31 - Mine?

"Forever is the sweetest con."

- Taylor Swift

. . .

I was curled on the bed under the blankets when I heard the door open.

Ashton entered, looking a little pale. I knew his shoulder must be hurting him but he never looked like he was in pain.

"Olivia." He shut the door and grabbed a cushioned chair, putting it near the foot of the bed. "We need to talk. I want you to understand the depth of your condition." He sat down on the chair. I slowly sat up, rubbing the corner of my eye because I was tired as heck without even doing anything. His eyes softened but lips remained pressed into a thin line.

"I know Zavier overreacted," He continued. "But he, in no way, intended to hurt you."

"He was angry," I mumbled, pulling the covers closer to my chest.

He nodded. "We...We have seen things, Olivia. Things which we never want you to see, things we never want you to feel. It's his fear which makes him angry, not you." He sighed. "I'm being too formal, come closer." I shifted a little closer to him. He took my hands in his and held them between in his large ones. "We fear for your safety," he said. "The thought of you getting hurt does not sit well, my love. After what happened, we don't want you out of our sight, where we can't keep you safe to our full potential." He cupped my face, letting go of my hands. "I know it is overwhelming but we need to keep you safe."

He picked me up, with my blanket, and sat me on his lap. He brushed his knuckles over my cheekbone. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable, Little one. If you have a problem, tell us. When it comes to your safety we lose it a little." He leaned down to press a sweet kiss to my forehead. "You can't go," he said. "And the location of this mansion is a secret, if it is disclosed many people would be in danger so you can't invite her over." He sighed. "I'm sorry, little love. But it has to be this way."

I didn't want it to be this way

He tucked me to his chest. I buried my face into it. He held me tightly. "Do you want to go to the library?"

- - -

Ashton's head was on my lap. We were on one of the many couches in the library. This was close to the giant window which displayed the front yard. He was reading some science book while I was reading a book which had poems by various great poets.

My hand somehow found its way to his silky blond hair. I felt him freeze for a moment, I was convinced he'd slap my hand away, but then he continued reading so now my fingers were running through his hair while he and I read our books.

"Olivia?"

"Yes?" I moved my book so that I could look at him.

He wasn't looking at me, his eyes were fixed on his book, unmoving. "Do I make you happy?"

I frowned at the strange question. "Yes." He did make me happy, they did make me happy. I felt cared for. I looked at his shoulder. He was laying in a way that his hurt shoulder was not on my lap. He had risked his life for me.

He looked at me. "Really?" There was vulnerability in his voice, or perhaps I imagined it. Creeds and vulnerability did not being in the same sentence. They were the toughest men I knew and they could be sweet if they wanted to.

I nodded. "Yes."

He smiled, a dazzling smile that knocked the breath out of me. He sat up, grabbed my face, and pulled me on his lap, smashing his lips on mine. He kissed me gently, slowly, devouring my mouth like he had all the time in the world. He kissed me softly, nipping at my bottom lip, while his large hands moved on my questionable curves, making me melt into him as he sloppily kept kissing me.

After a few moments, he pulled back and smiled, knuckles brushing over my blushing cheek. "I'm addicted to you." He pressed his lips on mine again, moving me so that I was straddling him. He kept one hand on my

waist and the other fisted my hair. Now, he kissed me deeply, still slowly, but I could sense the need for more.

He pulled back. "You are mine." He kissed me. "Mine to hold. Mine to kiss and mine to fuck, do you understand me, little girl?" He rumbled, littering kisses on my jaw. "I fucking own this little body." His hands went down to my ass and he spanked me once. I whimpered. "I own this gorgeous ass."

He laid me down on the couch and parted my legs. I looked at him, wide- eyed. He put his hand there, cupping me over the cloth. "This belongs to me." He leaned down to kiss the peaks of my covered breasts. "These belong to me." He pulled me on his lap again and kissed me. "And I belong to you."

I couldn't help but smile against his lips as he kissed me more. "You are mine?" I asked, tilting my head as he and his brothers did so often. He noticed, looking amused.

"Yes," he said. "Yours." He kissed me again. "Fucking yours, baby girl. We've been yours for quite a while."

We've been yours for quite a while.

I heard the door open and Zavier entered. He looked at me, lips pressed in a thin line. "Kitten." He walked forward. I hid my face in Ashton's unhurt shoulder. "Come on." He picked me up from Ashton's lap and sat down on a couch with me on his lap. "I'm sorry."

- - -

_ _

° °

∆