The Degradation of Shelby Ann by Emma Cole

Chapter Nineteen

Carter

We were in a private dining room, but it didn't make keeping an eye and an ear on the conversation any easier. Shelby and the men sat close by at a table while I sifted through documents on my phone, trying to find a loophole to the prenup. I finally gave up my multitasking as a lost cause, worried I'd miss something with my inattention. I could barely keep my eyes off of the pale, withdrawn woman next to Dirk. My hands had been tied earlier, and listening to every demeaning thing Shelby had been subjected to had shaken my resolve to stay out of it. It didn’t help that her moans and sounds while reaching an orgasm had gotten me hard. I'd thought I was going to have to hurt Milo for the same, but I’d managed to keep myself in check.

Jerry turning on me though, that had hurt as much as my inability to save Shelby. Now I had to find a way to get her away from Dirk, and I was going to use Winston to do it. I just had to figure out how. Jerry had his own plans, and I’d use them if needed, but if it came down from his father, Dirk would have to comply...in theory anyway.

Winston’s voice carried over to me; he was addressing Shelby after having ignored her through most of the meal, but her lack of appetite had been noticed. Which meant he hadn’t read the update I’d sent him yet, not that I thought he would step in at this point.

“What’s wrong with you, girl? You’re not eating. You’re not expecting, are you?” Shelby blanched at the suggestion, and I wondered what the old man was up to. He knew quite well that she wasn’t since he was the one that stipulated they wait and made sure it happened.

“N-no, sir, just not feeling well today.” She tried for a smile but failed in the face of Winston’s frown...and Dirk gripping her knee under the table. More bruises to pay him back for later. One day, I’d have a go at the pretentious prick, but that was only if my plans came to fruition.

"Dirk, you brought your wife to dinner while she's ill?" The brow he raised in Dirk's direction didn't bode well if the answer was yes. But that wouldn't help Shelby at all.

"It's women's things, Father, nothing to concern yourself with," Dirk claimed, trying to nonchalantly brush it off.

"Hmm… If it's causing her this much distress, I'd like it looked into. Something could have been missed in the initial screenings, which also brings me to the main reason for inviting you out. There were a few areas of concern with your own that I want rechecked, can't have the heir unable to produce more, now can we? There are also current developments I've become aware of, and before I make a decision, I want it verified." Dirk's expression was pure confusion until Winston clarified somewhat.

"While we, as a family and a business, work with certain unseemly aspects of the industry, we don't personally partake of them. Am I understood?"

While Winston's stern warning was vague enough in case the private room wasn't as secure as he'd been promised, it was enough to change my mind about him reviewing my latest report. And Dirk knew it from the flush of anger that crept up his neck and pulled his features into a fierce frown.

"I'm not sure what developments you've been informed of, but I can assure you that it's all under control, Father," Dirk gritted out before briefly glaring at a petrified Shelby.

She hadn't had anything to do with it, and guilt settled heavily in my gut like a stone. It appeared that, yet again, she'd be the one to pay for my actions. Nothing I tried to do seemed to help the situation, but ignoring it all was only going to end in her death. For once, I was beginning to consider taking her and running, but that would leave others behind to deal with the fallout of my choices.

But the old man wasn't satisfied with his answer and punished him with new hoops to jump through.

"Well, we'll see about that. Carter will be taking a more direct hand in your venture to oversee your work if you can’t handle the responsibility. In the meantime, I want you to attend the appointments I’ve had set-up. They’ve been forwarded to your secretary, so she can clear your schedule if need be.”

More composed, but no doubt still pissed, Dirk asked, “Can you at least tell me what they’re for? Or is that a surprise too?”

Winston seemed to find him amusing, smirking at him as he explained. “Seems your recreational pursuits might have affected your ability to procreate. It could be due to a...faulty sample, hence the need to have it repeated. And while we’re at it, there will be a work-up done for the compatibility of you and your wife regarding any future children. Apparently, you’re not the only one that can’t follow directions, and that panel wasn’t run.” He frowned then, and I imagined the tech that mishandled it was out of a job, if not worse.

Dirk only nodded in response and asked if dinner was through, then stood up when Winston told him it was. As for Shelby, she barely reacted to any of it, and I worried that she was either going to pass out or was already broken enough that she didn’t care.

As they filed out, Dirk holding on to her a bit too tightly, Winston called me over. “Keep tabs on everything, and let me know if anything he does is going to cause legal trouble. Otherwise, leave him be with the girl for now.” I wanted to protest, but I knew it would only raise suspicions, so I swallowed the words and nodded in agreement instead. “I dislike the thought that her blood will taint my family name more than it already has. Besides, if she inherited the mental health issues of her mother, other measures would have to be taken when it came time for an heir.” He seemed to think he needed to explain his actions and decisions to me, which was odd and had never been the case before. Yet again, I had to wonder what had happened since I’d left his side months ago that was causing him to act so out of character. It would be too much to hope that he was dying...

“Yes, sir, I understand,” I agreed again, hoping to make it to the car before Dirk could torment Shelby too much or leave without me. His foul mood should have worn off after his afternoon of debauchery, but he was still too wound up for my peace of mind.

“Very well, then. I’ll email anything else pertinent. You’ve been a good asset, Carter.” With that, Winston got to his feet and made for the door where his new guard awaited him on the other side. It seemed he hadn’t earned the trust to be privy to much.

As soon as he was gone, I quickly made for the parking lot, sighing in relief when I saw the car idling, waiting for me.

* * *

Shelby

After that night with Winston Sr., Dirk disappeared for a few days, and I had another appointment with the family doctor—at his clinic this time. I didn’t even care what they wanted now. I was just glad to get it over with and go back home to bed. That was where I’d been for the majority of my time since I’d been refused when I tried to leave the house. Carter said it was because he had to be absent on errands for Winston Sr., but surely one of the other guards could have filled in. Regardless, I was stuck inside with nothing to do...and no voice to even argue with.

By the third day of being holed up in my room, Jerry came to find me and pestered me until I went with him, then he promptly handed me off to my personal trainer to get some exercise. I wanted to refuse, but he disappeared out the door before I could complain, and I didn’t want to be rude to the man that had come to do his job. And it seemed to actually help, burning off some of my frustration from being cooped up again.

Later that night, Dirk showed up in my room and announced we had a charity ball to attend that weekend. It would be my first big society event, and I was nearly in a panic that he’d only given me three days to prepare. I hadn’t gone out shopping since Nina was kicked out, and now I had to find a dress that wouldn’t need alterations on short notice. When I said as much, my husband shrugged and walked away, calling back that I’d better make sure I was ready.

The interaction was bizarre, and I didn’t understand what had changed his demeanor from obsessive and cruel to...indifferent. With a groan, I’d flopped back on my bed and then proceeded to toss and turn half the night, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But it never came.

* * *

The night of the ball came and went without any fanfare or incidents with Dirk. The ball itself was rather boring, besides the bit of dancing I did with my husband, and things seemed to be settling down, like they had been prior to walking in on him and Nina. Several weeks passed, and the most Dirk did was kiss me hello or goodnight, until I started to doubt my sanity. It was as if nothing bad had ever happened, like he wasn't psychotic or abusive in the least.

But then Thanksgiving came around, and his mood deteriorated. He didn’t actually do anything to me other than snap at me, and I got brave enough to ask what his problem was.

“My mother died right before Christmas; it’s not a good time of year for me.” While that might be true, that didn’t sound like all of it. I recalled him being fine when we were dating, but it wasn’t worth pursuing.

“Missing your loved ones can be hard,” I offered, not really caring if he was upset. The man had tormented me for no reason, and it was hard to find sympathy for what felt like an evasion of the truth.

It also brought up the fact that this would be the first year I spent away from my own mother, not that we did much, but despite the way she’d acted the last time I’d seen her, a pang of guilt hit me that she’d be alone. For my own peace of mind, I decided to check in with Sylvia, just to make sure she was still doing okay, and turned to leave the sitting room.

“Yes, darling, it can be.” I startled at the endearment as much as the arms that came around me from behind. “But we’ll have each other. Father and Rafe won’t be attending. Father had a bout with his heart and has gone to some center with my brother to see if anything has progressed.” At my silence, he shed some light on the subject I hadn’t known about. “He had a heart attack a few years ago, and it weakened the organ. The damage wasn’t severe enough for a transplant, or it hasn’t been, but even if it was, he’s unlikely to qualify if his other systems begin to fail.”

There was no love lost for that man either, and I was glad Dirk couldn’t see my grimace as I imagined what he'd be like without his dad holding the reins. He was being normal, affectionate even, but letting my guard down was the last thing I planned on doing.

"You could go meet him if you wanted to," I offered, hoping he'd leave so I could enjoy the quiet time without worrying about him flipping out or Milo giving me one of his usual creepy stares.

"No, I'd prefer to be here with you," he replied, dashing my hopes. "Unless you'd rather me leave?" His arms tightened around me, and he actually sounded hurt at the prospect. I didn't dare say yes though.

"Of course not." I forced out with a laugh. "Why would you think that?"

He relaxed around me with a sigh. "I know things got...off track, but I want you to be my wife again, Shelby. I've been trying to give you time, but...I miss you."

It was my turn to stiffen, I had no idea how to respond to that. It was too late to put the crazy back in the box, and he couldn't erase what he'd done. Don't push him. If she hadn't been gone for so long, I could almost think that came from my voice, but I liked to believe I was learning to think before I acted.

"I-I don't know, Dirk. There was a lot... But maybe we could start again?" There was no chance in hell I meant it, but if it kept him sane, I'd go along with it.

"Thank you, darling. I hoped you'd see it my way." And there it was. His way. Winston wasn't gone; Dirk was just holding him at bay for whatever reason.

When he dipped his head down, inhaling deeply at my neck, I resigned myself to the fact that I'd just agreed to become physical with him again even though that hadn't been my intent. As his hands inched up the bottom of my shirt, a knock sounded at the door, making him groan into my shoulder before releasing me and stepping away to answer it.

"What?!" he snapped as it opened, but I was too shaken at the near miss to turn and see who was taking the brunt of his ire.

"Sorry, boss, but there's a situation down at the docks. It needs your attention."

"I'll be right there. Milo, bring the car around front, please." The door shut, and Dirk resumed his previous position, that time kissing me on the neck before roughly sucking the skin into his mouth, no doubt leaving a hickey to mark his territory. "I'll come to you when I'm finished, darling," he promised before he left.

As soon as the door shut behind him, I collapsed onto the davenport and let the tears come. I'd never be free.