I keep my voice light and don’t let it show how pissed I am. I have to work real fucking hard to keep my anger out of my expression. I’ve never wished ill on a woman before, but I can’t stand that bitch, Elle's mother or not. “Well at least she saved you the trip.” Elle rolls her eyes and doesn’t even crack a smile. I know it hurts her. If she could, she’d give her mom everything and I know her mother would take it all, too. Now that Elle’s mine, it’s not happening.
I have to do something to make her smile. I don’t like her being so upset. “Do you have a nice dress to wear, sweetheart?” She looks back at me, tilting her head with a questioning look on her face. I raise my brows, waiting for an answer.
She shakes her head slowly. “Only my sundress.” She hasn’t been out of this house in two weeks. She’s got to want to get out of here. I’m surprised with all the shit she’s bought lately that she hasn't ordered another dress.
“Well, go put it on--I wanna take you out tonight.” Her eyes brighten and a wide smile grows on her face. She hops up and runs to me to wrap her arms around my back, planting a small kiss on my lips.
“How much time do I have?” she asks, all peppy like. I’ve been afraid to take her out. A small part of me questions her loyalty to me, as though this has all just been an act. Like she’s just waiting to get away from me. A deep pain shoots through my chest at these thoughts, but I ignore it.
“Take as much time as you need, sweetheart. We can go wherever you’d like.” I’ll spoil her to the point that the thought of leaving me doesn’t exist for her. If she leaves me, I don’t know what would happen.
The guys have been hounding me to bring her around. They all wanna meet her. I know what they must think. I’m sure they can’t believe she really wants to be with me. Part of me doesn’t believe it either. That doubt creeps up on me while I’m away from her.
But every time I get home and find her waiting for me, that doubt vanishes. When she yammers on about some recipe on the cooking shows she watches, there’s no doubt in my fucking mind that she wants to be with me. Either that, or she’s trying to kill me with domestication.
It’s time the guys met her. We’ll all go out. They’ll see her, and she’ll see them. It’s gotta happen at some point. A part of me wants to keep her here with all this tension between the MCs and the familia, but it’ll be alright. We haven’t gotten those fuckers yet and Javier’s breathing fire down our necks, but I can’t keep her locked in here forever. She needs to get out and have some fun.
“Let’s get out of the house, baby. I wanna show you off.”
Elle
My nerves are shot. My palms are sweaty, and I can hardly breathe. I’m going to meet the familia. The Don is Dante, Vince’s father. I don’t know much about anyone else, though. Well, except that Dom and Tommy were the two that I … met already. I breathe in deep and shake out my hands as we stand in front of the restaurant doors.
“They’re going to love you.” I hear Vince’s voice and my heart hammers in my chest. I just don’t believe it. I swallow thickly. They want me dead I’m sure. It’d be stupid for me to think otherwise. I see my reflection in the mirror and I cringe. I can’t get this stupid panicked look off my face.
I turn to face Vince and try to bail. “I changed my mind.”
“Stop it, Elle.” He opens the door and puts his hand on the small of my back. “Just be yourself.” I take a deep breath and try not to freak out. Everything’s going to be fine. Vince won’t let anyone hurt me. That thought soothes me. Every part of me calms, because it’s true. He won’t let anyone touch me. I’m his.
I look around the table, and the only people I know are the three I met. The two men, Dom and Tommy, I haven’t seen since the incident. It chills me to the core to set eyes on them. But when Dom sees me, he stands and smiles. “Vince, I’m happy you finally brought her out!” Dom walks to me with quick strides and kisses my cheek. Vince loosens his grip on me and leaves my side to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. Without him beside me I feel vulnerable.
The last two weeks have been the same every day. And I’m almost ashamed to say I've enjoyed it. I don’t fear Vince at all. I know he wants me. In his eyes, I belong to him, and he takes care of me in a way I desire. It’s a sick fantasy come to life. Well, some of it. Our days are almost normal until he has to leave for work. Every morning we wake up beside each other, exchange small talk, and drink coffee. We joke around like a normal couple, banter like a normal couple. It’s almost easy to forget that we're anything but normal.
When he leaves is when everything changes. Or at night, before we go to bed. I like to pretend it's a fantasy, a game we like to play. It makes it that much sweeter. I don’t want it to stop. I know that’s bad. I’m sure it’s not healthy. But I fucking love when he ties me up. I know he’s going to reward me and fuck me like he owns my body. Just thinking about it turns me on. But it’s wrong. It’s so wrong.
I haven’t left his house in two full weeks. I’ve barely spoken to anyone but Vince and my mother. Vince wanted me to call her since she filed a missing person’s report. It fucking killed me to think she was worried, but when she answered the phone she seemed more pissed than anything. I almost asked Vince to let me go see her. Almost. But I’d rather stay inside the house with him. It’s all so wrong. But it feels so good. I don’t worry about anything. I enjoy being his. I’m sure a shrink would tell me I’m insane. And maybe I am.
Being here in this restaurant with these people emphasizes how fucked up this situation is. He’s told me about each of them. His brother Dom, and Dom's wife Becca are on the right side of the table. I know Dom’s a professor and that Becca owns this restaurant. His father is seated at the head of the table on the far end, and Vince's mother is seated next to Becca. His cousin Joey’s here. I know he has a son, but I don’t see him here. An older man is sitting next to him, that must be Uncle Enzo. And then there’s Tommy and Anthony, Vince's cousins, sitting together on the left side of the table. Looking at the two of them reminds me of my memory. Of them looking at me like I’m a threat. I still don’t know what I did or what I saw. I just remember Vince pinning me down and them staring at me like I had to die. My palms grow sweaty and I wipe them on the sides of my dress.
“You want a drink, Elle?” Tommy asks me from across the room. He gives me a smile as he takes a sip of his wine.
“Please,” I respond as normally as I can, given the situation and my nerves, and take a step closer to the table.
“Everyone, this is my girl Elle. Ma, no questions. Don’t scare her off.” Everyone laughs at Vince and I pretend to laugh also. But fuck me, my nerves are shot.
“I’m so happy to meet you dear,” Vince’s mother, Linda, says. “Dante has filled me in on how you two met.” I struggle to keep the smile plastered on my face. I’m certain there’s a hint of truth in whatever he’s told her.
“I’m a lucky girl,” I say back as sweetly as possible. I may be scared and intimidated, but I want them to like me. Is that so wrong? If they like me, then maybe Vince will trust me more. Maybe he won’t tie me up every single time he leaves the house. I wonder if I would leave though, if given the choice. Should I leave him? I’m not sure I would. Maybe I really am fucked up in the head.