25 comments/ 31173 views/ 31 favorites Forgive Me...But You're Mine Ch. 02 By: Kissmesweet Jared heard the muffled sobs from his bedroom. Though he felt for her he had no intention of letting her go and even less intention of trying to offer comfort. Many people had cried in his wake men and woman had sobbed over his choices even his ex-girlfriend had shed many tears because of him over the years. He did not fool himself to think she was crying over him. Nobody ever did, just what he had to do to them to repay a debt, keep a promise or make ends meat. He knew what he was, though he had spent much of his life trying to run from it. One call from his brother sent him right back into this world, though he had vowed never to visit it again. This week would be testing if he had to look at the little captive in his guestroom. Best to lock her away and when Friday falls hand her back to Tracy. What Tracy did was harsh. The scum work of the underworld. He had heard many a story of Tracy and his victims but helping a damsel in distress was not his foreplay...not anymore. Rolling over on his side of his bed he hoped she would quieten down. If her sobbing woke the whole house he would have a lot of explaining to do to someone he knew he could never lie to. He sighed shutting his eyes to the world. Once again the memories of why he had left this life overwhelmed him. He hoped this boyfriend of hers knew what he was doing or the girl tucked up in the other room, Jared knew, would soon meet her maker. The small hairgrip snapped in half with the pressure she was exerting on the tip. 'For God's sake.' Nicki fumed leaning away from the door lock; that was the last of her grips. She could no more pick this lock than blow the door of its hinges with dynamite. The intricacy of this lock astounded her. She had not that much of a reason to suppose she could pick the lock of this bedroom but the optimist in her recalled her favourite heroines in the small collection of crime books she owned slipping a hairpin into a lock, practically stumbling into the door and falling through the other side as the lock clicked open, FREEDOM, why couldn't it be that easy now. She had to get out of here. She knew Steven wasn't going to stump up the money. During her restless night in her roomy prison she had come to realise her mistake. To put her life in the hands of the very man who had thrown her in harm's way. She had begged him not to take the money of a mobster lord as he couldn't even be trusted not to gamble away a child's piggy bank if he got his hands on it. He had snuck out one night high on enthusiasm and met with a dam loan shark. Accepted fifteen thousand dollars happily and been at the pool tables by dusk. She had woken to a sobbing Steven on the floor of the bathroom, drunk and unashamedly weeping from his financial loss. She had never even got to see the money, didn't even know how much he owed until he confessed it to her. She had slapped him so hard across the face it hurt her hand. Now in a moment of stupidity she had taken the fall for him. He could be half way across the world right now, leaving her to die at the hands of thugs. She sank to the floor behind the door and tucked her legs into her chest, her tears had been flowing like steady streams all night making her feel dehydrated and tired. She hadn't really slept for longer than an hour, after she had sank to the bed she had cried out her pain then finally pulled herself up by her shaking hands and crawled to the bedroom door, where she had sat for the last several hours bending the three grips she had in her hair in half and prodding at the lock. Finally the last one snapped jamming the lock. Searching around the room for any help had proved useless and sure to Jared's words the windows didn't even open an inch. Even if the window could prove an exit the mountain high drop to the ground would surely hinder her escape. Movement on the other side of the wall unnerved her; she gathered the broken hair pin pile into her hands and scrambled away from the door and onto the bed covering the loose pins with the palm of her hand. The handle to the room trickled down with the force of a hand. Anxiety charged her, readying for a fight if this was to be Jared or worse Tracy coming to beat her senseless. God knows what these roughens were capable off. Would they just torture her for fun until Friday came and Steven never showed up with the money? She had to face it she was on her own and no way was she going to take anyone hurting her without a fight. Clambering to the far side of the bed Nicki readied herself for a fight. The door swung open on its hinges. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jared fixed eyes in her direction, cautiously stepping into the bedroom with one objective in mind. Give her something to eat and be out the door in thirty seconds. He noticed her apprehensive expression as he slowly entered the room and found himself daring to lift the corners of his mouth. Was he smiling? What the... he instantly looked as perplexed as she did. Choking down his embarrassment he realised he just couldn't help that the overly terrorized expression she offered amused him. He was not the one she should be fearful of. He had no intention of talking to her let alone harming her. 'What is that?' Nicki muttered, drawing Jared from his thoughts. He looked down at the tray filled with fruit and toast, even a glass of milk on the side. He wasn't sure if she was a milk drinker but it was all he had. Why he thought to ponder her dietary requirement he did not know but her disgust at his offering provoked an equally irked response. 'Food' 'I can see that, I mean what are you doing? I thought you were locking me in here for the week?' 'Without food...? Do you want to die of starvation before the three days are through? I don't know about you but I don't fancy having a corpse on my hands at the end of all this.' Nicki folded her arms feeling the fatigue of a petrifying evening and sleepless night hit her. A bad temper always followed a poor night's sleep for Nicki and apparently the threat of death did nothing to check her exasperation. 'Are you asking in place of a bullet to the head?' Jared ignored her comment placing the small tray of food down on the chair in the room. In that moment Nicki noticed the bedroom door had been left open and Jared had dismissively walked to the other side of the room leaving it empty and a clear path for Nicki to run. Jared turned back just in time to see the light in Nicki's eyes change and her decision to run become clear. Where she didn't know, she knew the lock on the front door could not be open in two seconds and the room she was in last night held no means of escape. No matter if she didn't make it out the flat perhaps she could find a room with a phone at least call the police. Her blood thumbed in her veins drawing blood to her heart. The heart she wanted to keep beating. She glanced Jared's way and saw him tensing to run after her. Now or never, she moved with all the power in her body and swung round the bed towards the door. Jared leaped for her, scrapping the fabric of her top but missing something to hold. 'STOP' He shouted after her as she ran through the open door, Her trainers felt heavy as they heaved her down the corridor. She could hear Jared rushing up behind her and with mere moments ducted into a room at the far end of the hall. Thank god there was a latch on the other side, in seconds she had locked it and backed away. The hammering of the door alarmed her. Was he that angry to have her run? She could hear the wood cracking under his powerful hands and she imagined the muscles of his torso working with full strength to break down the door that protected her. 'NO, not this room! Let me in.' Demanded Jared. Not this room? Nicki thought. Maybe there was a phone in here she could use was that why he didn't want her here? She turned in search of a desk with a phone even a mobile would be handy. As soon as she stopped spinning the room came into clear focus. Pale blue walls filled her vision. In the corner of the room she noticed the light streaming through a softly light window. Suddenly cuddly toys littered the floor, a toy train set and miniature bed forced her to step back. What the hell was this? 'Daddy?' Daddy! Nicki trained her eyes on the thin ray of light reflecting on the small bed to one side of the room. Shuffling from the covers, a tiny face appeared panicked from the commotion outside the room. A little boy! As Nicki looked upon the tiny boy she was sure he could be no more than four or five years old. His pale cheeks looked flushed with nerves. The young boys fear wrenched at Nicki's heart. No matter what situation she was in she couldn't bring a small boy into her trouble even if it was his thug of a father who put her here. 'Um...No I'm not your daddy.' The little boy looked aghast at Nicki almost draining colour on his face. 'Can you get my daddy?' He whispered, fear taking the sound from his words. As the look of panic set across the young child's face, Nicki lost control. The thundering on the door got louder as Jared began to lose control of his senses and Nicki believed she was dead for sure. She sank to the floor in dread curling her feet into herself. She dropped her head into her hands and felt for the hundredth time tears flow down her cheeks. 'For Gods sakes let me in,' bawled Jared pushing at the lock on the door with every ounce of his strength. 'Let me go!' Nicki cried back to tired and terrified to mince her words. The pounding on the door surprisingly seized, Nicki could hear ragged breaths coming from the other side. 'You know I won't do that.' The words sounded mechanical as though he had been using them for years. How many people had he held prisoner and did he always do it with a child in the house. The child? Nicki looked up to see an adorable boy clutching the sides of his where's Waldo duvet. 'I...I'm not going to hurt you.' She found herself whispering. 'Dam right you won't!' demanded Jared from the other side of the door. Nicki rolled her eyes, not everyone was a murderous kidnapper, certainly not her she would never harm a child, she loved them too much, their innocence and sense of life. The world could grab you and beat you to the floor if you were not raised well as a child. Childhood meant everything to her and she would never hurt a baby and risk handing them an emotional scar to carry for the rest of their lives, she herself carried way too many. The tears began to trickle from his eyes and soak his softly fudged cheeks. The worry on his face shook her into action; she could not carry this on at the expense of a child's fear. The game was up. Swiping her cheeks with the backs of her hands Nicki rose from the floor. His little eyes followed her. 'It's fine honey, look I'm not going to come near you.' The words sounded so foreign in her ears, in her life she was the first to run and scoop up a laughing child in her arms, she could play for hours at the little nursery she used to work at not far from where she lived. Now the position she was in left even that part of her life abandoned. She felt scalded by life; everything she enjoyed was soon to be gone. No more smiling faces looking up at her, appreciating her, the fact she was there, the fact she was alive. 'Let...me...in!' Jared ordered slowly as though trying to coax the pig to open the door to the wolf. Nicki exhaled then turned and unlocked the door. Jared burst though causing Nicki to stagger back. He pierced ice cold eyes in her direction but didn't dare to speak. Nicki looked to the floor like a chastised child. Tears forgotten she felt... emotionless. If death was about to befit her she was glad of the fort building round her heart, at last. Jared scooped his son into his arms checking him all over for any harm. He knew deep down she didn't seem the type to hurt a child but his heart had almost stopped the second she set foot through that door. He had not gone through everything in his life to lose his son to an incensed woman practically on death row. His self-control had screeched to a halt the moment he had heard his son call his name; daddy. If she had touched a hair on his sons head she would have been dead, not in a week, that second. 'Get to your room.' Jared muttered. He smoothed the tears from his son's eyes with the pad of his thumb, holding him so tight he wasn't sure if he was choking him. Nicki stumbled from the room like a broken rag doll back into her prison and shut the door. Surely the death blow would come soon, not many would forgive an enraged woman scaring their son. No matter how much they regretted it. The hours ticked by in her solitude. Time used to reflect, speculate and regret. The most burning questions in her chaotic mind still remained centred around the moment she had just gone through, the hatred that speared Jared's eyes as he had entered his child's room. It affected her that someone would think her capable to harm a child. Hostage or not she would never bring herself so low but the question still remained in his line of work clearly having a child where you keep your victims was not the intuition of a sane man, how could he? Many more hours passed before Jared eventually entered her room, the sun had fully risen in the sky filling the guest room with a soft glow of light that slowly managed to sooth Nicki's mind, just as light always did. From her childhood days Nicki always sought the light. Lying in her parents overgrown garden in the summer as a child felt like heaven, Playing in the suburbs of California, where she grew up with the heat melting her skin brought back so many wonderful memories however more recently the only chances Nicki had of playing in the sun became running from one job to the next trying to pay off the unending debt Steven had brought to her door. Many times a hot summer day could pass her by without her ever making it outside. Many of those days she had been holding Stevens head out of a toilet as he threw up the last of her earnings. Alcohol and Steven didn't mix, though he never thought so after another big loss at the casino. Nicki pulled herself from her reflections just as Jared stopped in the doorway. The rage he had struggled to control had soothed somewhat with time and though he wanted to throttle her for scaring his son clarity had reminded him what he was forced to put her through. She had tried to escape, any sane person would do the same, and it was mere chance that she had chosen his son's room to run into. He understood that. Jared stared into her apologetic eyes. He couldn't help but feel a slither of shame that he could not offer her one back. Surely she was going through hell waiting on the money. He found himself thinking it actually was a shame she found herself here at all. Jared was never going to just let her walk out of here but he at least owed her an explanation for why she was here in the first place. He shut the door behind him quietly. 'I want to explain to you why you're here.' 'I know why I'm here.' 'No, you know why you're in trouble with the Las Vegas Gangs not why you're here?' Nicki had not considered why they had chosen Jared and a high rise apartment for her jail house. She had presumed they hadn't thought it out to well and he owed them a favour. Tracy hasn't seemed to know what to do with her when he had her. Jared took a seat on the corner of the bed where she sat in the middle surrounded by the plump cushions she had yet to sleep on. His closeness made her draw back. Jared noticed. 'I'm not about to hurt you Nicki.' The tension between them started a palpitation through her body. For the first time staring at him in the stark light of her room she could see his true features, up close she could make out the even planes of his face, his chiselled jawline made him look somewhat handsome even beautiful so much so that she could be mistaken for thinking him an attractive man, not the thug who held her life in his hands. He had been quiet for a long time watching Nicki unconsciously scan the lines of his body she had travelled her eyes further down noticing the slight flexing of his broad shoulders and strong biceps. The flat contours of his torso. She instinctively veered further noticing the surprisingly large package he hid beneath softly fitted jeans. Jared couldn't help himself 'See anything you like sweetheart?' Nicki's face flushed. She glanced away flustered but unsurprisingly hot. 'I was just sizing you up. Seeing if I can take you?' Jared chuckled 'I hope you didn't find me lacking in any places.' Nicki's felt the fire surge down her throat and tickle her breasts igniting them. How could she, he looked very well endowed. As that thought drifted through her brain she couldn't help notice his sudden turn in character. Only moments ago she had been ready for a death blow, a strong retaliation to her previous defiance yet as she sat across from him he offered her a slightly warming grin. 'Jared...' The use of his name tasted hostile on her tongue and she reminded herself to stay guarded. 'Hmm' he muttered distracted in his own thoughts. 'What are you going to do? I mean because of what happened earlier with your...son?' Jared eventually lifted his gaze from an obscure point on Nicki's body. She couldn't be sure where but her breasts suddenly felt surprisingly heavy and hot. Last night they had little of a chance to analyse each other in the dark and hazy events that had passed. Now with the light forcing its way in the large room, a sudden realisation of the true people in this situation caught them both strangely off guard. 'I'm... going to apologise to you.' Nicki glanced down fingering the thin cotton of the sheets. 'Nicki look at me when I say this,' Nicki kept her eyes trained on the bed. 'Look at me!' Jared insisted. Eventually Nicki looked up 'I want to go home.' She pleaded the words filtering through her mouth before her brain had a chance to engage. Was it the time to beg for her freedom? For the first time her words really affected him. His brief appraisal of the one he held prisoner had very instantly humanised the situation. He was not a mindless thug anymore and if the choice were up to him he would happily send her on her way. But loyalty gnawed at him. 'Maybe you will go home?' I'm not so sure. His heart strangely twitched at the sobering thought. 'You think so?' she whispered desperately holding back the tears. 'Maybe, as long as your boyfriend stumps up the money there is no reason you shouldn't be home by Friday evening, back doing whatever you did before Tracy scooped you up and brought you to me.' 'Jared?' he locked eyes with her. 'Do you think Tracy will hurt me if Steve won't pay him the money?' Jared swallowed the baseball size lump in his throat. 'We will see.' This conversation was losing track, he couldn't be any more sympathetic without getting emotionally involved and Jared vowed never to let his heart back in this world. 'Anyway I came here to talk to you about why you're here Nicki.' She nodded her head. ''My name... is Jared Laylan.' 'Laylan?' Nicki sat up in alarm, 'you mean, as in the mobster Steven owes money to Laylan?' 'I mean as in his younger brother, yes. Richard Laylan is the mobster you owe.' He didn't know why he wanted to clarify that he wasn't the one doing this to her, he was merely an accessory, however the revelation didn't go down as well as he thought. Nicki instantly leapt off the bed reaching for the blue overlay she had come to think of as a comfort blanket. 'You mean you're related to that thug of a man? He's planning to have me killed do you know that? Of course you do...' Nicki started pacing the laminate floor, concern washing her face, 'because you're his God dam brother!' Forgive Me...But You're Mine Ch. 02 'Sit back down!' Jared demanded worried her uproar would alarm his son who was currently having his cornflake breakfast with the nanny Jared had hired, in the kitchen down the hall. Nicki couldn't hear, the revelation of who she was with had burned her, she thought she was being held captive by a mere pawn in the game, someone she could maybe bribe round even convince to release her, how was she to do that now she knew she was with the brother of the devil. Nothing she could offer would be worth more than the loyalty he would feel towards his kin. 'And the boy?' she demanded 'My son, Nathan, Rick's nephew, but if you think of hurting him to get to Rick...' 'Oh course I would never hurt a child.' Nicki scoffed dismissing the idea first hand. Her instant displeasure at the idea brought Jared more comfort than he had thought he required. Maybe his plan to have his son stay with one of his friends wasn't necessary. 'Then will you sit down and we can talk about this...situation you find yourself in?' His insistence drew her to the end of the bed. 'Sit!' he insisted with a hard glare. She took the corner, staring blankly towards the window. Jared sighed raising his hand to his head, 'I don't agree with much my brother does Nicki, believe me but I won't go against him. Your boyfriend obviously owes him a lot of money and you seem to be the collateral.' 'Soon to be the dead collateral' Nicki sneered. 'It might not come to that.' Jared's voice held little assurance. Nicki was reminded of the lie she had blindly told to get Steven out of it, a lie that would inevitably cost her existence. 'Maybe' she sighed distractedly, running through any possible escape plan she could come up with in her mind. She didn't want Jared to know the true condemnation of her situation. If he knew there was going to be no money coming his brothers way any time soon he could just as easily do away with her sooner rather than later. Jared reassuringly reached out and stroked her hand a gesture meant to be calming though her skin light on fire the moment she felt the soft connection, throwing her senses blind. Waves of sensation raced through her nerves to her brain causing her to pull her hand back brusquely. 'I said I'm not going to hurt you.' Jared offered perplexed with her sudden movement. Nicki stared at her hand in horror. The mere touch, the way his eyes watched her causing her to pull back shocked her...of course from the moment she saw his true features she thought him incredibly handsome...for a thug. The fact that through all the fear she had experienced in the last twenty four hours she had continuously found it perplexing that her capture took the form of a dark, angry angel. But that touch felt like more than appreciation for her beautiful jailer. It almost reminded her of the distant feelings of...attraction. The thought sickened her and she found herself once again jumping off the bed in shock. Jared rolled his eyes. 'What now?' Nicki clashed eyes with ice blue. Jared's eyes almost shone. Enough! She demanded of herself, he may be incredibly attractive but he was also the very man about to hand her over to her death. Perhaps Steve's misgivings could be all but forgotten in the face of someone willing to hand her over to a gunman. Steve had only facilitated it, not allowed it such as Jared. In the silence Jared had stood and crossed to Nicki scanning her face. She seemed to have fallen into her own thoughts blocking him out completely. 'Nicki?' he probed softly. Taking her shoulders and daring to give her a slight shake. Jared felt uncomfortable offering this woman any sort of comfort. He reminded himself don't get attached to a dead woman. However he continued gently shaking her until the mist over her deep brown eyes began to clear, the moment she looked at him he noticed she looked more incensed than before, her eyes shot to his hands gripping her shoulders in horror the look drawing his hands away from her instantly. Jared couldn't understand her misgivings he was trying to comfort the woman who had just terrified his son because he felt the slightest hint of compassion towards her situation, he was not trying to strangle the very last breathes from her lungs. The look she gave him could convince him he was doing just. Jared stepped back. 'Maybe I should give you some time.' He mumbled confusion washed his face as he saw her visibly relax with his release, the vision unnerving. She nodded softly watching with caution as he turned towards the door. Did she still think he could hurt her? He may be associated with thugs but genetic traits could not be adopted though association. Even through his brother. Perhaps the stress of the situation had finally hit her; maybe he really had put the fear of god into her when she had locked herself in Nathan's room. As he closed the door firmly behind him and locked it tight with the key he found himself bizarrely thinking...I hope not. Forgive Me...But You're Mine Ch. 03 This is the last chapter before I introduce sex into the story between these two characters. I hope you don't mind the build-up but I felt that you needed to understand both Jared and Nicki's back stories before you could really enjoy the path they are about to take with each other... Again sorry for any errors in spelling and grammer but I just write this story because I want to know what happens next to these characters so if you think there are too many mistakes for you then feel free to stop reading on... 'Daddy, look at the shape of this.' Nathan beamed thrusting a piece of buttery toast towards Jared as he entered the kitchen. Jared regarded the star shaped browned bread with interest, its precise shaping easily achieved with the set of cutters Jared had brought a few months ago to entice Nathan to eat his food. Mary, Nathan's nanny slipped another piece on his plate whilst scooping up his empty plastic bowl and spoon to rinse in the sink. Jared had to admit the last few years had been tough but they would have been damn near impossible without Mary. Trying to bond with Nathan had been hard enough in the first few months since Nina left, let alone remembering feeds, nappy changes and sleeping schedules. The day Mary walked through the door with her bright smile and softly wrinkled face was the first day Jared realised he was a dad. Not a full time babysitter waiting for Nina to return, not a guy stuck with a baby hoping someone would realise the mistake and release him of the responsibility of being a parent, but a real dad. Overnight Jared realised he had become the centre of a little child's world, its sole provider and protector and once Mary had established an ounce of order back into their lives Jared took to fatherhood like a moth to a flame. He was addicted. Nathan swung the toast in the air darting it above his head as though a shooting star in the sky. Before he could draw the piece back to his plate Jared leaned over Nathan's chair, teeth primed and nipped one of the points chewing it with exaggeration. 'Daddy ate my star... did you see that Mary?... daddy ate my star!' Nathan squealed with laughter stuffing what was left in his mouth before Jared could grab another bite. 'And that's why I made you a new one.' Mary smiled using a freshly washed spoon to direct Nathan's attention back to the hot piece of toast on his plate. Jared took the chair next to his son around their large kitchen table. A fresh cup of coffee had been placed in the centre of the table sometime after his arrival and though Mary had not looked at him since the moment he had walked in, Jared instinctively knew she had slipped another spoonful of caffeine in his drink to give him an extra kick for the day ahead. He sipped it slowly not quite feeling ready for the morning buzz he was about to receive. The last few hours had proven a rollercoaster to say the least. Last night he had settled Nathan into bed with only one thing scheduled for the morning to come. Get up and play with his son. Now thoughts lashed at him from every angle with so many to-do's for the day ahead of them, the thought of scooping Nathan into a giant bear hug and chasing him around the apartment felt like a distant dream no longer his reality. First he had to explain to his son and to Mary why a crazy woman had been roaming around the house in the wee small hours of the morning and somehow make her confinement in the guest bedroom a blasé affair. Most importantly he'd eventually have to confront Nicki with a well thought out plan on how her time in his house was going to go including the current predicament he foresaw of trips to the bathroom over the next three days and what she was going to wear. Did Tracy never think anything through before ploughing ahead with a hair brained idea? How about letting the girl grab a few clothes before hauling her ass into his SUV and throwing her into Jared's hands for the next few days? Hell by the looks of it she hadn't even brought a jacket to wear over her relatively thin top and he wasn't even sure she wore socks under her snickers, even though it was mid-November. 'Jared... do you not want any?' A smooth voice broke through his thoughts driving his mind back to the present and the homely smell of hot buttered toast and apple juice at his side. Nathan sat watching him wearily with half a star in his mouth, sucking the butter from his toast while Mary topped up his cup with fresh juice. Jared stared at them blankly, completely excluded from the conversation they were supposedly having while he'd been pondering his little captive locked away down the hall. 'No?' Jared grappled for an answer, sensing Mary knew very well he was merely guessing at his reply. Her lips thinned slightly as she leaned on her heels to retrieve the plate she had set before him. Instantly the smell of hot toast vanished as she walked back to the countertop. 'Very well, from the looks of it you already had breakfast early this morning anyway. Though I was surprised to see you had chosen fruit and milk to start your day, you're usually a fry up and coffee man whenever I cook for you.' The slight inclination to her tone let Jared know something was amiss. Mary had never gotten even remotely heated when they spoke, she'd never raised her voice or argued back even when Jared had cut her hours after the first couple of months, the day he realised he wanted to be more hands on with Nathan. She hadn't even flustered when Nathan had told Jared one day that Mary thought 'His Daddy was very handsome indeed'. Yet something about her this morning screamed of annoyance, the faint twitch in her jaw said something about her thoughts. She didn't usually arrive at Jared's apartment until eight thirty to get Nathan ready for the day so she surely missed the carnage that Nicki wrought before seven. To his knowledge she could think nothing different about the day. Unless... 'Am I going to see that lady again who woke me up?' Nathan frowned popping the final piece of toast into his mouth and licking the last of the butter from his fingers. Jared looked up to see Mary visibly stiffen at the sink, the water sloshing the sides as she abruptly stopped swirling the plate in her hands. What had Nathan told her about the events of the morning he wondered and how easily could he explain it away with a shrug of his shoulders and an 'it was nothing' reply? Jared brushed the few crumps from Nathan's t-shirt to the floor. Apologizing silently to Mary that he forgot to catch them in his hand and deposit them in the bin. Not only was she the nanny but she was also the cook, the cleaner and the laundry woman around these parts. In truth there was little Jared could do around the house that Mary couldn't do better and because of this she had taken it upon herself to become the full time caretaker of not only Nathan but Jared as well. Jared paid her handsomely and in truth he wished she would take more time off than she did but having her around the house meant everything ran like clockwork and as long as the house remained in perfect working order all Jared had to worry about was spending time with his son. 'She will be staying here a day or two with us little man, but you don't have to see her around the house if you don't want too.' Jared sighed, wrestling Nathan out of his chair and into his arms before Nathan had another chance to think more on the subject. But once Nathan was settled in Jared's lap his mind quickly returned to the subject at hand. 'Well can I see her daddy... If I wanted to I mean?' Nathan asked his fingers snaking around Jared's waist as though the very question he was asking unnerved him yet filtered from his mouth all the same. 'I think I need to say sorry because I scared her this morning and I told Mary that I think I made her cry.' Mary glanced momentarily towards the pair at the kitchen table, 'And I told you there was no way she would ever have been crying because of you. You just don't have it in you to make someone cry sweetheart.' Once again the crisp tone in her voice assured Jared she did not think the same about him. Jared had never spoken of his violent past with Mary but he imagined she had put two and two together with the mention of his surname. There were few people left in Vegas that did not know of the infamous Laylan brothers, something he constantly worried about when regarding the gorgeous child he held in his arms every day. Jared had to end this line of questioning fast. He had not thought enough about the situation to offer anyone any answers about the days to come, let alone how he was going to interweave both playing the threatening jailer and the doting father in one house for the next three days. 'Nathan of course it was not you who made her cry it was daddy. I got angry and shouted at her because she did something she wasn't allowed to do in my house and for that I lost my patience but everything's got resolved now and she is just going to stay in the guest room for a couple of days until her friend can come and pick her up. You don't need to apologise to her but if you would like, I could go and say it for you. I'm sure she would appreciate hearing it from me just as well.' Jared quickly considered just how much of the next couple of days he was going to need to apologise for. If he would ever say it would be another story however. The Laylan brothers tended not to apologise for their actions and certainly not to those who owed them money. ' Alright,' Nathan beamed instantly reassured by Jared's offer of an apology from them both, this way he could say he was sorry without actually having to give it himself. To Nathan it was a win win, 'tell her sorry and that if she wants Mary can make her toast into stars when she comes for breakfast!' Jared couldn't help but laugh, ignoring the clatter of dishes by the sink as Mary briskly turned off the tap. ' I will tell her the good news kido' Jared placed Nathan back in his chair making a fast escape into the hall. For the last two hours Nicki had wanted to scream, her little escapade with the hairpins had been a dud and try as she might she hadn't been able to prise the antique looking window frames from their sills since the moment she started poking at them after Jared's departure, even though she had fashioned a makeshift rope from the many bed sheets she had found in the linen cupboard in preparation for her fantastic escape out the window. At one point in the morning she thought she heard a female voice ferrying down the hall calling to Nathan but the idea of getting mixed up with the kid again and making him anymore terrified shook fear into her very soul. Images still floated through her mind flashing pictures of Jared's face when she had locked herself in Nathan's room. To get the kid involved once was an honest mistake, twice and she felt sure Jared would make her pay one way or another. The idea of being physically hurt by Jared spurred new resolve in her muscles; there was nothing else for it. If she couldn't prise the window apart, she was going to have to smash it open. But how to break glass without making too much noise she considered? Gathering the blue comforter strewn upon the bed Nicki reached for the small metal lamp stand on the side table. Of course even with the thin layer of fabric placed over the corner she aimed to smash, it would be a miracle if someone in the house didn't hear the clatter of the glass as the window broke around it but with one last glance toward her make shirt rope and all the courage she could muster Nicki levered the lamp stand toward the frame. Breathe tucked into her lungs, 'One...Two...' 'You're honestly going to try and break my two thousand dollar reinforced bullet proof glass window with a light stand and a comforter?' Jared questioned eyeing the scene before him with strange enthusiasm. He had half a mind to let her try but the thought of the lamp stand ricocheting off the glass and hitting her square in the face stopped him from silently watching on. Frozen, Nicki didn't dare turn to see Jared at her back. She knew her master plan for escape had been more mission impossible than ocean's eleven but quite frankly she wasn't willing to let Jared pass comment on her ability to escape out of the prison HE had put her in. 'Well obviously I wasn't aware they were two thousand dollars.' Nicki replied sharply. Her grip on the stand loosened slightly as she measured Jared's reaction with only the tension in the room. Jared shut the door behind him, reminded not to make the same mistake twice; he locked it before stepping slowly into the room. 'And now that you know?' Nicki sighed, every resolve in her lost to the pointlessness of her situation, her plan and the conversation. 'Now that I know I wouldn't dream of damaging them.' Jared felt a small scale of relief knowing that her compliance brought him a free pass in not having to discipline her for her actions. Now that he had taken some time away from her, from Nathan and from Mary for the last hour, he had managed to come up with somewhat of a descent plan for the week ahead. A throw back to his ruthless days he recalled having to keep many people in check under the same roof at any one time, drug addicts, prostitutes, murders and gamblers all had to pay their debts to Rick Laylan and once upon a time it was Jared's job to see him paid. If a murderer threatening him for two grand didn't shake his ability to handle a situation then this petite little woman from the wrong side of the Las Vegas strip would be easy to hold under the thumb for three days. Jared regarded her from her position at the window, though she hadn't turned towards him he could imagine the tension flowing over her face at being caught in the act of vandalizing his property. He couldn't help it but a little playtime with her suddenly felt very appealing. Forgive Me...But You're Mine Ch. 04 Finally to admit it felt as though Nicki couldn't gasp air anymore. Her lungs choked on every breathe as though she were inhaling bricks. Though she had to face the truth of her situation her stubborn mind refused to accept she wouldn't be breaking out of her prison before Tracy came on Friday to collect her. Alright the pin trick hadn't worked and her now failed attempt at breaking the bedroom window had left her unsuccessful and with an angry man at her back, that didn't mean she couldn't get past this life threatening dilemma like she got through every other issue in her life. 'Just breathe' Nicki whispered to herself bracing against the sharp pain of her manic heart in her chest. She just had to deal with the consequences of this failed escape attempt and once he'd left she would just try again. 'That's probably a good idea sweetheart' Nicki's shoulders hunched from the closeness of his voice, during her few seconds of quiet contemplation he had moved within inches of her back almost resting his cheek next to her ear as he spoke. No wonder he'd heard her few words of reassurance. Anger freshly asserted Nicki slowly brought her eyes to meet his interested gaze. 'So I can put lack of personal space on the list of issues I have with my new living arrangements,' Nicki almost spat 'do you have a pen so I can write all this down?' she knew riling Jared up in a confined room probably wasn't the next best option after escaping from her jail but so far the consequences for her defiant actions had been non existent and Nicki hoped that meant that if nothing else she could vent her contempt upon Jared with little fear of repercussion even if she couldn't escape him. Jared gently raised his brows at her sarcasm, the movement so subtle if she hadn't been staring directly into his eyes she would of missed the flash of reaction at her words. Without reply Jared took a step back, his warm presence momentarily lingering on her cool skin before evaporating and leaving her once again cold and hyper aware of the room around her. Jared still meeting her weary gaze extended his hand towards the lamp primed in her rigid fingers. 'I'm glad you didn't try to hit me with that and steel my keys' he joked though the humour didn't reach the intense blue of his eyes. Nicki had no reply. Had she been thinking with the same logic as Jared's obviously calculating mind, she would have thought to do just that. Another failed escape plan had passed her before she'd even had chance to try it. 'I'm clearly not as seasoned as you in situations like this' Nicki muttered reluctantly handing her make shift hammer over. Jared repressed a nod of agreement deciding it best not to confirm her statement. 'It's not something you really get used to'. Slipping the lamp out of Nicki's fingers Jared was freshly assured in order to prevent these future potentially violent incidents it was time Nicki learned not to fuck with him the fast way. In order for Jared to set in motion the plan for the rest of the week he needed to remove her false sense of strength and bravery. A process he didn't enjoy indulging in for longer than needed to break her down just enough to bring compliance. 'Spoken like a true mobster.' This time Jared allowed the broad smile to sweep across his lips. Even terrified and completely unarmed she still refused to drop the one weapon she wielded better than any other. That quick witted little tongue in her mouth. Shaking his head to dispel the moment Jared wiped the smirk and replaced it with his customary blank gaze. 'You know I think your right. That was spoken like a true mobster' The neutral tone Jared used to illustrate each word fluttered a soft unease into the small space between them surprisingly sending a confusing chill through Nicki's spine. The sudden lack of emotion in his voice felt unwelcome in her desperate situation. Which unsurprisingly brought momentary pause to the smart remark she'd primed on the tip of her tongue. 'Nicki, I think I've given you a slightly false impression of exactly who I am and what I intend to do with you while your with me.' Jared set the lamp back on the side table before laying the throw down carefully on the bed. His harsh tone at odds with his gentle actions. Nicki took her first step back since the moment she'd been dragged from her home by Tracy the violent thug. 'You see little one before now I decided not to make you pay for every little mistake you've made under my roof because I considered you not to be my problem. In my mind you were just Tracy's charge, some little hooker he picked up because your boyfriend owes him and my brother money and in a few days you'll either be back on the street corner or dead. So you see it really wasn't worth me investing any time in you.' Nicki absorbed every word into her body like bullets. He thought she was a hooker HIT, She wasn't his problem HIT, He thought she belonged on a street corner HIT, in a few days she'd be dead HIT HIT HIT! 'But seeing as you've refused to just sit back and wait for Tracy to come get you and as you've already discovered I have some pretty precious things in my home that I don't want you threatening with your wild actions, from now on I'm going to keep you on a tight leash' Nicki's fist almost reached out on its own accord at the mention of Jared's intentions to keep her on a leash. Like an animal... Like a fucking wild animal! Out of everyone she had encountered in the last twenty four hours she was sure she was the only one who didn't resemble a wild animal, compared to the wolves and vultures around her she was practically a tamed kitten trying to avoid being eaten alive. Another remark also struck her moments after he'd finished his speech 'I would never threaten a small child' 'Perhaps... but I'm sure you will forgive me for wanting to make certain of that' The harsh glare in Jared's eyes tensed every muscle in Nicki's body. And how was he planning on making sure? Jared could no longer help it, the bloom of fear in Nicki's eyes appeared disturbingly captivating. Though for the most part Jared felt a strong level of guilt for his harsh words and future actions he could not ignore the twinge of excitement tickling his spine. Without the determined defiance she'd worn as a mask since the moment he'd first seen her, she appeared as defenceless as a young doe. 'Nicki listen because I don't want to have to remind you of this later, I will only ever hurt you when you have seriously displeased me and I promise you I will leave no lasting damage that will have any effect on you once these few days are up and your back in Tracy's care.' Jared couldn't help but reach for her soft tearstained cheek as he spoke, though he knew his words sounded harsh and potentially incredibly violent he wanted the little one in front of him to sense that his intentions were just to keep her in line, not to cause her undue pain for the duration of her stay. Nicki couldn't be sure if the fresh tears tracking down her cheeks were from his first set of harsh words or the last but at the mention of pain she could no longer keep herself from drawing her arms around her chest. God this encounter had taken a turn for the worst. Her flippant thoughts of just getting through the consequences of her failed attempts had now become the only thing swirling through her fraught mind. The moment Jared's fingers stroked at the water marks on the cheek she thought she might throw up on him. He was too close, too threatening, and too calm. She was going to be murdered by Tracy and until then she would be hurt by Jared. Fear pierced at her lungs, air failing to make it into her chest. She couldn't breathe, Oh god she couldn't breathe. 'Now I want you to go and lie on the bed Nicki, face down' Jared continued unaware of the pain building in Nicki's chest. Failing to draw more than a few measly molecules of air, it took Nicki every strength to reply to his new demand. The last few shreds of her defiance still managing to tamper down the fear enough for her murmur 'Fuck of...' Almost as though she'd been lifted by a storm, Nicki found herself swept up in the crushing grip of Jared's powerful arms and slammed unceremoniously onto the soft throw upon the bed. Her chest felt ready to explode under the new assault. 'I can guess exactly how you were planning on finishing that sentence' Jared sighed as he effortlessly forced Nicki to turn onto her front ignoring the arms and legs striking out at him. He was surprised however that through the struggle she didn't scream, shout or swear as he had come to discover was her custom. This wasn't happening, every tendon in her body was primed to flex, fight or run but the lack of oxygen in her lungs prevented her from wheeling the full force of her strength upon Jared. True compared to Jared's build all the strength she possessed probably wouldn't have been enough to escape his firm grasp but the thought that she couldn't even give it a shot disturbed her more than the actual attack. As much as it pained her ego Nicki had no choice but to eventually let him settle her on her front on the bed choosing instead to focus on calming her breath and clearing her mind. Only once Jared had finally found Nicki's momentary compliance and she'd let him place her body into the position he desired, did he get the chance to consider why she hadn't used more force against him during the fight. Her breathing was shallow and uncontrolled. Her small hands clenched into fits as though she had wanted to fight back but wouldn't or couldn't raise her arms. Had she been struggling to breathe while he'd dragged her to the bed and thrown her upon the covers? God she could have hyperventilated or passed out during their struggle and he wouldn't have had a clue. Her constant defiance irking him so much that he'd momentarily seen red and decided he just wanted her to comply whether she wanted too or not. 'Are you struggling to breathe?' Jared asked trying to pull back the anger from his voice. As expected, Nicki ignored him choosing to focus on the pattern decorating the throw next to her head. Summoning a thread of understanding, a concept rather foreign to Jared in any other regard than towards his son, he walked around the bedframe kneeling in front of her face taking her attention from the bed to his cool blue eyes. 'Nicki...please... answer me. Are you struggling to breathe?' A small nod and the redness of her cheeks confirmed Jared's growing worry. She was clearly hyperventilating and clearly didn't know how to calm herself down. Many a time in the past Jared had been around people experiencing panic attacks. In his previous line of work fear played a powerful factor in peoples everyday lives. He was not unaccustomed to the odd individual suffering a panic attack as he threatened to inflict serious damage to them or their family. It was a hazard of the trade unfortunately and one he had become used to seeing dealt with by numerous methods. The most common, he decided, he was going to have to use on Nicki right now before she passed out. Raising himself onto the bed, he straddled Nicki's hips noting she made no move to stop him even when he gently turned her on her back and propped a pillow beneath her head to make her more comfortable. 'That's a good girl' he whispered softly trying his best to draw the remaining anger lingering between them from her mind. 'Now raise your knees for me little one' Jared smiled softly as he moved himself to her side, drawing her knees up lightly as he went. Nicki's uneven breathing filled the room as she watched in fresh horror as Jared positioned her in an even more vulnerable state than she'd been before. She couldn't decide if she should be terrified or embarrassed in her current sorry state but the fuzz settling over her mind due to lack of air kept her from turning even redder at Jared's constant manhandling of her body. Resting her knees on his chest Jared settled himself at the foot of the bed. Leaning over her heaving chest he gently placed a hand on her belly just below her ribs and the other on her chest trying his best to ignore the soft rise of her breasts as he focused on her face. Seeing her added distress at his new position Jared felt himself reaching for any sort of light handed small talk 'Do you make a habit of having panic attacks when a man wants to punish you?' He tried stretching for a smile to accompany his words. At the reminder of her future punishment Nicki nearly passed out. Oh man she still had a punishment to come if she got over this freak out. 'God, just let me go under' Nicki thought to herself as Jared began murmuring more commands that she could barely follow. Something about belly breathing she thought she heard. 'Come on Nicki listen to me' Jared demanded, pushing softly on her chest to gain her attention. 'Take a deep breathe through your nose and as you exhale feel your belly pushing my hand out with you, that's it and another, well done little one keep going' Slowly Nicki relaxed into the chore. Breathing in heavily and feeling Jared's hand relax with her as she breathed out. Minutes passed under the soft pressure of his palms until Nicki felt her mind clear enough to begin to start to comprehend her current situation. Pinned to a bed by a man who was previously focused on punishment before her little breathing fit had drawn his attention. 'Good girl' Jared continued his focus still largely set on listening to Nicki's chest as it began to mould to the movements of his hand. 'Just relax for me baby' Nicki's ears pricked at the last word. Since when had he started calling her baby, like some sort of term of affection? Had he forgotten he was about to inflict pain on her before he'd decided to prevent her from suffocating? Even as her anger began to rise Nicki couldn't ignore the gentle ministrations of Jared's hands as he continued to sooth air back into her body. The two notions colliding in conflict as her mind began to clear the fuzz. It was only then another sensation rose from the pit of her stomach as her body collected her senses and began to process them back into her brain. Jared's hand that once lay upon her belly easing her breath had at some point slid lower, gently focussing her mind from her heart to another part of her body entirely. Looking up Nicki instantly caught Jared's eye. His focus appeared as though it hadn't left her face during the entire panic attack even during the time his hand had found a new place to rest lower on her body. As Nicki continued to breathe steadily, she could feel Jared's hand slowly caressing circles in its new spot, the feeling of relaxation only encouraging the soft tingle she began to experience between her thighs. 'How does that feel?' Jared asked softly his eyes still intent on watching every draw of air she took in through her mouth. Nicki couldn't hold in her response, why bother to search for anger over the growing sensation that now made her feel the best she'd felt since this whole terrifying experience had begun. Returning his intense gaze Nicki released a soft sigh. 'Better' she muttered not sure if he bought the idea that she was only talking about her now calm breathing. As Jared continued to gently circle his palm over her lower belly he couldn't prevent his mind from drifting to the space between Nicki's thighs. Would she stop him if he moved his hand a little lower? She was so focused on her breathing that he wasn't one hundred percent sure she had even noticed that his hand had gently slid along the soft curve of her body towards his new found interest... her pussy, although the subtle biting of her bottom lip made Jared suspect she could sense the change of tension in the air. Over the last few minutes the room had begun thickening with a dense presence drawing them closer together and almost forcing him to rub lower on her belly. What would she think if he gripped the waistband of her bottoms and began to slide them down to reveal her heated core? Jared began to question if he should make sexual acts a new part of his punishment routine for her or would that complicate further a situation he didn't want to be in? Before this whole event he was only planning on lying her down on her front and tying her arms and legs behind her back to prevent her from planning any further escapes but as he watched her hips gently move with the slow arc of his hand and her eyes begin to glaze as they observed the planes of his face he couldn't prevent the words from passing his lips. 'I'm sorry Nicki... but for the next few days you're going to be in my charge and I think by the time you leave... I'm gona have fucked your brains out!'