You Are Mine

Truth hurts

Nicole

I came back into consciousness, sometime later. Maybe a few minutes later, or an hour later, or days later, I could not tell. My eyes felt too heavy to open up, but I could tell that I was on Adrian's bed, in his room, and I was not alone. His scent was all I needed to know.

It took all of the strength in me to finally force my eyes open, and I quickly shut it back closed as my eyes ached from the blaring light in the room. The bed moved a little as if someone just got up, and I heard the switch go off, then the bed sank again. I opened my eyes again, thankful that whoever it was had dimmed the light. 

"Hey," the soft feminine voice of the person sitting next to me said. 

"Hmm," was all I could mutter. 

My throat was dry and hoarse making it hard for me to form any words. Why the hell am I so tired and weak? I could remember all that had happened at the mall, Adrian, the paints, a guy named Ricco, and some fighting, then blood, and then a murder. 

Shit the murder. My eyes snapped open, and I forced the words out of my mouth. "Adrian?" was all I asked. 

The girl sitting by my bed turned out to be Marie. She took my hand and said, "you need some water," She reached for a glass of water on the nightstand, then made me sit up to drink it. The water came in handy and it helped me find my strength again. 

"Thank you," I said to her after taking enough sips. 

"I'm so glad you are awake," she dropped the glass and sat back down. "you've been unconscious since Adrian brought you home in the morning. How do you feel?" 

"Tired," I answered honestly. I looked at the clock on the wall, 7 pm. So I did sleep all day. 

"It must be the effect of the medications he gave you," she said. 

"What medications?" I asked quickly. 

"To help you rest, I don't know its name but the men take it whenever they need to rest." Well, that explains why keeping my eyes open was such a struggle. 

"Where's he?" 

"He is not in the mood to see anyone right now, and he asked that I make sure you did not leave the room," she said in a small voice, almost pleading for me to not press further. 

"I'm relieving you of that duty," I said and pushed the covers off my legs. "tell me where he is."

"Please Nicole, you can't leave yet." she tried to stop me from getting to my feet, "you're still under the effect of the drug, and the boss would kill me if you leave the room." 

"Marie, please," I removed my hand from hers and got to my feet. "See I'm better now, where is Adrian." With renewed strength, I took the rest of the glass of water on the nightstand and finished it in a few gulps. 

"In his office," she said in defeat. 

"Thank you, don't worry, he will not do anything to you," I assured Marie. I put my feet into the comfy slippers on the side of the bed before leaving the room with Marie. She offered to show me to the office, but I turned it down. I could still remember where it was from the tour he had given me. 

I did not need to search long to find his office, and it may or may not have helped that the sound of someone punching something filtered through the dark hallway leading to the only room with lights on. I pushed the large double doors open and found Adrian punching violently into a punching bag that hung from the ceiling in his office. 

The first thing I noticed was his hands that were not covered in any gloves and were now even sorer than before. He was naked from his waist upwards and was still wearing the jeans he had on this morning. He had his back to me, so he did not see when I walked in and went to lean on his hardwood desk. 

I waited for minutes for him to notice or acknowledge my presence but he was too consumed in his rage to even care. Finally, I got to my feet and went to stand behind him. 

"Do you never get tired of punching into things?" 

My voice seemed to startle him, and he paused, looked back, let out a tired groan, and turned his attention back to the punching bag. "You should be in bed, resting." was all he said, as he continued to punch harder. 

"Also are you determined to break your fingers before you use a f*****g glove?" I continued, ignoring him. 

"Nicole, go back upstairs," he growled. 

"No," I shot back, and he turned to me sharply. "What do you want?" 

"To talk," I took the chance and moved to stand between him and the bag, knowing he would not hit me. 

"Move Nicole, I'm not in the mood to talk." 

"Too bad, because I will not leave until we have talked." I folded my hands across my chest and focused my gaze on his, eyes refusing to back down.

He threw his head back in frustration and groaned. "Why are you always so stubborn,"

"I take that to mean you are ready to talk," I said, and before he could fight it, I took his large hands in mine, and led him across the room. I was surprised to see that he let me lead him to his chair, even though he was reluctant. 

He plopped down on the office chair, while I leaned on the desk in front of him. He leaned back and rested his hands on the arm of the chair. "Where's your first aid box?" I asked, upset at how easily I got affected by seeing him hurt. 

I took one of his large hands in my hand, and he retracted it back quickly. "You don't have to do that, I have had worse cuts," he made a fist and I knew that would only make his hand hurt more. "tell me what you want to say," 

I tried again, making sure to have a firmer hold on his hand this time. "Be as stubborn as you want, but I will not leave until I do what I want. And someone has to fix this injury since you decided to vent out your anger by hurting yourself." 

"How I vent out my anger is none of your business," he said angrily. 

"How easily you forget that I'm your wife—legally," I shot him a coy smile.

He sighed in defeat and pointed to the wooden cabinet at the side. I flashed him a sweet smile, then took a few short strides there. I took out the first aid box and came back to the desk. 

I could not understand why I even cared to take care of his hurt hand. I was supposed to hate him right? 

I gave an exasperated sigh and took his hand again. I had never had to do something like this before, and in all truth, I did not even know how to get it done, but that did not mean I would not try. "Do you even know how to do this?" he asked, amused at how I looked at the bandages and like they were aliens. 

"No," I answered honestly. "I just want to help—and talk," 

His expression changed from being pissed to amusement. "You're being really annoying tonight," he chuckled and pulled me onto his lap. 

"You're the one going around throwing fists without thinking," I shot back, and reached out for the first aid box. 

"It's just a small wound, but since you insist," he took a white pad that looked like a small bandage from the open box, "I'll show you how to do it," 

I watched as he treated the wound, giving him anything he asked for, and I helped him wrap the bandage around his arm carefully. After learning how to do it with the first hand, I took care of the second without his help.  

"Thank you," he said, and cupped my cheeks, before pressing a kiss on my lips. I thought of pulling back, but his lips on mine felt too good for me to fight it, so I kissed him back. I put one hand on his shoulder to hold myself from falling, which was not really necessary, seeing as Adrian had his hand wrapped around my waist tightly. 

He looked smug when we pulled apart, he always looked smug like he had reached a new goal whenever I kissed him back. He took the box and dropped it on the table, so there was nothing between us. He pulled me closer and nibbled my neck softly. "You wanted to tell me something," his words vibrated against my skin, sending shivers through my body. 

"Um..." I stuttered as he made my brain fuzzy with what he was doing with his lips on my neck. His hand trailed higher to my breasts, cupping them through my clothes. "Adrian..." I tried again, "I can't talk with you doing that, please stop." 

Please don't listen to my words, keep going.  

I almost whined in disappointment when he did stop. He leaned back in his seat and folded his hands behind his head. "Speak," he commanded. 

I cleared my throat lightly, trying to regain composure, but that seemed harder to do with me still sitting on his lap, and my now hardened n*****s straining against my shirt. I moved to stand up but he said, "I did not say you could do that yet, sit,"

"Who was that guy at the mall?" I blurted, and I did not miss the way he stiffened at my question. 

"There were many guys at the mall," he said simply. 

I gave him sharp look, and folded my hands across my chest, waiting for him to tell me what he knew I was asking about. "If you're talking about that bastard Ricco, there is nothing to tell you." he pulled my hands covering my poking breasts apart and dropped them at my side. 

"So we're just going to pretend everything that happened today did not?"

"Yes Nicole," he stressed, "we are going to pretend it never did,"

"Okay," I shrugged and pushed myself off his lap. "I'll just find out from someone else." 

He grabbed my hand and yanked me back into him with so much force I cried in pain. "Do not tempt me, Nicole." 

"Or what?" I challenged. 

He let out a long groan, that made his throat vibrate. "I'm only condoning your defiance today because you have gone through enough for one day, but you are getting punished for this tomorrow." 

I sat back on his lap, and put my hand on his shoulder, "then please make it worth your while, tell me." 

"What do you want to know?" he took my hand in his and kissed it softly, a gesture that just left me aching for more of him. But that could wait. 

"Why he was such an asshole?" I started, since that seemed to be the most obvious question. 

He snorted, "the bastard does not need a reason to be an asshole," 

"What did he have to do with my father?" 

"Nothing, he was just trying to piss me off," he said without looking at me. 

"Giving me vague answers is not going to make me stop Adrian, I want to know who he was and why he was interested in me and my dad." I shot back angrily. 

He let out a tired breath and mumbled something that sounded like him venting out his frustration, then spoke, "Ricco is the leader of a rival family, and he has been trying to frustrate me since my father was put behind bars. I'll get back the power I need to take him down if my father is released, and that's why he doesn't want my father released."

"Still not enough, what do I have to do with that?" 

"As long as you're with me, I have the upper hand, and I can make your father do what I want, but if he takes you away, he wins, and I can not let that happen," Adrian said without the slightest hint of guilt. 

"Wow," I snorted, "thank you for clarifying that I'm just a pawn in your disgusting game of power." I could not help the sadness that washed over me at the reminder that he had only brought me here so his father could be released. "And to think that I actually thought you both were different," I muttered, fighting the tears that stung my eyes. 

He grabbed my hand and forced me to look at him, "Never compare me to that bastard," he roared, and I flinched in shock, "I am nothing like him, do you f*****g understand me?" 

His fingers dug into my skin so hard it left a bruise. "You're hurting me, Adrian," I tried to pull my hand free, "let go of me," 

"Answer when I f*****g ask a question," he gritted his teeth, "do you understand me,"  

"I do," I blinked back the tears. 

He released my arm and leaned back in his seat. I was on the brink of letting the tears fall, so I got to my feet, there is no way I'm letting this asshole see me cry again. And I thought we were moving forward with our relationship. 

"You do not seem to understand simple instructions, sit back down," he commanded. 

Ignoring him, I got to my feet, ready to go back to bed and drown the pillows with my tears. "Goodnight Adrian," I managed to say and turned my back to leave, but as my luck would have it, he was on me before I made a step forward. 

He stood up and pulled me back into the seat he was sitting. "You leave when I say you're ready to," He trudged to the door, and locked it, then took out the key and shoved it in his pocket. 

He took a glass from his bar, along with a bottle, maybe whiskey, I was terribly unfamiliar with alcoholic beverages. I held my poor arm, caressing softly, as I watched him walk back to the desk. He sat on the desk in front of me and filled the glass. 

I was too upset to look at him, so I turned my attention to the window instead. "Here," he said, handing the now half-filled glass to me. 

"Underage," I reminded him, without looking at him. Back home, I was old enough to drink, but I had not gotten the chance to enjoy that part of life before he came and snatched it from me. 

"I insist," he said in a much calmer tone.

"I don't want it, Adrian." I pressed. 

He took it back and dropped the glass on the table. "Let me see your arm," he inched closer, to take my arm. 

"No, let it be," I clutched my arm tighter. 

"You're being a child right now Nicole," he clenched his jaw. 

"I am a teen," I snapped, "what do you expect?" 

"touché," he shifted closer again and I pulled back. "I did not mean to hurt your arm, I just do not like being compared to Ricco, in any way," 

"Why?" I looked him in the eye, "you both do the same thing, oppress weaker people, carry guns like toys, kill without thinking..." 

"I do not kill without thinking," he interjected. 

"I'm sure," I nodded and looked back down at my arm.

"Believe it or not, I do not enjoy taking a life. Ricco kills for fun, I kill for duty, everything I do is out of my duty to my family."

"I believe you," I said drily, "after all I'm only here as part of your duty to your father," 

"Don't do that Nicole," he warned. 

"Do what?" I feigned ignorance, "I'm only stating the fact, there's no need to be offended. You only brought me here so you could manipulate my father into doing you biddings." Even though I knew that truth right from the start, it did not hurt any less to say it out loud. "So you can stop pretending to feel anything for me, thank you," 

"For f***s sake, would you stop saying so much nonsense," he fumed, I could almost see the smoke coming from him. "I did take you away from your family because I needed you, but also to protect you. Ricco would do anything to make sure my father remains in jail, and that includes killing you," he got to his feet and started pacing, "if I had not taken you away that night, Ricco would have, and yes you would not have made it out alive."

I got to my feet too, "Then I guess I should be grateful that you all dragged me into your mess and ruined my life right? My family, my dreams, everything that ever meant anything to me, my home, my friends, my school, my f*****g life," I knew my voice was now on a higher pitch but I could not care less. "I should be very thankful to you for taking all of that away from me." 

"Nicole..." 

"Please," I sobbed and wiped away the tears that were now flowing uncontrollably. "I know you're in absolute control here, so can I take your permission to go back to bed Master?" I spat the last word like it was poison "I am done with this conversation."

His face softened, and took a few steps closer to me, "Nicole would you please listen to me," he reached his hand out to hold me, but I stopped him, "do not touch me please, I'm begging you right now," more streaks of tears ran down my chin. 

I stretched my hand out, hoping he would give me the key without a fuss. To my surprise, he shoved his hand in his pocket and placed the key in my hand. 

"Thank you," I said, and walked to the door without giving him a second glance. I opened the door and walked out of his office. I had only taken a few steps when the sound of glass shattering against the wall made me halt. 

A part of me wanted to go back and see if he was okay, but the other part that was still angry and hurt, made me increase my pace without looking back. He would be fine without me, he always had. I ran down the hallway, back to the room, and cried myself back to sleep.