"This is the most stupid idea ever created" Alana grumbles standing beside Richie who chuckles as he takes the plate she offered.

"What? Never enjoyed a picnic before?" he teases making her narrow her eyes at him.

"You have got to be s..." she stops before turning around with a smile as Richie's mother calls her.

"Go" he laughs lightly and she takes a deep breath and makes her way towards her mother-in-law.

"Oh is it not so lovely Alana, I cannot even remember the last time we went for a picnic" her mother asks as she smiles at Alana who just hums.

"Alana used to love going out when she was younger, once she..."

"Mom" Alana stops her mother as she hands her the plate with food and stares at her meaningfully.

"She still loves going out" Richie speaks as he comes to stand behind Alana and squeezes her shoulder lightly and before he could pull his hand away she grabs hold of it and digs her nails in his hand.

"I would be bored to death staying inside the house all alone, while you are busy going out in parties" she states as she smiles too sweetly towards him.

"You have not taken her to any parties yet?" his mother questions feeling offended on her behalf.

"She refuses to play dress up for me, so have not been around to attend any parties with my wife, yet" he shrugs his shoulder and all eyes lands on Alana who quietly focuses on her food.

*******

"You know, men will always have time for their work but we as their wife need to make sure we distract them from work...

It's our right" Richie's mother states as she holds Alana's hand who internally groans at the subject.

"Of course, after all he is just a man. I still distract your father out of his works now and then" her mother adds and Alana mentally dies not wanting to know about all the distractions.

"Yes, you should not feel odd or hesitate to be with my son after all you are his wife and if you want to be with him now and then he should give you all the attention" her mother-in-law speaks and Alana turns to glare at Richie who raises a brow looking at her wanting to know what he did wrong now?

"Excuse me" Alana smiles pulling her hands away from her mother-in-law as she stands and makes her way towards Richie who frowns before getting up as he watches her make her way towards him.

"Uh-oh, what did I do now?" he whispers as he wraps his arms around her waist.

"Get me the fuck out of here" she whisper shouts at his ear and he pulls her away from his parents.

"What did we talked about the word fuck?" he asks as they are away from the ear shot.

"Your and my mother just literally asked me to seduce you" she hisses as she digs her nails in his forearms walking away.

"Am I getting seduced then?" he asks hopefully and she scoffs.

"Sure I can give few scratches on your back if you want" she states and he nods his head vigorously making her burst out in laughter while their parents grin thinking they were getting along and them grandparents.

*******

"You think it is wise to be away from everyone?" Richie asks Alana as they are away from their parent's sight.

"Yes, God yes" she breathes pushing away from him.

"Not liking your in laws?" he asks raising him brow.

"You warned not to disrespect your parents" she points out as she pulls off her heels and massages her foot.

"But never said anything about your honest opinion" he states as he kneels and grabs her foot.

"Your mom is sweet"

"Don't hold back I got strong heart" he winks her way.

"And you don't try to be sweet I am not having sex with you" she warns pushing his hands away as she sits down on the grass.

"I never said that"

"But you are hoping"

"And you can say that how?" he asks as he sits down before lying on the ground.

"It's written all over your face" she points out circling his face with her forefinger and he grabs her said finger before pulling her atop him.

"Never knew my wife was a face reader"

"Let go of me" she grumbles trying to get up but he does not let her.

"I do not want to have sex with you Alana, I want to claim you as simple as that" he admits and she stiffens in his arms.

"I am my own person" she whispers.

"And I am damn happy about who you are" he whispers back as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"I had a brother" she starts and Richie just stays running his fingers through her hair listening.

"I saw him take his last breath in front of me, a deal went wrong. He was just seventeen, so young...dad had to pay back with my brother's life...

Ever since I hate what he does, but does he have any choice? Yes, choice...if he tries to leave the life he went in that means more blood...

Good men will never marry the girl of a man whose hands are deep in things that are darker than the night without moon light...

Bad men do not want a wife who will expose them" she speaks laying her head on his chest as she plays with the button of his shirt.

"What does that make me?" Richie asks and Alana turns to stare into his eyes.

"You are not a good one nor a bad, you are a dangerous one, the one who will damage my very soul if I got engaged with you" she states.

"But you are married to me" he smiles.

"I am not talking about engagement engaged but engaged with you on deeper level, engaged with you emotionally" she clarifies and he just presses her head back on his chest without a word.

*******

"I wish we could stay few more days" Richie's mother states sadly as she hugs her son.

"We will come visit you" he replies as he kisses on her cheek before hugging his father.

"I doubt that" his father laughs as he winks at Alana who smiles politely.

Once they say their goodbye to his parents Alana drops on the sofa taking a huge breath.

"That suffocating?" Richie comments and she just rolls her eyes.

"I am not someone who can pretend things I am not, feel honored that I even kept my mouth shut every time your father made sexual jokes...

And even if your mother is sweet there is only so much sweetness one can eat before the even the sweet turns into bitter" she replies.

"Well thank you for being civil now you can go back to your normal drunken state" he jabs making his way towards his office.

"And you can go rot in your work" she snaps at him before he stops and turns to face her but she was not the one to back down.

"Want to join me for a drink?" he asks instead surprising her and she frowns.

"Are you trying to make me drink at home instead of me going out?"

"No, I just don't feel like drinking alone that's it" he smiles before he asks her to follow him and she does.

********

"Who do you drink with in the bar?" Richie asks as he pours the wine in their glasses.

"Why the sudden interest?" Alana asks as she walks and pull some much stronger drink making Richie pause.

"It is natural for a husband to be interested in his wife" he states and she chuckles.

"You know you should be awarded for comeback lines, if I was any other girl I may have be fallen for you by now"

"But you are not" he points out as he pulls the bottle away from her hands before handing her the wine.

"I thought you asked me to join you for a drink"

"Yes and it shall be of my choice" he points out pushing the wine glass her way.

"You are a boring drinker" she comments even if she sip on the glass of wine.

"I think one of us is enough to not be a boring person"

"Don't you have any work?" she asks with her eyes narrowed.

"Why did you refuse to go out with me on any social gatherings?" he asks seriously.

"My life, my choice and my decisions to be wherever I want to be" she reminds him.

"Will I ever get to be part of your life, your choice and your decisions?" he asks staring at her.

"What do you want?" she questions him.

"Those I do's we did on to be true" he simply states and she sighs.

"You promised me my freedom"

"Have I ever broken it?" he asks seriously.

"I don't know, have you?" she asks instead.

"You would damn well know if I did, you would not be coming back home so drunk out of your mind if I was to go and break my given words to you"

"Why such a problem with me being drunk?" she asks.

"You being drunk in the house is a whole different case than you coming in getting drunk. Anyone can take advantage of..."

"I can take a very good care of my own self, I have been taking care of myself even before I was married to you" she snaps putting the glass down.

"I want you to go on a party with me" he asks when she gets up to walk away.

"I am not in mood for a party"

"No in mood or do not want to go with me?" he asks making her stop.

"Same difference"

"I have respected you enough to never interfere on with your life and what you do, so I for that small part I request you to come along with me"

"Why do you even want me to join you on some boring stupid party at all?"

"So, people know that we are married" he answers simply.

"Does it even matter?" she asks.

"This marriage may be nothing to you Alana but it's more to me. I did not simply just married you for the sake of it..."

"No, you married me for a whole different reason for the things my father can give you" she finishes for him and he just stares at her with narrowed eyes.

"Don't push me" he warns her.

"Don't make me" she states walking away.

*******

"Where are you heading to?" Alana asks her husband as she finds him dressing up for the night.

"I have a function I need to attend" he informs buttoning his shirt.

"The same you want me to join you?" she asks as she stands on the doorway watching him.

"Hmm" he hums as he pulls out a tie and Alana walks in the room before settling down on the bed as she keeps on watching him.

"Will you be going alone?" she asks and he keeps quiet still irritated with her.

"Can I be out if you are not going to come back home?" she asks and Richie pull his shoes out before he walks towards a chair and sits down.

"When did you start to ask for my permission?" he asks pulling on his socks.

"Sock, sock, shoe, shoe or sock shoe, sock shoe" she asks which halts Richie's movement.

"Is that a trick question?" he asks raising a brow and she nods her head slowly.

"I will take the option one" he speaks before getting up.

"Yeah thought so" she grins as she too gets up from the bed and walks towards him.

To his surprise she stands in front him and touches his chest with her finger before slowly moving her finger up and down.

"Are you late?" she questions and he narrows his eyes not knowing what game she was playing on.

"What is it?" he asks.

"I need to take a shower" she informs him.

"So?"

"And then dry my hair, pick a dress, matching jewelry, shoes, purse then there is my make up, so" she asks staring at him and Richie rolls his eyes.

"Go shower, will pick out a dress for you" he grins as he slaps on her back making her jump.

"Hey"

"Go hurry before I give the same treatment to your other side" he warns and Alana laughs as she grabs the robe and walk towards the bathroom.

"Bloody tease" he shakes his head as he makes his way towards her closet.

*******

"We are late" Richie comments as he watches Alana applying her lipstick.

"A Lady is never late, everyone are just early" she jabs back making him stare at her back.

"Good choice, husband" she smiles turning towards him to herself.

"I never doubt on my choice" he nods his head meaningfully before she walk to where he was.

Richie picks up her purse and she ignores it walking towards the door while he just smiles at her act.

"Want me to carry you as well" he asks following her.

"No, I want to flaunt of this dress on my heels" she replies as she turns around and winks his way.

"Bloody tease" he curses and she laughs.

"What kind of function is it?" Alana asks as they get in the car and drive.

"One of my investor wanted to have a small get together that's it"

"Do I need to behave?" she asks innocently and Richie gives her a look over before focusing on the drive.

"Do I have to warn you?" he asks and she shakes her head no.

"I will be a perfect wife for you" she smiles before surprising him as she moves and drops a kiss on his cheek.

"Umm-hmm" he chuckles not believing one bit of her words.

*******

"A small get together" Alana asks as she stares at the crowd.

"Let's get going"

"Can I at least get to dance?" she asks as she holds on to his arm.

"Naked, no. With me, perhaps" he speaks and she scoffs.

"Russo" the host exclaims as he makes his way towards them.

"Finally, out of the honeymoon phase eh" the man teases as he shakes Richie's hand before he takes Alana's hand and kiss on the back of it.

"It's such lovely to see you two, together. For a moment I thought we will never get to see who the woman Russo married" the man laughs and Alana laughs along.

"Lovely party on going" she states and the man grins.

"Yes, yes, thank you" he grins before he excuses them.

"I got his saliva in my hand" she grimaces showing the back of her hand to her husband.

"Shall I replace his saliva?" he asks raising a brow and she makes faces.

"I will go wash it" she tries to move away but he wraps his hand around her waist pulling her closer to his side.

"No" he speaks and she goes to reply but someone interrupts them.

"Richie" a woman's voice makes both of them to turn around.

"Go" Richie speaks as he lets go of her waist and Alana looks at his way but his eyes were on the girl standing in front of him.

"Oh wow" Alana whispers before she wraps her arms around his waist instead.

Richie stares at her in question but she just smiles too sweetly his way.

"Abi" Richie nods his head towards the girl standing in front of them.

"I did not knew you were going to join" the girl speaks softly.

"I could not have missed it" he states and the girl peeks at the arm around his waist before glancing at Alana who raises a brow in question towards the girl.

But Richie makes no notion to introduce the two of them.

"I am Abigail" the girl finally speaks and Alana smiles.

"Oh from what I just heard it was Abi, well I am Alana"

"I know" she speaks sadly.

"You needed to go to washroom" Richie speaks to Alana who once again gives her sweet smile as she speaks.

"But did you not offer to replace it with your saliva?" she asks showing her hand and he keeps quiet while Abigail gasps.

"Oh well" Alana speaks as she rubs the back of her hand on his coat before walking away.