Dangerous 2

Chapter 6

After dinner there was time for a drink or a coffee in the lounge.
Nicole helped Wendy to clean up after the meal even tough Wendy said she didn't need any help.
Nicole knew she didn't need any help but she was thankful to have an excuse to leave her husband and his family for a while.
"What do you think of them so far?" Wendy asked as she did the dishes.
"I like them, you were right about Rico, he's really easy to talk with and funny."
Nicole didn't mention that Marco made her very uncomfortable but there was something she really wanted to know.
"Wendy, what about their mother? Where is she?"
Wendy stopped in her movement and turned to Nicole "I'm afraid that's a question you will have to ask Vincent."
There was a small smile on her face but it was more a sad one than a happy one.
Nicole nodded and looked down at her hands "I better go out to Vincent now. Goodnight Wendy."
"Goodnight dear."

In the lounge they had been talking business for a while but Michel had gotten tired of it after a while and changed the topic.
"How is she doing after the brutal kidnapping?"
Michel asked Vincent who was surprised by the question.
Honestly they hadn't talked about that at all but he had to keep the facade up.
"I believe it was good for her and for us to leave Italy for a while."
"A while? You were gone for seven months." Marco said with a snort but Michel didn't seem to care about his comment instead he asked.
"Do you love her?"
Once again Vincent was taken by surprise but to his luck Nicole walked inside the room and said with a teasing smile on her lips
"You better answer correct if you don't want your family to meet my Italian wrath."
She approached him and sat down in the couch next to him.
Vincent slung an arm over her shoulder and said while smirking
"Would "not at all" count as the right answer?"
Vincent leaned in and tried to give her a kiss on the cheek but Nicole turned his face to him and put a hand on his chest giving him a smile.
"Wrong answer, no kisses for you mister."
Rico and Michel was watching their exchange with amused expressions on their faces even Marco's facial expression was amused.
Vincent continued to look at her even when Nicole turned her face to the other men.
She placed her hand at Vincent's knee and gave it a pat before speaking
"Aren't you tired after your journey? Your rooms are ready if you'd like to retire to them."
Nicole made a quick pause and looked at Vincent "I, for one, will now retire to our room and I look forward to see you in the morning."
The men nodded and as she stood up they all did the same.
"We won't keep him downstairs for long." Michel said with a small smile as he kissed her hand as a goodnight.
"I appreciate it." Nicole said with a smile and sent Vincent a wink as a part of the wife character before leaving the room.

Rico and Marco had excused themselves only a few minutes after Nicole.
Now there was only Vincent and Michel left in the lounge.
"I like her." Michel said and Vincent nodded waiting for the rest.
"She's a perfect match for you. She's beautiful, intelligent, funny and just as stubborn and most importantly she's not afraid of letting you know when you're wrong."
Vincent wanted to snort but instead he gave his father smile. His father was right, she was no longer afraid of speaking her mind, not at all.
His father stood up and so did Vincent and with a pointing finger Michel continued
"You better take good care of her because you can not afford to lose her. For your own sake."
Vincent wanted to laugh. If his father only knew how much pain and trouble Nicole had caused him then his words might would have been different.
Michel gave him a pat on the shoulder and said "Now go upstairs to her. We'll eat breakfast together all of us before we leave tomorrow."
Vincent nodded "Goodnight father." and then he made his way upstairs.
Tomorrow the men of the family would leave the house for a meeting with a new business partner.

Nicole was standing by the window buttoning her newly-bought silk pajama when Vincent entered the room.
She didn't turn around or say anything, she remained in the same position, doing the same thing.
Vincent took of his suit jacket, unbuttoned a few of the buttons and went into the bathroom.
He washed his face and stared at it in the mirror.
This was the first time they would sleep together in over seven months.
When he came out Nicole was sitting in the bed reading so he took her place by the window.
Vincent observed her, how her eyes flew over the pages and how she bit her lip every once in a while.
With a questioning look she looked up at him.
"You played your part well today." He said with lack of emotion.
"Thank you." She said with a matching tone.
"What are you reading?"
He didn't know why he had asked that but she simply answered "Remains of the day."
Nicole was surprised by his question but she didn't show it.
"Are you going to stand there?" She asked as she put down her book at the nightstand next to her bed.
"Yes." Vincent answered distant and with a sigh Nicole reached for the switch but stopped for a second and said
"You better stay on your side of the bed. Otherwise..."
Vincent just rolled his eyes and she turned off the light but he remained standing by the window for a while.
Nicole couldn't fall asleep and as she felt Vincent slid down under the blanket she didn't dare to turn around.
It was dark but she knew that if she just stretched out her leg she would touch him.
Soon Nicole was asleep or at least it sounded like that to Vincent.
He couldn't sleep as he listened to her soft breathing.
This would be a long night even tough they both were exhausted after this day of acting no one of them could relax knowing that the other person was laying inches away.