Grey Clouds On The Horizon

A Deal With The Devil

Christian's POV

I didn't want to be there. There was nothing about the office of Dr Demetri Bowman that made a visitor feel comfortable. Dark red walls with black leather furniture and studs at all ill angles made my stomach churn and knot. Even Taylor seemed anxious, his hand not leaving its resting place on the holster of his firearm. Despite our urge to flee, we had no choice but to stay and get what we came for.

I held a pocket folder in one hand and watched the security cameras at home on my phone with the other. My loves ate their dinner and busied themselves getting ready for bed. Knowing they had peace at home made what I was about to do much easier to live with. If the two of them could be safe, and our children could thrive, then I would be able to do even the most dark and twisted things to maintain that security.

"Do we have a deal?" I asked, as Dr Demetri Bowman scanned over the documents with his beady black eyes.

"Cool your roll and let me make sure I understand what you've proposed, Mr Sexy." His words dripped from his mouth like venom. "You want me to give you the formula for the medication I devised that allowed Delilah to be conceived and in exchange you will buy my daft husband's stupid little project theatre and the rights to the films Emilia made with us for forty million dollars? Is that accurate?"

I swallowed hard, knowing that I'd have to do summersaults to convince Ros that this was a smart business decision. "And Marcus can keep his position at the theaters as long as you sign an agreement not to so much as talk about Emilia or my family ever again. Now, do we have a deal?"

"Oh Peach, you've got me all tingly. Sit down and relax for a while. Its rude to turn a man on and then just walk away." Demetri sneered. "Especially because I'm going to throw in a bit of a sweetener for you. I've heard you do that sometimes in business to show that you're satisfied with the transaction and how cooperative the other party has been and I am very satisfied with what you've given me, my sultry stud-muffin."

I pursed my lips and sat down hesitantly. "I'm not sure I'm interested in anything you have to offer."

He raised his eyebrow. "You certainly will be. Trust me on that." The leather clad doctor reached into his desk and pulled out a folder similar to the one that I'd brought to him. It was thick with torn out sheets of notebook paper and printed stationary that bore a logo I'd seen many times before in a much different setting.

It was Elliott's construction company. And the letters were to Emilia.

"Oh, you want a peak?" Demetri laughed and slid the folder over to me. "Enjoy, my friend. Hopefully you'll find more use in them than I ever did."

The first letter I read was from three months after Emilia had left my life. It was hard to make out all of Elliott's words through the smudges and crumpled edges, as it had been balled up and unrolled at least twice in it's lifespan.

Em,

Please call me. Tell me what to do. I can't sleep and I can't eat. I know it's not possible, but tell me that baby is mine and I'll believe you. We can get our story straight and be happy. Let me take care of you.

- Elliot Grey

The next was only a few weeks later.

Emilia,

I'm sorry that I left without saying goodbye. I think to a certain extent I knew, but you must understand how deeply in denial I've been. How could I not see it from the very beginning? Am I an idiot or are were you both just that good at hiding? Please write back. I miss you.

- Elliot Grey.

Lastly, ten months after Emilia had left me.

Emmy,

Thank you for sending pictures of Delilah. I know I didn't deserve that much. She's absolutely beautiful. You have no idea how proud I was of them, and how difficult it was not to show them off when I saw the family a dinner. I feel so close to her and I want them to know her too. When I look into those wide eyes, it feels like she recognizes me and I have to remind myself that I haven't known her for my entire life. She has my brother's eyes.

- Elliot Grey

A fire raged within me that I hadn't remembered laying the kindling to ignite. My hands shook and I slammed the folder shut. "Elliot knew." I spat towards Taylor. "My own brother knew that Delilah was my daughter this entire time and helped Emilia hide her from me!"

"Mr Grey," Taylor warned, hope in his voice that my emotions could be contained.

"Don't you dare 'Mr Grey' me." I stood up, threw the envelope of cash on the desk, grabbed the folder and put on my jacket. "Go get the car."

Jason's feet remained planted in place. "Where are you wanting to go?"

"I'm going to go find my brother." I spat through my teeth and pulled at the roots of my hair until the pain grounded me. "And then I'm going to take away everything that matters to him. Killing him would be too merciful. I want that fucker to live with what I have felt having a part of me missing for years because he decided to think with his dick."

A leather gloved hand wrested on my shoulder and I shrugged it off. "Now now, Mr Sexy." Demitri tisked. "Don't hold your brother responsible for what was clearly Miss Stewart's idea. You know what she's capable of... and besides, what does she give you? Can you even remember a single time when the two of you were happy? Is there even a moment in your life where she wasn't somehow infuriating you?"

I stuck up my nose at the thought. "Of course there was."

The sneer of a predator spread across Dr Bowman's face. "Are you quite sure of that? Or was she poking and prodding you to do exactly what she wanted all along? And now you've done it all by taking her in and putting her up in the lap of luxury. That's why I kept her in a real dungeon. Concrete floors and benches and leather, not velvet. She requires a firm grip."

"I have never met anyone more full of shit than you." I seethed, balling up my fists and feeling the rise of head through my face. "The only reason I am here to make sure that Emilia will never be hurt by you again."

"Ha!" He mimicked. "You care more about that little formula than any other reason you came here today. Much more than Emilia's safety, that's for damn sure. All that matters to you is that you can master her in the end but we both know she is a beast that will not be tamed."

I swallowed hard. "I'm perfectly capable of handling her, though I can't speak of lesser men." My words were daggers thrown at the doctor.

Demetri bowed his head with a genuine smile on his face. "You know it's as true as I do. That's why you want her to have more children. If you can't understand her, the best next thing is to possess her. Fill her with your demons that suck the life out of her until she has nothing else to give."

"You're insane." I gaped at him, straightened up and tried to regain my composure. "She's better off without you."

"Ha! Maybe." Dr Bowman bit his lip and smiled. "I'm only giving her to you because I know you will be the end of the disgusting little bitch. In your hands, she won't live another five years. But don't just throw away that corpse and let it go to waste. Her pussy will stay fresh for a while. Then you can put her in a box and stare at her forever. Watch her beauty fade. Watch maggots eat her eyes. Notice that nature does a better job at destroying her that you ever will."

My world was red and I shook with fury. Taylor rushed me from the room and back into the car before I could devise a plan to kill the sad excise for a man named Demetri Bowman.

At the time, I didn't know he was right. Emilia would  make every sacrifice for me until she had nothing else to give but her life. Then, she would give it.