Don Vidal

21 - Can I ask you something?

Marnie

As I look at Draven, removing his jacket while smiling at me, I realize I’m not just falling for him; I have fallen for him. Oh God, I didn’t mean for it to happen, and I’m not entirely sure it’s not just because I’m grateful to him for everything he’s doing for me. He was amazing at my doctor’s appointment a couple of days ago. Draven asked all the right questions, and he really impressed me with how dedicated he is to this baby. It just solidified in my heart and mind that this baby is the most important thing in the world to him. Even more than his precious Crime Family.

God, I think I’m falling a little bit more in love with him as the seconds go by, and not just because of how great he’s been or how handsome he is. He’s so strong and handsome and everything I have ever wanted. Everything I almost had once upon a time, but I won’t compare Draven to someone else; that wouldn’t be right in any sense of the word.

Anyone would think I have Stockholm Syndrome the way I talk about Draven.

Who knows, maybe I do a little, but would it really be that bad if I’m ultimately happy?

Is this too soon after Paul?

I never imagined Draven would be like this. I thought he’d be mean and vile to everyone, including me. He’s shrewd, as most businessmen are, but he’s never been vile to me in any way. I’m happy to have been proven wrong because he is such a good person inside and out.

Aside from all the big bad boss bullshit, if he’s really determined to marry me so that our baby can have a family like the one I never had, the kind neither of us ever had, then why shouldn’t I allow myself to fall in love with the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with?

And it will be for the rest of my life. Maria told me that you don’t marry the Boss and leave. Ever. These people are Catholic and do not believe in divorce. The Famiglia has strict rules on marriage. Once you’re married, there is no way out but death. That’s why Maria wanted me to be sure this is what I really want. She loves her brother but wouldn’t want me to be miserable.

I can’t say, Draven, and I will never argue. That’s the most unrealistic thing anyone, even in a typical marriage, could say. We’re human, and we’ll argue just as anyone else would.

Maybe I have some form of Stockholm Syndrome because I told Maria that I’m perfectly happy to spend my life with her brother and that I had no doubts. It seemed to settle her.

Everything Maria said made me wonder how Helen managed to divorce Draven and Maria’s father. I asked, but Maria didn’t have a clue, although she did tell me how Helen’s leaving him didn’t last long. Her father didn’t want his second wife; he wanted Helen back. Maria didn’t go into it with me, but obviously, Joseph got Helen back, or Maria wouldn’t be here.

Then, it made me wonder how Draven’s first wife managed to divorce him. Maria told me that Draven wasn’t the Boss then, and even though his wife wasn’t meant to leave, she did. She died not long after, and I think we all know it wasn’t an accident.

That made me realize there would never be any way out if I did this.

It should have scared me, right?

It didn’t. It turned me on to think Draven wanted me to stay so badly that he wouldn’t let me go. Not the fact he might have killed his ex-wife, that would be insane, but the keeping me with him thing.

I’ve thought a lot about all the bad stuff that comes with being with someone who doesn’t love you in return, someone who kills and rules those around him with an iron fist. Someone who will demand and order me to do things I might not want, but if I keep thinking about that, I’ll never be happy the way I need to be. I want to be happy. It’s time I was happy.

Draven clicks his fingers in front of my face. “You with me?”

“Hi. Yes, sorry,” I acknowledge with a smile from my seat on our new couch. Draven had it delivered a couple days ago when I told him the old one was a little hard on my back. He gave it to charity so someone else could get use of his six-thousand-dollar couch and had this plush, dark green one delivered. Just more proof that he’s amazing. “I was miles away. I made dinner for you. It’s in the oven, but if you’ve already eaten, that’s okay.”

“I haven’t.” He smiles. “Thank you, beautiful.” He always thanks me with a smile and always tells me that I’m beautiful. Paul never told me that I was beautiful. I’m not vain, but every woman needs to hear someone tell her she’s beautiful once in a while. “Your sister will be joining us for dinner tomorrow.”

“She will?”

He nods. “She came to see me earlier. She’s worried about you. Brooke seems to think I’m keeping you a prisoner.” Draven chuckles, and I smile. I should have known she’d confront him. I shouldn’t have kept her at arm’s length for two weeks. “I told her you’d been under the weather, but she wants to see for herself that you’re okay.”

“So, you invited her to dinner? Thank you.”

Draven winks at me and walks away into his huge kitchen to warm the lasagna I made for him. He shouldn’t really be eating something that heavy at 11 PM; it’ll lay heavy on his stomach. However, he’s always so busy that he never gets to eat early enough, and I know he’ll be hitting the gym on the second floor of this house once he’s finished. Well, a man doesn’t get a body as hard and ripped as Draven Vidal’s by sitting on his ass.

I hear Draven rinsing off the plate before putting it in the dishwasher and readying it for the cycle at breakfast tomorrow before jogging upstairs to the gym. Once he’s done there, I know he’ll shower. I know this routine well. I'll wait for him if I can keep my eyes open for another hour and a half.

Yeah, sitting here waiting for him is working really well. I’m crying to myself, and I don’t even know why. God, these hormones are the pits! I’m not thinking about what happened a couple of weeks ago; I’m not thinking about anything from the past; it really is just my hormones hating on me.

“Hey,”

I jump and turn my head to face Draven as he sits beside me, concern etched all over his handsome face. I didn’t hear him come down the stairs. He’s so damn quiet; it makes me wonder how when he’s the size he is.

“What’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

I shake my head and lay my hand over his on my swollen belly. Everything is wrong with me right now. I miss certain people so much, and it’s killing me. People I can’t talk to him about. I can’t talk to anyone about them, and that hurts me more than anything.

I can’t talk about them because I’ll be putting them in danger, and I don’t know how Draven would react to what I told him. However, if I don’t tell him and he finds out from someone else, he’ll be so angry with me. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I'm tired, scared, and I just want...

“Then what is it, beautiful?” Here I go again with the damn tears. “Marnie, you’re kinda worrying me here.”

“I’m sorry, Draven. I guess my hormones aren’t my friend today.” I shrug.

He smiles and strokes my face with his other hand because he hasn’t yet let go of my stomach. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what it’s like to feel so up and down all the time. I only know what my sister told me, and trust me, she cried constantly with Jessica. She’s not much better this time.” We both laugh. “Maria once told me the only thing that made her feel better was having Jett hold her.”

Funny he should say that.

“Can I ask something of you?”

“Anything. You know that.”

“You’ve done so much for me. So much for our baby.” Like the beautiful nursery, he’s having fixed up with the best of everything for our child. The nursery I designed and drew out. Draven saw my drawing and set about making it a reality.

I hold his big hand across my belly, still looking into his beautiful eyes. “I haven’t been feeling so great these past couple of nights. I know it sounds stupid, but when I go to bed, I lie there wishing I could lie with you. Have you hold me so I can sleep well.”

He smiles knowingly, and if I was feeling myself right now, I’d slap him for being so cock.y. But I’m emotional, and I need him to comfort me. No one ever comforted me in my life before. Not when I needed them the most, at least.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Draven takes my hands and helps me to my aching feet. “Let’s go to bed.” He turns to leave.

“Wait,” I pull him back a little. “I just want to lay with you. I don’t want to lead you on or make you think this is anything more right now. I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t attracted to you, and yes, you were right, I do want you,” I thought he’d smirk cockily, but he isn’t smirking; he’s just looking at me. “But for right now, can you please just hold me?”

“Marnie, we never have to do anything you are not ready for.”

No one’s ever said that to me before. If I didn’t want it from Paul, he’d just take it. But I know in my heart Draven would never force se.x on me.

“And if you want me to hold you every night in my arms for the next year and do nothing more, then that’s what I'll do.”

Is it any wonder that I’m falling for him?

“Thank you,” I tell him as he kisses my forehead and leads me to his room.

We could have gone to my room, but Draven’s room is just as good. His room is pretty much like mine only more manly and a bit larger. Plus, the TV in his room is massive on a level I didn’t know was possible outside of a movie theater.

I’m too tired right now to take in the beauty of the room, but there’s not much in here. Less is more and all that.

“Climb in, baby.” When he calls me that, it sends shivers down my spine!

Draven pulls back the soft sheets. He watches me with a raised eyebrow as I remove my pajama pants, leaving me in my panties and tank top that just covers my growing bump. I’m not shy to strip down like this in front of him. He is going to be my husband, and he’s going to see me in a lot less. Might as well get used to it now.

“I never sleep in bottoms,” I tell him with a shrug and without shame before climbing into the most comfortable bed I’ve ever been in.

Draven removes his sweats and t-shirt and climbs into bed. He’s wearing nothing but boxer briefs, which showcase just how large the man is, and his sculpted body is making my mouth water. Every inch of him is ripped with muscle. He smirks at me; he knows damn well what he’s doing to me.

Draven pulls the sheet over us, lies back on his pillow, then grabs me and pulls me against him. I wrap my arm around his waist and snuggle into him, my head in his neck. He’s so warm, and he smells so good, and the feeling of his hard body against mine has me throbbing.

Oh, come on, what girl can honestly say she wouldn’t be turned on by a bad boy?

One with so much power?

The power to give or take life with a snap of his fingers?

One with so much muscle, perfect pecs, washboard abs, thick thighs, and... Well, you get the point.

Lying bitc.h is what she’d be!

Draven stays on his back, playing with my scalp at the back of my head, and it feels so good that I moan without meaning to.

God, this isn’t going to be easy. Upset, I may have been, but now I’m just full-blown horny. I know Draven is getting erect; I can sense his coc.k growing, and I can feel myself getting wet.

Hell on earth is being pressed up against an almost naked godlike man, who you said you didn’t want to have se.x with when you’re so horny you could fuc.k a cucumber!