Owning Bella Ch. 05

"No!" Bella exclaimed, "He would never say that, quite the opposite actually," It was true he never had, but his friends had, and she knew they would never think she was good enough for him.

"Then you are assuming he is disappointed?" Joe was trying to follow her logic, "You have hurt him and run away because of an assumption? Not anything he has actually done?"

"It sounds so dumb when you put it like that but," she felt tears well again, "I guess I just realised that people would never think I was good enough to be dating someone like him."

Joe wanted to swear, his radiant beautiful daughter voicing such self doubt, "Did that knock on the head make your brains leak out?"

Bella looked at her father, of course he believed her to be the best, and she smiled through her tears, "Maybe," she said feeling foolish talking to her father about her love life.

"Rest then," he said, "Facing your mother with this story will be like walking into the Spanish inquisition."

"Can't we just tell her I was homesick?" Bella asked plaintively.

"Do you think she will believe that any more than I did?" Joe countered and laughed.

Bella sat back in her seat and looked out the window as they headed for home.

*****

Mel hung up his phone and sat back in his chair. That was certainly not the conversation he thought he would have with Joe when he found out about his and Bella's relationship. True them man did not understand the full extent of their relationship, but he knew that they had been intimate and seemed to accept it.

After the eventful weekend, the party, Jim, moving Bella to a new apartment, they should have settled into a routine this week and been able to explore their new relationship properly, but they had spent only one uninterrupted night together amidst the new drama's that plagued them. He could see why she had left when she did. He had been so busy trying to protect her that he had failed to look after her as she needed to be.

Mel had known once she was aware of who he was, and the lifestyle he wanted with her that it would be hard for her to accept. What he hadn't realised though, was that in taking her into his collar meant changing his ways as well. He had not understood her plea's during the lunch for his touch, his attention, the freedom of a walk to be away from his babysitters. She didn't understand why it had to be that way because once again he hadn't explained.

He smiled at her resourcefulness, calling Joe as she had was probably the only way out of that apartment, and she knew it. Once again he was amazed by her and wondered at what exactly she had told her father about their relationship. It can't have been anything to paint him in a bad light as Joe had encouraged him to come down for the weekend and see her and work things out. The conversation was fairly brief, and Mel had been stunned by Joe's acknowledgement of his relationship with Bella and had not pushed his luck at the time.

Before the call, Mel had spoken to Rob at length as well as Jack and Dusty, but it was when he returned to his company office that he was given a few home truths by Dorothea. "You get no sympathy from me, Mel Mirano," Dorothea had stood in his office with her hands on her hips, "I told you on Tuesday that she was intelligent and needed explanations or she would come up with them herself." Mel had opened his mouth to argue, but she spoke over the top of him, "She had an accident, she didn't mean for it to happen and then not only did you take her freedom away and give her baby sitters, you took yourself away from her. I would bet my house that she even tried to beg you to stay with her, use her, anything to get your attention back before she finally left."

Mel's eyes had widened with acknowledgement and Dorothea nodded, "I expected better of you when you finally took a girl as your own, but it turns out you're no better than the majority of pretenders down at that club. The truly awful thing though, the very thing that galls me... is that she is at home right now undoubtedly blaming herself for the whole mess while you, Mr I-don't-explain-myself-to-anyone Mirano will come out smelling like roses as usual. I am taking the afternoon off," Dorothea said disgustedly and left him staring after her as she muttered, "You all want the girls to trust you implicitly but then lie and keep secrets, yeah that builds trust." She laughed mirthlessly as the door closed behind her.

It took a few minutes for Mel to regain his wits after such a sharp blow to his already battered ego. He caught Dorothea before she stepped into the lift. "You're right," he almost yelled stopping her in her tracks and she turned to face him.

"Then let her go. She deserves better," Dorothea was abrupt and still had the edge of anger in her voice.

"No," Mel stared flatly at the older woman.

"Then get away from all this, the company, your precious club, the people who have been more involved in your relationship than you have and win her trust back, you arrogant asshole. You took her submission for granted as soon as she gave it, now it's your turn to show her how much it means to you, not to your friends or your status at the club, to you, Mel Marino, the man she loves," Dorothea finally let the lift doors close and left Mel standing there alone. She smiled to herself. That parting shot couldn't have worked out better if she had planned it.

Mel had walked slowly back into his office, it was no good getting angry about Dorothea's lack of respect, there was only one man she had ever respected enough to hold her tongue for, James, her late husband and Master and Mel's mentor through the early years of the company and the club. He had loved them both like surrogate parents, and since James' death Mel had watched over Dorothea not that she wanted for anything except a good spanking and perhaps a gag, he chuckled to himself.

The phone call from Joe had interrupted his contemplation of what each of his friends had said and sitting back in his chair now he contemplated the chaos that had surrounded him since the weekend. In four days his obsession with owning the only girl who he had ever contemplated taking as his own had turned their worlds upside down and he admitted, he had not built a very firm base on which to build their unique relationship, he had just set about the everyday aspects of training her to his liking. He considered those among his friends that he valued, and the relationships he had built with them over time.

He called Rob and their business lawyer, Stuart, setting up a dinner meeting, and set about tying up loose ends on several business projects nearing completion. The phone rang in his office, and Mel put it on speaker. Kurt's voice boomed, "Looks like I have to announce myself, Dorothea's done a runner."

"Come on in, I wanted to see you anyway," Mel chuckled feeling lighter since the brief conversation with Joe and planning to call him back as soon as he had a few things in place.

Kurt swaggered in, "I just got a phone call from Bella's mother, some sort of birthday lunch for you on Sunday, thought I better suss out the details before agreeing, though if she is making macaroons I will probably go regardless of your opinion." Kurt smirked surprised to hear Mel's chuckle after the departure of Bella.

"Yeah, seems they want to thank me for defiling their daughter," Mel said with a perfectly straight face making Kurt almost choke on the expletive he let out.

"Want to run that by me again," Kurt said.

"Bella told them, not all the details of course, but that we have been seeing each other," Mel was still a bit surprised about it himself.

Kurt whistled, "So they invite you and your friends over to celebrate? I guess even an old man like you is a prize after that arrogant prick, Jim."

Mel raised an eyebrow at him before chuckling and nodding in agreement, "If the few things I am trying to do this afternoon work out, there wont be a barbecue on Sunday, but feel free to accept for now if you like, I assume Dianne will be coming with you, if it goes ahead."

"Yeah, I guess I should wrap her throat in something more permanent before she realises she has choices. It works for us, the way it is, though, I am happy, but I guess you know that," he shrugged. "Making sudden changes doesn't seem to work out so well in our lifestyle it seems. Everything okay with you then?" Kurt asked tentatively.

"I'm working it out. You know me, it may take longer than expected but I always get what I want in the end," he grimaced, "I am not particularly well known for my patience but I want her, and I am willing to do what it takes."

"Don't let the business world know that you are open to compromise, I will never get a deal done again," Kurt smirked.

"You're a great businessman Kurt and an even better friend, I probably haven't said it out loud, but I want you to know how much I appreciate you stepping up when I have needed you to, here, at the club and personally," Mel said sincerely. "You and Stephen both have saved my sanity, since Kitty..." He paused briefly leaving the sentence unsaid, "And then Rob losing his grip on reality for a while."

Kurt looked at Mel, "Stephen and I both know that already, we're your friends Mel, not just employees."

"Great," Mel said, "Then you won't mind organising a birthday breakfast for me at the club with the usual suspects, no girl's, just the men."

"I'll get right on it, boss," Kurt saluted and laughed loudly as he left the office.

*****

Rosie was overjoyed, Bella was here and finally talking to her woman to woman. It had taken her the past few days since seeing Mel and Bella together at the hospital to come to grips with the fact that her beautiful daughter was involved with their long time friend, but as she watched Bella's face she could see the genuine feelings there. Joe had explained the unconventional marriage of Jenny and Mel, she had been shocked at first, and Joe hard laughed until he cried when she asked plaintively, "Why didn't Jenny ever flirt with me?"

Bella sat wrapped up in her pyjamas on the end of the comfortable couch sipping hot chocolate and talking with her mother. Growing up she had imagined her parents only had sex once in their lives, and that was to conceive her. Bella was having trouble with the notion of her mother seriously being offended that Jenny never found her attractive enough to flirt with. "This conversation is just so wrong on so many levels," Bella complained.

Rosie laughed, "You're not a little girl anymore, come on you must have thought about being a woman just once?"

Bella blushed, and their playful banter continued until Joe came into the room, "Mel just rang to check that you were alright," he said kissing Bella on the head, "and wish you sweet dreams."

Bella's eyes began to mist and she curled deeper into her corner of the lounge. "Aw baby," Rosie patted her leg, "Don't you think he is the best judge of who he wants to be with?" Rosie had listened as her daughter had cried about not being good enough for Mel and thinking she constantly disappointed him, when she first arrived home. Rosie realised how much her daughter cared for Mel by the fact that she only blamed herself, never him. Bella had only spoken about him in the best of light and for that Rosie thanked the heavens. That realisation of the true feelings of their relationship had dispelled any fears Rosie had about Mel taking advantage of Bella's naivety.

Joe sat in a close by sofa chair and said quietly, "You could always take the trip to Italy your Aunt and Uncle offered. Is your passport up to date?"

Bella smiled, "I renewed it last year yeah before I got the job with Mel, I was planning on a gap year, though I hadn't been brave enough to tell you or Jim or anyone at the time."

"Good then that gives you something else to think about if you truly want time to think about things. Is it here or at your apartment?" I need to go back to the city on Monday anyway I could pick it up for you," Joe had spoken to Mel about his plans to take Bella away on a holiday, close enough to her Aunt and Uncle if she became upset again but far enough away that they could just be together and enjoy each other without the worry of outside influences. Mel had been relieved that Joe and Rosie knew that he loved their daughter and that the relationship had only formed when Bella had come to work for him, all grown up and unbelievably beautiful.

"It's here," Bella smiled, "All that sort of important stuff is, birth certificate, passport, university degree."

"Let's all have an early night, we have a party to plan tomorrow and cook for," Rosie grinned, "That toy boy of mine will only come if I make macaroons." She laughed as Joe rolled his eyes in despair and got up to start turning out lights.

"It will all work out Ellie, trust me," Joe hugged his arm around her shoulder as they walked up the stairs.

******

Mel had spent the night in deep negotiations with Rob and their company lawyer drawing up new contracts for Kurt and Stephen as well as Jake who had worked equally as loyally for the club. They had given Kurt a small percentage of shares in the company as well as the rights of life members of the club which were offered to all three men, including their places within the stake holders group. It was time for some new blood and each of the men had earned it in their own way.

During the breakfast in his honour Mel made a big show of handing out his birthday presents to the three men, also promoting several girls to semi managerial positions at the front desk, even though they were not in attendance. Mel joked and laughed with his friends despite the fact that most of the members of his inner circle knew that Bella had left him yesterday. The truth was that he was happy and if everything went according to plan he would have the girl he wanted back at his side tonight.

Farewelling his colleagues and friends, claiming there was no rest for the wicked Mel left the club and walked out of the building with Rob, "Kurt and Stephen will run things until you get up to speed again, rely on them, I do." They had stayed up late into the night talking over Mel's decision to take some time away from the city with Bella. Rob had taken the news that Mel had left others in charge of their interests particularly well, admitting he had no real interest in the business side of their partnership. He would, he said, get up to speed on the club and maybe give it a bit of a face lift, nothing to dramatic he assured Mel. Mel took his keys from John who had waited patiently for him throughout the long breakfast and slapped his shoulder, "Thanks, have a great holiday," he smiled knowing John was taking some time off himself in Mel's absence.

As he drove toward Bella he tried to decide how to approach the subject, Joe already knew, and while he wasn't so sure about the idea of Mel taking Bella so far away the fact that her Aunt and Uncle would be reasonably close by reassured him. Now he just had to convince Bella to trust him again. He worried over his plans less the closer he got to her house, and worried more about facing not only the girl he loved but her parents as well, his friends, Joe and Rosie.

It was close to lunchtime when he finally pulled into her street and pulled up in front of the large house. He could see the security he had posted there inconspicuously parked at either end of the street and he smiled finally pulling into the long driveway. Bella saw his car from the kitchen windows where she was cooking with her mother, "Oh no," she cried in dismay and looked down at her old jeans and t-shirt.

Rosie came and stood beside Bella, "You can't run away from your problems baby, tell him how you feel, tell him all the things you told me last night. Then if, you still want to give up your life in the city I will love having you home with me."

"I can't let him see me looking like this!" Bella's voice held dismay knowing she would only be disappointing him again.

"Nonsense, you would look beautiful in a sack," Rosie said, but the look on Bella's face made her relent, "Go quickly then, but I will let him come find you if you do not hurry."

Bella turned and fled upstairs hearing her father open the door with a hearty, "Happy birthday Mel. How was the drive?"

"A bit of traffic coming out of the city, people getting away for the weekend I expect," Mel replied as he shook Joe's hand. Seeing Rosie appear behind him Mel smiled, "You're looking as beautiful as ever Rosie, Bella's so lucky she took after you and not Joe." Mel embraced her and kissed her blushing cheek before looking around.

"She insisted on changing," Rosie whispered, "But that is good because it gives me time to threaten you. If you every hurt her..."

"Now, now, my love," Joe cut in, but Mel held up his hand.

"It's okay Joe. I understand you must both be a little shocked, and I am a bit surprised I didn't hear that from you actually. All I can say in my own defence is that I love her and want only the best for her. I had no idea she was so unhappy yesterday, I am still not sure exactly what happened," Mel looked at them both sadly.

"Come on into the kitchen," Rosie smiled, "Lunch is almost ready."

Mel turned to follow them and saw her standing on the stairs, and stopped, "My Ellie," he smiled, "You look lovely." He crossed the floor in long swift strides as she came down the stairs picking her up in a strong embrace and kissing her chastely aware of her parents watching them.

Bella too was abundantly aware of being watched and her hands wrapped loosely about his neck as he hugged her. "Happy Birthday," she smiled lopsidedly.

"We need to talk," he said quietly, Bella nodded and chewed her lip, "Shall we go for a walk?" Mel suggested. Again Bella nodded and looked up at her parents.

"Don't go too far, lunch is almost ready," Rosie said, and she and Joe moved into the kitchen as Mel and Bella walked out of the kitchen door and around the house to the back. The house stood on several acres of land covered mostly with gum trees and low wattles. They walked away from the house and the manicured back garden into the bushland a little way before Mel stopped and looked at her.

"I have told you more than once, I don't care what anyone says or thinks, the only person you have to worry about pleasing is me," his eyes scoured her face.

"It's not just that, its so many little things," she sighed and walked on a little further until the trees and low bushes shielded them from the house. She knelt down on a patch of green grass beside a fallen tree and looked up at him. "When we are together what we have is amazing, everything you have shown me and taught me is exciting and new, and I want to know and learn more, to experience it all, but..." she chewed her lip as he sat on the log beside her. "It doesn't seem to matter how hard I try I always seem to mess it all up, people I barely know are angry at me for all the chaos I have caused, along with people I don't know at all, and the worst thing is I don't even know what I have done half the time to fix it."

Mel spoke quietly, "You have done nothing wrong, none of the drama at the club has been your doing if anyone is to blame it is me." He pulled her up into his arms and settled her on his lap, "I want you at my feet, I want to dominate and control every aspect of your life. I expected you to just give it to me and to give nothing of myself in return. That is the way it has always been for me, I make demands and people do it without question, at work, at the club, women in general."

"I have tried..." Bella began but Mel kissed her swallowing her words.

"I know my Ellie. This is my fault, not yours. You are not some brainless bimbo or an employee trying to impress, you are more different from all those women than I imagined, and it is why I love you.." Mel kissed her again to emphasis his admission. "The first week of the trial would have been enough for any of the girls at the club that I used occasionally before you came into my life because they were replaceable I had nothing invested them, they were not entirely mine, and while I may have cared on some level, it never came close to how I feel about you and what I expect from you."