Page 20 of Broken

“Angel, I am so sorry about everything.” I know she can hear the pain in my voice, I just hope she realises I’m apologising for much more than just what I’m about to tell her. My father brought her over here to be a sex slave, he degraded her, and people beat her because of him. He is the reason her only sister is dead and I can’t make up for that. I’m also guilty for the fact that there is a tiny part of me that is pleased she had to endure all of that because it brought her to me. That incredibly selfish side needs to apologise the most. When she looks up at me questioningly with her gorgeous green eyes that glisten like gemstones, I feel a sickness in the pit of my stomach.

“What do you have to be sorry for, Grant?” she asks, her voice husky from lack of sleep, which brings out the twang of her Russian accent more. I have always found her accent and the unique way she says words that she doesn’t know or understand fascinating. My brain is screaming at me not to do this, urging me to see I am making a mistake. But even if I am, it’s something that I have to do. This plan has been in action for close to two years while I have been bating my father, gathering information, and generally just waiting for the right time to strike. I just never envisaged Katyia would be collateral damage.

“I have something to tell you and you are not going to be happy with me, but please, I want you to just listen to me. I am not doing this to hurt you, believe me it is hurting me just as much. I have a plan and I need to follow it through to the end and I don't know when that will be.” I am aware I’m talking incredibly fast and literally just blurting out whatever comes into my head. She gets up from lying on my chest to sit in front of me and I prop myself up so we are facing each other. She looks so confused and I hate that.

“You are not making any sense,” Katyia says while taking hold of my hand tightly for support. I can't believe this beautiful, kind woman is actually trying to support me while I break her heart. Fuck, I’m an arsehole.

“Katyia, I’m getting married.” As the words fly out of my mouth, I can see the look of pure shock as it rips across her face. She looks as though I have physically slapped her and what little colour she naturally has in her cheeks drains. I feel my stomach flip over and a burst of pain in my chest when she drops my hand like she was holding a hot pan.

“What do you mean? How can you be getting married? Who is she?” Katyia’s voice breaks with every question that she asks and I can see her eyes beginning to fill with water and I think for the first time in a very long time, mine may be too.

“She is nobody you know. I am only doing this because I have to. I have a plan, but as part of the marriage agreement I’m not allowed to have a mistress.” As soon as the lie leaves my mouth, Katyia’s mouth drops open. Her swollen eyes worsen and her tears now flow free. Seeing this tough, feisty girl huddled in a ball, crying because of the things I said to her is awful.

“You don’t have to worry about that because you know I would never be your mistress.” Katyia wipes at her eyes and tries to look tough when she speaks to me, but I know her too well. I can see her hands are shaking, her eyes are blinking rapidly to try and dab away the tears, and her brow is furrowed in a way that shows me how much pain she really is in. I can’t drag this out. I don't want to hurt her any more than I have to.

“I’m sorry, angel. I really don’t have a choice.” When the words are leaving my mouth, she almost appears to be frozen and then she jumps into action. She leaps off the bed, and despite the fact it is a very inappropriate moment, I cannot help but admire her sexy little naked body. She really is perfect. I watch as her arse sticks out, exposing her swollen pussy lips as she bends over to grab what looks to be one of my old t-shirts from a drawer. I completely buried her and she looks just as sexy wearing my clothes as she did naked. When she turns around, she sees me staring at her with the lust that is always in my eyes, she pauses. Her eyes naturally glance down to my rock hard cock, that is currently pitching a tent under the duvet, out of instinct and then it's like a mask covering her face when she remembers what we are talking about. The blank expression is quickly replaced by one of anger.

“Do not call me that! You have no right to ever call me that again,” she screams with tears streaming down her face. As she wipes her face on the back of her hand, she releases a deep breath I hadn’t realised she was holding.

“How long do I have before I need to move out? I have a little bit of money stored away and I can quit college and find a job straight away. That will help me find a place. Then I can be out of your hair as quickly as I can.” As she is speaking, she is pacing up and down the room, I can see the panic building in her eyes. I can’t believe she thinks I would do that to her.

“Absolutely not. You will not quit college. Your school is paid for and there is an account in your name that should see you through until well after university. You don’t have to worry about the flat. I put it in your name a few months ago. You own this place not me,” I say, confident that I have now sorted out all of her problems. I may not have been pleased by what I was doing, but I’m not a total monster. I care for Katyia, so of course I would always make sure she is safe and taken care off. There have even been times when I wished it was Katyia I would be marrying, but life doesn’t work out like that and I try not to dwell on it. I just want to make sure I do right by her. However, given the look of fury that has flashed onto her face and her balled up fists, it appears Katyia does not share my nice sentiment.

“Oh great. So I was just your fucking whore,” Katyia yells in my face and honestly, she may as well have just slapped me across the face. I have never, in all of our time together, called her a whore or made her feel like one. In fact, I have done my best to try and help her forget that night and how my father made her feel. So, I feel like I have been punched in the gut right now.

“Katyia, you know that you have never been my whore. I would never make you feel like that,” I say softly, with an overwhelming sadness in my voice. I try to stand and go to her but she holds her arm out to stop me.

“You just did! I will be in the other room. Get your stuff and get out. I don't ever want to see you again.” She turns her back on me and walks out of the room without a backwards glance.

I’m pulledout of my memory of how badly I handled things with Katyia this morning by the sounds of my father’s dulcet tones. My brain is still spinning from the fact he has offered up Katyia, but given the shining look he has in his eye, I don't think he is quite finished.

Chapter Nineteen

Ryder

Ihave to admit, I’m struggling to hold back my excitement at the way the old man is handling this situation. I have no idea what the situation is between Alan, Manny, and Ava, but right now, I really don’t care because it may just be enough to save her. I have to admit, I have speculated for a while now about why Alan gave special treatment to Manny. I heard they knew each other when they were younger, maybe they were even friends, but I find that really hard to believe. Manny Delgado and Alan Blakeman are from very different parts of London and there are no parts that would see their paths crossing, but there must be something. It’s obvious that Grant thinks so too and whatever it is that he thinks he knows is why all of this is happening to Ava. There is no reason at all that she should be punished for the sins of her father.

Alan seems more determined than I have ever seen him to make sure Ava does not end up married to Grant, and I couldn’t be more grateful. As soon as the offer that Grant can marry Katyia as long as he leaves Ava is spoken, I feel as though I should be jumping for joy. This is a sure thing. I have never seen Grant care about anyone or anything the way he does Katyia. I would probably even go as far as to say that he is in love with her and he doesn’t even realise it. But that’s not really surprising since I don't think he knows what love is. He hardly has positive role models for this after all.

“Why would I want to marry my whore?” Grant says in a bitter voice. The whole room is a little shocked. I have only heard one person refer to Katyia as Grant’s whore and he took his gun and shot him in the head. So, to hear it come from Grant’s own lips is very worrying. I wonder if he is lying to throw his father off the scent, but if that’s the case, then does he plan to keep seeing both Ava and Kaytia? I’m so fucking confused right now. I see the look of shock and confusion on Alan’s face is a duplicate of mine; however, Grant seems to be finding this very amusing. This is the first time I have ever seen him so relaxed in front of his father. I know that he has had a hard life and his father is a complete dick to him. As a result of what I imagine is years of abuse and assault, Grant naturally has a healthy dose of fear where his father is concerned. I have seen him push the old man too far and pay for it, but that has been very rare recently. Since meeting Katyia, he has been almost normal, with the occasional psychotic unpredictable moment that is quintessentially Grant, but otherwise, he has been fine. Yet now, he is slouched back on the sofa with his arm around the back of it and his legs apart like he is snuggling in for a night in front of the TV. He actually looks at ease and that makes me very nervous. Grant has a plan happening right now, that is the only reason I can think of to explain this situation, and I have no idea what is going to happen. My brain is whirling a mile a minute trying to analyse every possible scenario, to work out where Grant is going with this. But more importantly, I need to know why Ava is so important to Alan Blakeman because I think she may be the key.

“You are kidding, right? I know you have been seeing that girl since the moment you paid for her. Setting her up in an apartment, paying her school fees, giving her a monthly allowance. Really, Grant? Once you had fucked her and taken her virginity, you didn’t have to keep paying for it. Did nobody ever tell you that? Never stick with the same whore!” Alan sneers at Grant as he speaks and it’s obvious he is trying to goad Grant into getting what he wants, but Grant's face remains the picture of calm. I can, however, see the way that his fingers behind the back of the sofa are scraping against his palm. The only visible sign of irritability that I can see.

“Just cleaning up your mess, Father. I made sure she is well and settled here and now she knows I’m engaged. We have agreed not to see each other again because that wouldn’t be fair to my beautiful Ava. Besides, that was your condition during the first five years of me learning the company, was it not? To avoid distraction I am only allowed one girlfriend at any one time and if I marry, I may not take a mistress. Very hypocritical of you really, but since I have no desire to be like you, then I am fine with it.” The cocky smile Grant tacks on the end is too much for Alan to take, who stands on the spot and faces him with one fist raised and the other hand firmly clutching the butt of his gun. Alan's face is contorted into one of anger and disdain, whilst his body appears to be physically shaking with rage. I risk a slight glance over to Len and see that he too has sat up a little straighter with his muscles poised ready to coil. He looks like he is waiting to pounce and I’m sure I look the same. We both have our hands on our guns, hoping this is not going to escalate any further. I, for one, have no intention of shooting anyone, and no matter how much they may despise each other right now, I can't let father and son shoot at each other.

“Now, you listen here, you cocky little shit. I am your father and your boss. You will show me the respect I deserve. I have never tolerated your back talk and I am not fucking starting now. As your father and the head of this family and business, I forbid you from marrying Ava Delgado.” As Alan spits out these words with venom and finality, he makes it very obvious this is the end of any discussion. Everybody knows that when the boss forbids you from doing something, that's it. I can’t help the tiny smile that raises in one corner of my lip and the little beat my heart skips when it registers with me that Ava is free and won't be marrying Grant. I have no idea what that means for us, but I want to know. I think this is the first time I have actually allowed myself to think there's a possible future with this girl. That beautiful bubble doesn’t last long and is popped by cackling coming from beside me. Why the fuck is Grant laughing? Maybe he finally has gone mad?

“Father, you know I respect you in all of those roles, but you cannot command love. I’m sure that this action will come with consequences and I will accept them fully. I am marrying Ava, no matter what you say.” Fuck, it is literally like you can hear a penny drop in the room, as everyone sits or stands there in total silence. I’m not even kidding when I say that nobody in the room expected that. I can see Alan processing how to handle this and for a moment, it appears his shoulders sag as though he is defeated, but it doesn’t last long. He pulls his shoulders back and it is almost as though he has done an hour of meditation in his mind because he looks like a completely different guy. His muscles are relaxed, he has stopped pacing, his fists are no longer clenched or holding the gun and his face is back to the serene fake mask we are always used to. The guy who looks like a robot and like nothing at all ever phases him. Come to think of it, I have been in a lot of, shall we say, precarious situations with Alan and think this is the most emotion I have ever seen him show.

“Fine, if that’s your decision, I will accept it. However, as you said there will be consequences. I cannot work with someone who has a blatant disregard for me and my word. So, if you do go ahead with your engagement with Miss Delgado, then I wish you all the luck in the world, but you will not work for my company. I will not train you to replace me as I had planned. I will not give you jobs, or pay your wages in any way. You still have your trust fund that your mother set up for you before her passing, so money should not be an issue. Now, if you decide you would like to honour our family and follow in my footsteps as we always planned, then you have one week to decide. In one month, I’m receiving a large shipment where I will be able to teach you both phase two and three of the operation at the same time. This is a very big business deal, worth millions of pounds and if you are going to take over from me, you need to learn how to deal with the big transactions. So make your choice. You have until Friday to tell me your decision. I will take my leave now.” Alan starts heading towards the door before we have had a chance to digest the massive fucking bombshell that he just dropped on us. Even Len looks a little bit shocked and bumbles around, trying to get up to follow Alan out of the room. They have both reached the door and I look at Grant for instructions on what to do next, should I let them go? It appears Grant is just frozen there in complete shock and I don't blame him. This is really fucking bad. Nobody ever suspected he would disown Grant. Family and image mean everything to the Blakeman family and this business has been in their family for generations. Alan is effectively ending his family line within the company and will need a new leader to take over from Grant. This is completely unknown territory because nobody can even speculate who this could be. But as much as I am loyal to Grant, I need to be at that shipment. If I can get him to ditch Ava and go to the shipment, I would be killing two birds with one stone, but I also need to plan for if he doesn't back down. As much as I like Ava and I want to help her, I’m here to do a job and I have to get as far up in the business as I can. Now there's a spot right at the very top and I am going to make sure that it's mine.

“I’m going to walk your father out, I'll be right back,” I say to Grant as I spring up off the sofa and stride towards the door and into the hallway after Alan and Len. I don’t know why I bothered to say anything because he still appears to be in some kind of trance. I will deal with him when I return. I catch up to them further down the hallway in just a matter of seconds.

“Mr. Blakeman, sorry, please allow me to see you out,” I say, trying to be as polite and as professional as I possibly can. Len, being the responsible adult he is, motions from behind Alan to silently refer to me as a kiss ass, but I ignore him. I have a plan and I need it to work.

“Ryder, yes, of course, you may show us out,” Alan says as he turns and acknowledges it was me who followed him. Given the look of disappointment on his face, he must have heard my footsteps and assumed it was Grant following him. “I am sorry you had to witness such unpleasantness. I know my son has always had a penchant for pushing boundaries and fighting with me, but I never saw this level of betrayal coming.” He looks genuinely sad as the words fall from his lips.

“Sir, forgive me for asking this, I am simply trying to help. If you gave permission for him to marry Katyia, who is very far from being an acceptable part of this world, then I just wondered why you cannot accept Ava?” I ask tentatively, hoping he doesn’t take my question the wrong way. I had intended to get straight to talking about business, but once I actually had the chance to talk to him, all I could think about is finding out why Ava is so special to him.

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