You Are Mine

Truce

Adrian's POV

I sat at the head of the table, my regular spot as I watched my mother grow fonder of Nicole with each passing second. That was not bad in itself, I was not complaining about having the peace that came from my wife's and mother's fondness, only that it made the choice I was about to make even harder. I could not have either of them here. It was too risky and mom was stubborn, I knew she would not bulge for any reason. But that did not mean I could not try.

I looked down at the knives and forks next to Chelsea. My baby sister was probably not the sweetest and I would not put it past her to attempt to drive a knife through me for making a choice she did not find favorable—again. Thankfully, I was used to knife stabs and a stab from a simple eating knife would not do much harm. Still, I made a mental note to not wander close to her.

Nicole laughed at a joke Anderson had said and my heart did a somersault. Mom was not wrong, Nicole was one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen and the thought that she was my wife made me grin every time. True we had a long way to go, but I was in no hurry.

"So how old are you sweetie," Mom asked as she gave Nicole a look full of adoration. Mom hardly ever gave that look, but maybe Nicole had used the same charm she used on me.

Nicole raised her eyes to me. I loved how she asked my permission discreetly before going forward. I nodded in approval and she gave a half-smile before turning back to mom. "I'm 18 years old," she said proudly.

"Wow," mom said not bothering to hide her surprise and I could only hope it was in a good way. "That's...young,"

"It is, but I have been told a few times that love does not regard anything else, age included." Nicole shot me a coy smile, and I could not tell if she meant those words or if she was just playing along with our game of making mom believe it was a love marriage. Because my mother might just bury me alive if she found out the real circumstances under which we got married. Thankfully I would have her long-gone before she would figure it out.

"You have managed to impress me so much in just this evening," Mom smiled and ran a hand through Nicole's hair. Something she only did to show approval. I had a feeling Nicole had passed any major test mom had for her.

"Well since everyone is so impressed," Chelsea said in her usual f**k everyone, f**k everything tone, "can I just say, I'm disappointed."

"Chelsea!" Anders scolded.

"What?" she shrugged and popped a berry in her mouth. "I don't like her, she looks like she would steal everyone's attention from me. I am supposed to be the baby of this house," she frowned and scowled at Nicole.

"I'm not here to take that title from you," Nicole said assuredly. I did not miss the bitchy edge of her tone.

"Well for some reason, I would argue that you're here to take a lot more than the attention," she smiled sweetly. Everyone froze at the table, mom included and all I wanted to do was strangle my younger sister, it would not be the first time. I was ready to launch at her when I saw that triumphant smile, filled with amusement on her face. "You should all see your faces right now," Chelsea said before she burst into laughter.

"What was that bout?" I asked in a stern voice.

"Come on Adrian, I'm allowed to joke around with my new sister-in-law aren't I?" she turned to Nicole who still looked lost at Chelsea's bad joke. "I'm sorry if that got to you Nicole," she laughed.

"Well, it did," Nicole said with a frown.

"I'm so sorry love," mom said, glaring at Chelsea. "my daughter here is found of not so funny pranks."

"I'm a seventeen-year-old with two brothers who think it is their duty to protect me like I'm a diamond at the museum, a mom that does not try to help my case at all—no offense meant," she shot mom a rueful smile.

"A lot is taken,"

"and no sister to share anything I have with, secrets included," Chelsea continued, ignoring the frown on mom's face, "I'm the happiest person to have you around." Chelsea grinned.

"You are?" Nicole asked, still surprised.

"Hmm--hmm, although I'm a little sad that we would both have to share all the attention, I could live with that."

"Well, you scared me for a second there."

"It's what I do." she grinned.

"But I must say it would be nice to have a new friend around." the smile on Nicole's face made me feel like a d**k for wanting to take this from her, but I had to do it. They would just have to build their relationship over skype with one of them in another continent.

"Before we continue this beautiful family reunion," I said and cleared my throat, drawing everyone's attention. "I need to tell you something, mom and Chelsea."

"My heart cannot take any bad news now." Mom frowned.

"Well, you would just have to take one more,"

"So it is bad news," Anders chuckled and I glared at him.

"Go on," Chelsea added, "remind me why I hate you every time,"

"Can you all just calm down and listen to me!"

"Maybe we should just hear Adrian out," Nicole said with a small smile.

"Thank you kitten," I took her hand and kissed it as Anders rolled his eyes. At least I could enjoy her sweetness before she was firing bullets at me through her eyes. "So mom, Chelsea, you know how tense it has been since dad's arrest."

"How can I forget the reason you sent us on that exile." Chelsea shot me a fake smile.

"It was not an exile," I said much louder than I intended to. "I had to protect you, from Ricco and every other harm."

"Well you do not have to do that anymore," Mpm pushed her salad around in her plate, without looking at me. I could tell she knew exactly what I was going to say.

"We kinda still have to," Anders chipped, "s**t is still as f****d up as it was when you left."

"Good thing we're back then," Mom said.

"No, it's not a good thing. I was not ready for your return yet," I admitted, "You are not ready to be back here yet."

"I think I'm old enough to know what I'm ready for," Chelsea retorted.

"Shut the f**k up Chelsea," I growled. "Mom, the jet would be getting ready, please get ready to leave for Italy tomorrow morning," Everyone stilled as I said the words.

"Adrian," Nicole said in a hushed tone. Mom had still not said anything else.

"Chelsea, you would have to consider taking up school over in Italy," I continued, ignoring all the arrows being thrown at me. "Mom I'm sure you have everything you would need back at home..."

"This is my home," Mom yelled back and slammed her fist on the table.

"Mom please you have to understand what Adrian is saying," Anders interjected, "there are more issues arising, we cannot focus on trying to keep the family and business safe and protected if we also have to worry about what Ricco might do to try to hurt us. He has gone rampage and he would use anything he can touch to try to get Adrian to bulge."

"I have to rest, I can feel a jetlag coming up." mom said as she pushed her plate away, Nicole got to her feet and helped her up. "Thank you, my love, you are the one joy I have for returning home." she shot me and Anders a glare.

"Mom," I knew this would be hard but I had to make her at least see reason.

"Tell my maids, to run my bathwater," Mom said as she took Nicole's hand to steady herself. "And I do not want to get to your father's study before you, Adrian. Also, inform Chessa that I will not tolerate such spicy food for breakfast."

Anders and Chelsea gave me a look that said they knew just what I was going to be facing in that study, though I could tell Chelsea was elated to see that I was going to get an earful.

"Do you need me to walk you?" Nicole asked, still oblivious to what I was about to face.

"Oh Mi Amore, you have done more than enough for one evening," she smiled and cupped her cheeks. I was glad to see that mom had not vented the anger she felt towards me on my wife, though I could tell she genuinely liked Nicole. "I can find my way and I know I was clear when I said I did not want to get to the study before Adrian Davonte," she said the last part loud enough for me to hear.

I kicked the chair back hard enough for it to land on the floor with a thud and made my way to my father's study. I had not bothered to go there since she left, I was only reminded of how much I needed to prove myself to make my own name. Everyone was looking up to me to get dad out of jail soon, then there was Ricco and all the problems he continued creating, and now mom had joined the list.

Do not get me wrong, I loved my mother. She may not have birthed me but I loved her regardless and I had not an iota of doubt that she loved me but she was the most overbearing woman ever. Sometimes I wondered how dad made it to the top of his game even as calm as he was but then I would look at my mother and realize she was always his backbone.

She had raised me to be whatever I was today and with an iron fist too. It was easy to mistake her for being weak given how small she looked and her old age creeping in slowly now, but one thing I had learned in all my years with her was that she was never one to be underestimated.

The sound of her bold footsteps filled the hallway followed by the slamming of one of the double doors announcing her presence. I took a deep breath ready to face what I had managed to avoid all these months as she took her seat next to the king's chair meant for dad.

"He will come back soon," she started, eyes staring at the chair with all the love and admiration especially reserved for dad. "You will make sure of it right?"

"I will mother, but..."

"You expect me to run away from my home because I am afraid of a spoilt brat that has never learned the pain of discipline?" Mom snorted, "I might have taken that option out of the pain of your father in jail, but listen to me clearly," she raised a warning finger that made her veins stand out, "I am not going anywhere this time."

"Mom please understand..."

"I was f*****g married to Gabe Davonte for fifteen years, I find it insulting that you imagine that my husband did not give me enough knowledge to protect myself and his family."

"That was not what I meant mom,"

"I have never known you to have to explain yourself to anyone Adrian," she said with a never-cracking calmness, "Your father and I did not train you to take so long to tackle what should be a f*****g piece of cake."

"I am trying to fix this mother," I explained.

"There you go with that explanation. I will hear none of it." She raised a hand to silence me, Mom and dad have only ever been the ones to be able to do that. "You have grown weak, I leave for a few months and come back to find the heir of my husband's dynasty too weak to kill someone as small as Ricco, maybe a trip to the f*****g war front would straighten your vision."

"No!" I said sharply, "I am no longer a child,"

"Well that is all I see right now," she barked, "that child too afraid to take a f*****g gun and finish off those in his way and I did not spend all those years raising you only so you can go back to that child. I will not stand for it, Adrian."

"It's more complicated than that mom," I raked a hand through my hair in frustration, "Mauricio would not let me go forward with this. I would kill Ricco without so much as a second thought but that would bring an unnecessary war that would lead to pointless killings."

"He pokes a finger in your face and you call it pointless?"

"I am not a weak man," I said with a frown at how little she trusted me, "I am the leader of our family and I know what is best for us. I have not ended this game with Ricco yet, because I have my reason not to, reasons I will not explain." I shoved my hand in my pocket, "And I know right now that you and Chelsea are not safe here."

"If I am not safe around my sons, then I do not want to be safe." she shot back.

"Can you not make this so hard for me? I have arranged for you and Chelsea to go back to Italy tomorrow, you complain further and I'm sure we can make the trip tonight." she looked shocked by my words, but my next words made her snicker. "That is an order mother."

"I do not take orders from you, or anyone that is not my husband." she got to her feet and walked to where I stood in front of the table, "but I am glad that you are coming around, with my influence of course," she chuckled and patted my shoulder.

"Go to bed child," she kissed my arm and walked past me, "I will not leave even if the heaven has to come down themselves." I did not bother to turn to watch as she walked to the door and pulled it open. "Give your brother my love and Nicole too, you made the right choice with her. And I was not joking when I said get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow."

*** *** ***

Nicole sat on her usual spot on the bed as I walked into our room. She looked just as exhausted as I probably did, but that did not stop me from sweeping my eyes over her body or the large t-shirt she was wearing. I smiled as I took in her form and made my way to the nightstand to drop my watch.

"You're wearing my shirt," I laughed.

"Oh this is yours?" she said with feigned ignorance, "I just needed something comfy for the evening."

"Liar," I plopped on the bed to take off my shoes. "I'm glad to see you and mom bonded so well in such a short time."

"That would have been nice if you were not sending them back so soon,"

"Not you too," I groaned and threw my head back.

The sheets ruffled behind me and I felt her soft and delicate fingers press into my back along with the heat of her body on mine. "What are you doing Nicole?" I asked as she leaned her almost weightless body on me from behind.

"Comforting my husband," she shrugged. "Your mom seemed really upset, and you are not handsome when you're mad."

"I don't need any comfort," I lied, even though I found the warmth from her body a lot more than just comforting. My c**k jumped in agreement, but maybe that was more out of the way her n*****s brushed against my back. An image of how red and beautiful they looked locked between my camps flashed in my head and I found myself grinning.

"Now who's lying?" she said and kissed my neck.

"Also I am always handsome," I smirked.

"Always full of yourself," she sighed, "why are you sending them back?"

"I was sending them back because it not safe for them here," I growled.

"Was?"

"Mom was not going to bulge any way I knew that." yet I managed to pis her off with the topic.

"I'm not going to pretend to not be glad that they're staying," she informed me, as her fingers delved lower to my torso "but you have to understand that they are better protected here under your care,"

"You think so?"

"I have spent more than a month with you, I know so."

"You're being awfully nice tonight," I reached my hand back and spun her around so she was in front of me. "Is there something you want?"

"Maybe I'm just trying to practice my role of the loving couple your mom thinks we are." she flashed me a smile that made my chest tighten.

"Yeah that, I apologize for imposing that on you. I'll explain everything properly to mom tomorrow." I tried to push myself up. I still had tons of work to do and right now, a bath would do me some measure of good. But in all honesty, her body on mine was really all I needed. 

Her small hands pressed harder into my shoulders, and I gave her a questioning look. "I don't want you to do that, to tell your mom that what we have is not real."

"Why?"

"Maybe because I want it to be real," she whispered.

I reached my hand out almost instinctively and held her hips. Her eyes were focused between us, but since I was lower, I could look at her beautiful face. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, I want to try to be a real wife, to you. For us. I probably still hate you a little," I snickered, "but I have six months,"

"Five now," I corrected,

"Yeah five, to attempt to build a good relationship with you. I hate that my life has to be on hold for these few months, but I want to make something out of it."

"I would like that too," I grinned. "But you know you cannot do that when you hate me so much."

"I try to hate you less every day." she chuckled, "and if I'm being honest, I like you a little now. A lot more than I did yesterday and even more than I did the day we met."

"So how much do you like me now?" I ran my hand up and down her small back slowly and was surprised at how comforting that felt for me.

"Enough to share a bed with you," her voice was small but her tone was firm and unwavering, stay here with me tonight."

I paused to look at her as she made the request. "You are well aware of how my restraint is around you." I reminded her.

"Well we can work on that," I expected her to make a different offer, but instead, she spread her legs and straddled me.

"I thought we were going to fix it," I managed to say. Just the feel of her thighs around me, made my c**k throb in my pants, desperate to feel her smooth skin.

"I said work on it," she giggled as she tightened her hands around my neck, "that could mean work to increase it or decrease it."

"You're tempting me,"

"I just want to sleep with my husband." I raised my brow at her obvious double entendre.

"Let's get you to bed Nicole," If she were not sitting so close to me, I would have missed the flash of disappointment in her eyes. We really were getting somewhere.

I flipped her small body under me with ease and rolled over. I used an arm to hold my weight above her, but she pulled me down with her arms wrapped around my neck. "I have to work,"

"Just stay here tonight, please," she did a pout that just melted my heart.

My brain was already far from me, and before I could hold myself back, I said the words, "let me take a shower and join you."

"Thank you," she said and placed a small kiss on my lips, before retracting her hands.

I got to my feet and adjusted my c**k in my pants as I headed for the closet. Well here goes my restraint for the night.