All the Aches in the World

Chapter 5 : Rising and Rising

The night Marsha Charles died kept running through her son's head like an old film reel, at least the parts that he could remember. Though with each passing second, he recalled more and more, different details he hadn't known before. The smell of alcohol and sweat. Red wallpaper and dingy couches. The heat of bodies around him, shoved down his throat. And the one body that stood out amongst them all. Hunter's towering frame, eyes a darker blue that never left his own, until he started kissing the shorter. Elliot definitely remembered that. He knew Hunter's hand had trailed to the waistband of the brunet's trousers, running along fair skin before beginning to plunge forward. His hand had just wrapped around Elliot's raging hard on, tongue sweeping into an awaiting mouth, when his phone rang the first time.

Everything after that was an immediate blur of motion. Elliot knew that whatever Hunter was doing to him that night, in the brief seconds that felt like a lifetime, he wanted more more more.

Until Elliot had caved in to the blaring vibrations, pushed Hunter away and yanked his phone from his pocket.

He was too late.

Luna had found his mother's freshly dead body. All those other calls were her. They were her before she died. And Elliot never answered any of them.

Hunter's voice broke through his thoughts, now loud and demanding as he shouted into his phone. He didn't know how long it had been since he had come into this office and demanded a change, demanded Hunter marry him instead of his sister. No idea how long it had been since Hunter said yes. It too was just a blur of phone calls and preparations.

Daisy perched on the couch, her phone pressed against her ear as her brows kept digging further down into her eyes. Hunter was pacing behind his desk, hair sticking up from continuously running his fingers through it. He had discarded his suit jacket, now left in white white button down, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and tie left askew on his desk. He looked incredibly handsome like that. Even if he was Elliot's enemy. The same one he was now engaged to be married to.

Elliot hadn't made any calls yet. Partly because he was believed to still be in shock of this turn of events, and didn't know what to do. Even his hands lay flat against his thighs, twisting between gripping his leg and palms rotating to face upwards. And also because Hunter clearly stated he would take care of everything. For some reason, Elliot believed him.

He just got off the phone, one of his advisors most likely from the snippy tone and ever shifting scowl on his features. He turned eyes to Elliot, lips parting to speak when his phone began ringing once again. He looked down at it, letting out a short breath before answering.

"Mrs. Charles."

Mother.

No, Elliot remembered. She's dead.

He stared at Hunter with wide eyes as the blond looked back. Why Hunter would have his step-mother's number saved in his phone was beyond him, but it was a curious thing he kept in his back pocket. Elliot gestured for him to put the phone on speaker, and suddenly the sound of Luna Charles' angry and loud voice filled the office.

"What the fuck is this about my son getting engaged to you?" She cried through the phone's speakers. Hunter winced at the sheer shrill as Elliot stared in shock. He had never heard Luna swear. Had never heard her refer to him as just her son—it was usually 'step-son' when in his presence.

"Please, for the love of God, tell me it's just a prank!" Luna continued, voice strained. "I know about the deal Marsha made with you, about marrying Emma. You will not take another child away from me just to break their hearts! Elliot is a good man and deserves better than what he has been dealt in life. And that includes you. Say something, Hunter! I want answers, real ones, none of your bullshit–"