You Are Mine

Nicole "Mom...Dad." My voice rang through the house in search of my parents.  It had only been a few hours since I left them for the prom, and in those few hours, I had gotten the best news of my life—or at least the best news of my life as a student. An email confirming that I had been accepted into my dream college. What better day than today to receive such news.  I had worked so hard for this and it was a dream come true to see that I had been accepted even before graduation. My parents would be so proud of me.  I dashed into the back seat of the car and had the driver bring me home almost immediately. But the problem now was that I had not found the only two people I wanted to share this news with so badly.  Their cars were parked in the driveway—so were a few odd black Mercedes— so I was sure they were home. Also, the doors were unlocked and all the lights were still on. Dad is strict on turning out the lights when someone leaves the house, even if it's just on a walk to the park. "Mommy," I called again, walking through the house as fast as these 4-inch silver heels I wore could carry me. My dress was not helping either. It was a greenish-black dress with a single strap and a v-neck. Even with these long heels, it still flowed beneath me. Thankfully the slit started from my upper thighs, so it was easier to lift the dress without dropping my phone or purse.  After searching for a few minutes, I realized there was one place I did no check. The library down the hallway. It had not occurred to me that they might be there since they only went in there occasionally.  I walked to the end of the hallway and pushed the door open but was greeted by the most unexpected sight.  Both my parents, bound to two chairs placed next to each other. Their mouths were gagged, so they could not speak. Hot frantic tears ran down my mother's eyes, and her lids were swollen.  Next to them, a few men stood around the room. All of their attention diverted to me as I stood there at the door trying to figure what was happening. They were fierce and scary, tall with broad shoulders, and each of them had a gun in their hands. There at least twelve of them scattered across the library.  In an instant, I did the only thing my mind thought—run. That was dad's number one rule, at any sight of danger, don't stand and wait, just run and save yourself. Given my very unconventional family, that advice had always proven to be useful.   I turned to take the first flight but was obstructed from the doorway as I crashed into a hard sturdy chest that knocked me off balance, my purse and phone clattered to the ground too.  "Arrrhhh," I screamed as I fell back. The human with a body like a brick wall shot a hand out and held me back to him, successfully stopping me from falling to the floor. I felt like a piece of paper in his large tattoed arms, and I could not make out his face until he leaned down into me.  Fuck, this man was beautiful. His dark lashes framed his hazel irises that bored into me. A strong chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, and an impossibly strong arm that screamed masculinity. His black hair was cut low at the base and had longer, thicker curls upwards, and I could not help imagining how it would feel to run my hands through those curls with my body pressed to his. And to top it off, a trim waist that fit perfectly in his black t-shirt and black jean.  My cheeks flustered with heat as I realized I was busy ogling a stranger right in front of him, although with looks like that, I was sure he had pant-dropping stares thrown at him every day. He was probably the leader of these assholes that had tied up my parents. s**t, my parents, I had completely forgotten about them, lost in my little dream world.  "I don't think it's good manners to ogle a stranger in front of them." He said as he released me. I stumbled back a step, and his hand shot out to hold me steady.  "Get your hands off me, mister," I swatted his hand away, "Who the hell are you, and why are you in my house?" I demanded.  He chuckled and took a step forward causing me to take a few steps back. God, he was so much taller than me, and he towered over me completely.  He slammed the door close and shoved the gun that I had not noticed him holding to his back. "Well, what do we have here?" He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the center of the room where my parents sat helplessly. "I thought your daughter was out on a trip, Clark."   "What?" I pulled my hand free from his grip with no success, my small feminine hand was no match for his firm grip.  He gave a low chuckle and added my other hand to the one he was clutching using his free hand. "What the hell, let go of me right now." I squirmed and fought against his grip. What the f**k was going on? Who were these people, and why the hell were they in our home bullying us?  My father writhed in his chair, fighting to speak but unable to with his gagged mouth. He signaled to one of the men, and the man rushed over to remove the gag.  "Let her go, Adrian, I'll do whatever you want just let her go please," Dad begged as he fought against the restraints of the rope.  The monster whose name I had just learned was Adrian gave an evil laugh as he held me tighter.  "Five minutes ago, you were ready for me to blow your brains out, Clark. Why the sudden change of heart."  He pushed me against him and brought out the gun that had been tucked behind him. My breath hitched up in horror, and dad screamed as he brought the cold metal muzzle to my neck. I could not hear mom's screams through the gag, but I could see the horror in her eyes as they shed uncontrollable tears.  Soon I found myself crying too. He played with the pistol on my neck running it up and down my body, eyes daring my dad to say a word.  "Please," I whispered, "please let me go." "She looks so fragile and small in my arms Clark," he released his grip on my hand, but I did not dare move as his hands replaced the gun on my neck. "Maybe I should just snap her poor neck off, or better yet blow out her f*****g brains off. What do you think Caitlyn?" He signaled the man behind dad, and they took off mom's gag too.  "Please, I'm begging you, Adrian, please don't do this, she's my only child please." Mom's words came out in panicked breaths reflecting the horror inside her.  Adrian barked out a loud laugh, "You also had a change of heart. That's good. Maybe you'll be wise enough now, to tell your husband, that I'm not f*****g playing when I say I want him to rule my father's case and declare him f*****g innocent." he roared, tightening his grip on my neck. Now I could understand what this was all about. Another maniacal lawbreaker that dad had to put behind bars. One of the many perks of being part of a judge's family. It was not the first time our family had been threatened or attacked, but it was the first time I had come face to face with the attack. Since I was a child, dad had always done his best to protect me and mom from having to face situations like this, but I guess today was just not our lucky day.  "I'll tell him," mom cried frantically. "I'll tell him," she turned to dad, "Clark, do whatever they tell you to, I don't f*****g care just don't let anything happen to my child," she said in a warning tone, eyes still burning with tears. There were only a few times when I heard mom curse, and it only happened when she was at the peak of her emotions, at that point where her doctors said was dangerous for her health.  "I'll do what you ask, just please let my child go." Dad was also panicking, and I could tell that he was fighting hard to hold his tears. It broke my heart to see my parents like that, and hot tears stung my eyes.   He pushed me over to one of his men, who in turn resumed a firm grip on my hand. Adrian crouched down, gun in hand, so he was at the same level as my parents. He yanked a hand through his thick hair, and I mentally berated myself for the way I looked at him a few minutes ago, before I realized how much of a monster he was.  "Why should I trust you Clark?" his voice was low, but thanks to the silence in the room, his words were still clear. "I spoke to you nicely last week, but you refused my generous offer, you and your wife. And then you decided to push the case to six f*****g months, now you want me to just let her go?"  "Please Adrian, I know you are not this monster, don't do this please." Dad pleaded, using his fatherly tone.  "Shut the f**k up, you do not know s**t about me, so shut your f*****g mouth up." Adrian roared.  The room was quiet for a few tense minutes. Except for the sound of mom's sobbing, and my scared whimpers, there was no other sound.  "I think I know how we can solve this little problem Clark." he finally said, looking in my direction with an evil grin. "Bring her here," he said to the man holding me.  He took my hand and pushed me in front of my parents. "This, right here, is the solution to our teeny tiny problem," he used his hand to emphasize the 'teeny-tiny' "Don't you think?"  "What are you talking about?" Dad asked, tremor in his voice.  "You see, you hold the key to my father's release, and thanks to you, that has been postponed to 6 months." he stepped closer, so he was holding me again. "And I know you will not dare make the same mistake a second time right?" he said softly.  Dad opened his mouth to speak, but mom beat him to it. "He won't. I promise he will not."  "Oh, I know he won't because I will make sure he does not." his evil chuckle vibrated on my skin, sending chills down my spine. But nothing could prepare me for the next words that came from him.  "I'm taking your daughter, and she will be my wife until the day my father is released."