Bree knew that Ryder had gone through a lot growing up, hrll she knew he had had it tough growing up and has dealt with his fair share of traumatic experience, but abuse at ten?That was a lot to digest.It must have been so difficult for him, a different kind of hell even to loose the one person that genuinely loved him and have the other person who was supposed to love him now resort to abusing and molesting him instead.She couldn't stop the tears that rolled down the sides of her face as she listened to him tell it in that voice of his that couldn't choose between indifference, anger and pain.She could imagine him, so innocent, so small, so hurt and yet do afraid of the monster he calls father.No wonder his father snd hers had gotten so along together and had even made it as close friends.They were both bad pedophilic men, cut from the same nasty cloth.".......and just when I thought it couldn't get worse, he started bringing his friends over."Her breath caught in her throat s
"You know you'll never hurt Xander, right?" She asked him quietly, and honestly, she had no idea what that did for him.He didnt know that, he's been afraid of that since he knew he was expecting a soon too and maybe, just maybe, that has affected his relationship with his baby.He wondered if she'd noticed, all the times he'd opt to hold Lexie instead of him, afraid that whatever had made his father get so awfully abusive to him might be nestled somewhere inside him.What if it was a bad trait living inside him too, waiting to grow and make him a monster too?It was the sole reason he hadn't wanted kids, ever, but Bree had come into his life and many things had changed with her presence.She'd made him want things that he had no right wanting, made him be live he deserved some good things in his life and now here they were, with two kids, one of them a boy......just like he'd been."I need you to understand this Ry, you'll never be like your father. You are a good man, one of the best
Her box laid open in the middle of their bed while Bree went around the room, taking anything she thought she'd need and throwing them inside it.She's procrastinated this packing for a while now but it needed to be done and as a matter of fact now that Ryder was still at the office.She didn't want him to come home and find she was the only one delaying the vacation he'd taken the whole month to plan for them.Yeah, a vacation, more like a honeymoon except the kids, Karen and Issy, the new nanny, were coming too.In the couple of years that's passed, a lot has happened, none of which she regretted one bit.Not learning how damaged how husband had been before he waltzed into her life or that his plan had been to use her as pawn in his schemes to get revenge, none of it.That last part had hit harder than the rest, knowing that she could have so easily suffered for the crimes of someone who didn't even give two piece of flying shit about her.She'd taken her time to digest that piece
Stupid, stupid, stupid!Bree accused herself as she pushed open the door to her favorite down town bar.It's seen her at her worst and this was one of those days she just needed to drown herself in the flavored alcohol they sold here.Her lacrimal glands were failing her as tears made their way down her perfectly made up face, ruining hours of trying and perfection.Ughhhh!She'd rather not waste her precious bodily fluids on the low life scum she'd wasted her years with.Cole didn't deserve her tears in any way, never have.She dragged her ass over to the bar and dropped her weight on the first vacant bar stool she saw, not sparing a glance at the other occupant of the space.There was a new guy tending the bar and not her go to guy, Jerry.Of course, just typical of the universe to go against her on this very horrible day and have her favorite bar tender gone too."What will you have, pretty?" The new guy asked.She
Bree woke up totally hung over with a headache threatening to blow her head open.She knew she'd look like someone out of a zombie apocalypse movie, with her hair all over her face, but that was the least of her worries.The throbbing in her head was borderline unbearable and it hurt to even move, but if it was any consolation, the bed she was in was just as comfy as it was soft.Feather soft and definitely too good to be hers.She cracked an eyelid open even though all she wanted to do was crawl in some very dark hole to nurse her throbbing head with an extra dose of sleep.One look around confirmed her fears that this in fact wasn't her room.The only reason she wasn't screaming yet was because she wasn't in any form of restraints or confinement.That was a good sign right?And yeah, you guessed it, it'd hurt like a scalded bitch if she tried.She rolled out of the king sized bed, dragging her sore, rebelling body out.Ho
Bree's host didn't like having the control of his kitchen whisked away from him and he looked it.But she didn't give a dam about it.The only other option would have been to let him get something burning again or spend all morning trying.She wasn't a fan of the former neither did she have all morning to dedicate to his endless and utterly unsuccessful culinary practice.She finished up with the food and went on to serve it with no help whatsoever from Sir Broods-alot.Standing by the table she'd set, she waited, meeting his glare with an unwavering stare of her own until he caved in and pulled himself a seat.They silently dug into their food, a heavy silence swallowing them and disconcerting Bree.The only sound in the room was of their breathing and of cutleries meeting fine china.She waited until they were both done eating before she asked the one question that's been niggling her mind since she woke up in the room that wasn't he
Bree stood from the table abruptly, clearing it of the plates they'd used to eat as she did.Her mind was caught in the offer he'd just made her.He's a stranger yes, but she been the one to open up to him and now he was offering her a way to the revenge she deserved.She could have easily agreed to his terms and conditions but she needed time to think this through and decide it's what she wanted.If she was doing this, it means she'd have to get used to him whose name she still didn't know and she'd also have to get used to his potty mouth and searing bluntness.It didn't help that she'll also have to learn enough control to keep her hands to herself and her thoughts out of the drain around him.He'd been very clear and precise on the 'no strings attached' point and if she was going to keep to that, she'd have to not get involved with him at all.Well fuckedy fuck-ery', isn't that just peachy."You asked how you got here...."
It's been so long since the last time Ryder had been in this house, before now.He'd been just a boy the last time he'd stood in this hallway, staring at the pictures that lined it's length.The years he'd spent growing up here were the memories he was trying to let go of, he hated them most.Just like he hated Paul.And he'd made sure the man knew how much.His eyes ran down the pictures in their gold frame that cost more than an averagely priced car.He'd left with a vow to never come back here but yet, here he was, breaking that vow because fucking Paul had decided to have one more up on him even in death by willing all his assets to him - the estranged son.Not that he needed any of it, he was a fucking boss of his own now, but not dealing with this will only let it accumulate tax and come ass biting in the future.It grated his nerves more, knowing that he should have been on a vacation at some exotic location of his choic