The Twelve Tables Ch. 05

It was Maryann who spoke up as Ben walked Josh slightly away from the table, "I think you have finally out bitched yourself this time."

"Shut up Maryann, you don't understand," Nik spat.

"Well here's what I understand," Dante said in a hard voice, "Josh loves that girl, and at this point in time I believe he would walk away from you before he would walk away from her."

"Don't be stupid," Nik snarled, "We all do what we're told in the end; you did, didn't you?"

"The difference being," Emilio said quietly, "I would never have made him choose or tell Mama and Papa until he was ready, let alone go behind his back to wreck it for him. Perhaps we should suggest that you need to settle down and worry about your own family instead of who Josh is or isn't doing."

"You wouldn't!" Nik glared at him.

"He wouldn't, he's too nice, but I might," Dante smiled benignly.

"Okay, okay, someone better fill us mere plebs in on what's going on exactly, because this is getting out of hand," Romy said and Jules nodded mumbling his agreement.

"Well from what I understand," Ben said coming back to the table, "Nik set a workplace bully onto Peri making her life hell for a while, and eventually got her fired from her last job and then when that didn't work she called Mama with a story about... let's see what would have got Mama here so fast, gold digging tramp? A member of the wrong family?"

"Yes tell us Nik, what exactly did you call the woman I love?" Josh stared at her with anger in his eyes.

"You don't understand," she said desperately, "I was just trying to protect you from heartache later on. You know she won't be able to handle the farm and the whole family."

"She's not answering her phone," Josh said to the Ben turning his back on Nik.

"Come on, let's go crash their lunch date then," Ben stood up and walked from the restaurant with Josh.

Nik got up to follow them, but Lucia stood in her way, "If you want him to forgive you one day, now would be the time to back off."

Nik watched the two men leave, "You don't understand," she whispered.

*****

"Just ignore it," Antonia smiled, "They know where you are, and we were having such a good time, plus I am sure Ben knows where we are, they will come to make sure I have not made you cry."

"You have been a fabulous lunch date," Peri smiled, "I haven't felt more relaxed with a stranger than you made me feel, which is not like me at all usually," She looked down at her bag as the phone stopped ringing yet again.

"So now that you know who I am, tell me honestly why did you leave your last job if you were so happy there?" Antonia asked her original question again.

"It was a combination of things really," Peri hedged but she had already told the woman so much and she had an inkling she knew part of the story anyway. "Josh and I had started dating but this woman in the office who is beautiful and used to getting what she wanted... she recounted the bullying, the promotion, what Josh had said and then the final confrontation with the woman.

"And how did the woman find out about your secret relationship, you said you were so careful," Antonia pressed.

"I think someone who was a mutual acquaintance with Josh and herself told her," Peri didn't want to blame Nik in case it caused a family problem.

"You know the person but you don't like to blame, is that it?" Antonia looked at her shrewdly.

"I don't think they knew the harm it would do," she said softly in response, "and well look at me now, I have never been happier." Peri smiled genuinely happy with her life, "So if they were trying to hurt me it sort of backfired on them. Don't tell Dan or Lio but I would have done this job for free in my spare time I enjoy it so much." She took a sip of her wine and on a topic she loved she said tentatively, "Can I ask you some things about family that could help me with the research I am doing?"

Antonia laughed at the girl's enthusiasm and nodded taking a sip of her drink, "Perhaps another day, when we have more time, I expect my sons will be here to scold me soon." Her laugh was warm and generous, and Peri laughed softly with her. "Put your number into my phone, and I will call you and you can ask as many questions as you like," she passed her phone to Peri and continued her laugh.

"Mothers and grandmothers are always the keepers of family information, they know everything!" Peri lowered her voice, "Despite what their husbands think." To which, Antonia laughed so hard she had tears forming in her eyes as she nodded enthusiastically and called for another bottle of wine. It was about that moment that Ben and Josh arrived to find them roaring with laughter and clinking their glasses together like life-long friends.

"Hello Ladies," Ben said jovially, "Having a good time are we?"

"Benedicto! Come join us," she took in Joshua face which was dark and surly, she lapsed into Italian again, "You too Wah-wah. Stop pouting I haven't traumatised the girl, yet."

"I really need to learn Italian," Peri giggled and smiled up at Josh, "Did she just call you Wah-wah?"

"When Maryann was little she couldn't say Joshua, so she just called him Wah-wah, so anytime he pouts we call him that," Ben explained helpfully as Josh kissed his mother's cheek and took a seat.

"I haven't laughed this much in an age," Antonia took a tissue form her bag and dabbed at her eyes. The waiter arrived with the new bottle of wine and seeing their companions two extra glasses.

"Maybe some coffee or at least some water," Josh suggested to Peri and she was about to agree automatically until Antonia cut into the small silence.

"Don't be silly, pour the wine. I need to go powder my nose, help me will you Bene?" she held out her hand to him.

"Of course, Mama," he took her hand and helped her up escorting her across the room.

"I didn't know Josh," Peri said quickly. "She came wandering into my office looking for Dan and Lio, then asked me to appraise a mask for her in their absence; she only introduced herself as Antonia. I thought she was some important client, and she asked me to keep her company at lunch while she waited for them to return. I thought I was doing the right thing, I had no idea until she rang Ben." The words come out rushed and almost garbled as she tried to explain herself under his steely gaze.

"We'll talk about it at home," he said in a hard voice making her cringe.

"How was I supposed to know?" she was hurt, by the way, he was acting, he hadn't touched her since arriving, "I haven't done anything wrong, why are you acting like I committed a cardinal sin?"

"Why didn't you answer your phone? I have been calling non-stop," He growled.

"Antonia wouldn't let me and I was trying to give a good impression once I knew who she was," Peri was flustered, she hadn't seen Josh act like this for some time, "You should be more worried about what I did and said before I knew who she was," and she immediately regretted her words as his face grew darker, but after all the wine she didn't seem to be able to stop herself from being hurt and blurting out exactly how she felt.

"What did you say? Fuck, how am I supposed to make this right now. I walk in and find you drunk with my mother saying god knows what about god knows who and what exactly did you tell her about us?" His voice was harsh and gravelly, "Did you tell that old fashion Italian Mama that we live together and fuck each other's brains out every night? Was she suitably shocked? Fuck, how could you be so stupid?"

"You don't think I am good enough to meet your parents, do you? That's why you're all dark and stormy,. I was just the good enough for now girl, until you found someone suitable for you traditional Italian familia," she was horrified by the thought but she could find no other explanation for his words, Antonia was far from the prude he made her out to be.

"Don't be absurd," he muttered without conviction and she heard the hesitation in his voice. Panic settled on her like a blanket heightened by the wine and the strange situation she had found herself in this afternoon. Her heart began to thump in her chest, and she felt sick. She visibly paled, and she felt tears prick her eyes as they sat in stony silence.

When Antonia and Ben returned Peri put on a smile, "Thank you so much for lunch, but I believe the wine is getting to me. I'm so grateful for the fabulous time we had and meeting you but I am just going to call a cab and go home," she said standing and leaning across to kiss Antonia's cheek.

"Nonsense, you don't need a cab when I have two sons," Josh had already risen from his chair.

"Oh, I think that it's best, I promised my mother I would see her tonight as I thought Josh would be in meetings. Stay, all of you and catch-up with each other. I know what a close family you all are; I insist," she heard her own voice crack as she said the last and she smiled again, "Thank you again, Antonia, I hope we can do it again sometime." With that Peri, turned and walked away. Josh followed her and grabbed her arm to halt her progress, but she shrugged him off.

"Trust me, you do not want to talk to me anymore right now because if you say one more thing like that, I may not be able to forgive you or you me for the things I would say in response," she said quietly, "I love you Josh, but please let me go so that we don't say things we will regret forever."

"No," he growled taking her arm and all but dragging her from the restaurant. "I will drive you home, and you will stay there until I get back," he growled.

They didn't speak at all until he finally took her up to his apartment, "Keys," he held out his hand, and she took her keys from her bag and placed them in his hand assuming he was kicking her out. She began to cry and turned into the room to begin packing her stuff. It was only when she heard the deadbolt click into place that she realised he had locked her in.

*****

Ben had filled his mother in on all he knew about Josh and Peri's relationship and what he knew of the girl. When Josh returned claiming everything was fine, they went back to the House of Loraine, where Nik waited with Dante and Emilio, looking morose.

"Oh, good you're here, Veronica," Antonia said lightly taking in her daughters mood. "It seems you got your wish and she and Josh have had a quarrel after all." Nik's mood changed almost instantly, and Antonia smiled as she went on. "I can't really understand why, we had the most wonderful time, have you ever taken the time to get to know Peri?"

"No, I have only met her once before," Nik said slowly unsure of her footing.

"Well whose fault is that? Only takes a minute to pick up the phone," Antonia said lightly in a conversational tone. "Tell me, was it you who told this Sabrina woman about Josh and Peri?"

"She told you that just to cause problems between us," Nik was quick to accuse.

"Actually she tried to protect you and wouldn't tell me who did it, even though she knew. Veronica, how can you make such judgments about someone without getting to know them?"

"I know enough; she comes from an awful family; she has no father; they have nothing, no money, no class, and the mother is..." Nik stopped seeing the look on Josh's face.

"So you condemn her for a family that is much like our own history and how we originally lost the name we so embrace currently," Antonia shook her head. "Perhaps it is best you come home for a while, I think being in the big city so long has made you forget your own origins and respect for your family, poor Joshua, you are not his keeper. He has done nothing to bring the family name into disrepute, in fact, after talking to the girl, I think it is quite the opposite."

"Do not look so surprised Joshua, I am not so stuck in the past I cannot appreciate why you would love the girl," she laughed, "What is it she told me before she realised I was your mother, oh yes, you rock her world in the bedroom." Joshua's mouth dropped open, but his brother's laughter was loud and long. "She is also passionate about many things, like her work, it was a good idea to bring her here," she nodded at Ben.

"Veronica," she looked at her dejected daughter, "If you cannot learn to share Joshua's affection with someone else, I will talk to your father about arranging an appropriate match for you as we did for Lucia when she had lost her way."

"No, Mama, please..." Nik whispered looking at Joshua to help her, but he just looked back with no expression and for the first time she realised she how much she had pushed him into a corner and that Dante might be right.

"Then you must find a way to make this right," Antonia said softly. She looked at the five of her children who stood in the room with her. She was their mother, and she would step in at any time and meddle in their lives, they all knew it was her right, but she loved them and just wanted them to be happy above all else. "Joshua, you can drive me to Lucia's, I am staying with her tonight," she finally said ending the conversation.

*****

Joshua let himself into the apartment, it was eerily dark and silent. Turning on a lamp rather than the bright ceiling lights Joshua saw Peri curled up on the lounge asleep, her luggage neatly stacked beside the door. Quietly he took the luggage back into the bedroom before returning and lifting her into his arms and carrying her to bed. She automatically wrapped her arms around his neck and murmured softly into his chest.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I love you." He lay her in the bed crawling in beside her and wrapping his arms around her.

"You don't think I am good enough for them. I never expected you to make me feel that bad about myself," she untangled herself from his arms and began to sit up.

"I never said that, you did" he accused pulling her back down to him and pinning her arms. "I was shocked, other stuff had happened and then I walk in and find you and my mother drunk. I don't think I have ever seen her drink that much before or treat any of our girlfriends as a long lost friend. I couldn't work out what was going on. Try to understand, please." He kissed her.

"You didn't deny it," she said sadly, "You were so cold and nasty at the restaurant; you were angry with me. I didn't invite her; I didn't order the wine; I didn't even know who she was," Peri tried to explain again.

"I know that, I do. None of what happened today was your fault, it was all mine, and I am sorry," he kissed her deeply. "Let me make it up to you, please," he whispered into her ear. "I need you, I love you and I want you to meet my whole family down on the farm, over the holidays." She looked at him wide eyed, but he kissed her before adding, "Andie can come too."

"I'm not just Miss Right now?" she asked.

"I would have asked you to marry me a long time ago if I had thought you would say yes," he leaned up on his elbow and looked into her eyes showing the seriousness of his statement. "I didn't think you were ready to hear the question, and I don't take rejection well so, don't answer yet, but know that I fully intend to ask when the time is right."

Peri looked up at him in amazement; he never ceased to confuse and surprise her. This time it was her that wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down into a passionate kiss.

"That's the passion my mother said I was lucky to have; I'll take more, please, then I will, what were the words she said you used," he grinned, "Rock your world?" Peri blushed deeply as she kissed him again both of them smiling into the kiss.

"You have thirty seconds to strip before I start tearing the clothes from you," Josh said pulling her up from the bed with him. He then turned and opened the closet that his tool chest lay in, placing it at the foot of the bed before turning back to her. Her breasts had already been freed, and they bounced wonderfully as she struggled with the rest of her clothes. Flipping the chest open he took a length of soft nylon rope and approached her.

"If we have kids after we get married, I won't be happy about sharing these," he grinned as he stroked her breasts with the rope before taking his time and binding them tightly, the darkness of restricted blood flow showing rapidly as they swelled. He bent his head to kiss and lap at her swollen nipples as she stood with her hands behind her neck whimpering softly as she submitted willingly to his needs. Taking a second longer length of rope he quickly tied it about her waist and ran the length between her legs pressing it into the folds of her cunt to caress her clit and turning her around he tied her wrists together with the ends.

"Mmmm," he murmured standing back to survey his work as he too stripped off his clothes, "You are almost perfect just like that." He took an egg from the chest and turned it on before pushing it past the rope into her already dripping cunt as she hissed her breath and closed her eyes at the intense feeling the rope rubbing over her clit gave her.

Approaching her with a leather paddle he spoke with a voice thick with desire, "You, my sexy, amazing girl did not answer your phone when I rang," he let the paddle land on her ass, "and I called at least six times," the paddle landed again until he had counted six in his head and was satisfied not only with the colour of her ass but the loud cries of apology she let out through gritted teeth.

Peri was breathing heavily, and tears stained her face but she had held her position taking the paddling he gave her. She quivered as he kissed the tears from her cheeks and lowered his head once more to her throbbing breasts as he slowly undid the bindings there. Each movement she made as he manhandled her filled her body with the pleasure and pain they both enjoyed as the rope between her legs would put pressure on her now swollen clit making her whimper even louder. The egg buzzed away ensuring her body's natural response to his torments, and she felt her thighs begin to tremble.

"I could punish you for so many misdemeanors today but..." he paused and threw the small rope back toward the chest, "as I bear some responsibility for the other issues you will be given a reprieve this time." In truth, his need for her was urgent, and while he loved to toy with her body for hours at times, he needed to possess her, to fill her and to make her cry for him in her need.

Rather than being surprised at the swift punishment and the undoing of her bondage, Peri accepted that Josh had not been in control of his relationship with her today. As happened when the trouble had blown up at work, his need to reassure himself of her love for him made him rush what would have otherwise been a drawn out scene. It seemed that only his family could make him this anxious and lose control, and as the ropes fell from her waist she realised it must have been Nik who had instigated her mother's visit.

Josh pushed his fingers into her as the rope fell away seeking out the egg; his thumb rolled over her swollen clit, and he stared into her eyes watching her build higher in her need. Keeping his free hand around her waist, her teased her until she arched and spasmed, her eyes glazing over as she came loudly, crying out and gasping for breath. He picked her up then and pulled her legs around his hips walking the two steps to the wall. Peri wrapped her body around his knowing that if he could crawl inside her skin he would at this moment and she cried out as he entered her roughly and kissing her deeply.

Josh staggered to the bed and lowered Peri onto it pulling her legs up along his body before leaning over her, doubling her in half. Josh pounded into her like a man possessed staring down into her eyes as he felt himself reach the point of no return rapidly. He growled, stiffening as he came and releasing his hold on her legs collapsed on top of her before rolling to the side dragging her with him, unwilling to withdraw from her body, he held her tightly to him. They let the sound of their own ragged breathing fill the silence as they clung to each other each feeling that they had overcome another hurdle in their relationship in their own ways.