Unloved? (m/m open)

Unfortunately they were being paid for their services by Ronan. Her word held little value when it came to matters of protocol. To which the men firmly held their ground, as if she hadn't spoken, "You have ten seconds or we will be forced to escort you ourselves." One of them said, tone cut glass.

The other brandished his walkie-talkie, "We have situation under control. No further action required."

"Seven seconds, we suggest you start moving gentlemen."

Grace narrowed her eyes and got off of the couch and pointed at her friends. "Don't move" she said firmly. Moving up to the two men Grace shook her head, "They aren't leaving, but you two are. Never tell my guests to leave the property again" Grace snapped before she looked at her friends and beckoned them to follow her. The two men got up off of the couch and walked after Grace.

"Damn. This husband of yours has tight security" one of the guys chuckled as they followed Grace making her roll her eyes. "Tight security is a light word for them" she muttered as she lead them upstairs away from the security guards and to the room that had been hers, the men chuckled and shook their heads.

"God, when your husband comes back hopefully he doesn't try and kill us" the other teased making Grace laugh at them.

"We tried to be civil. You leave us no choice." The other security man glanced at his partner who spoke into his walkie talkie.

About four men entered Grace's room and two of them armed, the other two each took hold of her "guests" forcing them out.

"You're being apprehended for trespassing, and the authorities are on their way."

Without further word the men clicked hand cuffs to the other's wrists and walked them down the hall, to the steps and out the door.

Police cars lined up the property moments later, they worked with Ronan's team and were on call 24/7.

***

"Master Ronan we've taken care of the intruders, they are being transferred to the police." One of the guards, Argent reported.

Ronan nodded his head, "Is Grace alright? You did well Argent."

"Thank you sir, it is my duty to secure the premises and ensure your wife's safety. She is in her room, secured."

"I'll be on my way." Ronan cut off his mobile and stood to collect his jacket. He dialed his secretary and unformed her about the crisis. He'd have the entire morning before his scheduled meetings to wrap this up.

"Is your wife alright sir? We heard there was a break-in." Richards said, he nearly spilled his coffee in his rush.

"It's been taken care of, my wife is fine."

"The meeting?"

"We'll make it, I won't take long."

Ronan stepped into the elevator.

The chauffeur, Wesley, escorted Ronan to the estate as he wasn't in the or ght state of mind to be driving himself. As soon as the car pulled in, Ronan practically fell out of the vehicle and rushed inside. So many stories had spun in his head from people talking, some claimed those men weren't intrudors, that she'd invited them. He couldn't believe it, she'd never be the type to do such a thing. Then he was brutally reminded of how little he knew of her.

His own wife.

"Grace?"

Grace was unimpressed with how her friends were taken away, laying on the bed she closed her eyes for a moment before she sat up when she heard Ronan. Getting off of the bed she walked out of the room and looked at Ronan "I'm here" she said with a small sigh as she ran her hands through her hair a little, Grace knew her friends would be having a good time coming up with different stories to tell their other friends about how they were arrested but Grace knew if they needed someone to bail them she would do it.

"What are you doing back?" Grace asked raising a brow as she looked over Ronan hoping someone hadn't over exaggerated what had been going on.

Without further word he approached and pulled her into a hug. It's as though he couldn't breathe right, or think straight until he felt her there, alive, okay. For a couple of minutes he held her simply, as if reaffirming with himself that was actually here. Safe. Then after a moment, he pulled away with difficulty so he could meet her gaze, he cupped the side of her face with his hand, to keep them from shaking.

"I'm glad you're alright."

Grace hugged Ronan back when he pulled her into a hug, reaching up she touched his hand as he cupped the side of her face. "I'm fine" she said with a small laugh and a slight shake of her head, "A little annoyed. But fine" Grace said gently.

Leaning up a little she pressed her lips against his lightly in a comforting kiss, "Did you rush over here to see if I'm fine?" she asked once she took her lips from his as she quirked a brow as she looked at him. It made Grace want to laugh a little knowing he was so worried about her that he left work.

The rush of air left his parted lips after the kiss. Heat lingered on his skin a reminder that she stood before him. Alive. Okay. It took a moment to let that sink in, and the more he stared at her the more real it felt. Here and Now. He nodded his head at her question, of course he'd dropped everything and rushed through traffic just to ensure her well being. Any one would do the same. Anyone who cared.

"I was so ...afraid, when I heard what happened." He blinked away the sting in his eyes, noticed his hold on her tightened and loosened his grip. "I thought..."His words left him on a breath. No.  It was more than fear, rage, terror, helplessness riled in him in such a way he couldn't breathe. He pulled her into a hug, words failed him.

He'd never felt such a thing for anyone. She meant more to him than he'd realized.

Grace shook her head a little with a gentle smile, "You didn't need to do that" she said gently. Listening to him she frowned a little and tipped her head to the side a fraction, "All that happened was my friends got manhandled" Grace said with a soft laugh as she reached up and touched the side of Ronan's face.

It was nice to know that he had worried about her well being, it was the first time in a long time that someone other than her friends were worried about her in anyway.

Returning his hug Grace rested her head on his chest gently and closed her eyes for a moment before she smiled and leaned back a little so she could look at his face. "You know, you could have just called to see if I was alright" she teased him gently.

Did he get that right? Her friends?

"Grace you do remember we're married now right?" He attempted not to let it bother him too much. They hadn't had enough time. Still, she needed to understand her new role. What it meant not just for him but her as well.

"You can't invite guys like that over, not anymore..." Not until their contract officially ended, he didn't say. Unless she wanted to attract the wrong kind of attention from the media and the general public, there was also his reputation on the line.

"I'm just looking out for our best interests. We have to act like a married couple, do what couples do. You know."

Grace shook her head a little and pulled away from him, "They are my friends" she said firmly and frowned at him. "And technically, one of them is my lawyer" Grace pointed out before she crossed her arms over her stomach, "If they can't come here then I'll go and see them. I'm not going to lose the few friends I have just because the media might take my interacting with them the wrong way" she said with a small sigh wanting to make him understand.

"You and I know what is really going on in this marriage and to me that is all that matters."

As much as he wanted to make this work, she just had that way of throwing it back in his face. Perhaps they weren't meant for each other at all. Obviously she lacked any regard to what it did to him, of how much it affected him when the world held such a weight of negative speculations or even mere rumors to his name. She didn't give two shakes of a rats ass what happened to him or his reputation.

It crushed him.

No matter how much he looked at the sun, waiting for the warmth to melt away the ice, she shunned him. Again and again. Maybe she didn't want to be his wife at all. This was his fault then wasn't it? He shouldn't have forced her to marry him.

"You and I know what is really going on in this marriage and to me that is all that matters."

Yeah, he knew exactly what was going on, crystal clear.

"If that's what you want." He took a step from her, averted his gaze. "Then go to your friends, you're happier with them anyways right?" He forced a smile, a little chuckle, it was better than breaking down in front of her. She'd probably laugh if she knew just how deep her words cut. So he'd laugh it off, he was alright. He was just fine. There was no malice in his tone, no hint of any pain, just a genuine wish for her to be free. That's what she wanted after all. She didn't have to tell him.

He turned then, "I'm returning... to work..." The words left him on a breath, he could barely speak. She wanted him gone, could barely stand him. She wanted him to stop pestering her. He'd grant her wish.

Grace watched him carefully trying to figure out what he was thinking, frowning at his words she shook her head a little when he turned and said that he was returning to work. "Alright" she said softly, once he was gone Grace slowly let out a breath she had been holding before she grabbed her handbag and went to take care of her friends.

After a couple of hours Grace found herself at her friends apartment relaxing with them, she didn't know that one of her friends had taken her phone and sent a text to Ronan telling him that she needed him right away and sent the address they were at as Grace had told them what had happened and they didn't like seeing her so sad. Smirking to herself Grace stole a packet of chips from one of her guy friends "These are good" she said with a grin as she ate one before she let out a scream of laughter as she got tackled off of the couch by the friend she had taken the chips from.

Ronan didn't think twice before dropping everything he was doing, getting into the car and racing to the address given him. He parked the car near a hydrant uncaring if it got a ticket and raced up the steps to the apartment number.

At the door he banged fiercely demanding whoever behind it open or he was gonna kick it down like hell or high water.

Red one of Grace's friends skipped over to the door with a grin and opened it, "You must be Ronan" she got out before she was picked up and thrown over a guys shoulders "Your woman is sad and currently being squished for a packet of chips" the guy who picked up Red said casually. "She told us what happened. She's a complex woman just don't let that get between the two of you. Grace likes you" Red said before she hit the guy who was holding her "Put me down you caveman" she grumbled as the guy laughed and gestured with his head for Ronan to follow as he walked towards the living room.

Grace held the chips as far away from her friend as she could as she hit his shoulder, "You're crushing me" she groaned and tried to push him off "I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work" she added. Her friend who was trying to get his chips back grinned at Grace "I'm pretty sure it's working a bit, you were smiling" he laughed as he snatched the chips from her and got up leaving Grace on the floor trying to get her breath "I think you broke something" she whined joking with him.

"Grace, got a delivery for you" Red called from over the guys shoulder, "Red, Nate broke me" Grace called as she stayed laying on the floor "Well, there's someone here who can fix you I'm sure" Red said as she wiggled off of the guys shoulder and placed her hands on her hips.

This was a joke, they were all making a fool of him. At first he'd allowed the well of hurt to surface, now he was just pissed. Ronan gripped the phone in his hand until the old thing snapped in two. Wordlessly he turned and walked away, right down the very hall he'd streaked through mere moments ago. If he stayed, hell, one more second of this bullshit and he'd lose it.

He hadn't felt this way since... High school.

She could frolic all she wanted, but keep him out of it.

Divorce didn't seem like a bad idea. It wouldn't compare to the utter agony she was putting him through. She was just sitting there, laughing. Having a good time.

Fuck it.

He was calling Nat, he needed a drink and she was the only person he could trust right now.

Grace sat up and looked around with a frown once she got enough air into her lungs, "So where is this person who can fix me?" she asked with a sigh. Red looked around and cursed, "The dick left" she snapped and tore out of the apartment after Ronan, finding him Red quickly planted herself in front of him.

"Where the fuck are you going?" she snapped and poked a finger into his chest angrily. "Do you want to know what my best friend did when she arrived at my apartment? She fucking curled up on my couch and cried for three hours" Red snarled as she glared at Ronan. "Nate, Jack and I have spent the last two hours trying to make her smile! And I sent you a fake 911 text from her phone thinking you just might be the knight in shining armor Grace needs but apparently I was wrong" she added.

Grace had followed Red out of the apartment and stood a slight distance away from the two of them and listened to Red's words, holding onto her left arm with her right hand Grace sighed a little "Red...just leave it" she called out softly. Her eyes were still a little puffy and red from the crying she had done but Grace didn't care if she looked like death warmed over.

Red looked at Grace and shook her head "No, I am not going to leave it" she snapped.

Not only was Grace a heart breaker, she liked to drag her so called friends into their private lives. Who the hell did he fucking marry? The haze of red curtained over him and he pushed passed the lady called Red unable to respond without lashing out. Did she honestly think her approach would help at all? Who the hell did she bloody think she was coming at him like that? The bitch didn't even know him. Christ what an asshole.

Walk away. Just walk away.

Grace made herself perfectly clear. She wanted out. She wanted her friends. She couldn't be more honest on where she wanted to be, no one had to tell him that. Certainly not this Red lady who was delusional if she thought he could ever be a shining knight in armor. His armor lost its brilliance years ago, there was no such thing.

He let the door slam behind him and returned to the parked car he'd left at an angle, of course there was the infamous orange ticket clamped to the windshield wiper to which he tore off and slipped inside.

Starting the engine he blindly drove off, adrenaline dumped into his veins. He raced down the street, blew past lights until he nearly crashed into an SUV, and swerved into Nat's lawn. He didn't give a shit about property damage at this point. He didn't give a shit about anything.

Grace shook her head a little before she went back into the apartment and grabbed her handbag before she left. Getting back to the house late she had gotten herself a bottle of whiskey and walked back up to the room she had been given, closing the door she kicked off her shoes and sat down on the bed as she opened the bottle. She wasn't a big whiskey drinker but Grace didn't care, it was a drink that got her drunk fast and that was all she cared about right then as she took a swig from it and hissed a little at the burn as it went down her throat.

Nat walked out of her house and raised a brow seeing Ronan's car on her law, "Emergency drinking session I take it?" she asked as she placed a hand on her left hip as she looked at him. "Come on in then and tell me your woes" Nat stated as she walked into her house and grabbed a couple of beers for the two of them to drink so Ronan could vent easily about what was bothering him right at that moment.

Ronan got out the car stumbling on the slick grass as he crossed to the door. Nat was always a welcoming sight no matter what, she was the only person who could ever set him straight and the only person he could drink with. Course there were the guys at the bar, the same guys who worked for him but something about them was off.

Ronan sat on the edge of the sofa too tense to relax, too wound up to speak coherently. Beer just wouldn't cut it, he needed something stronger.

"Got any Jim Beam?" He finally asked.

Nat shook her head a little when he finally asked if she had any Jim Beam "That kind of problem huh?" she asked as she got up and returned with two glasses and a large bottle of Jim Beam and poured Ronan a glass before pouring her own. "Come on, tell me all of your problems" she said as she sat down on the couch beside Ronan and relaxed as she kicked her feet up onto the coffee table comfortably.

"Does this emergency drinking session have to do with your wife? Trouble in paradise already?" Nat asked quirking a brow as she sipped slowly from her glass and watched her old friend carefully.

Ronan accepted the offering and tossed it down, he slammed the glass on the table. Why did she have to say it like that? It irritated him to no end, was that amusement in her tone? Bitch.

"Shut up. It's not like that." He couldn't contain the seething bite in his voice, he was just about ready to flip the entire table over as ridiculous as it was. What other outlet did he have for it all when it just built up like that? None, why? He never let it affect him, the stress of work, the colleagues, the tabloids and their shit. He never once gave a rat's ass about it. Now. Now it just gets right under his skin and makes him lose it. Seriously go nuts. It scared the crap out of him. How...?

He shouldn't be here. What with already happened. Him being here at a co-worker/female freind's house at such untimely manner was really gonna set his ass on fire. The media was going to spin this into some crazy, inaccurate story. Husband goes on a one night stand with employee, bad blood in marriage. He could already hear the phones blowing up with his parents, his father the disappointment, the guilt. It all clawed at him, turning his insides to ribbons.

Pain shot through his head, a steady throbbing like something was crushing his head. Ronan gripped at his hair, glared at the floor, his foot wouldn't keep still, tap, tapping away. Each breath rushed through him, and an urge to run or get out or hit something spindled through his nerves. He shut his eyes tightly.

"I can't... Do this..." He couldn't even explain it, all became a muddled mess in his head. He stood up and his knee hit the edge of the coffee table, he cursed and edged from it.

"I have to..." Stopped, looked for his keys, where did he put them? Ronan searched and found them on the floor, "I'm sorry I came here. I'll call you later."

She didn't need to be dragged into his affairs, they were his private life and he liked to keep it that way. Sure Nat was fun to drink with and talk to at times, but this wasn't appropriate, he didn't belong here at all. He had to go home. Fix this.

Nat tipped her head to the side a little when Ronan told her to shut up and she couldn't help but give a small smirk at his words. Watching him closely Nat sighed a little and got to her feet when he stood up, "You're too pissed off to drive, you'll get yourself killed if you drive right now" she stated and held her hand out towards him "Give me the keys and I'll drive you home".

Waiting patiently Nat sighed a little as she looked at her friend, "You seriously need a holiday. Or counseling Ronan" Nat said with a shake of her head "Maybe Grace should go to counseling with you" she added as she kept her hand out waiting for Ronan to give her the keys so she could drive him. She didn't trust him to drive himself home in the state he was in.

"If you want to drive yourself home then I'll let you after you tell me what is going on to piss you off enough to park on my lawn".

Grace. The name alone made him nearly cringe and he wasn't sure if that was out of deep anger or discomfort or what. She just wiggled her way into his heavily guarded life and wrecked everything. She made him act so out of character that it surprised himself the depths of his thoughts, the darkness in his head, shit he never considered in a million years.

"I don't know, what to do with her." He said at last, his gaze focusing on the door. The floor, the shadows there. "She's just so damn confusing and, and I just don't know what she wants from me. I tied to... She doesn't want to be with me, I think it's because of all this." He gestured but she wouldn't understand the meaning, with the contract, how soon they were pushed together. The sudden rush, the expectant outsiders, rumors. It would be enough to drive anyone up the walls. He chuckled bitterly at her suggestion, "No shrink can help with this particular situation, it's not something I'd want their noses sticking into."

He did however handed her the keys, too shaken to trust himself behind the wheel. If he crashed his car he'd surely lose it. "Let's go." He went for the door and opened it, glad the air was brisk and cool outside.

"Have you actually sat down and talked with the girl?" Nat asked once she took the keys from Ronan and swung them around a little as she went outside. Heading for the car she unlocked it and climbed in, once Ronan was in as well Nat started the car up and pulled away from her house.

Letting there be silence between the two of them for a moment Nat glanced at him a little "You know I looked into Grace. Managed to get her friends to tell me things about her because I told them I was a reporter doing a piece on how she manged to get the most uncatchable bachelor around" she said with a grin as she drove. "Apparently after her mother walked out when she was a kid Grace's father and step-mother have been parading her around since she was a kid so they could become popular in particular circles and took money from men interested in marrying Grace" Nat added.

Licking her lips a little she cast another glance at Ronan, "Her step-mother is a piece of work from what they told me, apparently she would only allow Grace to eat lunch and dinner because she was too fat in her words. Her friends showed me pictures of Grace when she was younger and she was fucking stunning. I mean she was like runway model stunning. Not as skinny as she is now, but you know, healthy fit. But because of her step-mother she apparently doesn't like eating in front of people and when she does she only eats small portions". Shaking her head Nat frowned a little "And I know about the contract she had to sign for the wedding her friends filled me in on that".

"You know the poor kid signed everything she had over to you right?" Nat asked as she continued to look straight ahead, "Her friends tried to talk her out of signing it but her father told her that if she didn't sign he would make it so that no-one would want to marry her in the future and no-one would hire her for work" she said as she pulled up in front of Ronan's house, turning off the engine Nat moved in the seat and looked at him full on.

"Just go easy on her Ronan. Actually sit down and talk with the girl and she might do the same for you" Nat said with a sigh before she climbed out of the car.

Great, her parents are assholes. What else is new? At least it gave some insight on to why she carelessly threw her reputation into the trash. She'd been sick of being forced to act the part for so long, sick of being the mannequin for her superiors' gains. It was a sickening revelation. It gave a sharp clarity behind the deal that'd inevitably drawn the two together. How did he not become aware of this himself? Guess his old man wasn't as open as he should be. Fucking rich pricks. 

Now Nat was in the loop and Ronan didn't know what to think. He didn't glance at her, she was already watching him. He maintained a neutral expression, easy to hold when he felt partially numb himself. 

As for the bullshit threat, her piss-poor excuse of a father dangled in front of Grace, Ronan scoffed. Those held little weight if its money she wanted he'd already given her the Unlimited American Express card. All hers. As for the second thing, well, if she wanted out he wouldn't stop her. As for her future in the career front, he could offer her a job. If she was too proud for his help, he'd see to it that she wasn't suffering even if she wasn't aware of it. 

Just when he'd thought that Nat was neutral ground she'd proven wrong. By the sound of it, she was Team Grace. Hah, Listen to her. Sure. The same way she listens to him right? 

"Thanks for the ride, Natalie." He shut the door and continued onwards, "I'll let Walter take you back," he offered and signaled to one of the staff to fetch the chauffeur. Once the man arrived he gave a curt bow to both Ronan and Natalie. 

"Ensure she gets home safely."

"Yes, Sir."

Ronan turned and headed to the mansion, this was and should remain a private affair between husband and wife. Even if Natalie knew or her friends, it annoyed him to no end how they were worming their way into matters that didn't involve them. Shit had to change, he wasn't gonna let that fly, he'd had enough. 

Inside the manor, he kicked off his shoes and walked into the grand room, the place large and richly familiarized with pieces of his wealthy life. Gifts from mom and dad, paintings or books or ridiculously expensive ornaments lavishly decorated the entire space. Electronics and giant television on the wall a mixture of traditional and the modern. 

Ronan took a glass from the standing bar cart, served himself a glass of Dalwhinnie before settling on the French chaise longue. He gazed into the roaring hearth and watched the crackle of flames and wood. It was his own way of seeking a sense of level-ness. Grace had a lovely way of turning him inside out. Was that a form to describe what he felt? Maybe. In either case, he wasn't ready to face her yet. She's still probably pissed off for having ditched her at her friend's house. Whatever. She's not a child, she had to quit acting like one.