13: Everything

New York!

Sine was happy again and it was actually thanks to her husband. She had totally skipped the penthouse route this time, instead opting to lease an actual house. In a way, it meant less privacy as the houses were literally slammed right next to each other, but… the house was so much larger than a penthouse would be, not to mention the neighborhood was perfect for them. Them being her, Kalea and Gavin as Mark would only be 'home' on occasion due to work. Another perk was that she had turned the third floor into one giant studio, eager to begin work again.

Also in the works was a new nanny, this one Mark selected, it was one of his 'conditions' and she had gone with it. She wanted to keep him happy since he could very easily change his mind and drag her back to Texas, or worse, back on the road with him.

If he wanted her to play the content wife and greet him with a smile when he came home on his days off, then she would, just as long as he kept the darkness she knew he possessed hidden away.

"Shit, sorry!" Paul yelped when he turned the corner of the sidewalk only to damn near collide with a stroller. He took a quick look at the wide awake babies, twins from the looks of it, who were staring up at him out of rather alarmed eyes, their tiny faces screwing up as if to cry. "Oh, oh, sorry…"

"It's fine."

Startled, he looked up into the smiling yet puzzled face of Sine Reneire. No, Calaway, now, he mentally corrected himself. Automatically, he held up his hands, knowing the last time they had run into each other, he had been stalking her, on orders. "Hi Sine." He greeted with a hesitant smile. "Before you ask, no, I'm not following you."

She arched an eyebrow.

"I live here, well, not here. But in the city."

"Oh." Sine didn't know what else to say, remembering New Orleans. Paul had called her, yelling for her to get out and then… she had been taken. "I just moved back." She said finally, not understanding why she was still standing here talking to him. A distraction came in the form of Gavin howling and she knelt down, quickly picking his pacifier off his tiny jacket and popping it back in his mouth. She ran her fingers over his light auburn hair before standing back up.

Paul was studying the twins, knowing they were Mark's and felt shame coursing through him. He hadn't been in time to warn her, he had called too late. He looked her from top to bottom, taking in the wedding ring she wore and knew she was still married. From the way she looked he couldn't tell if she was happy or not, and he really wasn't in any position to ask if she was since his bad timing was what had gotten her taken in the first place. "I'll um, let you get back to your walk then."

She just nodded, still staring at him.

Flashing another awkward smile, Paul continued on his way.

Sine turned to watch him walk away, shaking her head. The poor guy looked… embarrassed almost, at seeing her and she had had no idea what to say to him. It probably wasn't a good idea for them to be talking anyway. When she turned back around, she blinked. "Momo?"

Monique was just getting out of a cab, flashing her pearly whites in a smile before frowning, her green eyes narrowing on the stroller. "I was on my way to see you since you've been rude and haven't come to see me. Whose children are these?" She demanded, having seen Sine only a handful of times since she had married that crazy bastard and never heard or seen anything of children.

"Mine."

Monique frowned, comprehension setting in. "Are you still married to that bastard who kidnapped you? The fucker who stalked you?"

"Mark, and yes." Sine actually cringed when Monique did what she did best: exploded.

"You are coming with me right now and filing for a divorce! We'll go to the police station and get a restraining order!" Monique shrieked, ignoring Sine's pleading for her to calm down and stop making a spectacle of them both. "I bet he raped you, didn't he?"

Sine was more humiliated than she could ever recall being in her life, trying to make herself shrink into nothing as people shuffling by stared.

"That selfish bastard! He's going to pay for what he's done to you, Sine! I will kill him myself if I have too!"

While Monique was going off on her rant, Sine took the opportunity to turn around and disappear into the crowd and wheeled the twins back towards the house. She nearly froze when she seen Paul standing there with a shocked looked on his face, though there was also sympathy in his eyes. It was the sympathy that kept her walking.

"You look upset."

Sine nearly jumped out of her skin. She had just gotten the twins down for a nap after their rather... eventful... walk and turned to walk out of the nursery, only to walk right into Mark. "I didn't realize you were home." She said once she had gotten over her shock.

He shrugged, not letting her move by him, instead pinning her back against the now closed door. "What happened?"

Sine shook her head, not wanting their first meeting in a few weeks to be an argument. Which, if he found out about Monique and her less than kind words, it would be. "Nothing, we-"

"Don't. Lie."

"I ran into Monique on the street." She said finally, stepping away from him when he moved back, walking down the hallway towards their bedroom while she pulled out the combs she had used to hold her hair back. "She was... a pain." She shrugged, frowning when she felt his hands on her shoulders. "How long are you here for?" Yes, it was a distraction tactic.

"Two days." He answered quietly, not needing her to tell him what Monique had likely said. He turned her so she was facing him. "I want you to stay away from Monique." It was an order. He knew that loud-mouth cunt could influence Sine to sprout some balls and attempt leaving him again. When Sine shook her head, he scowled. "If I find out you don't you'll be headin' straight back to Houston, got me?"

Considering she worked with Momo, a lot, Sine found that would be a rather hard order to obey but she nodded anyway. "I have a fashion show in Tokyo next month." She blurted out, instantly regretting it. She had meant to ease him into the subject but... standing here under his scrutiny and desperate for a way out of the Momo conversation... yeah, she had made a mouth mistake.

He was already shaking his head, eyes darkening.

"You haven't even heard me out, Mark! Would it truly kill you to let me say something for once?" She demanded, anger beginning to kick in.

"You have agents for that garbage and you are not taking our kids across the damn ocean just to get away from me!" He shouted, his temper erupting all over again. "Is it not enough that I let you come to New York and let you rent your own fucking house? Is it not enough that I've repeatedly swallowed my pride every time you ask me for something?"

Sine could only stare at him, her face turning a shade of red that matched his.

"No, not this time, woman. You've pretty much squeezed me of every favor I'm willing to give, no more! You're not going to Japan and you sure as hell aren't taking my kids! Are you insane?"

Her eyes had narrowed with each word that came out of his mouth and finally, she pushed away from him. "I have not asked you for anything. I have to fight you for everything, Mark. Everything! You only let me come back here for... I don't even know why, because it suited you. Do you even know who I am?" She whirled around, reaching for a stack of mail on her vanity and began flinging letters at him. They were invitations for celebrity parties, requests for special gowns from high-list clients. "I am entitled to a life outside of you and the babies would be fine. They're old enough for international travel. I checked with their pediatrician you overbearing ass!"

"And do you know I don't give a fuck?" He growled, swatting the next barrage of envelopes away. Mark started to say something only to stop, sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose. "God damn you, Sine..." He groaned, closing his eyes tightly.

Sine held her breath.

"I can't lose you, darlin' and I know the first chance you get, you're going to try running." His eyes opened, meeting hers and he watched as she shrank away from him. He had always been intense about her, that hadn't changed and it probably never would. The woman infuriated him beyond all belief but also held some sort of hold on him that was beyond all reason. "Do you have any idea how much I love you, Sine?"

Sine didn't say a word, knowing if she opened her mouth she would point out that his brand of love was the wrong kind.

"You are my world, my life. You're the only thing I think about! You've ruined me!"

"I'm not going to leave you, you fool." Sine said flatly, shaking her head at the very thought of it. "I'd be stupid to even try. You have hunted me around the globe, I imagine you would do it again."

He nodded vehemently.

"And no, I have no idea how much you love me. I don't measure love the way you do. You see me as a possession, you don't respect me as a person. You don't care what I think or how I feel. I have to fight you for everything Mark, even control of my own life."

She was right and he hated her for it, another frustrated growl escaping him. Mark sank down onto the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands and inhaled deeply. He knew she was a type of celebrity and probably more famous than he was, but damn it... why couldn't she just give it up? "Do you really have to leave the States?" He asked finally, not bothering to look up, already knowing she was nodding. "Alright..."

Sine stared at him, unsure if she had heard that correctly.

"Go then, live your goddamn life." He looked at her, every word coming from gritted teeth. "You try leaving me again Sine and it'll be the biggest mistake of your life." He cautioned, wanting to make it clear that he wasn't letting her go, just giving her... her life. "Fuck another man... well," He smiled crookedly, looking downright evil. "You really won't like me then."

Sleeping with another man hadn't even crossed her mind. She couldn't honestly imagine responding to someone else the way she did to Mark. Which was not something she would ever admit to him. Sine was tempted to hug him but that would very likely set him off so instead she retreated from the bedroom, trying not to smile.

Next month she would be in Tokyo, at her first show in over a year.