Soulmate to the mafia don

Chapter - 9

"Jocelyn...?" I spoke the name softly, carefully as the two of us sipped the coffee we were having in a private room. It had almost been a week since I had the deal with him and my time was nearing to an end. His mother, a lovely woman of 47 looked up from her cup and smiled at me softly.

"Yes Valerie, my dear?" Her voice was meek and small, a voice trained to never raise.

"How do you... How are you... how does your...-" I found myself at a loss of words, not knowing how to raise the subject. Of all the things I had thought about in the past week, it was obvious of my dumb self to think of a plan to ask the main damn question.

"How am I okay with my husband controlling me? Ruling over me? Owning me as if I'm a possession? Treating me like a toy? Degrading me if I retaliate? Humiliating me if I speak up? Are those the questions you're looking for dearie?" Her voice was calm unlike the swirl of emotions in her eyes, one most clear among them, sympathy and other some, which hid behind her wise loving eyes- pain and bitterness.

I knew it.

"Why do you not fight?" She shrugged helplessly, placing the cup down and holding my hand in her as if trying to assure me. My heart broke for the woman as she smiled a loving teary eyed smile while looking at my hands, a shuddered breath heard in the room as it was taken to clam herself down.

She was in pain. She was in so much pain.

My hand rested on her shoulder, trying to comfort the woman that had treated me like her own child the second she had laid eyes on me. The woman that had given me hope, false hope I knew- that if something were to happen she'd have my back. The only person in this house I felt safe with. The only person in front of whom I had let my guard down.

"I did. God I did. He just got more... forceful. He's my soulmate Val dear, I can't help but love him. And after a year or so of fighting against him, I just couldn't anymore. How could I? I'm just a woman who was mated to a man feared by all. I had my own fears. I had to give it up. So I did."

"Slowly, gradually, I just willed myself to stop caring about it. William is worse than my boy. He... hurts. I couldn't take it anymore. All I wanted was my mate and then... when he said he'll be the mate I wanted once I-" A bitter smile took over her features as she spat the next word out, her face twisting into that of anger I didn't knew she was capable of, "submitted to him. So I did. I just wanted my mate dearie. Just that comfort which unfortunately only he could provide." God it was too similar.

She broke into soft cries, not a sound leaving her lips as I realized that she had got herself to keep it quiet. A few tears left my own when I realized my life would be the same. Hugging her tightly, I let go only after she had quietened down.

"I can't live like that." I whispered quietly, my voice clogged up. I can't. I can't.

"You'll get used to it." She spoke calmly, running her hand in my head with a sad little broken smile.

I shook my head no as we fell into silence.

"You want to tell me why you were asking?" She asked after a while, blowing her nose and looking at me pointedly, the voice too prideful to let me feel pity for its owner anymore. She may be hurt but she was wise.

Way too wise.

I decided to just tell her the truth, too mentally exhausted to make up something.

"Your son and I made a deal." She stiffened, her eyes hardening just the slightest bit. I wouldn't blame her if she hated me after this.

"He told me to see if you were happy living like you are and if you are, I'd have to submit to him; if you aren't- he'll accept me for me and not try to..." I let the sentence trail, knowing she'll get the drift.