Knowing CELIAN DEVEREUX

"Get the hell out of my house!" Celian Devereux barked at the man who stood before him in his living room. They both shared the same blue eyes and dark tousled waves, except that the older man had streaks of grey hairs in his and had pulled his hair into a ponytail instead. He grinned at Celian and lowered himself to a sofa. "Or what Son?" Paco asked, arching a bushy brow at the towering man before him. In all his days, Celian had never met a man more wrapped up in himself than his father. He had grown up to the news of his father living a life of total debauchery and shame in the whole of America. The first time he fought in school, some kid insulted his mother, calling her so ugly that his father had to find three women to shag after the honeymoon. Celian pummeled the kids to bits and went home proud of his handwork. Only to confirm from his mother that the story was true. He had been crushed. Of course, his mother hadn't been ugly. Though she had died many years ago from cardiac arrest, Celian still recalled her beautiful black eyes that nestled on her heart-shaped face. She had the softest skin ever and her voice was soothing. But she was weak. And weak women suffered terribly in the hands of a bastard like his father. "Father I don't have time for this s**t. It's like six in the morning, You need to leave." He spat feeling every inch of him crawl with anger and irritation at the man before him. "No, you need to wake up Celian." His father stated coolly, whipping out a cigarette and a lighter. Taking a puff from the lit cigarette, he stared up at him. "Your secretary tells me you haven't been at work for a week now. The business isn't going to run itself-" "If you care so much about it, then maybe you shouldn't have stepped down from managing the damn company." Celian snapped. At twenty-five, he had been forced to inherit his father's company after the asshole had stepped down to pursue his selfish desires on a grander scale. Celian had manned the place for five f*****g years and to be honest, he need a break. A break from working so hard to clear Dev Group of Companies from the shameful mire that Paco Devereux had sunk it into. "I entrusted the company to you, you ungrateful snit!" Paco yelled, rising to his feet until he was almost as tall as his son. "Your mates struggle right from scratch but I? I gave you a f*****g company on a silver platter. Don't tell me s**t!" Celian laughed harshly, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "As if that makes you a f*****g saint. We both know you just resigned so I could do the dirty work for you. And all you'll do is enjoy the money I make and keep on shagging girls tong enough to be your granddaughter!" "Please!" A woman's voice pierced the air and Celian felt his blood boil in increased anger as he turned to see his wife Joanne standing by the door that connected the living room to the kitchen. "The babies are asleep, can you two not argue here?" "Shut the hell up," Celian ordered. Joanne's presence had constantly irritated him even before their marriage. She wasn't ugly. Dear God no she wasn't. Heck, he could admit that he had fantasized several times about the satin smooth softness of her skin, about kissing the dip between her slender waist and hips and trailing down her pale and slim legs. He had dreamed of her sweet amber eyes flaring up in passion as she approached her climax and the sounds she would make. So yes, she wasn't ugly. But he had been forced to marry her two years ago, by his old man who wanted to expand his company. Joanne had been the daughter of Benjamin Arcadio, owner of Arcadio Industries. His marriage to her had been a simple business arrangement and Celian hated everything about it. Except for his children. Joanne glared at him with piercing amber eyes and he resisted the urge to shrink. "If the twins wake, you both,-" she gave her father-in-law a pointed glare that told him she meant it. "will be responsible for pacifying them." Paco laughed and glanced at his son. "Reminds me of your mother. They're quite alike aren't they?" Celian pinched his nose trying to still his raging nerves. The house felt too hot to stay in and he was still trembling from anger. "No, she doesn't. She is not Mother. I am not you and will never be you!" Paco snickered and walked to the door. "You and I aren't much different Son. It's not like you aren't f*****g that hot little ass your secretary waves around." From the corner of his eyes, he saw Joanne stiffen for a brief moment and closed his eyes. Dammit, he hadn't wanted her to find out like that. Feeling quite overwhelmed, he stalked towards the door to his house. "If you won't leave," he said brushing last his father. "I'll leave." And with those words, he slammed the door behind him and strolled to the elevator. Living in a penthouse had its perks. One was having a private elevator. With a frown on his face, he stepped into the elevator, determined to be anywhere but near his father or Joanne. **** New york streets always teemed with people. It didn't matter that it was just some minutes past six in the morning, the streets were packed. With a frown that seemed to permanently be on his face, Celian weaved his way through the crowd, his mind replaying the look on Joanne's face when she heard his father's comments about him cheating. She hadn't looked so surprised, as if she had expected it all along. Heck, she must've. He had only slept with his wife once so she could conceive and that had been the only time he had touched her in the past two years. "Fuck." He muttered, running a hand through his hair as he took a leisure walk. His secretary Fiona had seemed like a wonderful replacement for his wife. She didn't make his stomach flutter with butterflies, she was definitely not as innocent as his wife, and she was a good lay. Realizing that he was defending cheating on his wife, Celian paused in his tracks. Perhaps he and his father weren't so different after all. He thought with a sad sigh and looked up. The sun was rising slowly, lightening up the skies. Its light reflected on the tall building in which he stood before. Blinking rapidly, Celian squinted as he saw someone stand on the top of the building. She looked like she was going to jump off and his blue eyes widened in fear. "s**t!" He cussed, dashing into the building. It was a condo. Ignoring the questioning gaze of the people, he stepped into the elevator and got to the roof just in time to see a girl shift her foot to the ledge of the roof. "Stop!" Celian yelled. His arms stretched out before him as he panted heavily. His T-shirt was damp with sweat and he took slow steps toward her. The girl stood at the edge of the roof, looking at him with sad green eyes. Her black hair draped over her face and Celian had never seen anyone look so forlorn. So lost. "You can't stop me." She whispered as he drew closer. Her hands lay limp at her side and she shook her head when he was close. "I have to do this." "No," Celian whispered, feeling terror creep into his voice. "You don't have to do this. You...things can be bad, but this...this isn't the way." The girl closed her eyes and turned her face away from him. He could see the war expressed on them. He had been in her shoes before and could relate to her fear. "I'm tired!" She screamed suddenly, opening her eyes. Celian felt his heart tear open as he watched tears slide down her cheeks through the corner of her eyes. "You don't understand. Nobody does!" "I do!" Celian said, his voice rising with urgency. "Believe me I do." The girl took a good look at him. From the expensive trainers that covered his feet to his blue jean trousers and white shirt. She sneered and shook her head. "Yeah right. Do I look like I'm stupid? I bet you get to have anything you want at the snap of your fingers and nothing would stop you. You don't have to sweat so much every day to try to survive! The last thing I need is some pansy rich man judging me!" "I am not judging you!" Celian defended. He was standing closer to her but he was afraid to reach out to hold her. Afraid that she would jump off the ledge the moment he did. He bit his lip and tried to hold her eyes. "I was in your shoes too. A few years ago... I was. I had been tired of everything. My mom, died, my dad isn't exactly the epitome of goodness and I felt so... Done with everything. I wanted to end it all too." The girl's hardened green eyes softened at his words. "Why didn't you?" Celian smiled tiredly. Those times had been dark times for him. "Because it wouldn't really end or fix everything. It wouldn't bring my mother back or change my Dad. In reality, I'll be the one on the losing end." The girl shook her head. "I don't think I am that strong. I'm.goimg to die anyways." Celian smiled comfortingly. "What is your name?" She eyed him warily before parting her lips to speak. "Rae. Rae Wesley" "Give yourself some credit, Rae Wesley," Celian muttered and stretched out a hand for her to take. "It gets way better. You'll see. And if it doesn't, you have the joy of proving me wrong. Just know that we can only fix things as long as we still breathe." He saw her eyes blink rapidly, trying to hold in the tears that came pouring down. Rae clutched her hands to her chest, loud heavy sobs wracking her body. She nodded at Celian and stretched a hand to hold his. But her foot slipped off the ledge and her hands merely brushed this. The next she knew, she was falling.