•Damien's POV•
''Javier!'' I said, exhausted as I caught my breath. I stepped into his office and closed the door. ''Javier I--''
''Don't even give me your bullshit of an excuse Damien. You were pretty adamant to not make this meeting and you've succeeded, no doubt.'' Javier said. He was staring at the screen of his computer and he had his silent angry face on.
Obviously he was a pretty stoic expressioned man but if you really knew him you could tell when he was pissed.
And right now he looks angry as fuck.
''The photoshoot hung over the expected time, the shots weren't up to par and we had to redo the entire--''
''Damien, I'm disappointed in you. I don't want to talk to you right now. You keep forgetting that I'm doing all of this for you. I don't want you to feel bad about that though, I want you to feel bad about not taking this serious enough. That photoshoot could've been easily rescheduled but this meeting was today and today only. You know how I am when it comes to business. First impressions are what sets the mood for everything else and you made a very bad one today by not showing up.'' He sighed out.
''Javier,'' I pleaded. I really hate when he's mad at me. I mean he's like my Father. He's someone that I want to impress, not let down.
''Not now, Damien. Your flight leaves in two hours. Go to your hotel and pack.'' He ordered. I released a frustrated breath of air from my lips but left his office anyway.
Javier is a great man. But when he's upset, he can be the coldest motherfucker in the world.
And now he has me feeling like shit, which I totally deserve because everything he said was true. The photoshoot could've been rescheduled.
And I'm not even going to lie. I didn't take this meeting half as serious as I should've until just now when I saw how much it upset him that I didn't show up.
I know he'll be over it by the time he flies back to California but I can't help but feel the need to make it up to him.
Now I just have to figure out what the hell to do.
∆∆∆∆∆
''I swear to fucking god--''
''Damien--''
''Cody!'' I yelled, frustrated. Why the hell was he talking to me so much? My flight got delayed and I literally just got back to the house fifteen minutes ago.
Me being the lazy fuck I am refused to take the stairs all the way up to my room, I'm also exhausted since I hate sleeping on planes, so here I came to rest peacefully on the couch.
Until this little rude bastard walked in talking my ears off.
''Damien I'll buy it myself, I just need your permission to keep it her--''
''No.'' I said simply. ''Cody I just got home and I would really appreciate if you would leave me alone. Just for a few hours, then we can go to the beach or movies or something.'' I told him. My eyes were shut, and I didn't intend on opening them. I was exhausted.
''In a few hours it'll be dark. And I don't want to do anything today, it's Friday. Why won't you just let me have a puppy? You really must think I'm going to kill the thing. If I'm responsible enough to have a car, I'm responsible enough to have a puppy.'' He argued.
I poked an eye open at him, arching a brow.
''Good point,'' I grumbled. I stretched out my arm towards him, opening my hand expectantly. ''Give me your car keys.'' I said. I was only fucking with him but he was working on my nerves so he deserved it.
We had an intense stare off and for a minute I was actually convinced he was about to do it. I laughed my ass off.
''I'm only kidding,'' I said, regaining my exhausted composure. He glared at me. I smiled in return. ''But seriously, I've had a pretty stressful day, Cody. I just need a few hours and then we can talk.'' I told him honestly. I closed my eyes back.
I heard him let out a frustrated sigh.
''Fine. I'm inviting Scarlet over.'' He yelled, just as I heard his feet began to beat against the stairs.
''Please don't angry fuck her too loudly! Keep the volume at a three please!'' I yelled back.
Five hours later I was energized enough to drag myself to my room and take a scolding hot soothing shower. I was walking out of my bathroom when I heard my phone repeatedly buzzing on my bed.
I went over and picked it up, glancing at the screen.
''Fuck!'' I groaned aloud, looking at the missed event on my calendar application. I tossed my phone on my bed moving over to my dresser to throw some clothes on.
Some black jeans and a grey t-shirt is what I decided on before grabbing my phone and leaving my room. I ran down the stairs and headed towards the back of the house, in the direction of the basement.
I opened the door to the small underground area and proceeded down the stairs. Going over to the box filled shelves I moved one out of the way and was faced with the black metal safe that I hated coming to.
I put in the combination, opening the safe. A sigh left my lips before I grabbed a duffle bag out of one of the boxes on the shelf. I grabbed ten grand out of the safe, stuffing it all into the duffle bag before closing the safe and placing the box back in front of it.
I put the strap of the bag on my shoulder and made my way out of the basement.
''Cody!'' I called, moving into the front of the house.
''I'm in the kitchen!'' He called back. I took my phone from my pocket, looking at the time. It was ten minutes until eleven. Damn, I slept in late.
I entered the kitchen seeing Scarlet sitting on the contour next to Cody who was mixing something in a bowl. There was eggs, butter, milk and mix all over the kitchen.
''Hey,'' Scarlet said, waving. I nodded at her just as Cody turned around.
''Are you sleeping over?'' I asked her, tucking my phone back into my pocket.
''Yeah, I'm spending the weekend.'' She said.
''Okay, just make sure your parents know.'' I told her. ''You know you're going to clean all of this up right?'' I asked Cody.
''I know, I know.'' He said.
''I'll be back later.'' I said, leaving the kitchen. I grab my keys out of the bowl and my jacket off the hook next to the door. I sat the duffle bag down at my feet. As I'm slipping my arms through the sleeves of my jacket, Cody walks through the arch way.
He leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest. I saw his eyes travel to the bag. I zipped my jacket up and gripped the strap of the bag, slinging it onto my shoulder.
''Where are you going? It's almost twelve o'clock.'' He said.
''I have to go drop theses clothes off by Javier,'' I said, gesturing towards the duffle bag. ''He needs them as soon as his flight lands.''
''Shouldn't they be in clothing bags?'' Cody asked. I eyed him boredly. His suspiciousness is annoying and I haven't had to lie this frequently since I was in high school.
''Dude, they're clothes and they're in a bag, what does it matter? Just make sure the kitchen is clean by the time I get back.'' I told him. I opened the front door, leaving the house and making sure to lock the door behind me.
I climbed into my car and tossed the bag onto the passengers seat. Running a stressed hand through my hair I rested my head on the steering wheel for a minute.
Just thinking about what I had to go do right now brought back memories of the first time this took place. That made me sick to my stomach. This entire situation made me sick to my stomach.
"I thought this was done with. You told me you took care of this. I swear-I just. I can't do this Javier." I confided in him, running a very timid hand through my hair to try and ease the emotions I felt right now.
''I don't want to see them, let alone give them my money. I worked hard for my money, they don't deserve a penny of it. They've done nothing for me. They abandoned me!'' I yelled.
I picked something up. I don't know what it was, maybe a remote, maybe my new expensive phone I just bought, and without a second thought it was being hurled to the wall.
Javier’s strong arms restrained me from grabbing anything else as he basically bear hugged me. Telling me to calm down. Telling me to stop losing my shit and to be strong.
Being strong is much easier said than done. I've used nearly all of my strength to get where I am in life right now and they're just trying to take it away.
Why me? Why me again? Didn't this world have enough fun fucking with me the first time?
''I did handle it. But it just isn't so black and white Damien. Your Mother agreed to the arrangement with little to no convincing but your Father was a difficult bastard to sell.
My lawyers struck an agreement with him that we'd pay them a decided amount of money every six months for every year that Cody is in your custody until he turns eighteen and for that they won't do anything stupid like call the cops and tell them we kidnapped their fifteen year old son.'' Javier explained.
He released me, his larger frame roughly throwing mine into a nearby chair. He looked me in the eyes, his gaze silently begging me to pull it together.
But I couldn’t. I couldn't wrap my head around why I had to deal with them again. I didn't even consider them my parents anymore. They were just people to me and barely even that. They didn't deserve to be called parents. They weren't in any way, shape, or form parents to me.
''I apologize deeply to you for how this played out. I know you wanted nothing to do with them after getting your brother back. But that's what this is about now Damien. It's about your brother, and doing whatever it takes to get him away from them if that's what you think is in his best favor.
You may hate that you have to do this, that you have to revisit your past to provide a better future for your brother. But trust me Damien, this is something to pull strength from, not to concave in your weaknesses. You can do this. And you have no choice but to do this for Cody. Just give them the money Damien, there's plenty more where it came from. And if you don't want to pay them I will.'' Javier spoke.
''I don't want to give them my money. And it's not just about giving them my hard earned money. It's about what it means if I just hand it over to them. It means they win. And the last thing I want them to do is win. They don't deserve to win.'' I had held them back for a very long time, but at this very moment my emotions poured down from my eyes and onto my cheeks.
I was crying.
I was crying about my past--something I swore to myself I'd never do. I shed my final tear for my past when I left that hotel room.
No more tears. No more.
Javier is right. I need to pull strength from this for Cody. I need to do this, definitely not for me but for my brother.
My brother needs me. And if I abandon him I'm no better than our so called 'parents'.
They took my youth away but I won't let them do the same to him. At least one Vitale child deserves a good life.
I won't let them ruin him.
I looked up at Javier.
''Fine. Fine I'll pay them but Cody can't know. I mean ever. I don't want him in the middle of this more than he already is. He shouldn't have to deal with this.'' I say, grabbing the hand that Javier reaches out to me to get me back onto my feet.
This isn't the first time I've given up something for someone I love. And I'd give my last breath away for my little brother. It's as simple as that. Him before the world. He's the only family I have left.
''Fuck,'' I murmured. I brought my hand up quickly wiping the stray tear from my cheek. I cleared my throat and started the car. I'm not even supposed to be crying about this shit.
I wish I had not even remembered it but this is the last time I have to do this, so for that I'm grateful. I pulled out of the drive way and began on my long agonizing drive. Every red light that I caught I contemplated turning the car around and going home.
I had moved in a neighborhood so far from where they lived that they would not be able to find me even if they tried. But they've never tried, so that's been the least of my concerns.
But I was taking the extra long way tonight. I was doing this for one reason and one reason only.
So I wouldn’t have to drive through Steven's neighborhood.
I couldn't deal with it. Not tonight at least. Usually I'd just park across from his old house and creepily stare at his old room window while reminiscing.
But tonight's not the night for all of that. I just want to be over with this.
It was a two hour drive, even with the nearly clear roads. I pulled up on the curb, placing my car in park and neglecting to take the key out. As soon as I got this over with I wanted to be gone. I wanted to be gone as if I was never here to begin with.
I grabbed the duffel bag out of the passenger seat, getting out of the car, then heading for the house. I never actually saw my 'parents' when I did these transactions. I always just leave the bag in front the door, ring the door bell and then leave.
The rare moments that they opened the door in a haste I never bothered to give them a glance so all they got to see is the back of my head.
I walked up the porch steps and stopped in front the door. The perfectly painted blue was peeling off after years of wear and tear. The house was old now. But standing here, all my pain felt fresh.
I stood there a minute too long, sulking in my past and refraining myself from crying, that when the door handle started to jiggle it startled me.
I dropped the duffle bag and hurried down the stairs, rushing along the pavement to make it to my car.
''Damien!'' Her voice rang in my ears and my eyes began to burn. They burned like hell but I refused to let one fucking tear fall. Everything was rushing back and it hurt. It fucking hurt.
''Damien! Damien, please wait!'' She called out
I reached my car, climbing in and shutting the door.
She couldn't stand up for me.
She couldn't stand up for Cody.
Why should I give her the time of day? Why does she think she even deserves it?
She doesn't.
I pressed against the gas pedal and sped off. I was biting the inside of my cheek, forcing myself not to directly look at the figure that was in my rear view mirror.
My palms were sweating profusely, me gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter didn't help at all. I took deep breaths. I pushed back every tear that wanted to fall.
That woman was never a mother to me, or at least not when it counted, not when I really needed her to be. I shouldn't cry.
I shouldn't cry.
I shouldn't cry.
''Fuck!'' I screamed, directing my fist into the dashboard as the salty liquid slipped free from the confines of my eyes. I pulled my car over to the side of the road.
I try to be strong. I really do. But lately it's so hard to be strong all on my own. I don't want to lean on Javier anymore than I already have. I owe this man everything. I owe him my life, which he saved.
He shouldn't have to play therapist to me. He's a busy man. I don't want to take up his time with my problems. Yet I found myself dialing his number with tear blurred eyes.
''You should be asleep Damien. Do you know what time it is?'' His voice echoed when he answered the phone. I took a deep breath, pretending I didn't just hear myself sob.
''She ran after me. She-she came out of the house-she came after me.'' I told him, stabilizing my voice as best I could. I heard him give a low curse on his end of the phone.
''Damien you didn't have to do it yourself. You know all you had to do was ask and I would have delivered it for you.'' He spoke gruffly.
''You're not even in this state, Javier.'' I said, giving him a dry laugh. ''It's okay. I'm okay. I just needed to talk to someone.''
''Come to my house. I'm just leaving the airport I'll be there in about thirty minutes.'' He said. I shook my head, knowing he couldn't see.
''No, I actually have to do something.'' I said, attempting to hang up but I heard his voice again.
''Damien don't do anything stupid.'' He warned in his serious voice.
''Stop worrying, Javier. I'm going to go buy him the god damned puppy.'' I didn't miss his deep laughter before the call ended. I rolled my eyes before wiping them and getting back on the road.
Soon I was pulling into the parking lot of an all night pet adoption shelter. I turned the car off and climbed out. A few barks here and there could be heard as I entered the building.
There was a friendly face woman behind the desk. She had soft ebony skin and her eyes were a shade of green that made me think of mints.
''Are you adopting or volunteering?'' She asked upon me approaching the desk.
''Adopting.'' I answered. She reached beneath the desk and came up with a clipboard and a pen.
''Just fill this out and we'll go take a look at the animals when you're done. Also there's an eighty dollar adoption fee.'' She informed me.
I stood there and filled the paperwork out quickly. After I was done I gave her the clipboard back along with the pen. I pulled a hundred dollar bill from my pocket and told her to keep the change.
When we went to the back where the animals were we were accompanied by an older man. I made an assumption that it was maybe her father or just a relative from the resemblance I saw.
I let them know that I was looking for, a friendly well bred puppy. They led me into the dog section of the shelter.
It pleased me to see that everything was clean and well kept. They obviously put care into their work. I wonder if you can tip shelters. I don't know. I'll have to talk to Javier about donating to this place.
We were walking down the hall filled with cages containing different breeds of dogs.
''Let us know when you see one that catches your eye or if you want to pet one. Most of our puppies are pretty shy.'' The man said.
We were still walking down the hall when a puppy with a beautiful coat came bursting out of it's cage and running towards us. It's tail was wagging in full excitement as its tongue hung from its mouth.
''Smart little biscuit!'' The woman exclaimed, sighing. I laughed, squatting down and letting the happy puppy greet me by licking nearly every inch of my face. ''We call him Sly because he's a clever one. He lifts the cage lock up with his nose and sneaks out all of the time. I'm sorry about that.''
I scooped the welcoming puppy up into my arms.
''It's fine. I'm taking him home with me. He's perfect.'' I told them, stifling a laugh from the tickling feeling Sly licking my stubbed chin gave me.
''Zack will get you a collar and a leash. We can go back up to the front and get you your copy of the paperwork, then we're done here. He'll be all yours.'' The woman said, her face reflected a genuine smile.
After that was done I was climbing back into my car, sitting Sly down on the passengers seat. He whined a little once the car started to move but eventually climbed onto the floor of the car and went to sleep.
I pulled into the parking lot of a pet store in my town. I didn't want to leave Sly in the car so I woke him up from his nap and we quickly ran into the store and gathered a basket full of things that were needed like training pads, a bed, food, toys, etc.
When I finally made it to the house I had to rang Cody’s phone about four times to get him to wake up. Although it was almost five in the morning by now. I was parked in the driveway when he finally sleep walked himself out of the house.
The way his face lit up when he went to open the passenger door and saw Sly lying there. It was amazing. I could actually tell it meant a lot to him.
That made me happy.
∆A/N∆
In case anyone was wondering, yes I do post the date of updates so I'll feel shitty about being SUPER late with updates. Lol but it's fine, I'm working on it, I swear.
So Cody finally got his puppy. It's so adorable right?
A bit more about the past was revealed, how do you all feel about the flashback?
Please leave a comment and tell me what you think of the story!
Please vote!
Posted: March 21, 2017.