Unjustly Destroyed (Incapable Part Two) (15 page)

Emmalin

It’d been two weeks since Tyler died. Things had been quiet. I hadn’t gone back to work yet. Mostly because Grayson hadn’t allowed me to. I even asked to work from home, and all he said was, ‘we’ll see.’ Which, knowing him, meant no. I was tired of the hovering. There were days where I wanted everyone to just leave me alone. I was fine. I was starting to seriously consider taking out a billboard that spelled it out.              

“Dr. Klein is stopping by today.”

I looked up slowly from my plate of food. He said it so casually, I almost missed it. “Why?”

Grayson took a sip of his juice. He studied me for a moment before speaking. “I think it would be good for you.”

I took a deep breath. I was so sick and tired of everyone trying to assess me. “For God’s sake, Grayson, I’m fine,” I said through gritted teeth. Just then the alarm buzzed, signaling someone was here. I gawked at him wide-eyed. He gave me a soft smile and gently placed his hand on top of mine.

“Humor me.” He looked down at my plate of barely touched breakfast. “You’ve had too many low blood sugars, Emmalin. I need you to finish that.” He gave my hand a gentle squeeze then got up from the table, and checked the security feed before buzzing whoever was at the door in. But I knew who it was. I shoved my plate away and stood up, walking toward the living room. I planted myself there, arms crossed. I was pissed.

Grayson was just opening the door to let Dr. Klein in. They stood at the entryway, shaking hands. I couldn’t believe this shit. This conjuring behind my back, like I was an insolent child. Dr. Klein finally turned my way, and smiled.

“Hello, Emmalin. It’s so great to see you again.”

I stood there, arms crossed, still holding my glass of orange juice, not even trying to give an inch.

“You can leave.” My voice was low but daring. He took a half step forward.

“Emmalin, I thought we could talk. Maybe finish that boat we started.”

“I said, you can leave.” My voice slightly wavered. “I didn’t invite you. He did.” I pointed to Grayson. “I’m fine. I don’t appreciate you going behind my back because you think you know what’s best for me. I’m not an idiot.”

Grayson stepped forward. “I just want you to talk, Emmalin.”

“Talk about what, Grayson? My feelings? Why? He’s dead, Grayson. He’s not coming back. I understood that two fucking weeks ago. People die every fucking day, so why is this any different? I don’t need to be coddled, so stop fucking coddling me. You won’t let me go back to work. You won’t let me leave. You won’t let me do anything. Stop acting like you know what’s best for me. You don’t know what’s best for me. No one does. Not you, not Dr. Klein, not Isabella, not Chace. I’m the only one who knows what’s best for me, and right now, I need for everyone to back the fuck off and believe me  when I say I’m fine, I am fine. I. Am. Fine!”

My shouting was interrupted, and the glass I was holding cracked in my hand. I didn’t realize I had been holding it so tightly. I watched as the orange juice flowed through my fingers, and the blood mixed in with the orange juice then dripped onto the plush carpet. My mouth formed a perfect O. The funny thing was, I didn’t feel any of it, and all I could think about was how that stain would never come out of that carpet.

Before I could say anything, Dr. Klein was at my side, wrapping a handkerchief around my hand. “Let me help you with that.” He smiled kindly at me. Too kind. Damn him and his kindness. He tugged me gently away from the mess. “Come on, I’ll help you get cleaned up. I want to tell you about this crochet pattern my wife purchased.” As we walked away, I took one last look behind me at the stain on the carpet, then glanced up at Grayson before leaving the room.

“Just a few cuts, but you can still crochet with it.” Dr. Klein winked at me with a big smile. I felt myself giving a little smile back. He began laying out yarn and our crochet needles. He gestured toward the table, and I reluctantly walked toward it.

“So what are we making today?” I crossed my arms as I watched him rummage through his bag.

His eyes lit up. “A hat and a pair of baby booties.”

I crinkled my nose. “Doesn’t seem very exciting.”

“Maybe not for you. But I just found out I’m going to be a grandfather.”

I couldn’t fight the grin that slowly spread across my face. “Congratulations.”

He smiled. “Thank you. My wife is over the moon. It’s too early to determine the sex, so we’re sticking with neutral colors for now.” I nodded as I reached for yarn and looked over the pattern.

We worked silently for a while before he looked up. “Aaron.”

I was concentrating on my triple stitch. “Hmm?”

“Aaron. Sometimes you refer to your stepfather by his name, and sometimes, you say stepfather, or you say father. It’s always three different terms.”

I paused. “I didn’t realize I did that.” I sat back, thinking. “It’s weird, isn’t it?”

He shrugged as he focused on his task. “I suppose it’s whatever you feel most comfortable with. He was the only father figure you remember in life. Your birth father died shortly after you were born, so in your mind, he doesn’t exist. Your mother raised you, then later remarried, and all of a sudden you now have a father figure in your life.”

Before I could figure out a response, he kept talking. “Tell me about your mother. Would she have liked crocheting?”

I looked down at the sock I was crocheting, and sat it down. “I don’t know, I don’t remember much about her anymore,” I whispered. I stared at the baby sock. “I don’t want him to be my father, or my stepfather. I don’t want him to be anything to me. My mom married him after knowing him for six weeks. She said he would be a great father to me, because I needed that. I needed that structure in my life. Sure it started out good, but then she got sick, and he got mean. That’s when everything started.” My voice trailed off.

I felt my eyes starting to water as I swallowed the lump in my throat, and I shut my eyes. “I wish she’d never met him. I do. I wish it’d remained just the two of us, and while I know she probably would’ve developed the cancer eventually, none of this would’ve happened. Tyler would still be here, because he wouldn’t have felt sorry for me, and saved me. He would still be here,” I choked out.

“Death is never easy. We never get over it, no matter what we tell ourselves. Especially those that are taken from us too soon. Their stories are never finished, so you’re left with a bunch of blank pages, wondering what to do with them. You’re unable to fill them because the only words you have, are now just your own. So even though Tyler was taken from you too soon, Emmalin, and his book has ended, it doesn’t mean you can’t fill the rest of the pages with his legacy.” He leaned over and kissed the top of my head.

“These socks turned out great, Emmalin. Thank you.” I watched as he started packing his things up. Before he left, he kissed the top of my nose. “I hope to see you soon, preferably, because you want to.” He winked at me before leaving.

I was left alone the rest of the day. Grayson returned to work the next morning. I wandered around the house, bored. I was picking over some of my old things I had in a box when I came across a picture. It was Grayson and Tyler from the event in Florida. They both stood tall with arms crossed and smiles across their faces. I don’t even think they knew I took it. The sun was hitting them just right in the moment, their skin was practically glowing. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath as I stood up, then I got dressed quickly.

I called down to Heather and asked if she would take me to Mandrake Towers.

Twenty minutes later, she was escorting me inside, and I impatiently rode the 33 floors up.

Glenda looked up, startled to see me for the first time in weeks. She quickly stood, coming over to me. “Emmalin. We weren’t expecting you.” She engulfed me in a hug.

“Is he here?”

She nodded. “He’s in a board meeting in conference room A. Shall I tell him you’re here?”

I shook my head. “I know where it is.”

I turned and rounded the corner, and briefly hesitated before I barged in his most likely important meeting. I grabbed both door handles and opened the door. It took about two seconds for Grayson’s eyes to look up to see what the disturbance was. What he wasn’t expecting was to find me being the reason. The room was filled, and I suddenly realized I didn’t think this through at all, and I ever so slowly started to back out of the room.

He must’ve sensed what I was doing because he abruptly stood up, and my eyes flashed to his.

“Emmalin, stop.” I froze as all eyes turned to me. I was now suddenly embarrassed.

“Everyone out. Now.”

Someone cleared their throat. “Mr. Mandrake. We still haven’t come to an agreement on the proposal. If we don’t go forward, this could end up costing millions of dollars in revenue.”

Grayson turned to the person talking. “Mr. Wells, the proposal…”

“Mr. Mandrake, we’ve gone round and round on this. We have to make a move; they’re not willing to lower the offer for the patent.”

Grayson stood to his full height and squared his shoulders. I started to wonder if I should leave the room, and began to back away again.

Without turning to me, Grayson spoke again. “Emmalin, stay! Mr. Wells, what I can’t decide is whether your decision to interrupt me just now, or the fact that you’re conceding that I’m not aware of what’s at stake for the proposal, or the well-being of this company, is more insulting.” I watched as Mr. Wells shrunk back in his chair.

“Now. I said everyone out.” He spoke in that low, threatening voice that had everyone shuffling out quickly, and had my panties soaking.

After everyone left, I heard the distinct click of a lock, and I looked back toward the door. My breathing quickened.

“Emmalin.”

I turned back to face him. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.” He stood there, not saying anything.
Shit, I was getting nervous.
“I can bring them back, and we can talk afterwards.”

He took a step forward. “We can talk now. The room is cleared.” I watched as he unbuttoned his suit jacket, and took it off, laying it on the back of a nearby chair. Next he rolled up his sleeves.

“Emmalin.” His voice was low and throaty.

I nervously swallowed. “Remember when I said I was fine?” He nodded. “I’m not. And right now I need you. All of you. Really bad. Can you do that?”

He walked slowly toward me, never taking his eyes off me, until he was standing in my space, and I had to tilt my head up to look at him. “You never have to ask.”

I gasped as he lifted me up easily onto the table. “I’ve been waiting for you, love,” he whispered in my ear. He slowly eased my dress over my head and laid me against the table. “Who owns your pleasure?”

“You do,” I murmured, as his mouth latched onto my nipple, and I arched up. I felt my panties get ripped off, and I was aware I was now completely naked, laid out on the boardroom table. The thought of caring about that completely faded the moment his hot breath hit my clit and I cried out at the first swipe of his tongue. He held me down, to keep me from moving.

“Fuck, I could eat you all day.”

My hands gripped his hair as he sucked harder. Three fingers filled me, and I tried hard not to cry out as a wave of pleasure threatened to overtake me. He lightly bit down, and I quickly covered my mouth to prevent myself from screaming out, as my core clenched, and my body convulsed. He didn’t stop, and the pleasure continued to drag. My body was sated and limp as I struggled to catch my breath.

He dragged me to the edge of the table, sitting me up, and filled me easily in one thrust. He held my face firmly in his hand, so I had to look at him. “I always want to hear your screams; do you hear me?” He pulled all the way out and then thrust in hard. “I don’t give a fuck who’s outside that door. When I’m fucking you, I want everyone to know about it. I want everyone to know this pussy belongs to me and only me. And why is that?”

I moaned as the familiar wave started to build up, and his thrusts became more erratic. “Because I’m yours.”

“Say it again.” He reached down and rubbed my clit, and I started to see stars, feeling myself let go.

“Because I’m yours. All yours.”

“Again.”

“Because I love you.”

He bit into the column of my neck as he chased his own release. “I love it when you tell me that. I’ll never get tired of hearing it,” he whispered. He started to pull back, but my grip around him tightened, and he chuckled.

“I do, Grayson. I love you.” I felt the tears fall. I loved this man; I truly did.

He pressed his forehead against mine and gave me a wry grin. “Just remember who said it first.”

Grayson

I just stepped back into my office after leaving Emmalin in my office apartment to shower and change.

“Did you really dismiss your board meeting for sex? I mean, that’s what the rumors are.”

I looked up into the speculating eyes of Chace, with his feet propped up on my desk. He had that lazy grin on his face. I straightened my shoulders then walked over and pushed his feet off, and he scowled.

“So what if I did?” I shrugged.

He held out his fist. “Props.”

I rolled my eyes, but smiled as I gave him a fist bump. “Emmalin’s showering right now, so I don’t have long. I’ve been having Ruska keep tabs on Carson. He’s laying low. We’ve been trying to figure out who he’s working with. My initial thoughts were Dale, but Dale has been in London the past few weeks. He’s moved Lydia. But I can’t shake it. I’m not ruling him out. He got to Emmalin already before he left for London.”

“Fuck man, if it’s not one thing it’s another, isn’t it? She’s been through enough. It needs to end.”

“Don’t you think I know that? I feel like shit, having to watch her go through this. Like I’m being forced to use her as a pawn in a sick game of chess.”

“Aren’t you?” I watched as Chace stood up. “I care about Emmalin. That’s no secret, Grayson. You know who’s behind the attacks. At least one of them. Handle it, because if something else happens to her when you had the chance to stop it, I’ll make sure you’ll never see or hear from her again.”

I slowly rose to meet his gaze. “Are you threatening me?”

The door opened, and Emmalin walked out. “Chace. Good to see you.” He finally turned to her and made a show of hugging her; one that lasted longer than it should have.

“You too, beautiful. Good to see you out and about.”

She smiled as she looked between the both of us, then her smile faded. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Just a friendly chat with Chace. He was just leaving, weren’t you, Chace?”

“You two are the shittiest liars.” Emmalin shook her head as she put her jacket on. “Whatever it is, boys, figure it out. I’m down to just you two now, remember? So whatever your shit is, figure it out.” She leaned up to kiss Chace on the cheek before coming over to me. I grabbed her close and claimed her, deepening our kiss. She let out a soft sigh. “Thank you. I’ll see you later.” I watched her leave, already missing her.

I turned to Chace. “What is she to you?”

He smirked. “Someone for me to ruffle you up, and it worked.” He clapped his hands together. “Now. What’s our plan?”