I know Fallon wants me to tell her all about my business, but I feel the need to protect her. I am fully aware we haven’t used any kind of birth control, and I never gave her an answer about if I wanted her to get on any kind of protection. All I know is once I had her bare, I could never go back. So, there is a possibility she could be or get pregnant with my baby. It scares me, but secretly I find that’s all I want: her swelling with my baby growing inside of her. She will just have to understand there are parts of my life she cannot be involved in. Things are done as favors back and forth between associates that can be an asset to us. I know she understands that, but to let her know what it takes to fully get those jobs done is something I am not willing to give her.
So, I sit here holding her hand in silence, waiting for her to make the next move, but she doesn’t, and I don’t know why.
34
Fallon
I sit on the plane with Gabriel holding my hand, and I can’t help feeling my fear take over. I announced that I loved him before we left for our honeymoon. I accepted that he didn’t return it, but now he’s confessed his love for me. It’s all I ever wanted. So why am I so worried? This would be so much easier if love weren’t even an option. Catherine wants me to take care of Gabriel; to help him through his decision making. To get him to confide and lean on me for strength when he has none left. How am I supposed to do that if he won’t let me in? I don’t want to emasculate him, but he needs to give me his trust, and it hurts that he doesn’t. Still, I sit here wondering if I fully trust him. I know I love him, but trusting him? That’s something I don’t think I can give him yet.
So, I sit here silently waiting for his next move.
We return home later that night to our townhome, a place in which I have not felt comfortable yet. He tells me he needs to go to the casino for a few hours, and not to wait up for him. On his way out, he kisses me goodbye. Now I’m left alone in my new home. I go into the kitchen, which is perfectly designed between the historical period of the home and all the new accommodations of this time. I familiarize myself with it. I walk around, opening cabinets and drawers. At first I felt like I was digging, but then I remember this is my home now, too. Finding a bottle of wine, I open it and pour a large glass.
I walk into every room, liking what I see. Finally, I made my way to our bedroom, taking a long look around, feeling the textures of the furniture and fabrics. Everything is dark and rich. The room is decorated in navy and gold. I wonder if I will be allowed to put my touch on the place, or if Gabriel will be having me living in his life the way he likes it, without a say.
Wanting to take my mind off what’s driving me crazy, I start to unpack our bags. When I open Gabriel’s suitcase, I can’t help being mesmerized by his smell. It hits my senses as soon as the suitcase is opened. I run my fingers through his clothes, remembering when and where he wore each piece. I bring all our dirty clothes to the laundry room I found on the first floor, washing what I can. I put what I couldn’t in a bag for the dry cleaners, and now I sit in the living room with my second glass of wine, waiting for him to come home.
35
Gabriel
I meet Zander at our warehouse. Upon arrival, I notice no one else is there. Just like we were asked, only Zander and I are to be here. It takes us hours and hours to extract what we need from the man. He might have been able to elude us to where he was for a while, but he could not handle the torture we delved out. Zander is a brutal son of a bitch when needed. His size proves how strong he can be. I, on the other hand, just needed to be patient and allow Zander to work his magic. We found out the man had been holding enough information on Theo and his associates to put them away for a long time. No wonder Theo wanted this man to be found and dealt with.
My phone starts to ring; I answer, knowing it’s my mother.
“Gabriel, how is it going?”
“Fine, Mother. We found what Theo wants, and why.”
“Good, son. Listen, before you call Theo, we need to retrieve the information and gather the intel.”
“Mom, this is Theo. Do we still follow standard rules?”
“Always, Gabriel. Theo has been good to this family, but his son Teddy; I’m not too sure if he will always be so gracious. We need as much ammunition on his dealings as possible, in case this family ever needs to use it. Gabriel, don’t ever let your guard down, even for our closest friends. Do you hear me, Gabriel?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Good. Now clean up and find what we’re looking for. Afterwards, put it all back, then call Theo. Tell him where he can find his things. Make it look like you were never there. That’s important.”
“All right. I will see you with the information tomorrow.”
Zander and I finish our job, and make quick. We start dismembering the body and continue the job of discarding it. Later, we find our way to the hiding spot and find what we were looking for. There was so much shit, it took both of us to use our phones and a portable scanner to capture each thing. We put it all back, like Mom said, and left. I call Theo on my way back home and tell him where to find everything, that his problem no longer exists. He’s happy with our progress.
I enter the house right before dawn. Exhaustion is eating at me. I lay my keys down on the foyer table and see Fallon passed out on the sofa. She is wearing my shirt, one of the ones I wore in Croatia. I lift and carry her to our bedroom. She stirs when I lay her down on the bed.
“Gabriel, you’re home.”
“Yeah, baby.”
“Where were you?”
“Please, I just need to sleep. I can’t talk right now.”
I undress and lay on my side, pulling her back to my chest.
“You’re wearing my shirt.”
“It...it smelled like you, and I was lonely.”
“Mmm.”
The comfort I take in what she just said gives me incredible peace. Beyond my control, I fall asleep, holding her.
I awake with Fallon still in my arms, my hard on pressed against her round ass. I slide my hand underneath the shirt she wears and caress her breast as I push my dick further upon her. I hear her wake with a moan.
“Gabriel.”
“Don’t move.”
I leave her breast and find her thong. In one motion, I pull and rip it from her body. I take her top leg and raise it onto my bent leg. Searching for her clit, I find it already swollen in need. Fallon’s wet already. I begin to move my finger, manipulating her clit, and she lets out a glorious sound.
“I love hearing you. I love the sounds you make when I touch you. I’m going to fuck you now. Don’t move; just let me have you.”
I reach further down to push two fingers into her wet hole, stretching her to accommodate my size.
“Fuck, you’re so tight and wet. Have you been dreaming of me putting my cock in your pussy all night? Is that why you’re so wet, baby?”
In a breathy tone, she calls my name. “Gabriel.”
I remove my fingers to replace them with my hard cock. Fuck, she’s so warm. I move, gliding in and out of her at a slow pace. Not wanting to rush, I want to savor every feeling of her pussy walls tightening around me. I start to caress her clit again, and I feel her body begin to give in to her orgasm. I feel my balls tighten, and I call out her name as I spill my seed into her. Her walls spasm around my cock, milking it for every drop I have.
Once we’re finished, Fallon turns around to me. She starts kissing me more, telling me she wants more.
“Down, girl. You’re so greedy. Come on, let’s shower, then we will go see my mother today; she’s expecting us for breakfast.”
During our shower, Fallon is incredibly handsy. I love it, and if we had more time, I so would have taken advantage of the little beast I created.
I drive us out of the city and to the home I grew up in, the home in which I met and married my wife.
“Fallon, we never talked about it. Do you have a preference where we live? I mean, we could live with Mom in t
he mansion, if it makes you more comfortable, or wherever you want. I work a lot most nights. I don’t want you to be lonely, so if you want to be with Mom more, we can.”
“I just want to be with you, Gabriel, wherever that might be. I get lonely when you don't let me in. Your mother has trained me to be what you need in every way, including your business. I don’t like how you still try to cut me out of that part of your life. I don’t think Catherine will like it either.”
“Fuck Catherine. You are my wife, not her chess piece. I tell you what you need to know, and that’s it. Don’t fight me on this, Fallon.”
“Fight you? You have not seen a fight yet, but if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get – and baby, you better be prepared for me. I am not your mother’s chess piece, and I am not your whipping dog. I had to fight my whole fucking life; I didn’t think I would have to fight the man I love to let me in and let me be there for him. I just want to help you, to be your partner. If that’s what you want, then that’s what you’ll get. Because that’s how much I love you; I am willing to fight for both you and us.”
I park the car in front of the mansion, and she doesn’t wait for me. She opens her fucking door and goes in the house, slamming the door. As I go through the door, I see Catherine, Zander, Vin, and Liam making their way to the dining room as they all stare at Fallon running up the stairs.
I’ll be a motherfucker; she practically told me off, then ran inside. I storm after her, but Zander grabs me as soon as he sees my temper.
“Stop, man. Gabriel, what the fuck?”
“Get your fucking hands off me, Zander, now!”
“If you promise not to hurt her, I will let you go.”
“You think I would hurt her?”
Catherine yells out, “Enough, Gabriel. Zander, don’t. Let him go – and Gabriel, sit your ass down.”
Zander listens and lets me go while we all make our way to the dining table. We sit with Mother at the head of the table.
Catherine starts, “Well, I guess I shouldn’t ask how the honeymoon went? I expected a different reunion.”
“The honeymoon was fantastic, Mother. It’s the coming home that’s a bitch.”
“OK, so what’s the issue, Gabriel?” Mother asks.
“Fallon wants to be involved in our family business, and I can’t get her to understand I don’t want her involved.”
Mother slams her fist on the table and asks Jeffery to leave. Once he’s gone, she turns to all of us and shouts, “I wish you would stop your bullshit. I have had it, Gabriel. I brought Fallon here for you, and this family. That means she is involved with our family business. She is not stupid and knows all about what kind of people we are. She isn’t blind either, Gabriel. If you think she doesn’t see what kind of man you are, you’re fucking stupid.” She stands to address all of us. “If any of you think I will allow any woman to come into this family I don’t see fit, you are all in for an extremely rude awaking. That includes you, too, Vin. Each woman you all marry will contribute to this family one way or another. Let me ask you, Gabriel, did you sleep with Fallon on your honeymoon?”
“Mom!”
“Gabriel, answer my question, boy. Did you sleep with Fallon and not use protection?”
“Yes.”
“Good, son. That means that girl could be pregnant with my grandchild. She, along with the others, will be the most important part of assuring this family’s future.”
She sits back down, collecting herself, and grabs my hand.
“Gabriel, listen to me. All of you listen. I won’t always be here, and I need to make sure you all have women who can be strong for all of you. Those women will have all your children, and in return will want to guarantee their futures, just like I did. No one fights for their children like a mother.”
“She’s my wife, Mother. This is not some game you’re playing anymore.”
“You’re right, Gabriel, she is your wife, and I will allow you to handle her as you see fit. However, I’m telling you she can handle it. If she couldn’t, I would not have brought her to you. By the way, Gabriel, if she is or becomes pregnant, she will become more involved, whether you like it or not.”
I look towards my mother, pissed now. If she thinks she can control me anymore...I tell her, “I am not my father, Mother. I will not have you telling me what to do anymore. He might have obeyed, but I am my own man.”
She burst out laughing, and Zander stands, punching me right in my jaw. He screams at my mother, “Tell him now!! Tell him all about our precious fucking father!”
I get my wits about me again, and I look up towards my mom; she has stopped laughing, and I see tears.
36
Catherine
I watch Zander hit Gabriel, and I know why. Zander has always been my protector. Even as a child, that boy was relentlessly protective. I never wanted him to defend me against his brother. They are my life, and to know I could come between them would kill me.
“No, Zander! No!”
“Tell him!”
My youngest, Liam, stands and says, “What the fuck is going on here? Tell us what, Mother?”
Before I can stop him, Zander answers, “He hit her. He hit her more than once. He was a piece of shit!”
I watch Vin’s face and see the sorrow he has. He and Zander both know, they’ve witnessed way too much.
Now I have no choice. For the first time in a long time, my choice has been taken from me. I reluctantly need to tell them all, but will they accept what I am going to reveal?
“Zander, please sit down, son. I will tell you all, then I hope you will understand why I did everything for all of you. Boys, your father was not what you all think. I was a nobody from nowhere, and when I met your father, he was so handsome, strong, and wealthy. He was supposed to be my Prince Charming, but that was a joke. He promised me the moon, and I took it. I married him, not for love, but for wealth. Don’t misunderstand, he didn’t love me either. He just wanted a pretty thing on his arm. We got along just fine, so long as I allowed him to do everything he wanted, which I couldn’t always provide. Then I got pregnant with you, Gabriel, and he started to change. I thought I could love him; he was attentive and loving throughout my pregnancy. Once you were born, things went well for a while. He then started with desires I could not fulfill, and he had addictions.”
Liam holds my hand. “Mom, I’m sorry. Why wouldn’t you tell us?”
“Because, my angel, I didn’t want any of you to know. After a few years, your father started spending more than he made. The business was neglected, and it was starting to lose money fast. He had accumulated a large amount of debt. We couldn’t pay, so I had no choice but to act. I had a child now; you see, Gabriel, I was not ever going to let you suffer as I had. I had no choice but to use what I had and make the business untouchable. A mother will always protect her children. I had to do it for all of you. I might have been a bitch, even feared, but I did what I knew needed to be done. It was to protect all of you.”
“How did Zander find out, and we didn’t?” Gabriel asked.
“When Zander was just a boy, he saw. He saw your father hit me when I was pregnant with Liam. I tried to protect him and my unborn child. I forced Zander out of the room. Later, I explained to him he could never tell anyone, not even you, Gabriel.”
Gabriel looks like he’s trying to decide whether I am telling the truth or not. He states, “I don’t remember ever seeing you bruised.”
“I tried so hard not to show anyone. I covered myself as much as I could and used makeup made to cover tattoos. There were times, if you remember, I couldn’t be with any of you for days. Those were the times there was nothing I could find to help with my injuries, so I told you I had to go away for work. See, boys, if I let people know, it would have only made me look weak. For what I needed to do, I couldn’t have anyone know what I was privately going through. Not even my sons. I had to protect you all.”
“Mom, why didn’t you leave?” Liam asks.
<
br /> “Leave to go where, Liam? I had no family, no real friends, and with the business failing, I had no money. Where would I have gone? I had no choice but to stay. I had to assure your future, all of your future.”
I remember one incident in particular.
“One time it had gotten so bad, I decided to leave and threatened him with it. He grabbed Gabriel and left. I looked all over for him. I was willing to lay my life down for you, Gabriel, just to get you back. Later that night, one of your father’s prostitutes called me. She claimed to have you and said your father was out of his mind. I went and found you. She had been watching you, but she called because she was afraid your father had overdosed. I wish he had. That’s the night I knew I had to make all his affairs mine, even who he slept with. Years later, by the time I had the business where it was secure, I had three children, and your father was so far in his addiction, he was of no use to anyone. The other girls your father had over the years gave me the time I needed to deal with everything else. So, I became free to do what was needed.”
I look back at a quiet Vin. He won’t say any more than I’ve told.
Zander tells them, “When I was a teenager, I found Mom on the floor. I found him sitting in the corner, staring. I wanted to kill him, but she wouldn’t let me. He got up and attacked me. He called me a bastard, then started wailing on me. By this time, I was bigger, and I made sure I took him down. Mom had to jump on my back to get me off him. She said he wasn’t worth it, and he wasn’t. For years I had to hear you, Gabriel, your complaining and bitching how mother was the bad one, but you never saw, Gabriel; you never wanted to see. All you wanted was the fantasy, for our father to be the hero. Well, he wasn’t! You blamed her for him not being the father you needed. I kept her secret because she didn’t want to look weak to you or anyone else.”
Art of Seduction Page 22
