Chapter 42

"So what is this special job you're going on?" Levy asked curiously as she cuddled into her fiancè's side. He held her close, loving the feel of her body against his, and he gave a light smile at her question. Such a curious creature, she was.

"Nothing too much. Negotiation with a company, mostly. Pops wants to buy them out, but they're bein stubborn about it, so he's sendin me in ta scare them a bit." he explained to her.

"Scare them how?" Levy inquired with curious eyes.

"It varies. Sometimes use the family's power to intimidate them... sometimes things get physical. They won't leave with more than a few bruises." he shrugged nonchalantly. "But they'll know the next meeting will be with my old man. That's the really scary thing." he laughed into her hair.

"Yea... h-he really scared me the first time I met him." Levy mumbled against his chest.

"And he was bein friendly with ya." Gajeel's amused chuckle filled her ears. They returned to a comfortable silence for a while, before Levy looked up at him.

"Can I come?"

"Baby, I can make you cum as much as you want." Gajeel grinned, rolling them so that he was caging her between his body and the bed. Levy blushed beautifully for him.

"T-That's not what I meant..." she mumbled as her fiancè began to trail kisses up and down her neck. He grinned against her skin.

"I know." his gentle chuckle came. "Why do you want to come with me? Ya know you'll just get scared."

"Y-you don't know that." she pouted. He pulled back to give her a serious look.

"I do, actually. You'll get scared. Maybe not of me, but of the situation for sure." he told her firmly. "Why do you want to be put in that position?"

"I... I want to know. What you do. What the family does." she admitted quietly. "What you said earlier, about me helping, it got me thinking. I... I'm going to be your wife, Gajeel. I'm going to be an important person to the family... but I don't even know what's going on most of the time. I... I want to at least know..."

"That's... awful thoughtful of you, Levy." Gajeel grinned down at her, his heart swelling as he realized she was trying to accept her role in the family. He would have been fine, letting her stay perfectly ignorant of the family's doings, as long as he had her by his side. But seeing that she wanted to contribute, wanted to actually fill her role as the future don's wife... that made him beyond happy.

"Alright, shrimp. You really want to do your part? You can come." he agreed with a soft sigh. "But... tomorrow is a really big deal. You need to do exactly as I say while we're there. No ifs, ands, or butts. Got it?" Levy nodded firmly and his grin softened into a gentle smile. "And don't you dare be afraid of me. Alright, shrimp?"

"Never." Levy promised him with determined eyes. He just smiled and kissed her before rolling off to the side to cuddle her some more. "What, that's all? No fun tonight?" Levy's soft disappointed voice had him grinning widely. He was over her again in an instant, pulling her legs up around his waist.

"Fuck, I've corrupted you. Turned ya into a little sex addict." he chuckled darkly, rolling his hips against hers and making her moan. "I fucking love it."

Levy fidgeted a bit nervously as she sat next to Gajeel in the meeting room. He was going over some papers in preparation for the meeting, and it was weird to see him doing paperwork. He glanced at her from time to time but said nothing about her fidgeting. Let her get it out now, he mused internally.

Finally, the time for the meeting was at hand. Gajeel had everything ready. He turned to Levy and gave her a reassuring smile.

"It'll be fine, shrimp. Just sit there and let me do the talking. Try not to show any emotion or flinch, okay?" he told her gently and she nodded. "Ya need to be like steel, strong and cold and unyielding. Anything less and they'll think we're weak. So if ya get scared... please, just try not to show it? I'll let ya get it out later."

"I'll try." Levy nodded. She was nervous... but determination filled her eyes. She needed to do her role well, so Gajeel could do his job without issue. Gajeel grinned at her determination. He gave her a quick kiss before sending the clients in.

Two men entered the room, wearing very professional suits and carrying brief cases. One was clearly the leader, the other obviously an assistant. The leader was tall, lanky, and tanned, with short black hair and a crisp mustache on his face. He looked around the room, and when his eyes landed on Levy, he scowled.

"There was-a no mention of a woman joining us." he said with clear distaste, his thick Italian accent surprising Levy though she did not show it. She tried to hide her anger at his statement, too, but there was no hiding the angry glint in her eyes. Luckily, Gajeel spoke before her temper got to her.

"This woman is my fianceè and you will treat her with respect. Understand, Marino?" Gajeel said firmly, his voice dark and full of authority. Levy had never heard him speak this way, and it sent a chill down her spine. The man, Marino, looked a bit pale as he realized his blunder. He coughed nervously and nodded, mumbling out an apology as he took his seat. Gajeel just glared at him. Well, this ain't a good start, he mentally sighed as he got started with the meeting.

"Let's see... looks like my father made you a very lucrative offer. I won't bother going over it, and I trust you've done yer homework, so let's get right to it. Have you made your decision?" Gajeel questioned as he looked over a paper.

"We... would like to negotiate the terms." Marino declared, much to his assistant's upset.

"Sir, this won't end well." the assistant tried to whisper, but Marino waved him off with a huff.

"Why should I accept these terms? A full takeover, all my high-ranking executives pulled into your gang, and for what? A few million, not even the full value of my company?! It is-a the most ridiculous offer I have ever seen." Marino ranted quite angrily.

"These terms are non-negotiable." Gajeel said calmly, firmly. "You either accept them or decline them. I suggest you accept, Marino. Your alternative is not pretty."

"Sir, please, just take the deal." the assistant begged his boss. Marino just waved him away and stood up with an angry scowl.

"Then I decline. This meeting is over." Marino declared, making for the door. Gajeel's voice stopped him as he reached for the handle.

"Marino. This is your last offer. Take the deal." Gajeel said firmly, his voice taking on a dark edge. Marino stiffened at the underlying threat, but he held firm.

"I decline." he said again. Gajeel's laughter startled him into looking back at the dangerous man. Gajeel was giving him a cold, cruel grin that had him shrinking back in fear. How could such a young man be so truly frightening?

"Very well, Marino. You've made your bed, now go lie in it. We still win in the long run." Gajeel chuckled darkly. Marino bristled at this. What did he mean?

"What are you getting at, ruffian?" Marino demanded. Gajeel just chuckled and examined his nails nonchalantly.

"My family will own your business in the end. The offer was a formality... an attempt to make things go smoother. But we have ways of getting what we want, no matter what." Gajeel said coolly, that dark grin still on his face. Levy was trying awfully hard not to shiver. He was... scary... but strangely alluring this way, and she didn't understand why she suddenly felt so... so turned on...

"Sir, you've ruined us." the assistant despaired. He knew this was how it would end if his boss didn't agree to the takeover. "The Redfoxes have their hands in every single business we deal with."

"Indeed, we do." Gajeel chuckled. "It would be a shame to boycott you, send yer company to ruin. It's much harder to build a company back up after that."

"You... you wouldn't!" Marino gasped as the pieces fell into place. Fairy Tail would boycott them... all of their partners would boycott them, because Fairy Tail would tell them to. "I'll be ruined!" Gajeel just shrugged, that cocky, dangerous grin still plastered on his face. Marino let out a shout of rage as he rushed at Gajeel.

"You bastard! You think this is funny?!" Gajeel quite easily dodged the lanky man's punch and, the next thing anyone knew, Marino was being dangled in the air by his throat, a powerful hand wrapped firmly around his neck.

"Should have taken the deal, Marino. Such a shame you declined." Gajeel still grinned at him. "And then you go and attack me. You see, I can't let that slide." Gajeel slammed Marino into the nearest wall, grinning darkly as he heard the man cry out in pain, along with a delightful crunch of bone. A fractured shoulder blade, it seemed.

"Now then... I'd really prefer not to make a scene in front of my girl... so I'll be generous and offer you a new deal. Maybe you'll be more understanding this time?" Marino could do nothing more than nod, grasping at Gajeel's arm as he struggled to breathe. "You sell the company to my father for a fourth of what we originally offered, and the rest of the terms stay the same."

"T-that..."

"That is my final offer." Gajeel told him firmly. "You have ten seconds."

"Sir, please! Take the deal!" the assistant begged. Marino glared at the grinning Gajeel, hating the position he'd been put in. Finally, he scowled and nodded. Gajeel chuckled and let him go, and he fell to the ground with a gasp, trying to catch his breath as he clung to his injured shoulder.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

-BREAK-

"You okay, shrimp?" Gajeel questioned as he pulled his little fianceè into his arms after the meeting. He knew he'd scared her, if only a little... but she seemed to be holding up well. She leaned into him and gave a small nod. "I scare ya?"

"Just a little." she admitted quietly, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his chest. "I'm fine, Gajeel. I've just... never seen you that way."

"Be prepared to see a lot more of that, Levy, if you still plan ta get more involved with the family." Gajeel hummed softly as he gently rubbed her back. Levy mumbled something against him and he raised a brow, gently prying her away from his chest. "What was that, shrimp?"

"I-I um... is it... bad, t-that I kind of... thought it was... um..." she trailed off as her face became redder and redder. Gajeel put the pieces together and grinned wickedly. Levy squeaked as he lifted her by the waist and sat her down on his desk, leaning down to grin devilishly at her.

"Little Levy, did I turn you on?" he teased with a seductive purr. Levy's face could not get any redder as she gave a tiny nod. Gajeel just grinned and captured her lips with a searing kiss, swallowing her cute little gasp of surprise. He kissed her deeply, loving how eagerly she returned the kissing. It didn't take long for them both to start getting handsy. Things were just getting heated when a brisk knock on the office door distracted them. Gajeel pulled away with a heavy sigh, then flashed a grin at his blushing bride to be.

"We ain't done talking about this, Lev. Later." he promised with a chuckle. Levy hopped off the desk and straightened her clothing with a cute blush as Gajeel went to answer the door. He wasn't surprised to find his father standing there, as he'd been expecting him to come for a report.. Metallicana raised a brow at Levy's presence in the office.

"She went to the meeting?" the don questioned.

"She wanted to learn about what we do." Gajeel just shrugged. "She did really well."

"I see. Good, good." the don nodded with a pleased smile. His future daughter-in-law was try to fill her role dutifully. He was pleased. "How was the meeting?" Metallicana asked as Gajeel let him into the office. He took a seat at the chair in front of Gajeel's desk as Gajeel set about getting the papers together.

"Better than expected. Got him to accept a fourth of the offer fer the same terms." Gajeel shrugged. "Here, pops, just needs yer signature." he handed his father a thick stack of papers to look over.

"Good job, boy. Yer gettin good at this." Metallicana grinned as he flipped through the pages. "And you, little miss, what do you think of all this?" he addressed Levy now. She fidgeted a bit nervously.

"U-um, well, I'm not really a business person... so I didn't understand a lot of it. But you are taking over their company?" she asked quietly. The don nodded. "M-may I ask why?"

"Of course. Gajeel, tell her." the don chuckled, still focusing on the papers.

"They are manufacturers. They make a few select parts our allied companies need for their use." Gajeel explained. "Taking them over not onky gives us a profit, but it makes the cost of the parts cheaper for the other companies, which in turn give us a very nice royalty on every piece they make. We basically get double profit."

"Oh. What do the other companies make?" she asked curiously.

"We mostly deal in arms, young lady." the don answered that one. "Our allied companies manufacture all sorts of weapons. We get royalties and select pieces from them."

"So the company you just took over... it's really important, right?" levy asked, trying to piece things together. When they both nodded at her, she cocked her head curiously. "Then... why did you give them a bad deal?"

"It's strategy, mostly." the don told her. "Taking over a company by force is expensive. Offering them a deal, even a bad one, makes negotiating easier. If they accept, we win because it's cheaper than doing it forcefully. Decline? Well, that's when our so called negotiations start."

"See, in this case, they declined the offer," Gajeel added, "and that let me threaten them with financial ruin. So, when I changed the offer to a lower amount, it's still in our favor, because it's cheaper. But now they'll accept the terms to avoid ruining themselves." he explained to his fianceè, who was taking everything in with wide eyes.

"So... you won no matter what? It was just about how much you won by?" she tried to clarify. Gajeel grinned at her.

"Hit it on the head, shrimp." he nodded at her.

"That's really clever." Levy said with awe. "And you do this a lot?"

"Well, takeovers not so much. This was a rare case." the don explained, grabbing a pen off Gajeel's desk so he could start signing the documents. "But we use this tactic a lot."

"One thing you'll learn, shrimp, if ya haven't already caught on. Fairy Tail always wins."

"What did ya think, Levy?" Gajeel asked as they were leaving the mansion later that night. His girl looked awfully exhausted, having been going to all sorts of meetings with him today, all of them boring except for the first one. "Aside from special jobs, this is the kind of stuff I usually do."

"It's all so... complicated. But I don't understand something, Gajeel."

"What's that?"

"All this stuff sounds so... legal." she hummed.

"It is." he chuckled lightly. "Big stuff like this, dealing with businesses and such, kinda has to be... fer the most part. Don't want the government catching on, ya know."

"Hm, then where does all the bad stuff happen?" Levy asked curiously.

"The black market, mostly. Old man told ya we mostly deal in weapons." he explained. "We got our hands in pharmaceuticals and hospitals, too, but arms are our big source. And then there's small stuff. Protection payments, being loan sharks, money laundering, blackmailing, smuggling. All that."

"Wow." Levy said in awe at the sheer volume of things the family did.

"Yea, and ya wanna know the kicker?" Gajeel grinned down at her. "Our biggest client is the king's army."

"Really?!"

"Sure is, shrimp. One of the reasons we ain't gotta worry too much about the king." he chuckled. "He kind of... looks the other way to most of our activities."

"So... How do you keep up with all of those activities?" Levy asked with wide eyes. He grinned at her.

"That's what the council is for. Each council member oversees certain things, and reports back to my old man and me. We usually only see to the really important stuff, ourselves." he chuckled at her wide eyes. She was really learning a lot today, and he was glad he could finally tell her this stuff. Before... well, before he'd been trying to keep her from getting in too deep. Now, however... well, she was marrying him. She was in about as deep as she could get.

"Look, shrimp, ya really won't have to be too involved with any one particular thing, so don't worry too much about keeping track of it all." he told her with a soft smile. "Just stay by my side, know the really important stuff, and maybe go to council meetings with me. You'll do great as a don's wife."

"You really think so?" Levy asked with a small smile.

"I know it." he grinned, pulling her to him with a warm embrace. "Yer already doing so well, babe. Trust me, you got plenty of time to learn. The family will love ya just fer trying, anyways. So relax. Just mostly focus on being my wife. Yea?" he smiled sweetly at her, and she returned it with a bright smile of her own.

"Yea."

"Good. Now... my old man gave me somethin special today." Gajeel grinned, stepping out of the car that had parked at the safe house while they talked. Levy hadn't even noticed Lily exit the vehicle, she'd been so enraptured in the talk. She usually thanked him for driving them places.

Gajeel helped Levy out of the car, then led her inside. Waiting for them in the foyer was Virgo, holding up a beautiful vintage wedding dress. Levy gasped in surprise as she took in the sight of the dress. It was gorgeous. Form fitting and covered in delicate lace, with little jewels shining here and there, it was long sleeved but had a low back that was covered in a thin layer of sheer fabric, which would allow her mark to be displayed.

"Gajeel, it's beautiful." Levy said in awe as she reached out to touch the dress. She looked to her fiancè with a sweet smile. "Is this it? Your mother's dress?"

"It is." he nodded with a gentle grin. "Try it on?"

"Eh? But you're not supposed to see me in a wedding dress til the big day." Levy blushed cutely, and Gajeel chuckled.

"Aw, screw all that tradition shit. I want to see my beautiful bride." he told her sweetly, and she felt her heart melt a bit. She gave him a dazzling smile and nodded.

"I will help you, my lady." Virgo said as she escorted Levy away to get changed.

Gajeel was sitting in the living room with Lily when she finally came out. He looked up at he heard her enter, and his jaw almost hit the floor. Holy fuck, she's gorgeous. She stood before him with an adorable blush. The dress fit her perfectly, height aside. It hugged her curves beautifully, accentuating them in a classy way, and making her chest look just a bit bigger. She looked absolutely...

"Beautiful." Gajeel breathed as he took her in. Levy's face turned a shade redder, but she smiled happily.

"You are stunning, my lady." Lily commented with a happy smile. "What do you think?"

"Oh I love it!" Levy smiled brightly, tears pricking at her eyes. "It's perfect, Gajeel!"

"I can tailor it to your height, my lady. It would only take about a week." Virgo commented as she pulled a bit at the extra fabric.

"Oh Gajeel, is that okay? Can I really wear this one?" Levy turned pleading eyes to her husband to be, and he just grinned.

"Old man said its yours if you want it, Levy. I take it you do?"

"Yes! It's such a perfect dress. I feel... I feel like a bride in this one." Levy cried happily, much to Gajeel and Lily's amusement. Gajeel had known she'd been struggling to find a good dress, and he was beyond happy that she liked this one.

"It's all yours, baby. Virgo, do what you need to, to make it perfect." Gajeel chuckled at his overly happy fianceè, who was trying so hard to keep her tears from falling and ruining the dress. He could only grin happily and pray the big day would get here soon.

I can't wait to marry this woman.

I am on a roll with these chapters, y'all! The ideas just won't stop! And I guess typing everything on my phone isn't so bad... but I really do need to fix the formatting the next time I'm at a computer. (Edit: fixed, but let me know if I missed anything, even a spelling issue)

Poll time, who wants a lemon again soon? I have a few ideas, but give me suggestions lol!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12