Fiction: Serving Up Trouble (Chapter 14)
Please Read this before the chapter:
When I started this story and decided to make Grady abusive to Ashlee, I knew there would be a very disturbing chapter or two in my future. The over all feeling of this story is light and I will get back to that, but to get to the light I have to wade around in the muck. Before I post this chapter I want everyone to know that it was difficult for me to write this. I spent several days (which is why it is later than I hoped it would be) warring with myself on how descriptive to be, finally realizing that if I was going to write it, I needed to write it the right way. All things in italics are flashbacks and memories. Anyone who knows me, knows that justice is always served and the end is a happy one. When I put this much effort into a story, I can't make it sad. This is my only "spoiler" I'm going to give. A happy ending will be waiting for you at the end. All this babbling is really to say: violence takes place in this chapter. I'm warning you now so you will not be surprised when you read it. Thank you for your time. Thank you for all the support and love you give. I have amazing friends. **hugs**
Title: Serving Up Trouble
Author: Jailynn
Rating: R
Warning: I can't edit to save my life. Please forgive all mistakes. Also there is VIOLENCE! There is descriptive violence against Ashlee by Grady in this chapter. Please be aware of that.
Disclaimer: Not mine
Fandom: Y&R/GL
Type: Crossover, romance, friendship, humor, drama, angst, AU
Author's Note: Chance doesn't even notice Chloe much at all. He only has eyes for Ashlee. And Phillip is still not around yet. It just goes to show how Alt-Universe my story really is. *laughing*
Feedback: Please and thank you
Word Count: 3109
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It's his cologne that first tips her off to his presence. It's a dark fragrance with a hint of spice, thick and commanding. It's not light and refreshing like Chance's brand. Ashlee didn't need to see him standing behind Jill in the shadows. Her sense memory tells her all she needs to know. Her stomach starts quivering. Shaking like she's cold and inside she is. What little she could eat since the whole email and flower mess started, makes it's way through her throat. She swallows against the rising tide, thankful that she hasn't been able to eat much. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the movement in the darkness and that's when her fingers go numb. A single flash of light catches the planes of his face. She feels the weight of the plate tip and her grasp loosen but she can't force her body to react. It's taking all her concentration not to break like the platter does at her feet. Glass flies up, out, everywhere, covering the floor of the mansion in shiny shards.
He looks the same, she thinks, he looks exactly the same. Grady's horns are carefully hidden behind his well-crafted 'who me?' expression. She can see the evil there now. Why couldn't she see it before? His black eyes, demon eyes, finds her blue ones immediately. And just like that the small amount of hope and happiness she was beginning to feel left her. Those good emotions were replaced with fear and pain. Her head feels light and too heavy to keep straight all at once. Rushing air sweeps past her ears, blocking out all sound. Was anyone talking? Was anyone there? Ashlee's arms fall limply at her sides, dead weight swinging back and forth. Grady smirks at her, his left eyebrow quirking up in a knowing way. She can feel the second hand move as if she is forcing the delicate hand around the clock.
Tick-
“Ah,” the exclamation sneaks out before she can stop it. The sting of his palm against her cheek is astounding. Ashlee drops to one knee from the force, holding in as many tears as she can, a few leak out anyway. Crying won't help. If anything it makes it worse. It wasn't like she didn't know this would be coming. When she made the decision to not let him back in last night, she sealed her fate. It was just after talking to ArmyBound2006 she didn't want to spend the night next to him. He grabs her hair, twisting his thick fist up in the locks. Her mouth opens, lips parting on a scream that gets caught in her throat. Moxie barks from inside her cage, scratching at the bars, moving back and forth, anxious to get to her master. Ashlee pleads in her mind for the animal to stop making so much noise. It's only making Grady more angry. The hand in her hair twists again, pulling her through the apartment. Her legs bump against the floor as she falls, trying to keep up with him. Grady's yanks her up by the rope he has made out of her waist length hair, pushing her into the wall. Pain shoots through her back as it makes contact with the hard surface.
His breath, bitter from the booze and heavy from the anger, puffs in her ear. She tries to pull away. The smell and the feel of him is making her sick. “You shouldn't have locked me out last night, Ashlee,” he slurs. “You should know better than to ever lock me out.” Whimpers of fear and agony burn her chest, but she knows better than to let them out. Just let him get it over with, she commands herself. Just let him do what he needs to. The bruises will heal, no one will know. The index finger of his right hand slides down the side of her throat, pressing harder into her flesh as he gets closer and closer to her pulse point. “You know you have to pay for that, don't you?” Ashlee doesn't answer and that makes him even more pissed off. “I asked you a question, you stupid bitch?! You know that don't you?!”
Swallowing, she nods ever so slightly, “Y-yes, yes, I do,” her words can barely be heard over the harshness of his breathing. Ashlee chances a look in his direction, in his eyes and wants to shiver at what she finds there. Or maybe the real problem is she doesn't find anything. His dark brown eyes are cold, dead, like a snake's, like a shark's. Closing her eyes tightly, she prays. She's not really sure anyone is listening though. If they/he/she/whoever were listening, why would they be letting this happen again? A hopeless feeling weighs in with the fear and pain. Why would they let him do this to her again? Still some part of her believes enough to say the prayer, to beg for help, to plead for strength and courage. “I'm sorry, Grady,” she whispers hoping to appease him somewhat. “It will never happen again.”
His teeth nip at her ear as he says, “You're right. It won't.” Then he grabs her upper arms and throws her to the floor at his feet.
Tock-
Grady moves into the light of the room, careful to appear harmless, careful to keep her locked in his glare. The repressed anger rolling off of him in waves. She locks her knees hoping against hope that this is one of those horrible nightmares she's been having. Hoping that she'll just wake up in a cold sweat with her sheets wrapped around her legs like vines wrap around a tree. The blood drains from her body to pool at her feet. It's not, Chance, the man that she is falling for is here and in her nightmares he never is. She always wants him to see her as strong and smart, neither of them is what Ashlee feels when Grady is in the room. Why can't this just be a horrible nightmare?
Chance takes a step toward her. The movement is unmistakeable. He is protecting her. He is guarding her from her past, from her mistakes, from Grady. If she could feel anything but terror at the moment, Ashlee would feel gratitude and probably fall even more under his spell. Too bad those warm emotions can't penetrate the ice cold flood filling her up. She swallows and wavers slightly. Her knees unlocking and her body starts trembling under the look Grady is giving her. He knows. He can see the reaction. He can feel her fear, smell it coming off of her like a pheromone. Some people get turned on by sensual things, a private dance or a hot kiss in the rain, he get revved up on her being paralyzed by dread.
Tick-
Her knees make contact with the floor first. Fire flares from her joints and her hands jut out to support her weight before she falls completely. Her head hangs down for a second before he grips her left arm, hard enough that she can feel the bruises forming already and lifts her to her feet again. Still holding on to her arm he closes his other hand under her chin so that his thumb and fingers are biting into the flesh of her cheeks, squeezing and making her mouth pucker. Grady's cruel eyes smile a second before he presses his lips to hers. One last kiss before the real fun begins. She's used to this too. When did it become something she was used to? Where is the funny, out-going and strong girl she used to be? Was that person only in her head?
His lips are chapped and feel wrong against hers. He pulls her in closer, angling his hips so that they are locked on hers. Disgust fills her as she feels his erection hard against her belly. A new prayer forms and she starts repeating it over and over. Please not tonight. Please God, don't let him do that tonight. I don't care how many times he hits me, but please... please God. Grady rolls his hips, smirking into the kiss while she swallows more burning acid. His forehead touches hers, their eyes lock. “You want it,” his beard scratches her cheeks as he slams his lips onto hers again. His tongue forces her to open her mouth, even though the thought and now the feel of it makes the vomit rise in her throat quicker.
The kiss went on for longer than she hopes, but she acts like she doesn't want it to end. It's irrational and she knows better, but she silently wishes that just making him happy this way will save her from what is about to come. Stupid girl, that's what he calls her, that's what she is for believing that even for a second. He steps away from her and releases her face, balling his hand into a fist, he brings it across her cheek. And so it begins...
Tock-
Someone is talking. At least that's what she thinks. It could just be the ghosts in her head. The memories that are sailing behind her eyes. She wants to touch her cheek, the cheek he first punched, to see if the skin is broken...it broke that night. In more than one place. Her breathing comes in shallow gasps that she tries to keep as quiet as possible. He doesn't like it when she makes too much noise... Damn it! She shouldn't be thinking about him and what he likes and doesn't like. He isn't a part of her life anymore. Grady is the past...her past... that is standing so cockily in her present with Chance at her side and the whole room full of people. People that were watching. Watching them, watching her. People that didn't understand, couldn't possibly understand. People that she didn't want to know the full extent of his depravity.
An arm slides across her shoulders and she goes still. It's Chance. It's Chance. It's the man that she's falling in love with, not the one that hurt her for his own sick pleasure. It's Phillip “Chance” Chancellor. It's Chance. It's Katherine's great-grandson and Nina's son. It's someone that likes her and maybe wants her. Someone that laughs at her jokes, takes her to movies, shares her love of Harry Potter, makes her happy, gives her a reason to smile... It's not Grady. Grady isn't touching her. He isn't. He is standing on the other side of the room, watching, waiting, seething. Oh God...
Quickly her eyes flash down to his hands. The muscles of his arms are tightening, veins popping out. Controlled, repressed, coiling anger building in those veins. She can smell it on him the way he can smell her terror on her. If it wasn't for all the witnesses, he is always careful about witnesses, Grady would show her exactly what he thinks of another man touching her, of her disrespect in leaving and framing him. He would show her. And this time she isn't sure she wouldn't end up in the morgue.
Tick-
Blood is seeping out of her mouth, nose, and cheek. One of her arms is screaming in agony. It could be broken but she doesn't know for sure and acts like it is fine. Her stomach is on fire. The punches he landed there were making breathing difficult, almost impossible. She wraps her injured arm around her midsection and uses her other hand and arm to pull herself up. Grady is leaning over her, laughing at her attempts to get away. She needs to get away. It's never been this bad before. Why did she lock him out? Why didn't she call the police? What is wrong with her? Why is she so stupid? So stupid, so stupid, she's so freaking stupid... She manages to crawl two inches away from him, but that took all the strength she had left. With a grunt, she collapses onto her floor.
He rolls her over, straddling her chest with his body. Both of his palms press into the floor on either side of her head. Their eyes lock again. His dark brown orbs are glittering with excitement, hers, she's sure, are dead. Ashlee feels like she is dying. His knees close in on her ribcage from either side, constricting her breathing even further. A terrifying thought rushes through her mind...he is trying to kill her. He is trying to stop her life for the unforgivable offense of not falling in line. Panic rises quicker and quicker inside of her. Tears gather in her eyes. She won't get to tell her mom that she loves her, she'll never get to see her friends again. She'll never get to explore her love of food. She'll never hear Buzz laugh or Marina moan about Frank's over protectiveness again. This is it and Ashlee's not ready.
Tock-
The weight of her memories, of his presence is too much. Ashlee can feel the blackness start to take control. Her vision is blurry, haze closing in. Tunnel vision that is becoming smaller and smaller. Her heart rate jumps and races, even as the rest of her slows down... starts to fall.
Tick-
He is glaring down at her in glee, licking his lips, this is her last sight. Her short gasps of air, the prayers rushing through her mind, the words she wants to say to her love ones, Moxie's barking for her are the last things she's going to hear. The smell of booze, gin- vodka- whatever he can find, his cologne sneaking into her nose. Grady's weight pressing the oxygen from her lungs the last thing she will feel. Her own fear, blood and tears were tickling her taste buds.
Tock-
Her mind shuts down finally and her legs give out. The last of her vision is gone. Plunging her into darkness...
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Chance catches her body, but not before a glass piece slices her lower leg. Even in his fear for her, he can tell the cut is a superficial one. He hauls her up in his arms, pulling her as close to his chest as he can get her. Her blonde hair falls across his upper arm as her head rests in the corner of his neck and shoulder. He moves carefully through the mine field of shattered glass and looks around him at the horror filled faces.
Katherine's hand is pressed to her mouth. Her eyes wide with both knowledge and concern. Esther's arms are wrapped around her daughter's shoulders. She's looking quickly from the glass to Ashlee to Grady then back to the glass. Chloe looks intrigued. Chance can practically see her mind working through all the possibilities of what just happened. Irrationally Chance feels a flare of annoyance. It isn't any of her business what is happening here! About what is happening to Ashlee! He takes some careful breaths to control his feelings. He knows he isn't mad at her or her curiosity, it's his own fear being misplaced.
Billy takes a seat next to Mac on the couch, placing a hand on her leg. The gesture is both reassuring and protective. Chance feels another, sharper, flare of annoyance. Billy should be comforting his wife, not his girlfriend in front of his wife. Did the man have any decency? Mac looks dumbstruck, confused and unsure of what to make of everything. Chance walks further out into the room with Ashlee still in his arms. Jill's expression is one of discomfort. He can see her torn emotions clearly on her face. He wants to scream at her. He wants to lash out, how could she do this? How could she bring that man into their home, back into Ashlee's life? The last person he lands on is the one he wants to hurt the most. Grady Foley. He can finally place a face to the man that haunts Ashlee. If he wasn't holding her in his arms, he would show that bastard the door by way of Grady's head through it. All of his solider training is pumping through his veins. Grady looks weak and definitely wouldn't be able to handle himself in a fair fight. Chance knows that that is probably why he picks on women... He'll just have to show him later what an unfair fight really is.
His mother jumps up and stops him before he can get to the stairs. It's the first person to move since he lifted Ashlee into his arms. “Is she alright?”
He nods sharply, “I think she is just past out.” His glare stays firmly on Grady.
“Why don't you take her up to one of the guest rooms, Chance,” Katherine says from his other side. He didn't even hear her come up to him. “She needs to rest. I'll get Missy to make up a room in the north wing. I was going to have her do it anyway...”
“No,” he barks then feels bad for the tone he spoke to her in. Taking a deep breath, he removes his gaze from Grady and looks at his great-grandmother. “Sorry. I just meant that will not be necessary. I'm taking her up to my room.” Katherine nods and doesn't say anything more. Walking up the step to the foyer, Chance pauses beside Jill and Grady. “Why?” He asks his grandmother in a harsh whisper. “Why would you bring him here?” She opens her mouth, her eyes filling with tears and regret. He doesn't want to deal with that, not right now so he speaks to Grady instead. “Get out,” Chance growls at him, his arms tightening around Ashlee.
Grady's dark eyes flash in anger and jealousy. “I was invited here.”
“The invitation has be revoked. Get the hell out of this house, this town and Ashlee's life.” Chance heads for the tall staircase.
“What if I don't,” Grady calls from behind him. “I think I could really like this town and you don't speak for Ashlee.”
“Trust me,” Chance responds without turning back or stopping. “You really don't want to push me.” He makes up to his room and lays her on his bed. Slowly he traces her face with his finger, leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. “Trust me Ashlee,” he whispers into her hair. “He will never hurt you again. I'll protect you. I'll always protect you.”
TBC>>>