Tainted

15

~Sebastian~

I sat my wife in her space in my car and got her the fuck away from the house the second I could, leaving the boys the handle everything in her room with her mother. A weight was lifted off my shoulders the second she put that pen back down and passed it over to me. But getting her out of that house? Watching her breathe for the first time ever? Her eyes closed as I pulled down country roads.

I'm married. To a beautiful, smart, strong, fiery woman who would no doubt spend the rest of our lives together giving me headaches and causing me problems but if Pip was going to be a problem, she will be my problem. My wife. Poppy O'Neill is now Poppy Di Leo. My father is probably turning in his grave.

"Where are we going?" She finally speaks and I slow down. I wanted her to settle before I said anything. This was huge and I can only imagine it being scary for her. I pulled the car into the side of the road, set my chair back and patted my lap. "Where-"

"Pip. Come sit on your husband's lap. I want to tell you our plans and give you something but I want you in my lap when I do." She huffed, tugging her dress up as she climbed over. I like her here. This close. If I could drive with her here like this, I wouldn't even let her move. "First things first. What did Cian do this morning?"

"Nothing this morning. You got there and he was told to bring me back downstairs."

"You say this morning? Did he touch you last night? After they got home, after we spoke?" She nodded. My message hadn't worked. Maybe he needs a reminder. I tucked some hair behind her ear, leaning to kiss her cheek quickly. "It's all over now Pip. I won't touch you unless you want me to. You can say no. If things are heated and you want to stop I need you to remember one word for me okay?"

"Like a safe word?"

"Exactly. One word that no matter where we are, what we're doing, that one word leaves your mouth and I'll stop whatever's happening, get you out of there safe. Even if it's us. If you use it during sex we stop and I make sure you're okay. You use it whilst we're - I don't know, driving too fast. I'll stop. No matter what. What word shall we go with?"

"I don't know." I wanted her to choose it. A word she's comfortable using if she needs it. A word she'll remember and remember to use correctly. "Plum?"

"Think you'll remember it?" She nods. "Okay then. Plum's our safe word. If you ever, ever feel uncomfortable with something Pip, you use that. Will you do that for me?" She nods quickly again. "Good girl. Want to know our plans for the weekend?"

"Don't you have to work?"

"Not now beautiful. Weekends are for my wife. I might have to occasionally. But I'll be home with you and we can do things together." Her smile grew slightly. "I wanted to take you away for a honeymoon but I thought it might be a lot all at once so we can go away another time. I have, however, decided to show you around our other house over here."

"Other?" I chuckled. "As in One, Two?"

"Yes Pip. Multiple. We have 5. Golbury obviously. One in the south of France, North and South Italy and where we're heading now. To Haverford." She tipped her head slightly. "It's a small town about 2 hours away. You'll love it. There's 3 bookstores and an art store by a river. The next town over has a load of independent art galleries filled with local artists." I carried on explaining the town to her. I've never believed there was a difference in someone physically when they fell in love but as I was describing this to her, my wife's eyes doubled in size. She was falling in love with Haverford before I even got her up there. This was the reaction I was looking for.

"Well why are we still parked here?!" I chuckled as she tried to climb out of her spot but I pulled her back down and she pouted. POUTED. Like a child.

"I'm not done." She huffed again. I lifted the arm of the chair, pulling out the red box and placing it in her hand, holding mine over it. "I know this is probably not how you imagined yourself getting married Pip. I'll give you whatever kind of wedding you want next year. But until then, there is no reason we can't wear these." I pulled my hand away and she slowly opened the box to reveal her engagement ring and our wedding rings. I grabbed mine, showing her the inside. The word 'Pip' raised in the metal.

"They did it wrong."

"No baby. It's like that so if I ever take it off, your name will be pressed into my skin." I slipped it on and took the box from her. "You get 3. Your wedding ring. Engagement ring. And a promise ring. That's this one." I slipped her wedding ring on, promise ring, and sealed it with the engagement ring. "That one is a promise that everything that happened to you at your parent's, won't be happening with me. A promise that you're safe and that I will always put you above everyone else, myself included."

"What do you want from me?" I felt my face react before I could ask her what she meant. "If you're-"

"Pip I don't want anything from you."

"But-" I grabbed her face, squishing it slightly until she breathed in and it made a noise that made her fight a giggle.

"But nothing love. Knowing you're safe and happy with me is all I want." Pip wrapped her arms around my neck, lowering her head down into the crook of my neck. Some primal instinct kicked me in the gut. A reward for whatever the hell I was doing as I wrapped my arms tight around her waist, extending one forearm up the length of her spin and spreading my fingers. "I've got you now Pip. You're my wife. No one touches what's mine. No one hurts what's mine." She nodded and I could feel her tears on my skin so I pulled her in tighter.

"Yours." She whispered. Mine.

I let her stay there for a little while before helping her back into her seat where she fell asleep for the rest of the drive, hand in mine. I wanted to show her around when we got here. Show her how I'd had the place littered with Sunflowers because I knew she loved them. Something I'd vowed to do as often as I possibly could. Sunflowers and every other type of flower she could pull apart if she wanted to. Instead, I let her sleep, carried her up to her room in this place, left her phone in the bed beside her with a text telling her to tell me when she wakes up and I'll show her everything.

Right now, I needed to work out how I make that asshole realize him touching my wife was the biggest mistake of his fucking life. One final warning. Just because her father would go ballistic and I'd like for Poppy to enjoy not worrying about things for a little while. She cares so much for her mother I know it would lead to some sleepless nights worrying about her. He's a very very lucky man. Lucky that I've promised to put Poppy above all else. Otherwise, I'd have slaughtered him there on those stairs the second I knew what he'd been doing with her.

No one touches what's mine.

I won't hesitate if he tries again.