be able to afford to touch you let alone hire you."

"So that's it then huh? You want me to get rid of her permanently? God only knows what you mean by that. You'd almost have to kill her to get your way." He said sarcastically. Meanwhile the man next to him didn't laugh or brush it off like he supposed he would. Instead he said,

"Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind. That little bitch has almost destroyed this company. She's already got you so delusional that you'll do anything for her. Its seems I've lost a son, and a merger all in one day."

"That's the thing Dad. You can't lose something you never had." Damon spat, and with that he stood up and exited the office.

An hour later…

Damon sat in his own office gazing out the window and wondering how his life had gotten so severely screwed up. What was worse was that Elena had left his bed this morning without so much as a goodbye note. He'd taken her body and soul, and he didn't regret a moment of it, but had she? Thoughts of her and what they were continued to plague him as his anxiety over her grew.

To add insult to injury he was now faced with a crossroads in his life. Keep Elena and kill her, or loose her and save her.

He wouldn't put it past his father to get his way. Which ultimately would force him to do the one thing he never thought he'd do: send her away.

Pressing the button on his phone he heard Rose connect and respond instantly. "Mr. Salvatore?"

"Rose, I need you in here."

"Right away sir." She stated, and came bustling into his office.

"I need you to get me two tickets on Air France to Paris. One in my name and one in the name of Elena Gilbert, that's it." He said, dismissing her.

"What day are we flying?" she asked taken aback by the brashness of his demeanor.

"Tomorrow."

"Right away sir." Rose said with a look of alarm, turning away she walked towards the door to exit when she stopped abruptly to add, "Oh, one more thing. You're mothers here to see you. I know you didn't have an appointment so she's waiting out in the lobby. Should I send her in?"

Crap. His mother and his father all in one day? This could be a hoot.

"Sure. Send her in." Not like this day could get any worse. He thought.

Moments later Laura Salvatore entered the room without a minute's hesitation.

"Damon, are you all right?" she inquired, sensing his distress at the sight of him. He did admit he did look rather bizarre. His hair was in disarray, his stubble was growing in due to his lack of shaving this morning, and the absence of his tie would send any of his staff into a tizzy. He hadn't missed wearing a tie since he began his work here five years ago.

"As well as to be expected." He said.

"Well, I just spoke with your father. It seems Bill Forbes is making a veiled threat about the merger."

"There is no veil."

"Should we do something about it?"

"No, I'm taking care of it. I'm going to Paris tomorrow." He admitted.

"What?"

Laura's demeanor changed. She suddenly looked intrigued, and came forward to sit across the desk from him. He sank down into the chair across from her with a sigh, leaving his window and the source of his solace.

"It's a long story." He replied.

"I like long stories."

"Well something tells me you're not going to like this one, or how it ends."

"Try me." She stated, daring him to tell her more.

"Well…things have been progressing with Elena. We've…bonded." He said, and reached for his full tumbler filled with his favorite bourbon. He needed it for moments such as these. Taking a sip he turned in his chair, so he wouldn't have to look into his mother's eyes, he continued.

"Last night over a handful of burning food, I told her my life was in need of some radical changes. I told her I was thinking of getting away, going to Paris. She thought that was a great idea."

"And she believed you?" Laura asked, she always could see right through him.

"More than that I think she'll want to go with me."

"How do you know?" she asked hopefully.

"The same way I knew how to make this company. I just know." He said setting down his glass on the table, and pulling his hair out of his eyes with both hands.

"So here's how its going to play out. Elena will go to Paris with me. A wiser Stefan will go back to Caroline, and I'll come back from Paris to sign the papers. The merger will close. We'll make a very large sum of money, and you can buy a house in Tuscany."
"I already own a house in Tuscany. What happens to Elena?"

"She grows up, away from all of this, and away from me. Trust me she'll be better for it." He states, lifting the glass once again to his lips and taking a generous sip of the amber liquid.

"You're going to ditch her?" standing up she goes to the window to look out into the sky. "My goodness. I didn't raise my son to act like this."
"Well how did you think this was going to go mother? Did you think there was some nice way to do it, some sweet way?"

"I don't know what I thought." She snapped at him turning to look at him once more. "But I sure didn't want you to destroy an innocent girl. She deserves to be…"

"Happy?" Damon said, cutting her off. "Trust me, I would give anything to make that happen."

After a moment of silence he added,

"You've never once been around the day after we take over someone's business have you? You're always going to get a massage or get your nails done to celebrate. You've never once seen their faces. Seen their dreams going up in smoke, but I have."

"I think I'm getting old. I feel terrible." She replied, the strength from before leaving her eyes.

"Take a pill" Damon spat. Glancing back to the documents on his desk with malice.

"Watch it. I'm still your mother."
"And you taught me everything I know."
"I didn't teach you this." She said, and with that she walked out of his office and slammed the door.

Grateful for the moment alone, Damon reached for the phone and dialed Elena's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Good morning." Damon said, feeling anxious about her reply.

"Damon." She breathed, she sounded happy, and for a split second Damon wished that all could be as it was the day before. Before he knew about any of this, of what he had to do to her.

"Listen, I was wondering if wouldn't mind taking a trip back into the city. I have some business I need to discuss with you."

"Business?" she asked, her voice dropping.

"Yeah. I was wondering if you could meet me here this afternoon."
"I don't know there's something I need to do..." she stated drifting off.

"It would mean a great deal to me if you could."

"Ok, anything for you Mr. Salvatore." She said, and he practically melted on the spot.

"See you in a few Miss Gilbert." He replied and then hung up the phone.

Damon didn't know how he would go through with this. Destroying her life and his would not be easy, but it was the only way he could think of to protect her. The woman he loved. His Elena.

AUTHORS NOTE**********************

Hello everyone! So sorry I've been procrastinating to get this new chapter written. I just wanted to get it right! I hope you all are enjoying the story. There should be a new update soon!

Happy Reading/Reviewing! :D