by Marie Skye
I was spent, exhausted, and drained. Grayson got up, shed the rest of his clothes and got back in bed, pulling me to him. We were both still breathing hard. “You okay?” I nodded my head. Two seconds went by and he shifted on top of me and pinned my arms on either side of my head. We just stared at each other, not saying anything. He finally sighed and shook his head. “I know what you’re thinking, and if you think I won’t tie you up, you’re sorely mistaken. You and me, remember? We fight together.” I blinked back tears and said the one thing I knew to be true. “I love you, Grayson.” His eyes softened, and he wrapped his arms around me.
Grayson
I watched as Emmalin conversed with a child battling leukemia, while her mom, Abby, and Noah were at her side.
“Abby and Noah love her. They talk about ‘Aunt Emme’ all the time, and I think Noah has a small crush on her too.”
I let out a low chuckle. “I heard. Your husband told me all about it, and how he had to break Noah’s heart and tell him that she belonged to me. Poor little guy didn’t see it coming. They both actually call, wanting to speak to her. I’ve been replaced.”
Meredith threw her head back and laughed. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a genuine laugh from her. I thought back, how it wasn’t long ago that I had full custody of Abby and Noah, and how drugs almost killed Meredith.
“Are you still going to your therapy sessions?”
She nodded. “I have to. It was part of the agreement. I do it for them… to keep them. I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about it now and then. The drugs. The thought of getting high. Sometimes I dream about it. I wonder what one more taste would be like. To feel it flowing through my veins just once. I could literally feel myself salivating.” She sighed. “But then I look at them, and I think what I could’ve lost for good. I don’t want to go down that road again. I won’t go down that road again.” I pulled her to me as she took on a faraway look but quickly snapped out of it. “So, when are you going to make an honest woman out of her?”
I laughed. “If it were up to me, I would’ve done it the first week, but she was difficult to tame. Still is.”
Meredith chuckled. “Well, we love her, so don’t ruin it.” She punched me in the arm. I turned my attention back over to Emmalin, who was wearing a company shirt with the Mandrake emblem on it. I don’t even think she realized that only our shirts, mine and hers, had the Mandrake emblem written in red. To me, that made her mine. I seriously thought about having hers say ‘Fuck off, she’s mine,’ written on it as well, but thought maybe that was a bit too extreme.
I continued to watch Emmalin. She appeared happy, but her eyes told another story. Everything was fine before we came here. I started thinking over the past few months.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Emmalin.”
She sighed petulantly. “I didn’t agree, more like forced.”
Dr. Klein smiled. “Yes, Grayson has a way with words, it seems.”
Emmalin looked at me and rolled her eyes. “Or something.” I inwardly smiled, keeping track of that eye roll. Dr. Klein leaned back in his chair.
“Why do you think you’re here?”
She looked from me to him then to our hands laced together. She finally unlaced our fingers and sat up straighter. Minutes went by before she finally whispered, “Something happened in my past, but I don’t want to talk about that now.”
Dr. Klein nodded. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
This went on twice a week for three weeks. She would say those exact words, and Dr. Klein would push no further. I remembered this technique. It was how the old bastard got me to talk. It took Emmalin and Dr. Klein two weeks to finish a 5000-piece puzzle, one week to build a boat in a bottle, and now they were going to crochet the fourth week. You would think they were running a fucking activity center. While they did whatever, I was off in the corner, not facing them, trying not to get aggravated, because I was technically supposed to be ‘invisible’ as long as I promised not to interfere. That was the agreement. I could stay, but I had to face the wall.
“How’s your relationship with Grayson?” My ears perked up while trying to remain nonchalant.
“Okay, I guess,” she answered. She guessed? It was quiet.
“Is this your first committed relationship?” A beat went by before she answered, sighing.
“Yeah. I mean, I’ve had other boyfriends, but this is my first serious relationship.”
I tried ignoring the fact that she made it sound like she planned on having more. She was not having more.
“Was it love at first sight?”
She giggled. “Definitely not. I thought he was an asshole, yet he was persistent.”
Dr. Klein silently laughed. “That sounds like him. In what ways?”
“He bought the company I was working for because he wanted me to work for him. He wanted me to move in with him almost immediately.” She sighed again. Then it was quiet. Almost too quiet.
“Would you say your relationship was forced?” I tensed. It wasn’t something that ever crossed my mind if she ever felt that way. Now here we were months later, and I was holding my breath, waiting to hear what was about to come out of her mouth.
“I wouldn’t say it was forced because I know that I can walk away at any time. Any. Time. Even today. Even this very second. Especially if I ever felt threatened or harmed in any way.” She paused. “With Grayson, I’ve never felt safer. He calms me. There are times he can be a bit much, and I think in the beginning, I thought it was all too much.”
“What was that?”
“Being too controlling. We butt heads over that a lot. Still do.”
“Do you think it’s just in his nature, to protect you?
“Maybe.”
“Why?” She was quiet for a long time, and I didn’t think she was going to answer. Just clicking from the needles of the crochet.
“Because of the nightmares I keep having about my stepfather raping me,” she whispered.
Ever since her revelation to Dr. Klein, sex had been different with Emmalin. Not bad in any way. Definitely good. Better, if that was even possible. She took it upon herself to change it up. She wanted it rough, and she wanted to fight, and I was going to give that to her. It gave me the opportunity to unleash my inner demon in a different way without going overboard, yet satisfying it. So I took it and loved every fucking minute of it. But sometimes I found myself pushing her too far, and even though she didn’t safeword me when she should have, I still enjoyed testing her limits.
“Uncle Gray, we present to you this honorary cape!” I looked at Noah, eyes beaming as he handed me the cape before running away giggling back toward Emmalin. They really do love her.
***
“Have you changed your mind yet?”
I looked up from my laptop. “About?”
She crossed her arms. “About leaving tomorrow.”
I went back to typing. “You know when my mind is made up, it’s made up.”
She sat on the coffee table in front of me. “What if I convinced you?” she said seductively as she moved my laptop out the way and straddled my lap. My cock instantly sprung to life. It’s like it smelled her pussy whenever she was within a five-mile radius.
“Using sex as your weapon of choice are you?” I grabbed her hair tightly. “I’m prepared to let you convince me all night long, but my answer remains the same.” I tightened my hold on her hair, and she gasped. “But show me otherwise.”
Her eyes darkened as my grip tightened in her hair. She deftly unbuckled my belt and pulled my pants down, exposing my cock. “Are you ready for me?” She bit her bottom lip and nodded. I ripped her panties off, which was becoming a habit between us. I pulled the top of her dress down, taking her nipples into my mouth. She quickly gasped. “Ride me.” She sank down on me, and we both moaned. I took the rest of her dress off, needing to feel all of her. I leaned her back and bit down hard on the underside of her breast. I wanted her to eith
er bruise or bleed. Either way marked her as mine. The pain spurred her on, and I felt her tighten around me. “Oh no, you don’t.” I lifted her up and flipped her over. “That’s enough control for now.” She whimpered in response. I sank her back down on me, her back to my front and had an arm around her tightly to control her movements. I reached down to rub her hardened clit, and she whimpered in response.
“Who owns your pleasure?” She moaned as I rubbed harder. Wasn’t the answer I was wanting. I nipped her ear as I slapped her pussy hard, and she cried out.
“You do!”
I smiled into her neck. “Fucking right I do. Who owns your heart?” I continued rubbing her clit.
Her voice softened. “Only you.” I turned her head toward me and claimed her lips, my tongue fucking her mouth. I felt her body tense as she tried to hold off. “Come for me; squeeze me.” With that, she let go as I swallowed her screams, taking me with her. I held her tightly. Both of us breathing hard, not wanting to move. After a few minutes, she looked at me. “Need more convincing?”
Chapter Two
Emmalin
I tried my damnedest to convince him. Didn't work. "So what's this meeting about?” I finished pinning my hair back as I looked at him in the mirror.
"He was an anonymous donor to the charity, to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars. Said he wanted to do lunch.” Grayson shrugged.
“That's it? I thought the point of anonymous donors were to remain anonymous."
"Under normal circumstances. Which means he wants to discuss business.” He turned to face me. "Are you all packed?”
I sighed. "Yes.”
He cupped my face. "Hey, you know why I'm doing this. I'm worried about you. We all are, okay?”
I nodded. "I just hate feeling like I'm being isolated, Grayson."
"Definitely not.” He peered at his watch. "I have to finish getting ready, but we'll talk later okay?”
I nodded. "I'm going to walk around a bit."
"I'll have Benny go with you.”
I stopped in my tracks. "I'm pretty sure I can walk without a babysitter.”
He smiled. "Humor me."
"Grayson, I'm serious.”
He ran his hand through his hair, looking tense. "At least take your phone and keep it on."
"Fine.”
He studied me a moment longer. "I should be back in a few hours. If you need anything call me. Otherwise, I would love it if you just stayed here, naked, in bed for me."
I laughed. "Right. See you in a few.” He kissed me before leaving.
A whole ten seconds went by before there was a knock on the door. I shook my head. He must've called Benny anyway— damn him. I opened the door. "I told him I didn't need—" I was caught off guard as I was shoved across the floor, landing on the hard marble tile. There was the sound of glass hitting the floor, followed by the sound of the door slamming and the click of the lock. I grabbed my head and tried to steady myself when someone slammed themselves on me, grabbing my neck.
"Took forever for your little boy toy to leave.” My eyes widened at the person on me. I was picked up and slammed back to the ground, and I screamed out from the impact. I started clawing at his arms.
"Easy, easy. You'll only tire yourself; you know that. Make it easier on yourself.”
I felt the tears prickling my eyes as panic swarmed over me. I couldn’t breathe. He eased his grip. "How?" was all I could breathe out.
"Find you?” he finished for me. "I must say, you did a hell of a job hiding all these years, but you fucked up royally the moment you started fucking one of the richest men in the world. I always knew you were a whore, just like Dad said.” Tears were now streaming down my face.
"Now, I'll let you up, but if you scream, I'll kill you and every person you give a fuck about. You understand?” I nodded.
He smiled. "Good girl.” He stepped back, and I scurried away— as far back as he allowed— into a corner. He stepped forward and reached out to touch my face, and I flinched away.
"This is a nice fucking suite. Way nicer than mine. Makes me wonder what the hell he's doing with someone like you. Tell me, does he pay you after each fuck?” I shut my eyes. "You know, my father offered you to me a couple of times. Probably should've taken him up on that offer. Never too late, now that you're all primed.”
I shook my head. "What the fuck do you want, Carson?"
He laughed. "Isn't it obvious? Tit for tat, baby sis. You took something of mine. You took my father from me. He loved you more, although I don’t know why. Now, I want to take something from you. Tell me who should it be? Grayson? Tyler? What about those two adorable little kids I met yesterday? He left everything to you! Everything! Why? You don’t deserve that money. None of it.”
My eyes widened, listening to him ramble on as he started to pace the floor. “But what if everyone knew about you, huh? Knew what kind of person you were. How about that?” He crouched in front of me and grabbed my hair, jerking me forward. “I’ve been watching you. The both of you, and I know shit that I guarantee if it got out it would fucking destroy both of your very existences. For someone so involved with charity, I doubt organizations would want to be associated with someone that enjoys beating on women. I can fucking destroy your life just like you destroyed mine, you little bitch, with all your fucking lies you used to tell.”
I looked at him as he paced the room, glass crunching under each step he took. He stepped toward me, grabbing my collar. “I’ll be back for you, and you’ll be smart to listen. Otherwise, I’ll fucking destroy you.” He threw me back on the floor. He was fucking crazy. Carson looked at his watch. "Well, I’m late for a very important meeting. You should fix yourself up, Emma. You look ridiculous. You wouldn’t want your boyfriend seeing you like this, now would you?” He smirked with those last words. Before he turned and left, he gave one last kick to my ribs, and I cried out. Right when he reached the door, he turned around. “Oh and Emma, mention who I am, and I will fucking kill those kids. Try me. You know what I’m capable of.” I laid there for a minute staring at the door before I was finally able to get up and make myself move, running to the bathroom and throwing up.
I don’t know how long I lay on the bathroom floor, but it couldn’t have been too long because Grayson came back. It wasn’t until the banging got louder before I realized he was banging on the bathroom door. I must’ve passed out.
“Emmalin!”
“Just a minute.” I slowly dragged myself up off the floor. Each movement felt like a bag of rocks were being thrown at me.
“Emmalin! Open the fucking door now!”
“I’ll be out in a minute.” The crack in my voice betrayed me. I watched from the corner as the door was kicked in. Grayson’s eyes were a mix of rage and concern. He ran over to me, looking me over as I clutched the sink. I tried waving him away, but he wasn’t having it. I didn’t even notice I was crying.
“What the fuck happened?”
What do I say? Tell him my deranged stepbrother came into town and he’s psychotic, or lie until I come up with something. “Someone broke in after you left.” All I could do was collapse into his arms from the pain.
“Fuck!” He pulled out his phone, dialing someone. “Get up here now! Emmalin was attacked.” He picked me up and carried me into the living room.
“I want hotel security up here now. There’s been a breach in protocol.” I sat listening to Grayson yell out demands. I looked around our suite. Within minutes, it was like a swat team was in our room. Benny and Grayson were both grilling security, and the police had just arrived as well. A blanket had been placed on me at some point.
“Do you have any idea who the man was?” They both looked at me as a detective was poised over me. I didn’t know what to say. I had to lie.
I slowly shook my head. “No,” I mumbled. “Everything was hard to make out, it happened so fast, and I hit my head.”
Grayson pulled me to him. “God, if anything had happened to you.” He looked at
Benny. “Have the hotel doctor up here immediately.” I began to protest, but he stopped me immediately. “You’re hurt, Emmalin.”
I looked around at the broken glass strewn about. My head was pounding. I wanted to possibly throw up again and lay down. I glanced over at Grayson, talking with security, and started to stand up. He immediately reacted. “What are you doing?” He grabbed me before I fell over.
“I’m fine; I just need to sleep it off.”
“No, you may have a concussion. I need you to stay awake, baby, please?” I sighed.
“Mr. Mandrake, the doctor is here.”
“About damn time. She was attacked. I think she may have a concussion.”
The doctor approached me. “Any nausea?
I nodded. “I threw up once. A bit nauseous now.”
He nodded as his nurse took my blood pressure, and he shined a light in my eyes. “Can you tell me what you ate for dinner last night, Emmalin?”
I bit my bottom lip. “Um…” I turned to Grayson, trying to summon some magical brain power. “Steak. We had steak.” I smiled for remembering.
“I see you have some bruising on the neck, which will fade in time, and your ribs don’t seem to be broken, just badly bruised. I’ll prescribe you something for the pain because it’ll get bothersome, as well as drops for the redness in your eyes from the popped blood vessels.” I nodded. “For now, would you like something to help you relax?”
I nodded. “Please.” The nurse gave me a pain shot and left. Grayson remained tense the entire time. After a few minutes, I began to feel the effects of the medication and felt myself starting to doze off.
