You Are Mine

Cable ties

I did not have to wait so long for Adrian to come home that night. A fact I would have been thankful for if he did not look so pissed as he walked into the room. I eyed him carefully from my regular spot at the edge of the bed, as he walked into the room. Shoulders stiff, hands clenched in his pocket, face unreadable and eyes focused on anywhere but me. 

That was how we were all week and I suddenly questioned again if it was the right time to piss him off further. He checked the time on the wall clock and walked past me to the nightstand. I frowned as the faint, but unmistakable smell of smoking filled the air.

"You're still up," he growled, taking out the two guns hoisted behind him, and dropping them on the nightstand. I had gotten used to the sight of guns by the bed, every time I got up to get some water at midnight. 

"Oh wow, you noticed," I said sarcastically. Keep pissing him off, and he would never let you out of these walls. I watched as he took off his watch, eyes trained on his arm, and then he took out an electric cigarette from his pocket too. "I did not know you used that," I blurted as he tossed it next to his watch.

"There's a lot more you do not know about me," he answered simply, and before I could inquire any more answers, he disappeared into the closet, shutting the door with a bang.

With him taking a shower, I was left to think about the best approach to ask him if I could go to school. Many options played in my head, but those scenarios would work only if my husband was not the crime leader of a family such as him. I knew Adrian would refuse, but I was still hopeful that he might just say yes and let me do this. 

He was out of the shower in no more than five minutes, giving me a limited time to gather my thoughts. From where I sat, I could get a sneak peek at him as he walked out of the shower to the closet. His thick dark hair was curly and damp, his broad chest glistened as water trickled down his rock-hard abs to his trim waist. 

My depraved mind easily lost focus, drifting to how good it felt to run my hands over his taut muscles, and how much I had missed his strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close to him, his sinful lips coaxing mine in his, the strange, but welcome feeling of my walls clenching around his fingers. These last few days, I had not gotten so much as a good look from him and even though I was able to convince him that I did not care if he was being so indifferent toward me, I could not tell the same lie to my body that ached for him. 

Lost in my little fantasies, I did not notice when he walked back into the room until he was seated across me ready to work on a few files in front of him on the table. I cleared my throat softly, feeling embarrassed at how I ogled my husband. From the way my cheeks thrummed with heat, I knew I had already given him a good hint to what exactly I was thinking as I stared at him. 

"You want something?" he was not asking if, he was asking what. 

I sucked in a shaky breath, deciding to begin with a lighter topic, instead of diving into the main course. "Chelsea looked really upset today,"

"I know," he continued flipping through the pages of one of the files, without looking at me. 

I took one leg over the edge of the bed, crossing it under the other. "You spoke to her?"

"Not everyone considers 20 voicemails threatening to kill them as a civil way of speaking, but yes I did." he dropped the files on the tabled and got to his feet, taking a few strides to the bar. It took some time to understand why there was a bar in almost every room, but I realized that drinking helped to keep Adrian less tense. 

"Maybe you should have lesser security go with her to school. She's a teenager and being one, I know how hard it can be to have your friends frightened away by an overprotective family, especially when there are countless guards around," I said in a small voice. 

"Ricco was spotted by her school today," he said with his back to me, pouring himself a glass, "I'm sure you can understand now why I will not change my mind about her security."

"I understand but..."

"I know you did not decide to speak to me after one week just to convince me about reducing my sister's security," he growled, stalking back to his seat. 

"You're right, I have something else to tell you," I chewed the inside of my cheeks, thinking of how to tell him. 

For the first time in a week, Adrian watched me intently eyes boring into me as he waited to hear me out. Along with the warmth that flowed through me at the near unfamiliar feeling of his lustful gaze on me, I received a small feeling of discomfort that made me squirm in the spot where I sat on the bed. 

"I got an email today" I whispered. 

"You're talking to me again because you got an email?" he said almost amused, "maybe I should have sent you a mail all along."

"You were the one ignoring me," I retorted with a scowl. 

"Again," he said, throwing his hands behind his head, and narrowing his eyes at me, "I'm ignoring you when I don't speak back when you're talking to me Nicole," he reminded me, "I will always talk back when you need something." 

"Of course," I gave him a toothed smile. 

"Speak,"

"I got a mail from school today," I blurted before my mind would convince me to hold back.

He frowned and his jaw ticked, "Okay," 

"I have to give them an answer before the month runs out, and um..." I trailed off hoping he would understand. 

"The answer is no if it's what I think you're asking," he said simply and picked up the folders on the table again. 

"What?" I was expecting his answer but that did not leave me any less shocked. 

"You heard me," he c****d one brow, waiting for me to counter. "and I'm sure you know I will not repeat myself." 

"Why?" I got to my feet and moved to stand in front of him. 

"I will not explain myself either." he gave me a wicked smile and turned back to the files. 

"I worked so damn hard to get this far and when I finally have a chance to go to my dream school, you're just going to take that away from me?" I did not bother to hold back from crying. 

"Nicole it's not my intention to make your hard work futile..." 

"Like hell it isn't," I yelled back angrily. 

"Keep it down," he growled, getting to his feet too, "mom is only a few rooms away." 

"Is this about what happened last week?" I stepped closer, "are you punishing me because I showed you the art room? If you are I assure you that your silent treatment is more than enough punishment for me." 

"You did not look like that when I left this morning," he muttered, looking away. "Look Nicole, I don't have to explain why it's not safe for you out there now. Ricco..."

"Ricco here, Ricco there. Ricco, Ricco, Ricco" I yelled. "I'm tired of having my life dictated by what his next move would be. I cannot leave to the mall on my own, because Ricco might hurt me, cannot go for a stroll in the garden, Ricco. Chelsea cannot have a normal life at school, Ricco. Your mom has to be far away from the family she has always known, f*****g Ricco." 

"I only want to protect you, Nicole," he said in a tone much too calm for my liking. He was trying to control his rage and any other day I would have been too scared to venture far enough to find out what would happen when that control faltered, but not today. 

"No," I said in a much louder voice, poking my forefinger into his broad chest. "You're just too domineering, so possessive that you cannot see that you are driving everyone crazy with your need to control. And your best option is to pin your excuse for your controlling personality on Ricco."

"That's not true Nicole," he said catching my fingers in a strong hold, his piercing gaze on me. 

"It's not?" I tilted my head in mock surprise, "so you would let me go out and get stuff at the store if Ricco was not after my life?"

"Of course," he said like I was asking a stupid question, "as long as I or Anderson got to go with you."

"It's the same damn thing," I cried, trying to pry my fingers free. "You cannot trust those you love to protect themselves when s**t goes south." I flinched at my implication that he loved me, "Your lack of faith is pushing your sister away from you and if our relationship keeps going on like this, I just might be the next on the list of people you push away."

"I trust you, Nicole," he said slowly and held my face in his palm. It was just a small touch, but it sent a jolt of electricity blaring through my body, until, the room felt too hot. "I just cannot stand the thought that something might happen to you the moment I let you out of my watch,"

"I think I can take care of myself Adrian," His hand, warm and rough on my face could only do so much to soothe my anger.

"I'm not giving you a chance to prove that you cannot, and no matter what you say, I will not change my answer." 

"That's not fair," I whispered, more tears rolling down my cheeks. "That's not f*****g fair," I yelled this time.

He released my face from his hold and pinched the bridge of his nose, throwing his head back, "tell me what I can do to make you feel better Kitten,"

"What's the use if you will not give me the one thing I really want?" I pushed him away and headed for the door. I could not afford to be in the same room as him at the moment. 

"Where are you going? It's almost midnight." 

"Where I'm going is none of your damn business," I shot back angrily. 

"Wrong answer," he said simply, moving around to stand between me and the door. "every f*****g thing about you concerns me. Now go back to bed," his command only made more anger burn through me. Why did he always have to make me feel like his property to control?  

"No!"

"I have too much on my mind Nicole," his voice was smooth and calm, sending chills down my spine. "You really do not want to piss me off any more than I already am." 

"And if I do?" I stepped closer, raising my eyes to his and crossing my hands across my chest defiantly. 

"Turn around," he ordered. I knew my next action would either calm him down or crack his last form of control, still, I tipped my head higher, unwilling to back down or obey. 

He let out a small sigh and turned around to the door, "you cannot keep me locked in forever," I said as the clicking sound of the door locking reached my ears. 

"Trust me, I know that." he tossed the key somewhere on the couch and walked past me to the nightstand, "but that's why I have to make sure you are protected even when I can no longer keep you safe." 

I rolled my eyes but soon regretted the action as he opened the bottom drawer and took out a pack of cable ties. Realization hit me and I took a few steps back towards the door, silently cursing myself for pissing him off so much. "You promised you would not take me down there again," I sobbed as my back hit the door. 

"I am not breaking that promise," he closed the distance between us in a few long, calculated strides. "But you need a little reminder on how to behave and well I have to work without your tantrums tonight." He took one cable tie, and stepped closer to me, trapping me between himself and the door. 

"Please master," I sobbed. 

"Turn around," he growled and before I got the chance to obey or not, he caught my hand in a firm hold and spun me around, yanking me hard against himself. 

I knew it was no use, but I still gave a struggle as he locked both my wrists firmly in the cable tie. "I'm sorry master," 

"If you were, you would stop fighting me," he led me to the bed and pushed me down, making me land on my stomach. His fingers trailed slowly to my feet and he continued the same process, bounding my ankles with his cable ties, and restricting any form of control I held on to. 

"It's painful," I cried, trying to free myself, as he hovered over me, pinning me to the bed. 

He leaned down, brushing his lips over the bare skin between my neck and shoulder "Because you're struggling, it will stop hurting once you accept it and let your mind drift."

"Please forgive me, master," I said softly this tome hoping I would get through to him. 

He pressed light kisses around my neck, and for a second I almost thought he would release the cable ties, but instead, he said, "Sleep kitten," 

*** *** *** 

Adrian was the first thing that came into view when my eyes fluttered open the next morning. He sat across me, elbows resting on his thighs as he studied me intently. I shut my eyes back, unwilling to look at him as images of how our conversation played out last night washed through my brain. 

"Good morning kitten," he said and got to his feet. 

"I'm still sleeping," I shot back looking away. I expected to still have my hands bound but was thankful to see that they weren't. My ankles and wrists were not sore so I could tell he took them off the moment I fell asleep. 

"I don't think so," the bed sank next to me, followed by the warmth of his body next to mine. "I apologize for losing my cool with you last night,"

"Oh, do you mean for tying me up?" I retorted, eyes still closed. 

"No, I'm not sorry for that. You need to remember who I am to you Nicole." he leaned down and brushed my messy hair from my face. "Open your eyes," he growled, "we have to talk,"

"And what makes you think I want to talk to you?" I opened my eyes but did not stay long enough to hear his answer. I threw my legs over the bed, ready to stand up but he held me back. 

"I am not giving you a choice Kitten," He lifted me up easily and hauled me on him in a straddling position. "I enjoy punishing you Nicole, but that does not mean I enjoy fighting with you too. I cannot stand it when you're mad." 

"That's funny because 90 percent of the time I'm mad, you're the reason." 

He sighed and gave me a long look, with his hands wrapped around me and holding me over his thighs. "I'll let you go to school." 

My eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

"You can go to school" he repeated, "but only in one year."

"Of course," I said drily, fighting the urge to roll my eyes "why did I not consider such a brilliant option."

"Would you listen to me before you go flying off the handle again?"

"I learn from the best," I shot back. 

He gave me a look that made me clamp my mouth shut. I knew better than to upset him again so soon. "You would not have to be readmitted or go through the process of studying for hours just to get accepted." 

"I don't think there's any other way for me to get in, Mr. Davonte,"

"That's highly debatable," his lips curled into a narcissistic smirk. 

"What did you do Adrian?"

"You always assume the worst of me" he chuckled. 

"I cannot get in next year without going through the due process, so you have to have done something to change that if you have that smirk on your face." 

"Let's just say there's nothing that cannot be bought for a price," 

"You bought my admission?" I said much louder than I expected to, "are you trying to ruin my life?"

"Again, always assuming the worst," he shook his head, still amused. "I know better than to drag you into hot water with the law Nicole, plus you already have an admission." 

"So?" I quirked my brows waiting for an answer.

"I'm not going to explain myself, Nicole," he frowned, "but you can stop worrying about school for the next year because I had everything sorted out and it's no longer a problem." My phone chimed from where I left it on the table last night, and Adrian gave a smile that dripped with smugness. "Told you, already sorted." 

I climbed off his lap, giving him a look full of suspicion as I reached for my phone. It was another email, from the same source as yesterday but this time it made my lips curl into a wide grin. 

"What exactly did you do?" I asked, holding the message up for him to see. 

"Oh is that an email to confirm your acceptance," he feigned ignorance. "I wonder how that got done," 

"Tell me, Adrian," I whined, but still climbed back over his laps. 

"A magician never reveals his tricks," he wrapped a hand around my neck and captured my lips in his successfully ending my queries. 

Having missed the feeling of his mouth crashing into mine, my lips parted willingly, giving him more room for his tongue to invade my mouth expertly. He groaned harshly, deepening the kiss and holding on to me like he could not let go even if he tried. His kiss did not miss the usual hungriness and forcefulness that always accompanied every kiss he gave me, and I was not complaining, if anything, I craved it.

He tore away sooner than I wished he would, actually I never wanted him to stop kissing me. "I missed this Kitten," he said, caressing my neck smoothly. His hands felt hot on my skin, and his eyes burned with desire, mirroring my own hunger for him too and making me melt easily into the contact. 

"I missed you too," I admitted softly, "but you were mad at me," 

He studied me for a few excruciatingly long seconds, it felt like he was weighing his words carefully, "I was not mad at you Nicole, if anything, it was the very opposite," 

"You were mad at yourself?" 

"I hate the way I reacted towards the painting last week. It's not your fault that I can not stand colors and I should have been more thoughtful of your feelings," he looked away and his jaw ticked as he spoke, it was hard to believe he was the same Adrian I had met on prom night. "I did not know how to speak to you that night and when you did not speak either, I just thought it would be better to give you some space," 

"I don't want space from you, Adrian," I said quickly, it was my turn to make him look at me now. 

"I guess it was just another misunderstanding, I apologize for making it last so long and I really did not mean anything I said. I guess it was an in-the-moment action." 

"Tell me why you don't like colors," I demanded, holding his chin to me. 

His eyes flashed with pain and hurt, but he shook his head so quickly making me question what I had seen, "I do not talk about it, It's an upsetting memory. But I do want us to stop fighting—today," 

The look in his eyes made it clear that it was time to drop the topic of why he hated colors, at least for now. I was grateful though, that he wanted us to be on good terms again. "That can be arranged, on one condition," 

"Tell me," 

 I got to my knees, still straddling him, and pressed my lips to his softly, moaning at the contact my n*****s made with his chest. 

"I want to go to the movies with you next week."