Ruby
"What do you mean?" I asked him, removing my head from his chest. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
I stared at him, waiting for him to answer me.
"I know I acted like a jerk that day because I was drugged. Gem, when I saw you after five years, I��" I interrupted him.
"Five years?" He twitched his lips and nodded. I further asked, "What do you mean that you saw me after five years? I mean, I met you for the first time at Pearly's wedding."
He sighed. "Gem, I saw you a long time back, which was five years ago, near the hills. That was where I first saw you. You were hiking, I assume. I went there for my five years training for the Mafia King," he started explaining. I was so into the story.
"I saw you helping the old man, playing with the kids��with your bubbly nature, I was attracted to you. When I shared my feelings with Kendrik, at first, he thought it was a crush so he didn't care. But I knew what I was feeling. It was��"
"Love," I finished his sentence and took a glance at him. "Continue."
"Yeah. Love. I wanted to make you mine from the moment my eyes landed on you. But I was a coward and was already on training, thus I couldn't approach. However, Mane suggested to me that if I couldn't forget you even after five years of training, then it was love. And if I forget, it's a crush." He stopped and I nodded my head, as a sign to speak further.
"But even after five years of training, I couldn't stop thinking about you. You were always in my mind. And I wanted you to be mine. The thought of you with some other men started eating me alive. But..."
"But you couldn't find me," I completed his sentence. He was surprised, looking as if his eyes popped out of his socket. "You tried to search for me but failed miserably. This is the reason you couldn't attend the other functions of your brother's wedding. You had hoped that you would find me near the hilly area again. But after you gave up, we met again."
Vexon hummed in response and asked further, "How did you know?"
I shrugged my shoulders, and answered, "Romantic movies kept me entertained."
He chuckled at my response and pulled me towards him. I rested my head on his chest again, feeling like I was in heaven.
"What happened after that?" I asked curiously. The story was quite filmy. I didn't know it happened in real life too.
"Well, I gave up, but I took an oath to make you mine if we meet again, that was until we crossed paths."
I could feel the excitement in his tone as if he was thinking about our first meeting. I couldn't help but smile. "Did you decide to run away after meeting a madwoman like me?"
Vexon chuckled and said, "What can I say? Life hates me that is why I got stuck with you." I frowned at his remark. I was about to remove my head away again, but Vexon tightened his grip over me. "Don't worry, baby girl. I love you."
I stopped at his sudden confession. Why does he always say 'I love you' bluntly? Every time, I felt so shy at his confession.
And the way he said 'baby girl', it made me feel the eruption of the butterflies in my stomach. It sounded so cute from his mouth.
"After meeting you, I realized that I was the would-be Mafia King, and it meant danger. So I didn't want to push you in danger. Thus, I controlled my strong emotions for you. I was even successful until I was drugged," he spat out the last part in disgust.
I was drawing circles with my fingers on his chest.
"Someone drugged me at the wedding and I don't fucking know who. It was maybe one of my enemies or Blossom. He attacked during the wedding so he could mix something in one of the drinks. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have married you the way I did. I swear, Gem," Vexon let out in an apologetical tone.
My heart clenched as if it was peeled off like a potato for making French fries.
Does he regret marrying me?
Oh my! He just married me because he was high.
I shifted my gaze at the big star now.
"Whatever. I am grateful to my enemy now because he thought I would make the worst mistake. But you turned out to be my best blessing," he mumbled, kissing my head.
My heart melted at his words. He didn't leave any opportunity to make me feel good. I couldn't even stay upset for a while.
Thinking about that, I was always wrong about Vexon. I thought he was bipolar. Every time I thought of his good habits, I ended up comparing it with the stunt he pulled at the wedding.
Who imagined that he would be drugged?
Moreover, I should feel blessed because his love at first sight was not fake. It was his true love for me. He couldn't forget me even after five years.
Vexon even cared for me so much that he didn't want to confess his love to me, just to keep me safe. It was just that drugs made him go crazy.
"If you were drugged, why did you marry me?" I asked all of a sudden.
"What do you mean?"
"Vexon, look. In an intoxicated state, a person does what he wants to do. You wanted to maintain a distance from me. Then how come we are laying in a swing right now?" I pointed out.
"You're... right. Let's just say that jealousy doesn't fit in an intoxication state. And the answer to your question is Steve."
"Steve?" I puckered my eyebrows in confusion.
"The guy who sent you a marriage proposal. I didn't care until you decided to accept the proposal," he grunted.
I chuckled softly. Steve was my best friend who brought love into friendship.
It reminded me, I didn't contact any of my friends. They would kill me soon. Argh. Sometimes I wished I was an introvert.
"About that. Why did you even accept the proposal? Do you...love him?" Vexon's hesitated voice brought me out of my trance.
I was bewildered at his question. "What? Are you nuts? I don't love him."
He let out a sigh. "Thank God," he muttered and caressed my cheek.
"I don't even believe in love in my case. Besides, he is my best friend, so I thought that I may never find love and what's wrong with marrying my best friend? So I agreed to it," I explained.
"Does he love you?" he asked.
I nodded. "Call him a psycho lover. He can go to any length to please me and he was a creepy stalker since high school. He wanted a relationship with me but I was a straightforward girl. I rejected him and since then, he's trying to please me."
"Are you still in contact with that guy?" Vexon asked, his voice lingering with jealousy.
"Not yet, but I'm planning a hang out with my friends and he will be there. We can't throw him from our friends' circle, now can we?" I simply answered his question, and he groaned. "And you can't stop me from hangouts," I said before he could say anything.
"Fine," he agreed.
I grinned at his response. That was when my phone started to vibrate again. I sat properly, taking the phone from the table. It was mom again. I should have known.
Sighing, I kept the phone back on the table and looked at Vexon's handsome face. His eyes were glued to the caller ID.
"Why aren't you receiving her calls?" he inquired me.
"She will ask me about the crime we committed. She might even come here and take me away from this family after knowing that we all did this together," I mumbled in response.
Vexon chuckled. "Seriously?"
"Of course! You don't know my mom. She will think you all are a bad influence now and drag me back to her house. Married or not," I said, thinking about her behavior.
Mom thought that the family was nice though they were in the Mafia because the Bevines could do anything for their family. And now, after she learned the truth, plus I knew my aunt filled her ears with lies, mom would definitely take me back to her house.
"Well then, that's a problem for me if she takes you away. Though you will be happy," Vexon averted his gaze and muttered.
I frowned hearing him. "Why would I be happy?" I asked softly. He didn't even look at me.
I placed my finger on his jaw and made his blue eyes locked with my grey ones.
"Vexon?" I asked again. His eyes held the pain. He pushed my hand away and tried to get up. But I held his hand, making him sit with me again. "Answer me."
"Because... you don't feel anything for me, Gem. Every time I try to do something, you push me away. And I'm sorry. I am not like other men who can start a relationship with friendship. I don't want us to start with friendship. For God's sake! You're my wife." He let out a frustrated sigh.
I stayed silent, waiting for him to release his frustration.
"Do you know why I don't talk about this to you? Because I'm afraid. I am afraid that you would say, 'Let's try to be friends at first.' And I don't want you to give me a chance as a friend. I want us to be something more than that. I want us to be a couple. Just give us a chance." He ran his hand through his hair and got up after his rambling.
I whispered, "Where are you going?"
"I am sorry," he apologized and was about to leave.
I stood up and instantly held his hand. He halted but didn't turn to face me. I walked towards him and faced him. His whole face screamed sadness��fear.
I was feeling upset, seeing him like that with every passing second. After a while, I stood on the wooden coffee table, to reach his height.
He looked at me in confusion.
I took a deep breath and leaned towards him. I saw his soft luscious lips slightly parted, probably preparing to speak.
I had the urge to taste those lips. I didn't know what was wrong with me.
I leaned further, his eyes were locked onto mine. Our lips weren't speaking but our eyes were. When our lips were inches apart, Vexon tried to say something.
"Gem... I��" I didn't wait for him to complete his sentence. I placed my lips firmly on his, without giving a second thought. When my lips touched him, fireworks worked inside me.
But Vexon was unprepared. That was probably the last thing he expected at that moment.
I moved my lips over his, but his lips didn't move an inch, as if he was in a coma from the shock.
I bit his lower lip and tried to gain entrance in his mouth. Yet he had no reaction. I pulled away, realizing it was hopeless.
He was frozen on his spot.
I looked at him intently and said, "I like you."
Vexon seemed to have come to his senses. As if he regretted not kissing back. He ran a hand through his hair and said with a smile, "And I love you."
With that, he leaned forward to kiss me. His palm rested below my ear as he pulled me into a passionate kiss. As a reflex, my hands went around his neck.
When his lips pressed against mine, the world fell away. I felt as if the world stopped revolving. At first, it was a soft, delicate kiss. The warmth of his lips spread all over my body.
Slowly it turned rough. I opened my mouth, letting him in. His tongue entered my mouth and I felt the magic spark within it. I felt complete. It lasted for a few minutes until we pulled apart for grasping oxygen.
My cheeks went to a deeper shade of red. I noticed a tint of red shade on Vexon's cheeks as well. His appearance was clear due to the fairy lights.
I couldn't utter a word, nor did he.
He was still looking at me, fully stunned. I blushed harder seeing the look he was giving me.
I was about to get back to the bedroom, but he grabbed me by my waist.
"Is this your way of saying that you are willing to accept me as your husband? I know it's not love, but like is a step towards a relationship. Right, Gem?" He breathed in a deep husky voice.
My breath hitched as I licked my lips. I couldn't believe I just had my first kiss, that too with my husband.
"I..." I tried to find an answer. "Vexon, look. Yes, I want to give our relationship a try. I like you. I just need things to go at a slow pace. I mean, don't force things on me and we will be fine."
Vexon nodded with a smile. "I know. However..." He looked at my lips. "Does this mean I can kiss you anytime I want?" he asked, eagerly waiting for my answer.
I chuckled. "Yes, but not in front of people. Just in person."
He rubbed my lips with his thumb. "You mean like now?"
Before I could answer, he smashed his lips on mine and we matched with the sync.
This was my life now. I was stuck with him forever and the same was in his case. To be honest, somehow I liked this Mafia life.
