Silas' POV
I straighten my tie as I walk through the corridors to get to my meeting. I didn't want to have to leave the boys, especially with Birch being so new, but this meeting is unexpected and urgent.
I'm about to meet Birch's monster of a father.
Not many of us had good father figure's.... Shocking, I know.
But we hope that this meeting will clarify some things, plus I need to look him in the eyes when he tells me why he did it.
I sit down in my chair once I enter the room and look at his file, he's not a pleasant looking man and he's had a hard life too. That doesn't excuse him if his actions, just starts to make his mental state more clear to me.
William Foley Hastings
Age: 65
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 200 pounds
Characteristics: Aggressive, sadistic, alcoholic, drug addicted manic, major depression, suicidal tendencies, hates family, very persuasive.
Location: Blackmore Prison
Friends: None
Classification: Master
Romantic partner: None
Profession: Was a construction worker, stopped working almost 16 years ago.
I frowned as I looked at the picture of Birch's father. He looked nothing like him, so maybe his mother is where he got his looks from? But, pets and master's almost never have a little as a child, so the real question is.... Is William Birch's true father? If not, that could partially explain his disdain for the child.
But that also doesn't answer my question as to who the mother is. We don't have a name, nothing. Trust me, the hospital ran Birch's bloodwork and it came up clean. So, she's not in the system or she'd of shown up.
I was contemplating this as William walked in, if I wasn't a dom then he would've intimidated the living, hell, out of me.
He looked at me like he could see right through me, I felt like he had this dark aura around him. It didn't just make me feel fear, it made me feel... smaller than I am, and I'm a pretty big fucking guy.
His chains rattled on the floor, and around his wrists, I could hear the tightening of his fists around the metal cuff around his wrist, I could tell he wasn't just mad, he was pissed off to see me too.
Which I could relate to, he never wanted to see me again, just like he never want to see Birch again.
I never wanted to see this guy again either, my last meeting with him was unpleasant to say the least, but we have to get this done today. I have to know, no, I need to know why he hates Birch so much. I need the reassurance that maybe Iris truly did love him.
I think Birch needs that too, he needs to have good memories of his twin. I don't think he'd survive it, If he believed that Iris was on her father side the entire time. But maybe not, she didn't want feel the same beatings as him but maybe she secretly did love her father, we'll never know.
I couldn't fathom loving such a violent man. Hell I could never love my father. My father wasn't only just violent he was.... God. He felt like he was sucking the air out of the room.
Whenever you walked in for a single second, it was suffocating the entire time I lived with him. I tried for so many years to make it work. I try to make it work I really did, but there came to a point....
Where you need to stop trying and you need to leave; so I left and here I am now, sitting across a metal prison table, staring at this sadistic piece of shit.
I would laugh at that this wasn't so dangerous. I knew that Roman would find some sort of fucking stupid joke, maybe about the stupid ugly scar on his face, or maybe about the fact that this ugly motherfucker created this gorgeous little boy, my little boy.
I almost smiled when I thought Birch just the other day, when he first went into headspace I can't believe he went headspace before being properly classified. I know I should've done it sooner but he is still adjusting. He needs to adjust in a calming and safe environment. Well, I guess I can tell the classification center that he's a little.
Well, it makes sense. If you really think about it, him going into headspace so soon. He never felt safe in his entire life. I never felt safe until I left my parents either.
He finally felt safe and that gives me so much joy to think that Burch actually felt safe in our home. Yes, we call it the institute but that's just for the public. It's really a home, my home.
The home I bought with my own money, I never had help from my parents, I never had help from anyone else. It was me doing the work every single day.
I worked like crazy, to save enough money to buy that mansion, I bought it at an auction from the bank cheap as hell, considering the other prices. And all the land came with, but it needed a lot of work, but I had help from friends of mine, and eventually through the years, it took forever but now it looks like the Institute you know today.
The home we have is filled with so much love and joy, I never really talked about how I made my money and really talked about all the things I did....
But we will get back to that later, right now this ugly piece of shit staring at me like he knows something I desperately need to know, and I know he knows it.
" So tell me, Mr. Hastings, who is Birch's mother?"
My breath caught in my chest as I waited for his answer. The one answer I know Birch needs to know.
He smirked at me and said "Oh her? I haven't seen her in almost 15 years. The bitch is long gone and if you think I'm going to tell you anything about her your sorely mistaken."
I exhaled, I could feel nothing but disappointment. I wanted to know! No, I need to get these answers for Birch. This is basic information and he's holding it over me like it's some sick prize. But maybe that is an answer for a different meeting.
I nodded and asked, " If you want, tell me what her name is or tell me something about her."
He sighed and looked at the table. He was picking at his cuticles as if to distract himself. Did he really care about her?
" She was from a prominent family, her father came from old oil money, and her mother was heiress they didn't think a lowly construction worker should be around the likes of their daughter. So they tried to buy me off would of worked too if I was a smarter man....
And that doctor is all you will ever get out of me about that bitch." He finished with a hard look in his eye.
I nodded, I knew he wouldn't give me anything else, but he gave me more than I ever had and I could work with us with my connections. My old connections, I could definitely find her name...
There had to be a newspaper article or something talking about an old oil money baron and an heiress' daughter, having a liaison with a a construction worker. Or something to that effect.
I knew this meeting was done, but I wanted more information from him.
He smirked at me as he said in a gravely voice, "Who said I didn't have any other tricks up my sleeve, doctor? That little shit will wish he died, with what I have planned for him!" He bangs his fist so hard on the metal table, he dents it.
I step back from the table as a rush of undiluted fear washes over me like a wave.
I mask my fear with an expressionless face, one I have grown accustomed to throughout the years with my job.
I give him a dead panned look and say in a monotone voice, "You can try your best, William, but we both know Birch is stronger than you give him credit for."
I close my files and pack them away in my bag, as he stares at me in disgust and utter hate.
As I'm walking out the door I hear him call, "Everyone that loves him is fucking deranged! I'll make it my mission to destroy that mistake of a child!"
I wanted to yell at him, I wanted to scream and cry for Birch. But I couldn't do that, there's rules I have to abide by and giving into those urges could jeopardize our entire lives. It's not worth a moment of satisfaction to receive a potentially long term repercussion from my actions.
Words can leave nothing but pain, they are so easily thrown away but not easily taken back or forgiven. Words can be like daggers to the heart, the only weapon we have to defend ourselves or hurt our loved ones with. I've always tried to be morally sound and kind.
But a man like William, he'll use whatever he has in his arsenal to hurt those he's closest to so they can feel the most pain imaginable.
But now that he's in prison, words are the only way he can really hurt others. I've seen the way his words have stuck with Birch and had lasting effects on him.
But I've seen how Birch's kind words and actions have had lasting effects on the people he's around the most.
Words are really the worst weapon anyone can have, and I just hope that with our strength and guidance, that Birch will one day heal from his fathers venomous spirit.
I know I healed from my parents neglect and abuse, as did the other boys in the institute. We find joy in the simplicity of life and everyday activities with each other. I know that I can't wait to get home to my boys, and maybe bring them home a sweet surprise.