You are MINE (closed)

[susurrus]

When Gabriella mentioned why he didn't ask her about the happier parts of her life, Greg was embarrassed. "Sorry. In police work, you only get called on for the bad stories. It gets so you don't even think to ask about the good times." He knew what she meant regarding the comment she made about her father and natural brother's deaths. Her dad had been a positive part of her life. Her brother, not quite so much, but he at least hadn't been as abusive as those who came after his passing. Actually, after hearing her story, Greg was rather surprised she had any happy experiences growing up. Not that she didn't deserve it. Nobody deserves to grow up in the fucked up situation Gabriella had, but it happens. As a cop, Greg knew that better than most.

Her comment about not calling the police first wasn't surprising. He kind of figured that was the situation. Living as she had, the police were the enemy. It put him in a very strange place. Virtually anybody else he could have hooked up with would have called him even before they dialed 911. With Gabriella, he wasn't sure if she'd even let him know anything had happened until it was all over and the bodies disposed of.

"For a while there," he went on, "I was beginning to think there weren't any 'happier times.' It'd be nice to hear about something other than tragedy and irresponsibility and abuse and such. Now that I know there are at least a few good memories in there - and I hope I'm one of them - please, tell me."

 

[Asa]

You... The times around my uncle and brothers... Yeah there are good times.. Braddock. Aka Brat. He and I used bartender at the family bar together. Joking and annoying uncle to no end.

Caleb loved to drive and just go and roam and enjoy life. Very business but caring. Caleb was the protector of the family as it were. Next to Braddock but Braddock was a little more hands on protective. Youngest brother darkest file.



A smile played over her lips for a moment.

Then there is Bastien and Ram. They were the ones who knew my brother and sorta brought me into the family. They were... Special to me... They all are but those two...


She bit at her lower lip with a smile.

Let's just say I could control them better than uncle.

No matter what we did for our neighborhood and stuff we were family... Like any other... Movies out to eat... Just a happy family.

 

[susurrus]

After reading the files on her foster brothers, Greg was surprised to hear them spoken of so fondly. Then again, as horrible as these people could be to others, they had been good and protective of Gabriella - and still were, for all he knew. Since he'd met her, Greg was unaware of any contact she might have had with them. However, as she'd just recently admitted, they were merely a phone call away. He knew there were plenty of folks at the precinct who'd give their right arm for those phone numbers.

For all Gabriella's positive review of them, Greg knew they were anything but good people. And that Gabriella had helped them any number of times over the years was something Greg had to almost constantly force from his mind. It was difficult to justify his relationship with her at times, considering the fact, but he couldn't make himself break it off with her. As he'd said before: Capulet and Montagues.

He kind of wondered what she meant by "special" when she spoke of two of her "brothers." However, he wasn't sure he really wanted to know what that meant.

The look on Gabriella's face said she truly felt affection for the people she talked about. That they were, for all other intents and purposes, sheer and utter bastards was irrelevant. They were good to her, and that was what mattered, particularly after everything that'd happened with the scum that her mother brought home after Gabriella's dad's death.

Regardless of Gabriella's view of this "family" of hers, Greg knew there was no way he dared meet any of them. For all Greg's desire for Gabriella not to think he only got to know her so he could learn more about this family, he knew these men wouldn't hesitate to try to manipulate his relationship with Gabriella for their own purposes. Not that they could influence him in any way, although considering the type of people they were, for all their affection for Gabriella, he wondered if they wouldn't threaten her if they thought it could get some kind of result on behalf of the police department. Of course, it was naive to think they didn't already have someone there under their influence. But someone already involved with one of their own... it'd be too good to be true.

"I'm glad they're good to you. But, I'm kind of surprised they didn't do something about this Vince for you before."

 

[Asa]

They could have I don't know. Not like they would tell me if they did. All uncle ever said if they got a name out of me was he would watch them.

She shrugged.

Uncle was actually a lot like my real father. He kept the balance and peace. Anything my brothers and I did had a real purpose... It helped maintain a balance in he community. Oneside not overthrowing the other and neither of them letting their egos get in the way.

If you read the files about who we dealt and I mean really read them90% of our files is js going after Pepe who tried to hurt and harm and start wars between the two factions. Uncle as I am sure you k ow was Russian and Irish born from both sides born from a time when brains was more important than ego. Where they looked out for a community the cops could have cared less about.

 

[susurrus]

Greg understood what Gabriella was saying. There were certainly places where the police knew of the goings-on, but were reluctant to get in the middle of it, due to the tensions on both sides. If the police moved in to take care of any situations that might arise, the fear was that the factions might put aside differences for long enough to deal with the police before they went back to their personal battles. And if such an alliance occurred, chances are it would mean bad things for all involved, especially civilians. It was a sad way to run things, but as with so much, there was little could be done about it.

"Let's face it, though," Greg said, "your uncle's far from a saint. However, I understand that the established authorities have abandoned certain places to their own devices." It was true. Greg had been all over the city, but there were big blank spots in those travels, places that the members of the force were told, "Don't go here." These were the places people like Gabriella's uncle held sway. It was a medieval format, where one particular power constantly fought to maintain its territory against a marauding force that just kept coming.

"If certain members of the force had their way, we'd deploy the national guard to oust both your uncle as well as his rivals from that part of town. However, costs, both human and monetary keep them from doing so. "

 

[Asa]

Ever sinner has a future and every saint a past. Boston is a unique place that's why I fit in to places like here in your town with Lance's bar. I even found a little place in Chicago to fit in. Uncle retired officially long ago but the cops in Boston yeah respect him for the fact that Russian and Irish mobs still won't cross him if either side breaks the rules as he views them and risks a neighborhood and it's innocents he will act before that can happen.

She shrugged. Your town so far from what I have seen is pretty tame.

 

[susurrus]

Greg laughed. "Trust me, there are plenty of folks out there like your uncle and brothers. How long have you been here?"

 

[Asa]

I got the job at Lance's the day after I arrived.

She shrugged.

I am sure there are.

 

[susurrus]

"Maybe sometime we should try to go on a real date, rather than just coming back to one of our places to fuck after we both get off work. Not that that isn't a stellar plan in my book, but there are more things than fucking - and I can't believe I just said that."

 

[Asa]

I... I'd like that... And I can't believe I just said that. Normal dating isn't usually me.

She smiled when the waitress returned with their order.

 

[susurrus]

Greg would have been satisfied had Gabriella simply told him that she'd rather they weren't seen out together in public much. He would have understood perfectly the reasoning. It was rather dangerous for them both to be seen by others, together in public. However, she had agreed. That fact both shocked and delighted him.

"That's great," he said, then added, "Now I'll need to figure out something for us to do." So far, all their time together had either been at Lance's, at either of their places fucking, or on the way to do the fucking. Hell, just going out and having pie was more date-like than they'd really done before.

 

[Asa]

She couldn't help but laugh a little at his eager reaction. The sex between them was great but she found herself curious if there was more to them than sex.

 

[susurrus]

Greg was both thrilled and terrified about going out on a traditional date with Gabriella. Any backlash there might be for him should anybody from the station see him out with her and recognize who she was aside, he wasn't sure what the hell to do on a date. Mostly, his life had deteriorated to work, Lance's for a couple drinks, then home for a bite and sleep before doing it all over again. And days off were usually spent recovering from the rest of the week.

Pulling out his phone, he checked his work schedule - he didn't have a social life, so work was the only thing on his schedule. "Tell Lance you need Tuesday off. I know him, and since you're making him money, he'll work you every day until you drop, labor laws be damned."

He then started racking his brain for things for them to do. Every place he usually went was blood, murder and struggle. He seldom got to see the positive parts of the city. Then again, maybe they should just get the hell out of the city and see what the countryside was like. There was a litttle time to figure it out.

 

[Asa]

She quickly texted Lance a simple message I am off Tuesday any complaints talk to Greg.

She smirked and showed him the message.

Let him see it's two against one. Not like he would be stupid enough to fire me.

 

[susurrus]

Greg laughed when Gabriella showed him the text. "Oh, sure, get him pissed off at me." He wasn't afraid of Lance. Yeah, Lance was a big, tough looking and tough talking guy, and to an extent, he was all that and more. However, Greg had enough dirt on him that if Lance wanted to be too big an asshole, he knew Greg was capable of bringing his whole little dynasty crumbling down around his ears. Lance had plenty on Greg, too. Their friendship was based oddly on the threat of mutual blackmail.

The thought of being somewhere other than a bar - well, Lance's place anyhow - was so normal, Greg could hardly believe they were even going to try. Still, the idea of the two of them going out among regular folks and doing regular follks stuff, was kind of thrilling. Maybe for a couple hours, at least, he could forget he was a cop, she could forget herself, and they could just be like everybody else... it was a goal, anyway.

"When we get done here, you want to go back and try to pick up where we left off, before I fucked things up, asking cop questions? Or was that boyfriend questions? I get that mixed up sometimes."

Shit. Had he really said that? Is that what they were? Is it what Gabriella thought? Fuck. Maybe he'd put his foot in it again...

 

[Asa]

Quit worrying about it. I am sure we can get back to where we were or we could just curl up together a d sleep. We can do whatever we want.

She smiled and took a bite of the pie and reached her hand out to him.

 

[susurrus]

When Gabriella mentioned sleep, Greg yawned. Shit. He didn't want to look at a clock. Thank god he didn't have to go in in the morning.

"Baby, doing anything with you naked in a bed sounds great to me. I think I'm about ready to call it a night, a morning, whatever the fuck it is. Whattya say?"

 

[Asa]

Yeah... Might be a good idea and then we can go roam around tomorrow before work... If we have time.

She smiled staring into his eyes.

 

[susurrus]

God, Greg loved that smile. She didn't use it nearly enough. He loved that he got to see it most often.

Greg dropped enough cash on the table to cover their bill and a tip, then got up, holding a hand out.

"C'mon, beautiful, let's go get naked and crawl in bed."

 

[Asa]

She snuggles close standing by him her hand in his.

I really would love for you to meet my brothers and uncle. They know I am seeing a cop and they know you are off limits period as anything other than mine. They mean a lot to me and you mean a lot to me. So one of these days it would be nice. But I do agree for now naked in bed is a great idea.

 

[susurrus]

Greg's heart skipped a beat. Meet Gabriella's "uncle" and "brothers"? There were any number of members of the force that would just love to be offered such a meeting. Trouble was, meeting them without the department knowing about it might be more damning for him than his relationship with Gabriella. Supposedly clandestine meetings with people such as the ones she was suggesting were either undercover operations, or the actions of a dirty cop. Greg was neither, but it'd be tough to convince certain people of that.

Still, it was really important to Gabriella that he meet them. Fuck. This was the "meet the family" part to the relationship that everybody goes through. The difference here was, the family the boyfriend is going to meet typically isn't a gang of killers and other nefarious things.

Without saying anything, Greg merely nodded. If he didn't do this, Gabriella wouldn't be happy about it. Oh, she'd understand: she was a crazy smart woman, but it'd put a wall between them.

Gabriella could obviously see the conflict going on inside him. For a minute, she let him brood, but then, brightly, almost like the character she'd played that first week at Lance's, she took his hand and said, "For now, naked in bed sounds like a great idea."

Relieved at the moment that she didn't press him for a more definite answer to her proposal, he smiled back, feeling his cock starting to stiffen at the thought of getting in bed with her once more.

The trip back to Greg's place was uneventful, and the mood was quite a bit lighter than it had been on the way out. Both of them were all smiles, and Greg felt honored that that smile was for him.

Then, impulsively, a few steps from the door, Greg scooped Gabriella off her feet and carried her the rest of the way. He had her dig in his pocket for the keys to his locks, and it was all great fun.

Inside, he needed to put her down so he could turn off the alarm. He still hadn't trusted Gabriella with that code. It had nothing to do with her "family." He wouldn't give that to anyone who was not legally his wife, and they were way, way far away from that...

 

[Asa]

She wasn't sure she understood his reservation about it. They were in a completely different state and no where within the jurisdiction of anyone from his precinct. Dismissing it she returned to what it seemed would really be the only thing between them... Simply fucking around naked in bed together. With that this normal dating thought seemed like his way of trying to add an angle that would never be just to offer it being nice. Clearly he did truly only see her as some crime family bitch to fuck.

Once he got the alarm code typed in. She plastered on one of her award winning fake smiles looking at him appearing to stifle a sleepy yawn.

Maybe you shouldn't have carried me. Reminded me how little sleep... We have gotten. Legs get some rest. Can't shake the feeling Lance might need me to work anyway and try to bargain with you about it.

 

[susurrus]

Gabriella wasn't happy with his hesitation about seeing her family. Her body language, and the stiffness in her pasted-on smile told him that much. It might have gotten by regular folks, but he'd been taught how to read body language, and everything in her current demeanor told him he'd disappointed her. He wasn't sure what she thought his reaction would be, considering everything. Oh well. They'd get past it.

As Gabriella started getting undressed, Greg stepped up to her and placed his hands on her hips. "I'm sorry if I made you mad. Really, I am. It may be too little too late, but I'll meet your uncle and brothers. If you say they're not going to try to coax me into anything (he almost said "corner," but managed to catch himself at the last moment) I trust you."

 

[Asa]

I already told you. They know you are off limits. Has gangland task noticed a substantial drop in Russian or Irish mob turf issues since I have been here? If anything they have been keeping most other gangs in line too for you all.

Greg... Uncle Alexi... He has a weekly lunch with his cousin... The chief of police of Boston and everyone knows it and knows better than to think either side is crooked or a sell out etc. They have done this since his cousin lost his step dad as a kid. Even before uncle retired and his cousin had just gotten promoted. Be he graduated with the Mayor's dad from highschool and they would shoot pool whenever they could till he was put in the nursing home. Hell uncle Alexi still goes to visit him.

Just because they have a dark side... Doesn't mean they are evil monsters... I have a dark side too you know? Was that normal dating thing just to be nice... Don't want to be seen out with some heartless killing monsters detective... Maybe we should keep it all hidden and secret like some unpardonable crime.

She couldn't stop the words nor the tears.

So which one of us scares you the most? Braddock... The youngest with the biggest file most lethal of them all. Bet not a single murder or attempted murder charge against him lists his reasons which I can tell you most of them are those untouchable slime who can get away with abusing people because they can. Pay off the courts have the most expensive lawyers of the protection of their fellow brothers in blue who turn a blind eye to a fellow cop besting the bell out of his wife or kids.

Or maybe Bastien and Ramiro... Or Uncle Alexi or his son? Or is it me? Distract me set us this nothing but sex arrangement to always know where I am... Taking one for the team so the cops don't have to worry about me going after anyone.

She was shaking and sobbing by now. Why had she thought be could be different? That this could be anything more than a "dirty little secret" fuck buddy for a cop...

 

[susurrus]

Greg felt horrible that he'd once more brought Gabriella to such a state. Fuck, he could be such a dumbass sometimes.

Of course, some of the revelations Gabriella told him were things that weren't in the files. Trouble was, regardless who his family typically targeted, the police department usually didn't discriminate between scum and civilians, the fact that a person was capable of killing another was the important part.

It seemed the more this evening went on, the farther the distance grew between them, and it was all his fault. Trouble was, he didn't know for sure how to alleviate Gabriella's fears. He felt like shit.

He tried to hold her as she cried, but she pulled away from him. Finally, he grabbed her and held her tightly enough that she couldn't easily escape.

"Look at me," he said softly, trying to ease her by using a quiet tone. When that didn't work, he repeated himself, more firmly. "Gabriella, look at me." Slowly, her tear-streaked face turned toward his. God, he hated seeing her look like hundreds of women who walked into the precinct every week.

"I have never had any intention of just 'using you'. A part of my fear is that there are people on the department who, if they found out about us, would try to pressure me into doing exactly that.

"Am I ashamed to be seen with you? Fuck, no! God, you are the hottest thing that's ever come into my life. I feel like, if anything, you are way above my pay grade.

"I wanted you the moment I saw you, and while there were plenty of guys asking you out, you said yes to me. You have no idea how thrilled I was about that. When I found out other things, I discovered I didn't really care.

"Yes, I will admit, I'm nervous about meeting your uncle and company, but anything else aside, I think more than anything, it's that, 'I want you to meet my folks' thing that happens in any relationship. It's a big step.

"You are more to me than just a fuck. A hell of a lot more. I look forward to seeing you when I walk in the door at Lance's after a day at work. I think of you a lot when we aren't together. I like that you smile at me - a REAL smile, not the one you give the guys at the bar, or the one you gave me a couple minutes ago.

"I have been thinking of you as my girlfriend for quite a while now. I didn't just ask you on a real, honest date just to be nice. I want to do something more with you than just watch you across a bar top or beneath - or on top - of me as we have sex. Do you have any idea how much I liked having a slice of pie with you tonight? It felt like we were just normal folks, having a nice time out together.

"Sometimes, I feel like I'm just a cop to you, too. I know it's just a pet name, but once in a while, when you use it, it kind of feels like you're using it as a shield, or a reminder.

"This is anything but a normal relationship. I understand that, and I'll admit I have more reservations about your family than you have about mine, but like I said a little bit ago: I trust you. If you want me to meet your family, I want to meet them because of that fact. If I had family here, I'd want you to meet them, too, but my brother's in North Dakota and my sister and mom are in Arizona, so you meeting them will have to wait.

"Set up the meeting for Tuesday. Let's have that be our date, or at least part of it."

He wasn't sure if any of this was going to smooth things over, or if she'd even buy any of it. He wasn't holding anything back or bending the truth at all. He hoped she'd be able to see that...