Crappy writing aside, but what doesn't sell the 365days romance to me is that the guy wants you to fall in love with him, but one of the first things he does is having another woman suck him off in front of you.
I'm sorry, I can deal with the kidnapping and forced proximity and dark things, but you let other women touch you while you claim to want only me? Yeah, that's a big no.
After watching 365 I think 50 shades trilogy became a masterpiece to me. I stopped being interested in the plot of the movie after the whole "I am giving you 365 days to fall in live with me". Dude kindly fuck off. Kindly fuck the face of the Earth off. I had to replay the movie to make sure I had it right. And then the Virgo side of me really got started. Seriously? If I was put through a kidnapping and heard him say that to me on top of having sex in front of me? It would become open season on petty bitchiness. So to the asshole that said that I repeat Kindly Fuck Off.
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I'm sorry but every time I see this scene I giggle. Either Torri weighted a lot around the episode was shot or Joe was scared of dropping her cause she's holding him while he is carrying her and she is supposedly unconscius. Still a favorite scene.
@cinnamonmatcha has posted three fics - non of which are her own. she is not even crediting the original poster and she doesnât seem to know thatâs plagiarism and is refusing to take them down
so far sheâs posted three fics and doesnât seem to be stopping considering she doesnât even think what sheâs doing is wrong. if anyone knows the authors of the fics sheâs stealing please let them know so they can report her for plagiarism
Turn Your Face Towards the Sun (4508 words) by anr
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: John Sheppard/Elizabeth Weir
Characters: John Sheppard, Elizabeth Weir
Additional Tags: Episode: s03e06 The Real World, Episode: s03e10-e11 The Return
Summary: She hadn't realised how much she was missing the ocean.
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This is one of my fave scenes in the show because of everything it shows without words. She's rattled, sure, and the others see, but the way he knows to say they're leaving right now, knows time is of the essence for the mission but also that she doesn't want to be in here for another second...
The way he stays behind when everyone else leaves, and she isn't surprised.
The way she drops her mask as soon as they're alone. The instant it's just them she deflates.
The way he's willing his words of "It's gonna be okay" to life with his stare.
If force of will was all it took to make things okay, these two would've been fine. đą
To this day I hate how Rodney Mckay broke Elizabeth by pulling the stunt with thr nanites. To this day I hate how he virtually killed John since he is the moral author of leaving Elizabthe behind. And there is now way in hell that he should have remained as the scientific leader of the expedition after the stunt he pulled. I also seriously believe that his friendship with John should have ended after this episode. I know it was a plotline but honestly things would have been better if they killed Elizabeth in this episode than the shitty storyline they gave us after that... because at least then John would have been able to properly mourn her death the way she deserved it and he needed it.
Pairing:Â Mobster Steve Rogers x Mobster daughter reader
Warnings: References to mafia, reference to violence and violent acts, references to sexual violence. Strong language. This is a dark fic. Please read responsibly.
Disclaimer:Â The author of this work claims no ownership of characters aside from the reader, and original secondary characters mentioned. This work is not intended for those under the age of 18 due to explicit sexual content and darker themes. By reading this work or any works on my blog (jtargaryen18), you agree that you are at least 18 years of age. I do not consent to have my work hosted on any third party app or site. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but archiveofourown and tumblr, it has been reposted without my permission.
Summary: For @alexakeyloveloki. Your father is the head of one of the most powerful crime families in Boston but heâs protected you from that life. In your quiet home outside the city, youâve been cared for and protected. When the desires of a more powerful man with the will to dominate bursts into your life, all your illusions are shattered as he comes to claim what is his.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first thing Steve was aware of was the softness of her touch. The delicate stroke of her fingertips dancing nervously over his forearm, his hand. Slowly, the scent of her perfume invaded his senses that were just beginning to return. It was a comfort in the sea of perfect darkness all around him.
Knowing his wife was alive, at his side, was everything to him.
Her teardrop on his skin made his heart squeeze in his chest. The low sound of her crying in the quiet of the room. He tried in vain to open his eyes, to move his hand. To speak. None of his commands were answered so he could comfort her.
But he was here now. That was something, right? That he was awake? Aware?
Steve needed to get back to her and his life in the worst way.
âSteve,â you whispered, leaning closer to him. âIâm so tired⊠â
Steve knew she probably couldnât sleep under the circumstances. He had no idea how long heâd been out of the loop. Now he was coming back to life, restless. All he really wanted to do was hold her, watch over her while she slept.
And while he held her safe and sound, heâd begin planning his takedown of fucking Barnes.
The press of her lips against his pulled him out of his thoughts. Another hot tear dotted his cheek. Her sadness had him trying in vain to move, to let her know he was there. He was with her.
She was so strong, his beautiful wife. Sheâd been wounded and without him, she was alone. Afraid. Did Barnes or the other families know what happened? Were they all in any danger from Barnes? Or Hansen?
She carefully climbed onto the bed to lie next to him. It made him happy to have her so close, warm at his side. All he could do was to be there with her.
âSteve, you have to come back to me,â she said with tears in her voice, a fear heâd never heard from her bleeding onto her tone. âSo far, most of them havenât figured it out⊠That youâre out of commission.â
No one knew? Had Dyson told her that?
Her fingers danced over his chest, his heart. She was careful to keep her weight off him, but he wanted it. He wanted the warm press of her body against his. It felt so good to have her there, so close.
And she wanted him back. She loved him. She told him she loved him before she left for Hansenâs that fateful day.
âHe figured it out,â she said, sniffling. âHe knew it wasnât you who didâŠâ
Who figured it out? Figured what out?
Steveâs sluggish heart sped up at that, but she didnât seem to notice.
âWe havenât heard anything yet,â she whispered. âI donât think heâs dead. If he were, I feel like we would have heard something by now.â
Who was dead? Dread pushed him to fight harder to get back to the surface.
A soft sob from her had fear battling heartache in his chest. Why did she sound so broken? What had happened? How long had he been out?
âI couldnât even do it when the time came,â she whispered. âIâm so ashamed, Steve. I was right there, sitting next to him on the bench. He had no idea who I really was. He had no idea why he was really there.â
Who? Steve would have screamed it if he could have. What couldnât she do? His fears escalated as he waited for her to continue.
âI really hope we killed him, Steve,â she said quietly. âI donât think we did though. Yelena said the poison would do damage, could shut down his vital organs⊠But we would have fucking heard something by now, right? If Barnes really died?â
Steve was trapped in his body, in the darkness, with growing fear. Sheâd confronted Barnes? Tried to kill him with poison? Poison Belova gave her?
Belova was supposed to be cast out of his household.
Anger pushed against fear then. Heâd thrown Belova out because she got in his wifeâs head, encouraged her rebellious behavior. She was supposed to protect his wife, not lead her into danger.
âYouâve got to wake up,â she begged him. âPlease... We struck back at Barnes. To protect this family. To protect your position⊠But if he wakes up⊠He suspects all the things weâve done were me, not you. He called me an evil bitchâŠâ Her laugh was bitter, choked out by tears. âIf heâs still alive, he knows the truth. Itâs only a matter of time, Steve, until he comes after us. After me. Please, for the love of God, youâve got to wake up.â
What did they do? As much of a force as his wife was, particularly with Belova backing her, he couldnât imagine that whatever danger theyâd gotten was done without Dyson knowing about it.
As he understood it, theyâd done something to Bucky. Poisoned him. They didnât know the other manâs status. Was he dead? Alive? If he was still alive, it sounded like heâd be coming for them.
Coming for his wife.
âI knew Iâd find you here.â Belova. The sound of a door closing.
His wife didnât move. If nothing, she snuggled closer to him.
âHave you heard anything?â his wife asked.
âNo, thereâs no word,â Belova said. âAnd no news is good news.â
âI canât take this anymore,â his wife said, her voice breaking. âSteveâs still out and every minute of every day I have to worry⊠Weâre so vulnerable right now.â
âSo is Barnes,â Belova told her.
âThe other families have to be wondering what the hell is going on,â his wife said.
âThere are questions,â Belova said. âThere are rumors and stories. Very little of it is anywhere close to the truth.â
âSomethingâs got to give,â his wife said. âBarnes is either out of it like Steve or heâs biding his time. Waiting for the right moment to finish this.â
âYou canât dwell on this,â Belovaâs voice was closer now. âSteve will come back to you.â
âYes.â She sounded so small, unsure.
âAnd when heâs back, heâll take it from there.â
âWhat do you mean?â his wife asked.
âWe hit Barnes on a very personal level,â Belova explained. âThatâs the way itâs done. Barnes may be just fine right now and carefully planning his next move. And he needs to think long and hard on whatever action he takes. The Starks are partial to the Rogers family. So are the Wilsons.â
âHow many times is Dyson going to be able to hold them off when they call,â his wife wanted to know. âWe donât have much time left. If Steve would just wake up⊠Heâs going to kill me.â
Steve wasnât going to let it go. That was for damn sure.
Belova laughed softly as his wife fought back tears. âHe may be proud of you. I am.â
Sniffling, his wife said, âIf heâll just wake up, I donât care. He can keep me locked away for a year, whatever. I just need him to be okay. To come back to me.â
Steve couldnât have heard that right. He was out of it. His wife could make any decision his men would allow. And for her, his men would allow quite a lot. And she was worried about him.
âHe will,â Belova told her. âHe loves you⊠But be ready. Heâs going to be pissed when he finds out whatâs been going on while he was out. Kicking me out again will probably be the first order he gives.â
She wasnât wrong.
âNo,â his wife said. âI wonât allow it. You are my personal protection. He agreed to that. And I canât think of a time when Iâve needed protection more, right?â
A sigh. âYour husband may not see it that way.â
âI donât care,â she said petulantly. âHe can wake up and bitch at me about it. Iâd love that. But youâre not going anywhere, Yelena. I need you.â
Steve again tried in vain to open his eyes, to speak. To move anything. Surely it was only a matter of time before he could, right? Now that he was aware, it wouldnât be long. He had no idea how long heâd been like this, but it was past time he got back to his life. To his wife.
***
The next time Steve woke up, he was alone. He couldnât hear anyone else in the room. Steve wished his wife was still there. He missed the warmth of her, the smell of her.
The chiming of his phone on his nightstand played again and he realized it woke him up. On the third chime, Steve reached for the phone and then his eyes flew open when he realized what heâd done. That heâd moved.
His eyes flew open. Tapping the screen, he answered the call, bringing his shaking hand with the device closer to his body so he didnât drop it. Steve felt so weak.
âYeah,â he muttered for an answer. His voice sounding as rough as a bad country road.
âThere he is,â Tony Stark said with a smile in his voice. âI told Dyson if I didnât talk to you today, I was coming over there. I asked him if you were too important to talk to me now.â
Steve snorted and it was an uglier sound than he expected from who knew how many days of disuse. âToo busy,â he managed.
âI guess, damn.â Tony laughed. âI have to admit, Barnes came in hot once the crown was on your head. I was getting worried about how youâd handle it all. How youâd handle Barnes.â Tony laughed again. âThat was brutal.â
Oh, God. I donât even know what they didâŠ
âI know you were being⊠magnanimous before,â Tony went on. âI get that. But when you decide to deal with things, wellâŠâ
âBarnes had it coming,â Steve said, his voice a little stronger with each word. No matter what theyâd been up to since heâd been out, Barnes deserved it. He had no doubt about that. âHe left me no choice.â
âHey, Iâm not questioning you, big guy,â Tony told him. âReally, Iâm not. Just curious when we were all going to collectively talk about how this is going to go. Whatâs going to happen to Barnes, stuff like that.â
Steveâs hand shook so badly, he passed the phone to his left hand. âSoon,â Steve told him. âWe had some injuries.â
âYeah,â Tony said, âabout that. How are you? There are rumors flying around that you got shot or Dyson got shot. A couple even said your wife had been hit.â
His wife had been shot. And heâd been more terrified for her than himself in those moments after the shot fired. Steve had been fucking terrified, so terrified he hadnât felt the bullet strike him at the time. But he was grateful. She hadnât mentioned a thing about her injury or any effects from it. That was good. Maybe it meant she was on her way to fully healed.
âMy wife was hit,â Steve said, fighting to speak as he normally did. âMy top lieutenant was threatened. I canât have that.â
âAbsolutely,â Tony said, still sounding supportive. A tone designed to let Steve know where the Stark family stood in everything. Tony Stark had always been proactive. It was appreciated. âYou needed to give the bastard something to think about.â
âI did,â Steve told him. âDo. Iâll be in touch very soon to call a meeting.â
âSounds like a plan,â Tony told him. âIs there anything I can do to help?â
Steve blew out an exhale, feeling tired from just the conversation. But damn it, he was awake now, and he needed to get back up to speed as quickly as possible. They were all likely still in some danger from Barnes, his family.
âIâll let you know if I think of something,â Steve told him.
Ending the call, he dropped the phone onto the bed. The edges of his vision threatened him, fading to black. He broke out in a cold sweat, very much afraid if he blacked out now, he might get stuck again or worse.
Steve just had to face it. He needed to recover physically and there was nothing he could do to rush that.
And he needed to catch up. He needed to know what was done when. Heâd have to accept responsibility for those actions to protect his family, his wife.
It was slow going and took a lot of effort but after several minutes, he was able to sit up, swing his legs over the side of the bed. His vision was dark around the edges, his breath came fast, and he broke out in a cold sweat from his efforts, but damn it, he did it.
***
You spun and moved through the Waltz of the Flowers, focusing on remembering the port de bras, the steps. You saw the ballet in New York during one of your secret trips and came home begging your instructor to help you learn anything from it. In that last year you lived in the home where you grew up, youâd worked hard to learn the small role from one of your favorite ballets. Oh, it wasnât the Dewdrop Fairy, the leader fairy of the dance that no one seemed to even know existed. You were learning the dance of the supporting flowers from the classic story and that was good enough for you. That was plenty for you at the time.
Today, with everything preying on your mind, youâd gone back and watched the dance on YouTube first to remember all the steps. Anything to keep busy, to occupy your mind.
Was Steve coming back to you? You didnât care if he really did beat your ass if he did. Youâd take it. You just needed him back.
There you were in the studio Dyson helped you set up. There was still pain in your shoulder, but it was better each day. You had on your black leotard and tights. A fresh bandage covered your wound. It was chilly so you pulled an old sweatshirt for warmth before fitting into your pointe shoes.
You started the music with your phone and fell into those simple steps. The slower graceful dance of the flowers. And after the first minute or so, it all came back to you. The gentle spins, releve, plie. You didnât imagine the dewdrop fairy you were supposed to be dancing around at first, not the other dancers. This dance was for you. A solo flower from a magical Christmas land far away.
A lone black flower from a funeral arrangement?
No. Shaking your head, you fought back tears and started the dance.
It was really the only thing that gave you any peace the last few days. Lost to the dance, the music took your mind off looking out the windows every few seconds to see if Barnes had shown up to kill you all yet. To kill you. Because you knew by now, he must really want to.
It also kept you from sitting by Steveâs bedside and crying for hours.
As much as you could remember, you moved through the steps of the dance. It wasnât that good at first. But as you visualized it, worked through the dance in your mind, your dance got better, your movements more graceful as you moved. As you swept back to make room for the Dewdrop Fairy in your mind to come dancing back, you saw something in the corner of your eye. But as you came to a stop with the next step, you froze.
It was Steve, awake, looking washed out and weak as he leaned against the wall, watching you. Heâd wrapped his bathrobe around himself, his feet were bare. The intensity of that blue-eyed expression took your breath away. He smiled as relief took you to your knees. All you could do was stare to see your husband was awake, finally. And you knew he was going to be pissed at you. So pissed. But you scrambled to your feet and sprinted for him, skidding to a stop when you realized you needed to be careful with him because of the wound, the stitches.
Wrapping your arms around his neck carefully, you couldnât help but kiss him with tears spilling from the corners of your eyes.
Steve kissed you back with a ferocity that surprised you as weak as he must have been. You let him. You were just so happy he was awake. Alive. Sure, all hell could break loose any minute now within the prominent Boston crime families but Steve coming back to you was the most important thing. The only thing. Everything else, with his lips sliding against yours, seemed less important in that private moment.
Steve shook in your grasp as he kissed you. Concern had you breaking that. As much as youâd like to think it was from that passionate moment, you didnât want him to pass out on you. Not when you just got him back.
He let you steer him towards one of the folding chairs you kept in the studio, mostly to set your items on. You swept it all out in the floor as you urged him to sit and carefully, he did. But his gaze never left you. The man was staring at you with something like⊠awe?
âYouâre okay?â he asked carefully.
You nodded, pulling the loose neckline of the sweatshirt you wore to show him the bandage. âIt doesnât hurt much now. Iâm just fine Steve. Thanks to you.â
âYouâll have a scar,â he warned.
âI donât care,â you told him, swiping at the tears with your hands. âSteve, you took a bullet for me. Why did you do that? Why were you even there?â
His eyes were suspiciously glossy as he stared at you. âI decided about five minutes after you left that I couldnât risk losing you. I needed to be there. To protect you. Itâs even scarier to think if I hadnât been there, I would have lost you.â
A chill ran up your spine to consider he was right.
âI think youâre really glad to see me,â he said, his voice rougher than usual. The half smile that formed on his lips had your heart racing in your chest.
âOf course I am,â you told him, not even trying to stop your tears. Your mind spun with what you needed to do. âHow are you feeling? I should go get Dyson and have him call doc. Yeah, Iââ
âIn a minute,â he told you. His hand carefully capturing yours, stopping you before you could flee to do just that. âYou told me you loved me before you left that day. Was that real? Or was that in case you didnât see me again?â
Steve had to be able to hear your heart. It felt like it would pound out of your chest. âIt was real.â
He kept looking at you like you were a ghost, an image in his mind. âIâve never⊠Iâve never seen you dance before. You look beautiful.â
âYouâre always busy,â you said with a smile, melting under that comment.
âWill you dance for me one day?â The softness of his voice when he asked that question had your heart squeezing in your chest. The sincerity threatened to break you.
All you could do was nod.
Tugging your hand, he urged you closer. His hands at your hips guided you to sit on his lap and you were careful.
 âWe need to talk,â Steve said. âJust you and me for a moment.â
Oh, shit. Here we go.
You shook your head. âWhatâs more important than your health?â
âI need to know whatâs happening,â Steve said slowly. That look he gave you. How long had he been up? Had he already talked to Dyson?
âNot a lot.â A huge lie. âWeâve all just been watching over you. Hoping youâd come back to us.â
âWhatâs happening?â he asked again. âWhat happened while I was out?â
You swallowed hard. Somehow Steve knew.
More tears. âSteve, what am I supposed to do? You just woke up andââ
âAnd?â
âWhen I tell you what happened, youâre not going to be happy.â
Steve huffed a laugh. âIâm sure.â
Wrapping your arms around his neck, you quietly started talking. You started with the aftermath of the shootout at Hansenâs house after the two of you had been shot. You told him Hansen was presumed dead but there was no proof.
Steve shook his head, telling you, âHansenâs not dead.â
You told him Dyson had been roughed up but not badly harmed. Several of Barnesâ men had died. Clint had killed Banner and Hansen shot Neal in the face. You told him about the young woman whoâd been taken from the donut shop on Steveâs turf and how sheâd been found in Hansenâs house, kept as a sex slave. Steve had looked disgusted at that.
âWhatâs happened since that day?â Steve asked after a moment.
âHave you already talked to Dyson?â you asked nervously.
âNo, but I heard you and Belova talk,â he admitted.
Shock would have had you jumping off his lap if he hadnât kept you there. âWhat? You heard us?â
âI did,â Steve told you. âNot enough to know whatâs going on. Enough to know you put yourself in danger with Barnes. Want to tell me about that?â
No.
âJesus, Mary, and Joseph!â Dyson exclaimed out of nowhere. âWhat are you doing out of bed?â
âI needed to get up,â Steve told him with a smile.
Dyson was as careful as you had been in hugging him. The happiness in the older manâs eyes was unmistakable as his gaze moved over him, assessing him.
âWe need to get doc here to look at you,â Dyson told them.
âI need to talk to my wife first,â Steve countered, his grip on your firm.
âYes, you do,â Dyson told him. âBut after doc has looked at you. Then weâll all talk because I think that would be best. Thereâs a lot you need to know.â
Words couldnât express how much you loved Dyson at that moment.
Taking your hand and helping you stand, Dyson smiled. âGo call doc,â he bid you.
Nodding, relieved to get the doctor here and to have help in telling Steve that story, you pressed a kiss to your husbandâs cheek and scrambled off to do that.
***
Steve watched you flee like youâd escaped the gallows. He let the tears come then. Pure relief ran through his veins. His wife was alive and recovering, crying over him.
Maybe she really does love me.
He hadnât gotten to watch you dance long before you spotted him, and he regretted that. He could have watched that all day. He recognized the music from The Nutcracker Suite, but he couldnât say which scene it was from.
But there his wife had been, all in black aside from the light pink shoes she wore. You might have been a shadow dancing, but your movements didnât echo loneliness or sadness. Your movements were graceful but confident. It had been a stark reminder of so many years youâd been alone. It occurred to him now what you must have done with all that time your father left you in the care of servants.
You had a lot of time to listen and learn.
âLetâs get you back to bed,â Dyson told him, helping him up out of the chair.
To Steveâs dismay, he was weak as a kitten. He allowed Dyson to help him to his feet and walked with him towards his room. He had no intention of getting back in bed, however.
âNo, Iâm getting dressed,â Steve told him. âI want to have that talk and hear what had happened while I was⊠out. Soon as possible.â
Everything.
Once he was seated on the side of his bed, watching Dyson gathering a casual outfit for him, his mind took over.
âWhy was she anywhere near Bucky Barnes?â Steve wanted to know.
Dyson paused for a beat but went about his tasks, not making eye contact.
âI didnât like that part either, boss,â Dyson said. âBut when we lay it out for you, maybe it will make more sense.â
âYou were in on these plans?â Steve asked.
Dyson approached him now with his clothes, his gaze unwavering. âI was.â
âWhere does our family stand right now?â
Dyson placed the clothes on the bed and regarded him calmly. âYour family is the head family, and you are its leader. None of that changed while you were out.â
Steve could only imagine what had to happen for Dyson to say that so confidently. âWhy was my wife involved?â
Dyson still didnât react. âBecause like it or not, your wife is part of this family, son.â
Dyson hadnât sonâd him in many years.
âWhat did I sayââ
âNo, youâll listen to me now,â Dyson cut him off. âAfter the situation Hansen put us in, we didnât have a choice but to react as the lead family and you werenât available to make decisions, so the task fell to us. Turns out the plan was Barnesâs. Taking me, taking your wife, all of it. Hansen just decided that he was going to take Mrs. Rogers for himself hence the betrayal.â
âI know,â Steve said. He remembered all that.
âAnd there were all these stories out on the street, see? Some of them were very close to the truth,â Dyson explained. âIf you hadnât fallen into a coma from blood loss, youâd have been calling those shots. Since you were unavailableâŠâ
âYou did it?â Steve accused. âAnd you involved my wife?â
Color darkened Dysonâs face in a rare display of frustration. âNo, your wife stepped up. And you need to start paying attention because your marriage, your wife, has been the problem here ever since you took power.â
âYouâre blaming my wife?â Steve couldnât have heard that right.
âNo, Iâm blaming you.â Dyson was direct. âYou married her, you took the crown. You should have flourished. You had everything you needed to rule. Everything you wanted. Her, her fatherâs backing, your familyâs strength. Why do you think it didnât work out, huh?â
âI wasnât counting on Barnes to have such a problem with all of this. I knewââ
âNo,â Dyson cut him off again. âForget Barnes. This is all on you.â
âHow do you figure?â Steve realized Dyson was pissed at him.
âIf you hadnât been so obsessed with your wife, you would have handled things,â Dyson explained. âYou navigated her into this marriage â with her fatherâs blessing â and that should have been that. You get married to the old bossâs daughter to solidify your claim. Sheâs a beautiful young woman who will keep you on your toes. But no, that wasnât good enoughâŠâ
âWhat the fuck are you getting at?â Steve asked. Was it brain fog keeping him from seeing what his mentor was getting at?
âJust what I said,â Dyson told him. âYour obsession with your wife is the fucking problem. Itâs your blind spot and it always has been. If you hadnât been so busy trying to control her, to mold her into what you thought she should be, you wouldnât have been at odds with each other all these weeks.â
Maybe he had a point.
âIf you hadnât been at odds with your wife and fixated on that, you wouldnât have come so close to losing that leadership position you wanted so badly. You wouldnât have come so close to losing it all.â
Dyson got closer. Got in his face.
âYou were also too blind or too stupid to realize that your wife has the instincts she does,â Dyson went on, meaning business. âSheâs sharp. She reads people well. Sheâs a lot like her old man.â
Steve nodded. âIâm coming to realize that.â
âGood,â Dyson said. âBecause weâre all going to talk about what happened while you were out. And she will be there. She earned her place at the table and youâre going to hear what she has to say.â
Steve nodded his acquiescence. Dyson wasnât there when Steve brought his wife in to craft the plan to deal with Hansen. Heâd been Hansenâs hostage.
No, Steve was very interested in what happened and what part she played in it. But as a husband, he was also slightly terrified of what he might hear. As a man in his position, he needed to figure out how to keep his wife and family out of harmâs way, to protect them.
Steve didnât have the physical strength, at the moment, to fight any of them.
âLetâs get you in the shower,â Dyson told him, helping him off the bed. Â
***
âMaybe I should sit this one out,â Yelena muttered as she walked with you to Steveâs study. âI canât imagine heâs going to be happy Iâm still here.â
You stopped, looking her in the eye. âNo, you need to be here for this meeting. Youâve been at my side since I married into this situation and Iâm not allowing him to send you away again.â
Slowly, she smiled. A flash of hope lit up her hazel eyes. âYouâre ready for this, arenât you?â
You nodded. Indeed, you were. While your husband had been comatose, you did what you thought was best for the family, guided by Steveâs own council. It was still a dangerous time and as far as you were concerned, all of you needed to be involved until Barnes was dealt with and Steveâs position was solidified once and for all.
âI need to know you have my back,â you told her.
âAlways,â she said, meaning it.
âThen letâs get in here,â you told her. The two of you were the last to arrive.
Youâd cleaned up, dressed in a simple black dress and cardigan set with silver piping. Maybe it was silly, but youâd always worn it when you were heading into the unknown. Your secret trips to New York City with your governess or those rare meetings with your father before you took care of him in his final days. With the stockings and glossy black heels, it felt like armor.
And as you met your husbandâs gaze from where he sat behind his desk, you realized you needed armor. His gaze swept over you appreciatively as you sat in the chair directly in front of him and next to Dyson. He looked you over too. He smirked in what you thought was approval.
âI saved you a seat,â Scott smiled at Yelena, motioning to the chair next to him to your left.
Clint and Luca sat with them behind you. The room was unusually quiet. Steve nodded to Clint who got up to close the door to the office.
Steveâs gaze moved over everyone in the room, he took his time. He wore a crimson sweater with jeans. He looks so tired. Finally, his gaze stayed on Dyson.
âMy wife told me most of what happened after we were shot,â Steve started. âI need to know what happened after that.â
Dyson looked to you, and you nodded. It was probably better that he start. Steve cocked a brow at the silent communication.
âIt was pretty much Tuesday at the Okay fucking Corral,â Dyson told him. âIt was all me and Yelena could do to get the two of you out. But Hansen didnât wait for that. It was a hell of a shootout. Barnes lost several men, we lost some too. Not as many.â
âYour friends make it out?â Steve asked.
Dyson nodded. âAnd we were damn lucky they happened to be in town.â
You were indeed. You were especially grateful to Jensen.
âYou got the two of us out,â Steve said. âThen?â
âHansen and Clay faced off,â Dyson explained. âHansen was hurt but he made it out. He ainât dead. Barnes gets a hold of him, he might wish he were.â
You couldnât imagine Hansen being afraid of anyone.
âWe got everyone back,â Dyson went on. âGot doc over here⊠You lost a lot of blood and went to sleep on us. We had a lot to think about, boss. You have to realize that Barnesâ plan that night was meant to knock you off the throne. They set a trap for you. Neal and I were supposed to go confront Hansen and take him out. That was our plan. But Neal was working for Barnes.â
Dyson cut his gaze to you. âYou never liked, Neal. You werenât wrong.â
No, you werenât. The bastard had been nothing but disrespectful to you and Yelena. Heâd put you at odds with your own husband by telling him about the nurseâs visit. How happy he must have been when Steve locked you away as a punishment. Thinking about it now, maybe Neal did it on purpose. The fact that you were stuck there might have made it easier for Hansen or Barnes to get to you.
âBarnes plan was to use me to lure you out, boss,â Dyson said. âThe plan was to take you off the board for good. Barnes was confident, all things considered, that Hansen could get it done with Nealâs help.â
You shivered thinking about it. Steve trusted Neal. Heâd go to protect Dyson. It might have worked.
âInstead, Hansen decided to lure Mrs. Rogers out and he meant to take off with her,â Dyson explained.
âWhere is Neal?â A muscle twitched at Steveâs jaw.
âHeâs dead,â you said quietly. âHansen shot him in the face.â
Steve met your gaze, shaking his head.
âAnd since then?â Steve asked. âWhatâs happened?â
Dyson glanced at you, at the others. âWe had a situation. Barnes hit us hard, and you were in a coma. If anyone realized you were out of commission, we would be dead in the water. A response was expected. And a response was delivered.â
Steve nodded. âI guess you did. Tony called me and he sounded impressed⊠So, what happened?â
âWe sent Barnes presents,â Dyson told him. âPaulina was the warning shot.â
âPaulina?â Steve asked.
That had your heart lurching and old jealousy rearing its ugly head. Paulina was Katâs sister. Was Steve afraid Kat had been hurt?
âYeah,â Dyson said. âSheâs still around. We just put her in the hospital.â
Steve looked confused but didnât say anything.
âKat appreciated Barnes taking care of the bill,â Dyson said. âShe brought him a thank you gift. We sent him a gift too in the same bag. He got a five-finger discount.â
That blue-eyed gaze cut to you and back.
âNeal was his eyes and ears in this house for too long,â Dyson went on. âWe took those and made a special treat for him. A tiramisu from his favorite restaurant.â
Your stomach clenched just thinking about that. You couldnât imagine finding human ears and eyes in your dessert.
âAnd the grand finale was all heart,â Dyson told Steve, turning to grin at Clint on that one.
Steve blew out an exhale and you just waited for the tirade to begin. You could tell his mind was going a mile a minute and you felt bad for him because his color was off, and he looked so tired.
âBelova was there at Hansenâs when I arrived,â Steve began. âI do remember telling her sheâs out.â Scrubbing a hand over his beard, he shook his head. âAnd you all just let my wife be party to all this? Killing people? Eyes, ears, hearts? I donât even understand why Paulina was involved in this.â
Had your beautiful bastard of a husband learned nothing from all this?
Dyson shot you a warning look, watching you shift in your seat. âWe collectivelyââ
âYelena,â you started, âis the only reason weâre all still here.â
A quick glance at her showed her staring at you in surprise.
âWhen you sent her away,â you went on, âwhich you had no right to do because if I remember correctly, her being my personal protection was your wedding present to me, Dyson knew the danger sheâd be in on the street. His friends were in town, thank God they were, and she stayed with them while they were here. Sheâs the one who got us the intel on Banner. She called Clint and told him where to find him, hiding on Starkâs turf. I explained all of this to you that day. He didnât say anything about killing Banner at the time because of Nat and how sheâd take it. No one gave him the order to kill Banner, but he did. Iâd like to think youâd do that if someone beat my ass the way he beat your sister.â
Steve looked alarmed. He was about to say something, but you beat him to the punch.
âIf that chain of events hadnât happened, that day would have been far worse, Steve,â you went on. âIf Dysonâs friends hadnât been here, the day would have been worse. We canât ever let this familyâs safety depend solely on luck ever again. That was too close.â
Shifting on your chair so you could look around the room at your family and dearest friends, you shook your head.
âPaulina?â you asked. âYeah, maybe that was stooping to their level. Banner beat Nat more than once and all the while he was spying on us. Betraying you. Beating Paulina was Natâs call. A sound beating with bruises that wouldnât show. Itâs a good first step in taking back her power.â
Clint met your gaze, nodded his approval.
âWho did it?â Steve asked.
âOh, I knew youâd ask that,â you told him. âDoes it make you feel better that it was Yelena who did the deed?â
You could just tell from the subtle shift in his expression that it did.
âWe found the girl who worked in the donut shop locked in a room in Hansenâs house. He was keeping her there because she looks like me. You canât imagine what that poor thing has been through.â
Now Steve really did look startled.
âAnd the rest?â You said to your husband. âDyson didnât want me to be a party to it either, no. And I didnât order any hits if thatâs what youâre worried about. The fingers in Katâs shopping bag? They belonged to Hansenâs man who kidnapped that girl. He died in the shooting at Hansenâs house. He didnât need those fingers anymore.â
Steve just stared at you now.
âThe eyes and ears?â you went on. âNeal was already dead. Hansen killed him.â
âWhoâs idea was that?â Steve managed to ask. âThe tiramisu?â
Lucaâs hand shot up. âMine. I made it.â
That had you grinning.
âThe heart was Bannerâs,â you explained. âHe was already dead too.â
The slightest flush of color darkened Steveâs face. âAnd what about Barnes? You want to tell me why you were anywhere near him? What were you and Belova doing there?â
There was no going back now.
âThe house is being watched,â you explained. âStark and Wilson called every single day. We were worried that someone was going to figure out what was going on here, that you were potentially done for.â
Dysonâs gaze on you was intense, the hurt still flashing in his eyes from that plan because heâd disagreed with it so vehemently.
âWe tried to take Barnes out,â you explained watching disbelief bleed into his expression. âAfter everything heâs done to all of us, he deserves it, Steve.â
You were speaking forcefully while your husband listened with an expression that you were struggling to read.
âBarnes gave us the idea himself,â you went on. âHe called the girl from the donut shop. He wanted to meet with her, to see if she knew anything that would help him find Hansen. We arranged the meeting. I went in her place. I wore a mask because some people still wear them from the pandemic, and he didnât realize I wasnât her. Not until the endâŠâ
Steve leaned forward in his chair, angry now. âWhat the fuck did you do?â
âWe poisoned him,â you shot back. âThe blade was dipped in poison. If I hadnât chickened out, Yelena wouldnât have had to step in. The way it went apparently didnât kill him, but it did some damage. It bought us some time. And now youâre awake.â
âBarnes will know something is up,â Steve countered. âHe knows Iâd never send you into a dangerous situation like that.â
âHe does know. But he canât prove it,â you said.
âHeâs going to come for you,â Steve said, his ire fading.
âI know,â you said. Youâd lived in fear of that each day that Steve was still asleep.
âHe canât tell anyone.â Steve huffed a dry laugh. âA mob boss stabbed by a woman?â
Yelena was trying not to grin at that. You couldnât help but smile.
âI donât want you to ever put yourself in a position like that ever again,â Steve said to you with uncharacteristic calm. âI want everyone else in this room to swear to me that youâll never allow that to happen again. Break your word and youâll pay for it.â
The other men in the room quickly murmured their agreement. Yelena remained silent, staring at her hands in her lap.
âBelova,â Steve said, drawing her attention. âYouâre my wifeâs chosen security. So that goes double for you. Where her security is concerned, my word is final. Not hers. You got it?â
Yelena cut her gaze to you before nodding and meeting his gaze. âYes, boss.â
While you were happy Yelena was being allowed to stay, your concern rose. âSteve, you canât just keep me locked away to keep me safe. Not now.â
Steve stared at you for a long moment and your heart raced while you waited. You could have heard a pin drop in the posh office.
âI wonât,â Steve told all of you. âYouâll be part of my council from this point on. You all worked together to make decisions to protect the family when I couldnât. Do you all agree?â
The response to that question was much louder and positive. Dyson looked from Steve to you with so much pride.
âItâs done,â Steve said.
Steve had made you part of his council. Your mind was spinning.
âThank you all,â Steve said, concluding the meeting. âRest up today. Tomorrow, we start planning. Dyson, keep security elevated around the house for now.â
Dyson winked at you. âYes, boss.â
Then Steveâs gaze met yours as you were about to stand. âStay.â
You did. And it was so quiet when it was just the two of you left in his office.
âLike I told you earlier, I agreed to letting you go to Hansenâs that day, but I regretted it almost immediately. Thatâs why I came after you and all of it was a mistake. By now Iâd like to think you realize that as head of the family, head of all the families, why I have to be careful where I go. Iâm not a soldier anymore. Sometimes I forget that.â
When he put it that way, yes, you did understand. âBut it was Dyson.â
âI know,â he said softly. âBut if Iâd had my head on straight, they wouldnât have been able to get to him. Thatâs on me.â
Had everything that happened rattled Steve that much? Was this accountability?
âAnd I get why you felt like you should be able to go meet Barnes after that. Iâd allowed you into my business, sent you to Hansenâs. Thatâs on me too.â
What?
âSteve, weâre married. Doesnât that make it our business?â you asked carefully.
âMaybe so⊠Itâs just⊠ Iâll never be able to get the memory of you jumping in front of Dyson out of my head,â Steve said, eyes shiny with tears. âIâm willing to try this, to make you part of my council. Iâm not completely sold on the idea but Dyson and the rest of them respect you enough to follow your orders.â
âYou doubted it before because Iâm a woman?â
âNo, I doubted it because Iâm selfish,â Steve said. âAnd afraid. Dysonâs right, you have good instincts. You knew more about what was going on in my house in a few weeks than I ever have... My father was like that, gave me good advice.â
Tears stung the backs of your eyes as you listened to your husband.
âYour father was a mentor to me too the last year of his life,â Steve went on. âHe knew more than my old man. Dyson and Luca seem to think youâre a lot like him. Maybe theyâre right.â
âSteveââ
âLet me get this out,â Steve told you. âIâm used to having enemies. Iâm not used to having enemies that want my wife as much or more than ending my sorry ass. Twice now youâve been seriously threatened. How am I going to lead the families when I canât protect my own fucking wife?â
He was blinking back tears and you dashed around it to get to him, to wrap your arms around him. He again pulled you into his lap, holding onto you like you were a rant in the storm. When he finally got himself under control, that blue-eyed gaze was back on you.
âIf you want in on this business, I agree,â Steve told you. âUnder the condition that you stay out of the action. Is that in any way unclear?â
At least he wasnât asking you to swear to him. Because that wasnât something you would swear never to do again. If someone you loved was in danger, of course youâd be in the action. Still, you nodded.
But then you thought of something. âYouâre not going to agree to this and take it away from me the moment I get pregnant, are you?â
That pulled the corners of his mouth up. âI will want to. But I doubt Iâd have any luck in trying that.â
âYou wouldnât,â you assured him.
âIâve been thinking about that too,â Steve said, his arms tightening around you. âWe probably shouldnât be in a hurry to start a family⊠With all this going on? Weâve got time. If and when we both agree we want to start a family, weâll revisit it then.â
Youâd been braced for a fight. You couldnât have been more astonished by what you were hearing.
âAre you feeling okay?â you finally had to ask.
That had Steve chuckling. âYes, Iâm fine. Just hoping I recover quickly because those heels make your legs look so fucking sexy.â
Okay, that was something heâd say.
His fingers tracing your leg from ankle to thigh made you shiver. Slowly, his touch skimmed up your body, over one breast and up to your jaw. Slowly, he leaned in to kiss your mouth. A slow seeking kiss that promised so much.
âYou will make me a better leader,â he whispered against your lips.
âYou already are a good leader, Steve,â you told him. âMaybe it was because all we did was fight all the time. Maybe itâs just that your attention was divided.â
You could have laughed at the sliver of hope creeping into his expression. âYeah?â
âYeah,â you told him before kissing him breathless.
Your filthy Ruby Gardens poll gave me a thought. Well, it gave me MANY but this one specific thing stuck out:
If our doms ever took their subs on a group retreat/getaway all together. What would that look like? Would more people be opting for fun nature primal times? Would doms get their subs to scream louder since thereâs so much more space for it out in nature? Who learns they have new kinks they never thought theyâd develop? đ
Chi, are you perhaps trying to live vicariously through Ruby Garden subs and play out some primal fantasies of yours? đ I wholepussedly support it!
If a group of Doms with their submissive's from Ruby Garden went on a retreat, it would be a balance between being full in the nature and in comforts of actual housing (you're not gonna see Lloyd camping in a tent in the middle of the forest, that's not happening; Nick's also a no about that). So they go to Lloyd's lake house - more of an estate, really. I big house by the lake surrounded by wild nature and no neighbors, so it provides privacy for all the primal adventures, as well gives some bits of luxury, like a huge hottub and comfortable beds.
Since it's Lloyd's estate, you can be sure it's accordingly adjusted to have BDSM fun. The gazebo by the lake is romantic, but also has bolts in various places (to tie/chain your sub) and toys hidden in benches.
Doms organize outdoors activities, too. The "normal" ones, as well exciting plays like a game of hide and seek in the late evening, with submissive's wearing fluorescent bands (for safety and because Doms always want the upper hand, lol). Which is a game that Darling unexpectedly takes a huge like to. She was never big on primal/chase, but she feels excited at the prospect of outsmarting Steve and having him work for it. She's not a fan of running, but hide&seek gives her the opportunity to explore a type of chase without having to run much.
Nick makes Bonbon be the seeker and if she doesn't manage to find him, she won't be coming all weekend. Cherie tries to be sneaky and hide in the lake (close to the bridge, so it's safe). Pumpkin makes the mistake of shuffling beneath one of the cars and Lloyd pulls her from beneath it in a true horror predator movie style - by the ankles, dragging her on the ground away from the house. Birdie tries being clever (and comfortable) by hiding in the house. And Fawn is the one who screams the loudest, because she has two predators chasing her through the dark parts of the woods - making her fantasies really come true.
There would be also cozy fire and tales shared around it, as well a game of poker with submissives naked and servicing their Doms while they play. A show of flogging and whipping in the gazebo, as well a swimming competition between Ari and Steve (Darling waits for Steve on the bridge with a towel and lips ready to kiss, while Cherie lunges at Ari and topples both of them back into the water).
Your filthy Ruby Gardens poll gave me a thought. Well, it gave me MANY but this one specific thing stuck out:
If our doms ever took their subs on a group retreat/getaway all together. What would that look like? Would more people be opting for fun nature primal times? Would doms get their subs to scream louder since thereâs so much more space for it out in nature? Who learns they have new kinks they never thought theyâd develop? đ
Chi, are you perhaps trying to live vicariously through Ruby Garden subs and play out some primal fantasies of yours? đ I wholepussedly support it!
If a group of Doms with their submissive's from Ruby Garden went on a retreat, it would be a balance between being full in the nature and in comforts of actual housing (you're not gonna see Lloyd camping in a tent in the middle of the forest, that's not happening; Nick's also a no about that). So they go to Lloyd's lake house - more of an estate, really. I big house by the lake surrounded by wild nature and no neighbors, so it provides privacy for all the primal adventures, as well gives some bits of luxury, like a huge hottub and comfortable beds.
Since it's Lloyd's estate, you can be sure it's accordingly adjusted to have BDSM fun. The gazebo by the lake is romantic, but also has bolts in various places (to tie/chain your sub) and toys hidden in benches.
Doms organize outdoors activities, too. The "normal" ones, as well exciting plays like a game of hide and seek in the late evening, with submissive's wearing fluorescent bands (for safety and because Doms always want the upper hand, lol). Which is a game that Darling unexpectedly takes a huge like to. She was never big on primal/chase, but she feels excited at the prospect of outsmarting Steve and having him work for it. She's not a fan of running, but hide&seek gives her the opportunity to explore a type of chase without having to run much.
Nick makes Bonbon be the seeker and if she doesn't manage to find him, she won't be coming all weekend. Cherie tries to be sneaky and hide in the lake (close to the bridge, so it's safe). Pumpkin makes the mistake of shuffling beneath one of the cars and Lloyd pulls her from beneath it in a true horror predator movie style - by the ankles, dragging her on the ground away from the house. Birdie tries being clever (and comfortable) by hiding in the house. And Fawn is the one who screams the loudest, because she has two predators chasing her through the dark parts of the woods - making her fantasies really come true.
There would be also cozy fire and tales shared around it, as well a game of poker with submissives naked and servicing their Doms while they play. A show of flogging and whipping in the gazebo, as well a swimming competition between Ari and Steve (Darling waits for Steve on the bridge with a towel and lips ready to kiss, while Cherie lunges at Ari and topples both of them back into the water).
Jamie, my insomnia is getting the best of me... so crack ideas it is. What do we say about a Rrader who dresses herself as Lloyd's Male assistant so that she can escape her engagement with Andy? And neither of them realizes who she really is until Lloyd falls for her deeply? And then he goes from I chase every available skirt around to I'll lock you up in my bedroom because I want you so badly?
Oh holy hell. And Andy might not let go so easily and... There's SO much you could do with this storyline. Lloyd is sharp. It would take one hell of a getup to fool him to begin with.
Sent this one a while back so I can't remember what was going through my mind but let's go with us being a really good make up artist (it's how we fooled Lloyd for as long as we did) and running away from Andy because he bought us over the family debt. A family we were LC/NC because they were toxic so when told of the marriage we noped out of it since we don't carr about their debt.
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I kind of explained in an ask when I was last on here that there was an ongoing situation with the project I'm on for work. One person doesn't do his part and doesn't tell us until the last minute. We all work longer/weekends to make the deadlines. The rest of us have been really really pissed off.
First thing at the meeting I had to go into campus for today, we're told there's good news and bad news. The good news is he's being moved to another department. Effective immediately.
The bad news is we're one person short on the project. And honestly, we have been the entire time only now we can control the timeline.
I'm. So. HAPPY. This whole thing has been eating up a lot of my time since earlier this year. I'd like to get back to my family and my writing.
So thank you all for being patient with me. I'm pushing up my sleeves and getting caught up. đđđ