Gypsy

by Roux Cantrell

  There she found peace and quiet and thoughts of Nicolea. Her thoughts went straight to him. “Oh, this is so bad,” she said out loud.

  “I thought I would find you out here.”

  Mariquinn looked over at her older sister. “I was trying to find some alone time.”

  “I just wanted to tell you, if you need anything you can ask me.”

  Gypsy sat drinking Lagavulin, thinking over the conversation he had had with Mariquinn. Damn, the woman was sexy. This marriage thing may work out, possibly. Gypsy looked up to find Tabor sitting across from him. Not who he wanted to be looking at. Nor did he like the fact that Tabor had come in and taken a seat without him realizing it. Mariquinn was a distraction, a beautiful one, but one all the same.

  “You were deep in thought.”

  Gypsy only nodded. “Is there something that needs my attention?”

  Tabor shook his head no. He was just checking in on Gypsy. It was Tabor’s job to make sure his king needed nothing. “I’m calling it a night. You need anything?”

  Waving off Tabor, so the guy could get some rest. Before Tabor left, he turned back around asking the one question he tried not thinking about for his friend. “Gypsy, you think you’re cut out for marriage? Cut out for marriage with this girl?”

  “I think you will be surprised.” Hell, he was surprised.

  “I will take your word on it.”

  “Good night, Tabor.”

  Tabor headed out for his own place. He had a woman waiting on him and he never liked keeping her waiting. As he left, Tabor couldn’t help thinking his friend may possibly be thinking clearly about Mariquinn. Stopping, Tabor turned towards Gypsy. “Gypsy, are you really sure about this? She doesn’t understand us. I mean no offense, but the girl isn’t from our world.”

  “What do you mean? Mariquinn is a gypsy. She understands our lives.”

  “She’s not in our lifestyle.”

  “She will learn.” Gypsy watched his friend leave. As the door closed, he went back to thinking about Mariquinn. She wasn’t in their lifestyle. He should explain things to her. The rules were law, no excuses.

  Velean drummed her fingers on the table, waiting for the waiter to bring her drink. Her mind ran over the fact that Nicolea broke their relationship off. Whoever this woman was, he would never see the marriage through. Nicolea needed a certain kind of woman. Plus, no woman would marry a man she never laid eyes on. Velean looked up to find a tall, brutally handsome man standing before her. She looked him up and down. He had an appeal that Velean found sexy. “Can I help you?”

  “May I sit?”

  Velean pointed to the empty seat. She assumed he had something to say. He was dressed nicely in a custom dark grey suit and a baby blue silk shirt opened at the collar. Velean wondered what he smelled like. She loved a man that smelled nice.

  Velean watched as he unbuttoned his jacket, took a seat, and signaled for the waiter to bring him a drink. He must be a regular. The waiter came over with their drinks. The unnamed man sitting across from her ordered dinner for them both in fluent Italian. Velean was liking him more and more.

  “I’m sure you’re wondering who I am and what I want.”

  “Something like that.”

  Alex smirked watching Velean. She was certainly a woman used to getting everything she wanted and absolutely bored to death of everything. “My name is Alexander Razvanovic, and this is my establishment.”

  Velean smiled wickedly. “What else should I know about you?”

  Watching the vixen in front of him perk up had Alex leaning back in his chair. Two could play the game, he could look just as bored with her now that he got her attention. “That you, my dear, should have held on to your boyfriend. He’s gotten in between me and the woman I want to marry.”

  Velean sat back staring at Alexander. So, this man wants Nicolea’s intended. Why would she not want to marry him? Well, he wasn’t the king of the gypsies for one. It seemed they needed to get to know each other a little better. “It seems we both want the same things. We should discuss this further.”

  “It seems I’m ahead of you. Dinner should be served shortly. Can I get your drink freshened up?”

  “Please.”

  Mariquinn could only smile when her other sister and mother quietly sank into chairs on the porch. No one said anything, they just sat listening to the night. Her father walked out. Before he could speak, they all waved him back inside. Mariquinn knew her mother and sisters were waiting on her to speak. Problem was, she had nothing really to say. Or did she? “Mother, do we have to stick to traditions?”

  Her mother never looked her way as she spoke. “Well, I think the white dress and veil are out.”

  All at once, the entire porch erupted in laughter. Mariquinn laughed right along with her sisters. Her mother stifled a laugh with her hands. Mariquinn got up. Walking over, she sat on her mother’s lap and tugged her mother’s hand from her mouth. “Laugh Mama, it’s okay to laugh. I don’t have to wear black, do I?” Her mother shooed her away as she got up laughing.

  “I should make you wear one of those red letters on your chest.”

  “I would rethink that Mama. Then everyone would know what a harlot our Mariquinn is.”

  “Lyalya, that is wrong, plain and simple,” her mother fussed.

  When their mother went inside, it was Mariquinn's oldest sister who smiled wickedly. “You know Mother was listening at your door while you were on the phone with Nicolea.”

  Mariquinn's eyes got the size of saucers. “Oh, dear God,” she said out loud. “We were having phone” . . .she couldn’t even finish saying the words. Mariquinn was mortified by the thought of her poor Mama hearing her youngest child moan and beg a man to help her get off over the phone.

  “It must have been one hell of a conversation to have Mama banging on your door for ten minutes straight.” Kathleen howled laughing, as she fell from the chair slapping her hand on the porch.

  “Ten minutes? I only heard her knock one.”

  Mariquinn's sisters busted out laughing again.

  Chapter Nine

  Gypsy had called the night before letting Mariquinn know their evening would have to be postponed another night. Although, he had made time to call her, Mariquinn had more questions than before. Too much time on her hands had her over thinking things.

  She ran her hand along the back of the sleek leather sofa as she walked behind it, trying to figure out what she wanted to ask him. They had had a very interesting conversation on the phone a few nights before and she needed more information. He had not only commanded her with his deep, sexy voice to do things to herself that she didn’t normally do, but he explained in detail what his sexual preferences were.

  Now, she found herself in his private living room. Which was so masculine, overwhelming, and intimidating in every way, that her head spun trying to take it all in.

  “You haven’t said anything, Mariquinn. What are you thinking over there and why are you all the way over there?” Gypsy remained sitting, watching and waiting.

  Mariquinn smiled as she shook her finger at him. “I am not falling for your moves again today. We need to talk. And I do not need you whispering sexy things in my ear.”

  Even though Mariquinn couldn’t see that Gypsy was smiling he was. Sitting deep in the shadows Gypsy adorned the leather mask partially hiding his face from her eyes. He wanted to do more than whisper sexy things in her ear.

  “Please take a seat. I will stay right here.”

  “Promise?” Mariquinn wished he would sit where she could see him.

  “Yes, I promise.” Again, he smiled.

  Mariquinn stepped around the sofa and sat down. She tried to sit like a lady but in the end, she kicked her shoes off and tucked her feet underneath her. Laying her head against the sofa, she looked in his direction. He sat there in his very dark masculine chair with black slacks, a white dress shirt untucked, and his hair... His hair. What would it feel like to wrap her hands in it and tug him t
o her, so she could kiss him? Mariquinn snapped her thoughts back into focus. Was he smiling at her from behind that mask? She wanted him out of the shadows. Gypsy was just enough in the shadows that she couldn’t get a good feel for his face at all. She barely made out the mask he wore. She was beginning to not like that damned mask or the shadows. Once again, she took him in. She loved that he was relaxed, lounging in the chair. He was even barefoot. She loved that also. He seemed so sure of himself, comfortable in his own skin.

  “Mariquinn.”

  Mariquinn looked up. “What do you get out of D/S relationships?” There, she asked the question that had kept her up all night.

  “In a true D/S relationship, both parties take pleasure, or even erotic enjoyment, from either dominating or being dominated.”

  Mariquinn raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

  “It’s so much more than submission. It’s a relationship between two consenting parties.”

  “Are you a master of sorts?”

  Shaking his head, no, quickly. “I have no need for a slave.” He explained being a Dominant and being a master were two different things. He explained that some women wanted a master, others wanted a dominant.

  “I would like you to explain it to me please, so I understand.”

  Gypsy explained that to be a dominant was his personality. His sexual likes and dislikes were his preferences. That was how he thought about it. Women such as Velean searched for men like him.

  Mariquinn sat quietly, listening to him explain the different facets of his life. He explained a D/S relationship verses a M/S one. When he told her, they could easily have a D/S relationship over the phone, he captured Mariquinn's attention.

  “On the phone the other night, you were testing me?”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “Did I pass?”

  He nodded a yes.

  Laying her head back against the sofa, she listened to his voice as he told her things about himself that he felt she should know and understand. Gypsy explained that the dynamic between them would, on some level, be intensely physical.

  Mariquinn nodded off a couple of times. It was Gypsy’s fault she was tired. He kept her up late last night. He couldn’t sleep, so he had messaged her to call him. For hours, he had seduced her. He had climbed into her headspace and started digging out what made Mariquinn tick.

  Gypsy lifted Mariquinn into his arms after she nodded off, watching as she snuggled deeper against him, Gypsy headed for the master bedroom. Looking down at Mariquinn, he wondered if he should stay or go.

  He needed to just lay all his cards on the table. Really, did he need his father’s money or to be king? What if he stepped down until Velean found a husband? That was a thought. Slipping the mask off he laid it on the side table crawling in behind Mariquinn. Sliding a hand under her top, he cupped her breast and pressed his erection against her ass. Thinking how nice they fit together.

  Feeling a hand on her breast and a warm hard body pressed against her backside as she stirred awake, Mariquinn wondered what time it was. Realizing she was in Gypsy’s bed as she lay still until she felt him move quickly away from her. Glancing over her shoulder she saw he was already sitting on the side of the bed.

  “I won’t look. Promise Gypsy.”

  Gypsy nodded continuing to sit on the side of the bed with his back to her, he reached for the mask.

  “My eyes are closed. I won’t open them until you tell me I can.”

  “If you would like to stay the night, I can call your father?”

  “I would like that.”

  Mariquinn laid back down allowing him to pull the small coverlet from the end of the bed, covering her up before heading back to the den. He had some thinking to do. Before he left her alone he told her he would return shortly.

  Chapter Ten

  It had been a week since Mariquinn's father had announced she would be marrying Gypsy. She had yet to meet his parents. Knowing from their many conversations that family was extremely important to him, Mariquinn wondered why he hadn’t arranged that.

  Was he embarrassed on some level? Did they not know about the deal between he and Velean? Turning to look at her future husband as they walked out onto the patio, she bit the bullet and asked. “Why haven’t you taken me to meet your parents?”

  “Because of the deal with Velean.”

  Okay, so that was the situation. At least now she knew.

  “Anything else on your mind?”

  Oh, boy was there. Like what did Velean have that held so much power? When would he take her to bed? What was he waiting on? Maybe she should make that move. “What does she have on you?”

  Looking down at her before answering. “It’s nothing like murder.” Could he trust her? He needed to. “About ten years ago, I set off a chain of events. Events that as a younger, out of control man I didn’t know or care what they would mean.”

  Mariquinn listened as they walked. She tried not to worry about what he would say next.

  “You know from what I have told you that my family means everything to me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I have two families.”

  Mariquinn stopped, bringing Gypsy to a halt. “Explain.”

  He pulled her along without saying another word. Bringing her into an area she hadn’t been in before. There were children’s toys and books everywhere. Her heart began to pound in her chest. Was he already married? A framed picture sat on a shelf. In it were three children. Two girls and a boy. They all seemed to be either the same age or stepping stones in age. “These are my children. I was never married to their mother.” Because of Gypsy’s refusal to marry the girl, she had gotten involved with drugs becoming abusive to their children. One night he went to get the children after receiving a panicked call from a neighbor. Gypsy and the children's mother had argued. Gypsy took the children bringing them to his home. That was almost five years ago.

  Elena, their mother, went out. She got high and drunk. On her way from one location to the next, she was involved in a car accident. She died instantly. The passengers in the other car were a young couple. The young man was badly injured but survived. His wife died.

  “If I would have left things alone that night or if I would have stayed with her in that hell, those people would have never encountered her.” he all but whispered.

  Picking up the picture, all she saw were beautiful children. Wondering for a moment what their children would look like if they managed to pull this off. Mariquinn wondered why would having children be grounds for blackmail? Turning, she saw him picking up toys and righting the room. How endearing. “How old are the children?”

  Not looking up, he didn’t want to see the accusation in her eyes. “Six.”

  “All three of them?”

  Gypsy nodded. “Triplets, who knew?”

  Without thinking, Mariquinn blurted out her thoughts. “We could have triplets!”

  Gypsy shrugged. “You still want to go through with this after what I have done?”

  “You weren’t the one driving the car.”

  “I knew she was going to go out.”

  “She was not your responsibility. The bigger question I have is how is this even blackmail? Why have you allowed this woman to hold your babies over your head like an embarrassment.”

  “Now wait a minute, before you judge me.” Gypsy’s defenses were up. “My parents don’t know about my children. Being that I never married Elena, my parents would be embarrassed and mortified that they have bastard grandchildren. They are, for the lack of a better word, old fashioned, ancient in their ways and customs.”

  “When can I meet them? Who takes care of them? What ever happened to the man?” Mariquinn shook her head. Holding up her hands in surrender, she stopped him from speaking. “Sorry, that was a lot of questions.”

  “No, it’s fine. You can meet them whenever you would like. I have an excellent nanny. And he’s doing very well. I check on him weekly. I paid for all his medical expens
es and have helped him through the years to get on his feet after the accident.”

  She continued looking at the picture. “Wow, triplets could be in our future. That would give us six kids.”

  Stepping up behind her, Gypsy encircled her with his arms. Resting his chin atop her head, asking, “So, you want to have kids with me?”

  Mariquinn elbowed him in the stomach before laughing. “What are their names?”

  He pointed at a blond hair boy. “That is Maxim.” Pointing to the other boy who had dark brown hair. “That rascal is Gabriel. And the beauty there is Tatiana. She’s my angel.”

  “I can’t wait to meet them.”

  “We can have breakfast with them in the morning.”

  “How will that work with the whole “I can’t see your entire face’ thing happening?” She asked leaning against him.

  Realizing that may be a slight problem. He would think about it and come up with a plan. Mariquinn stared at the little girl in the photo. She had spiral curls that hung down her back that were jet black and deep blue eyes that were much too old for her age.

  She returned the photo to its rightful place and turned to look at him. “I want to be alone with you, just you and me.”

  Gypsy knew what she meant; no guards, no intrusions. Tugging her along, they went across the courtyard, into his private den. He was trying to take his time with her. Trying not to be demanding or domineering over her. But tonight, they would both get something they needed. Not everything they needed, but something to take the edge off.

  “Mariquinn.”

  She stopped him from speaking. Looking at him, her eyes smoldering with want and need. With that look, she let him know whatever he wanted she would give to him. Mariquinn had worn a simple, dark blue wrap dress paired with bone colored heels. Wanting to look nice for him. Hoping he would see her as more of a woman than a girl. After all, she was almost thirty, okay she had a few years but still. What was underneath the dress she hoped he loved.