MS

I must warn you, that this might seem like a surprising chapter. Also, this little story is done and I hope to concentrate on the last chapters of Sugar Daddy. Thank you all for reading the story and hopefully liking it.

Also, if anything seems like a cop-out in how it plays out, it isn't. This is what I originally intended when I started this small story. I hope none of you feel disgruntled.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CCS characters.

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Bound

Chapter 5: The Trump Card

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Sakura fidgeted as Yelan stepped back into the room. "I wavered wether to bring you something of mine so I brought this along." It was said in a light tone, which was comfortable in a way. This was the third time Yelan came into the room. The first time Sakura had been ready to die for the simple fact that the mother of her lover had found her with only a sheet covering her. The words Yelan had been speaking ad seemed to be in another language altogether. The second time, Sakura had been able to look her in the eye only to want to scurry away as she saw an expression there that had scared her. What it had been exactly, she couldn't say or understand.

This time, Yelan held a bundle as she searched the tray of sandwiches and cold ablations she'd brought the last time she had entered the room. "You should eat something," she prodded Sakura's manners. By how hollow and faulty her stomach felt, she didn't think she could actually keep anything down.

Yelan smiled benignly in her direction, satisfied by the bite. She understood that Sakura must feel somewhat uncomfortable with this situation, but she herself had no qualms. She was rather glad if she could speak quite clearly of the situation. She'd been expecting this to happen for quite some time.

Sakura just blushed as Yelan placed the bundle on the bed, making a line for the door once again with her crumpled dress. "I'm sure that my son would like nothing better than to return and find you bundled in his sheets, but I'm sure you wouldn't be so comfortable if anyone else stumbled in here."

She paused by the doorway as Sakura remained quite silent. "I'm going to send a maid with a note to your home. I'm sure you guys didn't have anything like this planned and therefore noone has a clue as to where you are."

"Well, Touya isn't in town," it was almost apologetically stated by the young girl. The bites of the sandwich still tasted like dust, but at least now it seemed like she could try to hold a conversation. "Still, I appreciate it. I don't want anyone at home to worry about me."

"I'll do this as soon as I can," Yelan offered, walking towards the door. "I'm going to try to put the house in some semblance of order before Syaoran returns. He already protested enough about me actually throwing this party and he'll be a total bear tomorrow about it."

There were so many things that Sakura could say, but she held back. She still felt rather vulnerable in her current state. "If you need anything dear, just be careful. I'll try to be on hand," it was impulsive, Sakura saw that. Yelan came back to her side, pulling her momentarily into a small embrace. "You don't know how happy I am that you're here."

Yelan just smiled, patting Sakura's hair on one side onto some semblance of order. It was a motherly gesture that Nadeshiko was rather fond of doing. "Yelan," she didn't know why exactly she felt like apologizing.

Yelan just shook her head, as if understanding. "You'll be my fifth daughter," she gave a strangled laugh. "Goodness, I better get out of here before I start crying for no reason," Yelan was always rather sweet and stable, it was rather surprising to see her expression so soft and giving.

She waved away Sakura's concern. "I'm very happy Sakura. I always wondered just how long it was going to take you two kids to figure it out. Turns out I didn't have to actively interfere," from the sound of her voice, Sakura grew somewhat alarmed. "I'm sure I'll be welcoming you to the family officially rather soon."

She placed a kiss on her forehead and quickly sauntered to the door. She lingered there, just looking at her. "I'll start pestering Syaoran about an engagement party," she was rather giddy, which kept Sakura mum about the subject. She wasn't going to tell her that she and Syaoran hadn't actually spoken about the subject.

But do you think it isn't going to happen? She was rather realistic, her chest tightening over the implications. Syaoran wasn't going to take a childhood friend to bed, compromise her, leave her naked in his bed, if he didn't intend to do something about it.

She shook the thoughts away. There was going to be enough time to think about the implications later. She walked to the bundle Yelan had left on the bed, shaking it up to find a sleeping camisole. It was rather big for her, but from the size she could tell it wasn't the older woman's.

"Must be from Fanren," of all of the sisters of Syaoran, she was the shortest and similar to Sakura's built. She slipped it on, feeling more modest. She lowered the light intensity in the room, and slipped into the bed. All that energy that had surged through her when Yelan had appeared, probably a flight impulse, had wavered and she had nothing left.

Her body was heavy like a stone, she muttered to herself as she closed her eyes. She buried her face onto one of the pillows, the scents that were so unfamiliar and strange comforting to her. She felt a tingle run through her body as she recalled rather vividly scenes of her intimate moment with Syaoran.

Just how many hours would he be gone?

Not soon enough. Syaoran kept telling that to himself as he looked at his pocket watch disgusted. This had taken more time than he had anticipated. He gave one of his companions a rather fierce glare when he snickered.

"Begging your pardon, sir," it was almost mocking. Syaoran spurned his horse forward, not caring for anything but his home and bed. And the person he had left beneath those covers. He could feel the heat cover his cheekbones, rather like a schoolboy.

He was never going to get rid of that automatic habit of his body to redden so easily. He was full of anticipation though. It was very easy to imagine him slipping into his bed, bring Sakura's body to his side, and slipping into blissful sleep with her warmth.

In fact, he planned to do just that. The night was cool and dreary, threatening to open the heavens with torrential storms and he didn't want to get caught up in it. He rounded up his stables, jumping from the horse and handling the reins to the stable master. Syaoran didn't have to say anything as he walked away to the warmth of his house.

There were bustling sounds in the kitchens still, he winced at the tumult of noise. "Syaoran," his mother called to him as he tried to slip away unnoticed through another backdoor that would lead to the stairs.

Yelan looked rather happy, he was surprised to think of it in those terms. "Yes mother," he answered her call.

"Here, I kept this cold for you," she held out a glass of lemonade, which was quite refreshing if he could admit it.

"Have you been watching for me?" he surmised as he saw the way the others worked around her. The room was almost free of any type of activity and disarray that would point out that a party had just taken place. Just the way he liked it.

Her refusal was quite adamant, and he could catch the risen brow of their butler and right hand man Wei in the background that bespoke quite differently. Syaoran shook his head knowing that his mother was going to always ask the same questions and behave quite the same way as if he were a kid in leading strings still.

"Good night mom," he called back to her, waving backwards as his mind had already gone over the thought of slipping into his bed.

"I went to your room earlier tonight," he froze in his tracks. Yelan was pleased by his instant reaction. He was stiff, tough, as if waiting.

"And?" she felt the waver in his tone. It was slight, just there.

"Nothing," there was some exhilaration at having been able to just say that and throw him out for a few seconds. That job as a parent was never going to get old. "I just took care of a few things in there."

She left it at that, turning away from him to give her whole attention to her staff. Syaoran took her dismissal as a good sign, feeling quickly to the stairs. He took them two at a time. He was scared.

Scared for many things. For just Sakura. He stormed up to his room like a maniac, if anyone would have actually seen him of course. Would she still be there? He had to wonder as he opened the door, breathing heavily.

He took pains to not make any sounds as he took a birds eye view of the room. He found her absconded on a corner of the bed, turned to the side with the covers drawn to her waist. A pressure lessened in his stomach, as he walked into the room and closed the door. He turned the lock mechanism.

If anyone was going to try to get into this room, they'd have to break the door.

He slipped out of his coat, undoing the buttons of his shirt and trousers as he came to the bed. He discarded the clothes, sitting on the bed as carefully as he could as to not disturb her. He shouldn't have bothered, she was a very heavy sleeper.

Syaoran slipped onto the side of the bed she occupied, marveling as to how she could occupy so little space of the huge bed. He grinned at that, wondering if she thought that taking more space would be a bad thing.

As soon as he placed his arm around her middle, she moved to let it slide right into place. He breathed in her scent, her hair tickling his nose. It was rather comforting to have her there.

Sakura felt a haze lift as warmth spread over her navel. She flicked her nose over a hard surface, taking a deep whiff of a scent. She opened her eyes slowly, the glimmering light hue creeping in. She rubbed herself against the object.

Her hand followed the appendage, feeling its contours. Her eyes were very open, and not disoriented. She knew exactly where she was. She wondered if she was supposed to feel startled awake.

"Did I wake you?" Syaoran's voice was low. It felt smoky. She giggled at the absurdity of that statement. "I was trying to get my hand away since it was starting to cramp." He looked down to where it was positioned.

The palm was precariously hanging over her hip, falling onto his knee that lay around her parted legs. It was a rather provocative positioning. He was able to free it, with her taking it into one of her own and massage some warmth into it. She snuggled closer to his frame, placing her own arm around his waist.

"How was it?" she asked him, yawning into his chest.

"It was a bit dicey there for a second, but it all went according to plan. We got the whole gang."

"Oh," it was rather pitched, but Sakura was not going to get herself into another bad patch. She just needed to let it go and know that things were for the best. "How was he?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Well, the leader of the band is going to be punished for the fullest extend of the law," he reassured her. "Sinclair did have a pretty low key operation going around these parts, but he tried to be too smart."

"Sinclair?" she bolted upright at that name. "What?"

"Yes, he was the leader of the smuggling band. He was a real piece of work too. You wouldn't believe just how sadistic he can be."

"But, him?" Sakura would have never thought it. The man had always been cordial and the picture of manners with each and every one. There had been nothing seedy about him. She'd always thought him sort of boring to tell the truth.

Syaoran let out a laugh at that. "He did have most of the neighborhood fooled," he thought of how he'd been simpering around Sakura lately. He brought her down to him, letting out a huff as she landed an elbow on his stomach.

"I never would have thought of it," she admitted.

"Precisely why it worked so well," he rubbed his nose against hers, smiling as she reciprocated in kind.

"What about my brother?" it was the question she'd been originally going for. She shivered in dread. "I don't think I can picture him deferring to Sinclair."

"You were right on that score," Syaoran put his hands beneath his head as he looked down at her. Sakura blinked. "He does bicker a lot and doesn't like to follow anyone else's lead. Of course, I was paying him a rather large sum of money."

"Huh?"

"Your brother was working for me," Syaoran rubbed his cheek, expecting a headache to take root. "He knew most of the people that were involved in this gang and of course, as soon as I took over the case, I decided that it would be better to put my cards on the table with him."

"Do you mean to tell me my brother was working for you?" she was definitely surprised, he winced at the shrill note that escaped through.

"Yes, so if you would please not go into a tirade about the dangers of the criminal world and such once again, I'm sure he would appreciate it."

Sakura felt struck dumb. If she said the word what one more time, she was going to hit herself. "Wait, how did this happen?"

"Your brother is a very astute young man. Me just being three years older was a bad point since we are rather close in age. I think he's rather impressionable, as I still am many times still."

"I don't need you to dissect his character, just tell me something that will make sense."

"But I am," he laughed as she growled at him.

"So you mean to tell me that you weren't after my brother?" he nodded. "Then he was part of the good guys?"

"My side," he snickered at how bad it sounded out loud. "He's been bemoaning to me about your lectures since that seemed to be the only thing he took pleasure in when he spoke to me."

"And you kept this from me?"

"Sakura, be reasonable," he pulled her down as she tried to pull away. He knew she was full of righteous indignation, but it would soon pass. He placed a hand on her back, making a soothing motion with his fingers. "If we had told you anything about this, you would have given it up."

"I would never have said or done anything," she was affronted.

"You wouldn't have to," he kissed her, trying to see just how deep her outrage really was. She was pouting when he pulled away, but relaxed. "You wear your expressions on your sleeve Sakura. One just had to look at you to see what you thought of them at that moment."

"Am I really that transparent?"

"Don't worry dear, you'll never need a job as a spy or a forrader of information, I'll keep you knee deep in jewels and the best money can buy."

She hit him playfully for that dig. "I still can't believe it. I'm still going to give him a tongue lashing."

Syaoran smiled, acknowledging that he wouldn't change it. "Just remember that your brother was doing the right thing instead of just playing at the wrong side of the law for kicks. He is a very good actor you know. I think this taste has given him an outlet for a way for him to get the shots of adrenaline he wants."

"He's always wanted to do the exhilarating thing."

"I'll see how I can manage to keep him out of trouble for you," Sakura threw herself over him, kissing him senseless. It wasn't long before he deepened the kiss, his hands settling over the underside of her thigh and slipping beneath her protective clothing.

"Just where did you get this from?" he wondered.

"Your mother," Sakura was flushed for a completely different reason. "She came into the room after you left."

"I gather it wasn't an unpleasant conversation?"

"Oh no, just the opposite. I think that if I had asked her for the moon, she would have found a way to bring it to me."

Syaoran wasn't at all surprised. This situation was something his mother had been thinking of since they'd been kids. Syaoran never told Sakura of the fact that his mother had told him that he'd found the perfect girl for him when he'd been running around in the mud.

"God I love you," she practically glowed at his statement. He just cradled her to him, enjoying having her close. Her body started building anticipation, but she wondered if he would do anything about it. He just kept her close.

"Are you going to make love to me or not?" it sounded rather demanding. Syaoran chortled with laughter at the tone.

"No sweetling," he reached rather forcefully for a pull, which bathed the room in total darkness. "I need all my strength to be able to do so and I'm tired. I promise you I'm not going to let you out of this bed tomorrow no matter how much you beg me to."

It sounded rather heavenly to her. She relaxed against him, letting the lull of his heartbeat mediate her own. She closed her eyes, her thoughts full of him. There was a world outside of this room that they would have to face later, but nothing that was of concern.

I wonder if he'll let me cuff him to the bed again, she thought to herself as the possibilities were endless. She'd rather have a time to explore his male body at her leisure. She'd think of it after the day had started. There were still hours of resting to be had and many other opportunities to explore.

It feels rather abrupt to me, the ending of course. But, I'm leaving it here. This is how I thought to end it since I started the first chapter and I decided to leave the ending like this instead of going the other way around. I do have a story thought out in which Sakura's brother is the bad guy and Syaoran is in league to take him down, but I don't know if I'll ever write it.

Thanks for reading everyone...

MS

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