#Men bitching about less births without doing anything to make it easier on women to have babies

[coochiequeens]

Chinese men: “Why aren’t women having kids?” Chinese women: “Aren’t we getting poorer with each child we have?”

28-year-old Joy Yu’s parents each had three siblings. As they were growing up in the 1970s, the Chinese government started to limit the number of babies born.

Government statistics show on average a woman in China went from having about three babies in the late 1970s to just one.

Four decades on, China’s leaders are asking women to have three children again, which doesn’t sit well for Yu, an only child.

“For me to give birth to three children, my future husband must be rich enough to make sure I can live well without a job. This is a big challenge,” Yu said.

Last year, China’s population dropped for the first time in six decades by 850,000. That still leaves the country with 1.41 billion people but if the decline continues, there will be multiple impacts on the economy.

One-child policy

China began enforcing birth limits in the late 1970s when the country was poor and there were too many mouths to feed.

In a Chinese propaganda film called the Disturbance of Gan Quan Village, the birth restrictions were justified on economic grounds.

“We should put our energy into getting rich rather than keep having children,” says one woman in the film.

She’s sitting among a group of women picking corn kernels off the cob. “Aren’t we getting poorer with each child we have,” she says. The rest of the group nods in agreement.

Chinese leaders enforced, sometimes brutally, the so-called one-child policy in 1979, just as the country was coming out of the tumultuous Cultural Revolution.

“The post-[Chairman] Mao leadership thought that economic development would be the new basis for the party’s political legitimacy and based on pseudo-scientific and demographic projections, limiting birth to one child per married heterosexual couple,” said Yun Zhou, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Michigan.

There were exceptions. Some ethnic minority groups could have up to three children. People from rural areas could try for a second child if their first-born was not a boy. Later, if both parents had no siblings they could have two children. Starting in 2016, China raised the birth limit for everyone to two children, but there was no sustained baby bump.

Obstacles

Yu said she had opportunities her parents never had because she grew up without siblings. She attended one of China’s top colleges and her parents are able to help her with a down payment on a pricey property in Shanghai if she so desires.

Still, Yu said over an Italian meal in Shanghai, she is not even sure she wants to get married or have children.

Raising children in China is expensive. Also, the work of raising children, like in many countries, falls disproportionately on women. Those demands would be hard to juggle with China’s long work hours. A six-day work week is standard in many sectors.

Other people have complained of being penalized in the workplace for being mothers.

“Women are being forced back to the home to increase births. It is like my body isn’t mine.”

Only-child, Joy Yu

Global impact

Fewer people might mean slower growth in China, which will be felt by the U.S. and beyond.

“They’ve now become, you know, the center of the global manufacturing superhighway and are typically the largest contributor to growth every year,” said Scott Kennedy with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C.

Chinese officials often credit the so-called one-child policy for preventing over 400 million births, but some analysts say China’s population would have declined regardless.

“It’s just simply a rule across all countries, that as you urbanize, and as you get a more educated female population that enters the workforce, fertility numbers fall,” Kennedy said.

China’s birth restrictions merely sped up that trend and made the fertility rate drop dramatically and unevenly. The traditional preference for boys in Chinese families combined with the birth limits and ease of access to abortion has led to a massive gender imbalance.

Chinese government statistics show in 2020 for every 100 women there are 105 men, whereas the global ratio is one-to-one. 

Attempted incentives

To encourage more births, the Chinese government has dangled a mix of carrots and sticks — cash incentives, tax breaks, pledging to lower the cost of children’s education, and making it harder for couples to divorce.

“Now, the government organizes matchmaking events, and it’s a mission just like when it enforced the one-child policy. This is so terrifying,” Yu said. “Women are being forced back to the home to increase births. It is like my body isn’t mine.”

A backdrop of gendered violence

Sometimes, the government is asked to step in, but officials are instead accused of a cover up.

For example, when a woman was found chained up in a far-flung village after having given birth to eight children, it triggered a discussion on human trafficking. But efforts by local journalists and concerned citizens to verify the details of this woman’s life independently have been repeatedly blocked by local officials. That includes an attempt by pioneering lawyer Li Zhuang earlier this year. He wrote a post about the difficulties he encountered, which was later deleted.

In northern China’s Tangshan city, a group of men savagely beat some women at a restaurant. The incident provoked a public outcry and while officials have punished the men and dismissed some police officers, the women have not been seen in public since. Officials were accused of suppressing the discussion about violence against women.

Even women in wealthy cities like Shanghai said they could identify with the victims in the reports.

“Those reports encapsulate a sense of gendered precarity that speaks to women in [a] deeply patriarchal and gender unequal society,�� social demographer Zhou said.

Economic costs

The number of Chinese workers is already declining; according to the World Bank, in 2001, China had 10 workers to support one retiree.

“In 2020, that was down to five working folks for each retiree and by 2050 it’ll be down to two,” Kennedy said.

He believes China still has time to offset the effects of population decline, including by boosting productivity, increasing the retirement age and lifting restrictions on people from rural areas to freely settle in cities with their families.

“I don’t think the problem has become so severe that demography is destiny, and China is destined to radically slow down and its chances of becoming an economic superpower breaking out of the middle income trap have been dashed,” Kennedy said.

“[But] these are pretty significant challenges.”

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Theology for Beginners follow-up: You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow (part 1)

TITLE OF STORY: You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow CHAPTER NUMBER/TITLE/ONE SHOT: 1 of 2 AUTHOR: missviolethunter / missviolethunterwrites WHICH TOM/CHARACTER: Loki GENRE: Romance, Drama FIC SUMMARY: Loki and his Midgardian wife Leah are awaiting the day of their baby’s birth, but some business with a troll may be giving Loki a bit of trouble on a very delicate moment. This is the final installment (for now, only for now) of the adventures of Loki and Leah. RATING: T WARNINGS/TRIGGERS/AUTHORS NOTES: Mention of hunting animals for food. FEEDBACK/COMMENTS: Link to the main Theology for Beginners story

YOU’RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW

   You’re gonna love tomorrow.        You’re gonna be with me.        You’re gonna love tomorrow,        I’m giving you my personal guarantee.        Say toodle-oo to sorrow,        And fare thee well, ennui.        You’re gonna love tomorrow        As long as your tomorrow is spent with me.  

      — Stephen Sondheim, Follies  

Part 1: In Praise of Women

“Oh, fuck!”

Up until the moment he’d heard the expletive, Loki had been taking a well-deserved nap. Deserved because he had (in his own opinion) behaved like a saint during the last few weeks. And definitely needed, because Leah had been keeping him awake at night for several nights in a row.

Like all intelligent men, Loki was patient. True, Leah’s pregnancy was a test to his patience some days, but he endured it out of love. Because he loved his wife, more than he had ever thought he could love a mortal woman… or any woman, mortal or not. He wanted her more every day, watching in fascination how her body changed, week after week. The extra weight and roundness of her body made him endlessly curious, without reducing his desire for her.

Sex wasn’t a problem. It had been the exact opposite of a problem since the early days of their relationship, and Leah’s pregnancy had not altered their night activities. The mechanics of sex had gotten difficult in the last month or so, because her increasing size limited the number of positions that were practical for both of them, but Loki always found a way for his wife to be comfortable… usually employing an inordinate amount of pillows. Besides, making love was one of the few things that helped her sleep at night when she was restless and fidgety, and thanks to that their marital life was made in the proverbial heaven.

No, the source of Loki’s lack of sleep was – always according to Leah – Loki’s fault. Or, to be more precise, his biology’s fault. His Frost Giant heritage, the part of himself he had fought so hard to repress for so many years, was making an unexpected return in the shape of the little creature that Leah was carrying inside, the little unnamed baby who was making a mess of their mother’s body temperature. She complained about the cold when the brazier was burning, tossed away all the blankets in the middle of the chilliest nights, started shivering or sweating for no reason… and Loki grew worried and restless day after day, because if Leah wasn’t able to sleep he didn’t allow himself to do it either.

That was why he was trying to take a nap right before noon, and why he jumped off the bed to the sound of a swear word and the smell of smoke across the room.

Still half asleep, he tried to make sense of what he was seeing: his heavily pregnant wife, standing beside the fireplace and patting at the skirt of her gown with a wet cloth, because apparently that’s where the burning smell came from.

Loki leaped from the bed and hurried to her side, trying not to smile.

“Again, my love?”

“Don’t you ‘again’ me, Loki. You know it’s hard for me to control this.”

“I asked Frigga to provide us with a fireplace so you would feel comfortable in this cell, but she won’t be happy if you set yourself on fire with it.”

Leah made a face at her husband and walked to the full-length mirror beside the bed to check the state of her clothes.

“Shit, another ruined dress”, she said, looking at the scorched mark on the black fabric.

Loki hugged her from behind, trying to keep her spirits up.

“You will have to abandon that language when the child arrives, my love. And it’s not your gown I am worried about, but your health. How do you feel?”

“Like an elephant, huge and clumsy. No, forget the elephant; a whale would be more accurate. I’m only twenty-six weeks along! How can I be this big?”

“Adis said your size was normal, and as a midwife she knows a thing or two about expecting women.”

She turned to face him and pouted. “Normal! I can’t sleep at night, I’m constantly craving foods that you don’t have in Asgard, and now my body temperature is all messed up again. Yesterday I burnt my tongue with the tea because I didn’t realize it was scalding, the teacup felt cold in my hand. How is that normal? And I know you’re scared that I will sleepwalk into the fireplace and set fire to myself. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Lovely Leah, you are much too clever for that”, he laughed. “And speaking of your cravings, I already asked my mother to get you some of that black chocolate you asked for.”

“Swiss chocolate? The one with cranberries in it?” she asked, hopeful.

“The same. My mother would do anything to make your life easier until the child is born.”

“And that’s another thing I hate: not knowing when it’s going to happen. If this was a fully human baby I would still have three more months to go, but I don’t think I’ll last that long without going insane!”

“I am sure it will be sooner than that”, Loki said, holding the agitated woman in his arms. He had lowered his voice to a low, soothing tone, and his mouth brushed Leah’s lips. Softly at first, and then in a persistent kiss.

She held on to his shoulders, moaning.

“If you’re trying to make me feel all hot and bothered, congratulations.”

“I always get what I want, woman.” Loki’s lips curled into a playful grin. “And what I want now more than anything is your happiness. And a healthy child.”

“What happened to ruling over Asgard? It’s gone down a few positions on the list, apparently.”

With infinite care, he placed his long hands on Leah’s belly, feeling her baby bump through the layers of clothes.

“Our child can rule over Asgard one day. Or any other realm he chooses, I will secure it for him.”

“Or her. Remember, Junior can be a girl. I dreamt it was a girl the other day.”

“Even better. An almighty Queen who will bow to no one.”

Leah laughed, putting her hands over his. “I think the reason the baby won’t come out is because of all those plans you’re making. Meanwhile, I feel like a broken thermostat.”

“If he’s half as stubborn as his mother, I expect no less. And he will be perfectly fine unless you let all those worries make you sick. It is all in your head.”

“You had zero complaints about my head last night”, she said in a sultry whisper.

“Minx. If we were not expecting company I would tell you exactly what I think of–”

A discreet cough interrupted their conversation. Adis, the Asgardian midwife, had been standing outside the cell’s transparent wall for a while, but she didn’t ask the Einherjar to lower the force field until Loki and Leah had acknowledged her presence.

“Good day to both of you. I came as soon as I got your message, my lady, I am here to check on you and the little one. How are we feeling today?” she asked with her perennial kind voice.

“Tired, worried, hot, cold, overexcited, sleepy and restless. Oh, and I just got too close to the fire again; didn’t you smell smoke? That was my dress, almost catching fire.”

“Everything normal, then. You are almost there, you know. I was not entirely sure of how long the pregnancy would last, but those hot and cold flashes indicate that your baby’s physiology is asserting itself. It will be any day now.”

“Good. It feels like I’ve been pregnant for years, and I’m so big that I’m almost afraid of moving without hitting something.”

Adis’s face went unexpectedly serious.

“That is the other reason why I am here. Queen Frigga has put me in charge of helping you move to Prince Loki’s old rooms, up in the palace, until the child is born. The Allfather thinks it’s not fitting for a lady of the realm to give birth to a future member of the Royal family in a cell. You will be more comfortable there; the queen will be able to visit you every day, and keep you company until–”

“No”, interrupted Leah.

“My lady?”

“I’m not going anywhere without Loki, and I suppose Frigga’s invitation doesn’t include him. I’m staying here, and if Odin wants his grandson to be born under a golden roof, he can free my husband anytime he wants.”

Loki and his former nursemaid looked at each other without saying anything. Leah’s stubborn (almost pigheaded) character and fierce loyalty to her husband was widely known, and that was the answer they both had feared. Loki went to sit beside Leah who, feeling a bit outnumbered, had taken refuge on the bed.

“Leah, it will be for the best if you follow Frigga’s advice.”

“I’m not going anywhere without you. That’s what we agreed on when I came here.”

“And it honors you. However, I am not partial to the idea of having you give birth in this place, away from my mother and from the healers’ rooms. If something went wrong you will need their help.”

Leah’s lip quivered. “But…”

“Remember I have ways of being there without being physically present”, Loki whispered. “I know you hate being told what to do, but this time my opinion stands. You will go with Adis to my old rooms until the child is born.”

Leah closed her eyes and groaned.

“My love, this is not the moment to be dramatic and make a scene. When the child has arrived, you have my permission to scream at me for a full day, if you want.”

“It’s not that”, she said. “It’s… my back, suddenly it hurts like a bitch.”

The midwife hurried to Leah’s side. “Your lower back? A piercing pain?”

“Yes. It’s the second time today… it happened early this morning, and then it went away. That’s why I sent you that message, to make sure everything was alright.”

“More than alright”, said the older woman with a smile. But we need to get moving, my lady. You are having a contraction. It’s started.”

The midwife’s announcement brought a sudden silence to the room.

Leah opened her mouth and closed it again, torn between her reluctance to leave her husband and her common sense, which indicated that she should go and give birth in a more convenient place. Loki was the one who finally spoke:

“Is it really time, Adis? Not too soon?”

“Alas, children are always unpredictable, and a child as… special as yours is not going to adhere to any pregnancy calendar.” She patted Leah’s hand, reassuring her. “But I can still see with my own eyes, and what I see is that you are carrying a big, healthy baby who wants to be born as soon as possible. The rest will sort itself out like it does for every mother. Now, I will help you prepare a basket with your things.”

“There’s an empty one under the bed. I have to get a change of clothes… and the baby’s clothes, and I have a list somewhere of all the things you told me I’ll need. Do we need to go right now?”

“As soon as you are packed”, answered the older woman, grabbing the basket from under the bed and making her way to Leah’s closet, which she opened with little ceremony, picking and discarding clothes from the shelves. “We would be risking a very uncomfortable move if we wait, child. You do not want to cross the palace and climb all those stairs when your contractions are a few minutes apart. There is no time for you to change clothes, this cloak will do. Put it on and–”

Adis raised her head and listened intently. Someone was hurrying down the prison corridor, faster than any underpaid soldier would run; Leah held on to Loki’s hand, worried. The steps got closer and closer to the cell, finally revealing a very agitated (and almost out of breath) Fandral. He exchanged a few brisk words with the sergeant of the Einherjar, showed him a piece of parchment and then turned some sort of lock outside the door.

The force field dropped and stayed off, but nobody on either side moved.

“Fandral. If this is a rescue, I have to say it is both clumsy and very ill-timed”, Loki spat.

The blond warrior laughed. “I’m afraid my errand is of a different nature, my friend. Thor has sent me here to ask for your help, on behalf of your brother, of the Allfather and maybe of the entire realm.”

“Help?” interrupted Leah. “After they locked him here and lost the key? Thor has some fucking nerve asking for help… or maybe not, since he sent you to do his dirty work.”

Fandral smiled at Leah and bowed, ignoring her crass language. “My lady Leah, I volunteered for the errand. If this was about Thor’s personal matters with Loki I would have told him to sort it out himself, but I’m afraid this problem is much more urgent and dangerous than a brother’s quarrel.”

“How dangerous?” asked Loki.

“How many times have you encountered a troll in battle?”

Loki frowned. “Only once. Years ago, when Thor and I went to Nornheim to rescue a group of ambushed soldiers. A tribe of Dark Elves had escaped from their realm had allied themselves with the native trolls; we defeated them at great cost and barely made it back to Asgard alive.”

“Well, someone has seen a very wild and aggressive troll this morning, here in Asgard. It attacked two lumberjacks who were working in the Myrkviðr forest, near the western farms. Fortunately the men are more frightened than hurt, but the next time we may not be that lucky.”

“That forest is only three miles away from here.”

“And now you know why we need your help, and quick.”

Loki sighed and turned to speak to Leah, who had listened to Fandral’s story with an incredulous expression, as if the man had been speaking Chinese.

“Now it has become absolutely necessary that you go with Adis at once, my love. This is important, and I will not leave you here alone.”

“But Loki, what’s all that talk about… trolls? I thought they didn’t exist! At least on Earth, they exist only in fairy tales.”

“All tales have a smidge of truth in them. Yes, they exist, and they’re some of the most dangerous creatures I’ve ever encountered. But don’t worry, if there’s only one of them we will defeat it.” He stepped close to the cell’s entrance, just in front of Fandral. “I will need my armor.”

“Done.”

“And my knives.”

The blond man raised an eyebrow, dubious. “Thor will never allow it.”

“Trolls are impervious to magic. My knives or nothing.”

“Fine, I will smuggle a few of them out of the armory for you. But we need to leave at once, Loki. If the night falls and there’s a troll on the loose near those farms…”

Loki raised a hand, bidding the other man silence, and returned beside Leah for a moment. He put a hand on her cheek, as delicately as he could.

“I will be back in a few hours, my love”, he whispered. “Adis and my mother will take care of you. Be brave.”

“I thought when the baby came you would be by my side, not away fighting some… mythological monster. Loki, I’m really scared”, she said, failing to keep the panic out of her voice. “Don’t you dare getting killed and not coming back, do you hear me?”

“Duly noted”, he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “And now, won’t you send a warrior to battle with a kiss, woman?”

Leah looked around her to check that Adis and Fandral were not peeking, and then threw her arms around Loki’s neck.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

The Myrkviðr forest was a vast extension of trees not far from the city. A quite convenient place for the Asgardians to get their firewood, and also the home of a large population of wolves, deer, foxes, birds… the usual fauna in any forest across the Nine Realms.

There were no animals in sight that day, though. As the three men crossed the stone bridge that separated the forest from the farmlands, all they could hear around them was a deadly silence. No birds chirping, no rabbits running, not even the buzzing of a bee. It was as if the entire forest had gone into hiding in fear of the trollish creature.

“This will be easy”, affirmed Thor, with Mjolnir in one hand and a heavy sword in the other. “We go in, you two attract the monster towards us, I slay it, and we’ll all be back home by dusk so Loki can be present when my nephew arrives.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “If it’s so simple, why are you keeping me away from my wife, precisely today?”

“I need your illusions to distract the monster, brother. You will have no trouble; they say trolls are tremendously stupid.”

“Many people of my acquaintance are tremendously stupid, present company included. That doesn’t mean I run around wasting my magic on them.”

Fandral interrupted him with an exaggerated (and fake) cough.

“As self-proclaimed keeper of the peace between you two, I must ask you to stop before you start fighting each other like always. Now, that place over there must be the clearing where the woodsmen were surprised by the beast, so if we cross that brook we will be right in its territory. Let’s try not to make any noise.”

The brothers nodded. Loki kneeled beside the little river, examining the mud for footprints; he found none, and they all waded the shallow water. Just as they reached the other side, Loki stopped in his tracks.

“What’s wrong? Did you see it?”

“Shhh. No, but someone – someone wearing boots – has trampled all over those bushes. Let me see.”

He surveyed the ground and the surrounding plants. It was already the middle of the afternoon, and the light was dwindling. After a moment, he emerged from the bushes, holding a wooden object in his hand.

“I have been away from Asgard for quite a while, but all my life I remember lumberjacks carrying axes to work, not crossbows.”

And a crossbow it was, an expensive one made of fine olive wood with silver and mother-of-pearl engravings. Loki examined it carefully and went back to the place where he had found it; a further search revealed a brown leather bag, full of bolts.

“That is not a peasant’s weapon”, observed Thor.

“Someone must have wanted a troll’s head in their trophy wall, and they ran into more trouble than they expected”, said Loki in a pointed tone. “When we get back, maybe you should exchange a word or two with those ‘woodsmen’… for all we know, the troll could have been pacific, and they were the ones harassing it.”

“A pacific troll”, laughed Thor. “And then what, carnivorous sheep? Brother, I fear your time in captivity has done things to your mind.”

“And I fear your lack of imagination has made you even duller than you already were. Didn’t your Midgardian wench teach you anything about keeping an open mind?”

“Peace, again, or I’ll bang both your heads against a tree!” interrupted Fandral, stepping in the middle of the Odinson brothers. “I can’t believe I’m saying this to two adult men, but… do not make me tell Queen Frigga.”

That put a temporary end to the hostilities, and the three men kept advancing thorough the forest. A bit further away they got to the foot of a grassy hill, where a group of big rocks on one side encased what looked like the entrance of a cave.

Nobody spoke, but Fandral drew his sword, and Thor made sure Mjolnir was still attached to his belt (it always was, but he had picked up that nervous habit during the time he’d been exiled on Midgard). Loki, who had no intention of letting go of his newly acquired crossbow, ran his fingers over the engravings on the weapon. Just as they were going to approach the entrance of the cave, they heard a noise… right behind them.

It was a troll, all right. A giant one, if Loki remembered correctly his visit to Nornheim many years before. At least eight foot tall, its grayish body covered in what seemed the furs of some animal, and adorned with a necklace made of bones and seashells. That little concession to civilization didn’t make it seem any less scary, especially when it let out a growl that would have chilled the blood of the most battle-scarred Asgardian warriors.

Thor grabbed Mjolnir and took a step towards the roaring creature, but Loki stopped him with a hand to his chest.

“Brother, let me through or I will step over you.”

“Don’t move, you idiot!” said Loki in a shouting whisper. “The troll is looking at the cave, not at us. We are in its way, but I’m not sure it wants to hurt us.”

“Do you speak troll now? Maybe you can ask it if it’s enjoying its holidays in our beautiful realm!”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Fine, allow me to try one thing. If it doesn’t work, you can go ahead and charge like a brute, like you always do.”

Thor nodded and made a sign to Fandral, who was in the rearguard covering their backs. They both stepped aside, slowly retreating behind a group of trees.

Loki left the crossbow on the ground and raised his hands slowly, letting the creature see that he was unarmed. (He wasn’t. Apart from the two knives Fandral had stolen from the armory for him, he had three others hidden in his clothes. A routine safety measure, so to speak.).

“What is it you want in that cave? You are a forest troll, your kind does not like caves. Why is it so important for you to get in there?”

The troll grunted. It was looking at Loki intently, as if it understood what he was saying.

Step by step, Loki walked out of the creature’s way, not getting his eyes off it. There was a tense moment when Loki and the beast were less than two yards away, and he couldn’t help reaching inside his armor and grabbing the handle of a knife… just to be safe. However, the troll wasn’t paying any attention to him. It stopped at the entrance of the cave and let out a long wail, like a call. Then it disappeared into the dark.

“Well, that’s something one does not see every day”, said Fandral, relieved. “Did we manage to trap it inside the cave… or are we the ones trapped outside?

Loki looked pensive for a moment. “I think I am starting to realize what happened. That cave must be connected to the larger ones on the other side of the hill. There are passages between the realms there, but the terrain is unstable and dangerous. I tried to explore them once when I was a kid, and I almost fell down a gorge.”

“And that’s how it arrived?” asked Thor. “Then why didn’t it leave again, through the same passage?”

“The way may be blocked. Or maybe the troll is injured, there was blood on one of its legs”, observed Fandral. “Dried blood, so it has been here at least for a day.”

Thor turned towards Loki, who had recovered the crossbow and was attaching it to his back.

“You are very quiet all of a sudden, Loki. What’s on your mind?”

“I think there’s something in that cave that the troll didn’t want us to see, that’s why it was so agitated.”

“Something more important than the creature’s instinct to fight us?” asked Thor.

“This creature’s instincts may be different from the trolls we’ve fought in the past, brother.”

“I didn’t see any difference, except that this one is bigger than any other I’ve seen.”

“Exactly. Because our troll is a female.”

Thor made a face. “There are female trolls? And they are bigger than the males? I thought…”

“Did you really believe they’re born out of rocks? Even you are too clever to pay heed to those old wives’ tales, Thor.���

The blond Asgardian pictured the troll in his mind… and, now that Loki had mentioned, there had been a hint of feminine shape behind the furs, the matted hair and the nasty smell.

“So, what do we do now?” asked Fandral. “My usual way of dealing with ladies is to seduce them, but I’m not volunteering to do that with this one, lovely as she may be in troll standards.”

“I have an idea”, said Loki. “One that fortunately doesn’t involve me having to witness your deplorable flirting skills. Thor, have we brought any food?”

“I did not think we would stop for a picnic.”

“Very funny. In that case, I need you to go and hunt a rabbit.”

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Leah was busy regaining her breath.

“I think… oh, God… I think that’s it. Can I sit down now?” she asked Frigga, who was walking beside her up and down the vast bedroom.

The queen exchanged a glance with Adis, who was busy making tea on an kettle over the fire.

“Good job, child”, answered the midwife. “Your contractions are still widely spaced, you have plenty of time to rest before the next one. Come sit and have some of this tea, it will help with the pain.”

Almost out of breath, Leah let herself fall on a rocking chair. Frigga sat on a low bench, always by her side like she had been for the past couple of hours.

Leah sipped a bit of the herbal drink. It tasted like bay leaves and bitter aniseed, and she scrunched her nose before swallowing it.

“In all the classic movies I’ve seen, women give birth in bed”, she complained to Frigga. “Why do I have to walk and move so much?”

The queen smiled.

“Those ‘movies’ you mention were probably made by men, my dear. Walking during the contractions will help with the progression of the birth, and it will keep your mind away from the pain. Now relax and let your body prepare for the next time; it will be easier if you do not fight the process.”

Leah let out a loud sigh and looked around her. They had installed her in Loki’s former lodgings, which had turned out to be quite more than a simple room. In fact, it was a full apartment, complete with two bedrooms, a study, a giant bathroom and a huge living room, all of them decorated in green and gold. There was even a small kitchenette, tucked away behind a cleverly hidden panel. Both the main bedroom and the living room had French doors that led to a balcony; Leah had peeked outside during one of her strolls around the place, and she had seen a number of people congregated outside. They clapped and cheered when she approached the edge.

Private matters weren’t that private in Asgard, not when they concerned Odin’s family.

She had avoided the balcony since then; it was starting to get dark, and Adis had closed the curtains so she wouldn’t worry about the small crowd who was anxious to meet their new prince or princess.

“What time is it?” she asked, wondering what Loki would be up to, and how long it would take him to come back.

“No looking at the clock, dear”, answered Frigga. “It will not hurry things up and all it will do is make you nervous.”

“I’m already nervous. I feel like I’ve been in labor for ages!”

The queen walked to the fireplace and fanned the flames. Between her duties and Leah’s confinement, she hadn’t had many long conversations with her daughter-in-law since the day of her arrival, and now she was anxious to find a topic that would make the girl forget that her husband was away, battling a troll, perhaps in mortal danger.

“Why don’t you tell me what you were like as a child?” she finally asked. “Loki was so quiet and well-behaved that sometimes I could not believe my own luck. If he had been like Thor I would have gone mad before the first year.”

Thankful for the change of subject, Leah smiled.

“I was… I guess well-behaved would be a way of describing me, yes. My Nonna… my grandmother said I talked non-stop, and I remember a game I played all the time with my dolls… I was the host of a television show, and they were my guests. Of course I did all the talking, of course.”

“Sounds like you were a happy child.”

“Yes, at first I was. At least until my mother got sick”, Leah said, frowning.

Frigga raised an eyebrow in silence, and Adis left whatever she was doing with her herbs and came near the fire, listening intently.

Leah downed the rest of her tea, and spoke again.

“Shortly after I was born, my mother married a man called John Channing. He wasn’t my father, but I didn’t know it then… he adopted me, gave me his name, and he was the most wonderful dad any kid could dream. He drove a huge truck, and I loved it when he took me for a drive with him… One day when I was five, I told him I wanted to be a lady truck driver when I grew up. He laughed, but he got me a toy truck for my next birthday anyway. “

She stopped to catch her breath and went on.

“I had no idea, but my mother had started drinking when I was a baby. Dad… John was away a lot, because of his work, and I guess my mother felt lonely. Then she began drinking even when he was at home, and they fought more and more every day… until one day he left and didn’t come back.”

Frigga put a hand on Leah’s shoulder. “I did not mean for this to be painful for you, dear. If it is too much, let us talk about something else.”

“No, I have to tell this to someone or I will burst. Let me finish.” She ran her hands through her hair, loose now that her carefully braided bun had become undone with all the moving and walking around. “I was seven years old when my parents divorced, and from then on my mother’s drinking only got worse. My grandmother moved in with us for a few months, but it was one fight after another again, because my mother refused to get help. Any kind of help. One day they had a huge row, and my mother… she insulted Nonna so badly, and then she threw her out. My grandmother was a proud woman, and that was the last time she set foot in our house. I visited her almost every day, but she didn’t see her daughter again for several years.”

By then Frigga was cursing the moment she had started asking inconvenient questions. She looked at Adis, whose kind brown face was now serious and worried, and then at her daughter-in-law.

“How did you manage after that?” she asked in a soft voice.

“I had to take care of things”, she answered, fixing her steely gaze on the two women beside her. “I did the chores after school when my mother was too sick to get up. I got a cookbook from the school’s library and spent hours reading it… and then the following day I made mac and cheese. I remember my mother liked it… she even got out of bed to eat that day, and told me it was delicious. I guess that’s one of the reasons I like cooking.”

She reclined her head back, as if the long speech had exhausted her, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she squeezed Frigga’s hand and blinked to hold back a tear.

“And now you know why I’m so scared to have this kid. How am I going to raise a child… when it’s been so long since I knew how it feels to be one?”

Frigga smiled at her, making tiny wrinkles appear around her kind blue eyes.

“You have a new family now. A husband who loves you, a new brother… even a new father.”

“Odin doesn’t like me.”

“He does not know what to do with you… or with Loki, but that is a different problem, and we will address it at a different time. Moreover, you have me. I know I cannot replace your real mother and grandmother, but I will help you in any way I can.” She smiled at herself, like enjoying the visit of an old memory. “If I could handle raising a baby who turned blue every time he cried, I am sure helping you with my grandchild will be… how do they say it in Midgard? A piece of cake.”

The idiom seemed so out of place in Frigga’s voice that Leah had to laugh.

“I’m still hoping this one doesn’t give me frostbite when I hold him… oof!” She put her hands over her belly, feeling the familiar pain start again.

Adis put an arm behind Leah’s shoulder, supporting her back while she stood up.

“This one has arrived sooner than I expected. I will put the water to boil and get the bed ready.”

“You mean you’ll actually let me get on the bed now?” Leah asked, hopeful.

“Maybe for a while, when this contraction is over. Now, hold my arm and start walking, child.”

Leah did what she was told to, groaning.

“Oh, why did I let Loki do this to me? I swear, if he survives the troll I’m the one who’s going to kill him.”

The two women beside her laughed heartily, and Leah did all she could not to look offended.

“Now you are talking like a woman in labor”, Frigga said. “Come on, keep walking slowly and do not hold your breath.”

[msbigredmachine]

Gold Digger - A Roman Reigns One-Shot

Roman is having a hard time getting rid of his gold-digging ex-wife. What exactly does he have to do to get her out of his life permanently? Roman Reigns/OC. AU one-shot.

Yet another attempt at mass tagging:  @lavitabella87 | @cynda-wrasslin | @caramara3 | @alexahood21 | @nickysmum1909 | @iloveenzoamore | @fan-fiction-galore | @flawlessglamazon | @hardcorewwetrash | @helluvawriter | @emmarablack | @banrioncethlenn | @laigy2213 | @redalternativefirefly | @fmlallthewayup | @lilmisscrisis | @imagines–assemble | @knowdagirlm | @blondekel77 | @lclb12 | @shadow-of-wonder | @fandom-preferences-imagines | @reignsappreciationpagefics | @heilisk | @reigns420 | @withwordslikeweapons | @hiitsmecharlie @wwesmut​ @wwe-smutfics​ @romanreignsnet​ @romanreignsfanpage​ @roman-reigns-gifs​ @roman-reigns-empire​ @littlewrestlingnerd​ @smutwwe

-----------------------------

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Reigns?"

Tearing his eyes from the paperwork on his desk for the first time in hours, Roman Reigns looked up at his secretary. "No, that will be all. Thank you."

"Okay. Have a good night, Mr. Reigns."

"You too."

Once she shut the door behind her, Roman shook his head, chuckling quietly. He was well aware of the attention his secretary had been giving him these past few weeks. And not just her; there was a bunch of other women in the fray; fellow colleagues, clients, family friends; most of them far less subtle about their intentions than she was. When you were a very successful, newly single young man, such was to be expected. But as flattered as he was, he had no plans for another relationship, not so soon after his divorce.

He sighed heavily as she came to his mind. Sabrina. The redheaded goddess. The seductress. The Jezebel that nearly ruined his life.

No one had ever put him through as much emotional torture in the past few years as his ex-wife. Just a couple of years ago he was on top of the world. He steered his company through the tough global recession. He was due for a promotion and he had a beautiful, loving wife. Fast-forward to present day and his marriage had collapsed like the global economy. He didn't understand how she had turned from a loving, caring woman to this hellcat that only cared about herself. He'd given her everything she ever wanted. He hadn't cared that she spent his money faster than he earned it, or that there was always friction between her and his friends and family. He loved her, she loved him, and that was all that mattered. But as time passed the illusion waned, and he began to see her for what she really was; a cold, self-centered, manipulative witch.

For one, he had wanted to start a family of his own, but he discovered that she had no interest in having children at all. It turned out she was taking birth control pills regularly while they were trying for a baby. She succeeded in isolating him from his closest friends and family. There were whispers from all corners that she was cheating on him. It was drama after drama with her, and before Roman could recover, she abruptly filed for divorce, ending three-and-a-half tumultuous years of marriage.

In an effort to compromise, Roman offered Sabrina a considerable sum of money, two of his luxury cars and his old apartment, but she demanded more. More money, more houses, more of his material possessions. When he refused to budge, she began to humiliate him in every way possible, in front of his family, friends and potential business clients, selling story after story of him to the press. False stories. That he’d been abusive, physically and emotionally. That he’d cheated on her. Most of his social circles knew it was the other way around, but it didn’t matter. Luckily for him, his lawyers were made of much sterner stuff, and they ensured that she got nothing more than what was stated in the watertight pre-nuptial agreement. Maybe she had finally caved in to the offers, because he never heard from her again. That was over six months ago.

Sighing heavily, Roman shook his head, erasing the painful memories from his mind. He knew that deep down inside him, he would always love Sabrina. There was just a magnetism about her that grabbed his entire being and never let go. But the woman was a sociopath, plain and simple. He wanted nothing to do with her anymore, not after the way she treated him. He deserved better, and he was going to get better, but only when he was ready and could fully trust again. He'd made that mistake once before. He wasn't going to make it again.

Yawning tiredly, he made the decision to leave earlier than usual. Grabbing his jacket, he exited his office and headed home. It was late, and he was overdue a long, well-earned rest.

-----------------------------

Sitting alone in her apartment, Sabrina Reigns glared at her bank account statement, seeing it without seeing it. She'd been in this situation a few other times before, and it never got easier. It wasn't long ago that she was living the life as a housewife with money to burn. Now she was single and a few thousand dollars away from being broke, all thanks to her idiotic, selfish ex-husband. She really didn't feel like going man-hunting so soon. Not that she would have any problem getting any man she wanted.

Sabrina was a very beautiful woman. Everyone and their mother knew it. No one could ignore that glossy butterscotch skin, piercing green eyes and a figure to die for. Sabrina was also a notorious social climber, well-known for her unquenchable thirst for fame and money and her hit-and-run marriages with famous, wealthy men. She couldn't help that men were putty in her hands. Roman Reigns had been no different. Within months of meeting each other at a charity gala, they were married. The first year was blissful, but it wasn’t long before she grew restless again. She didn’t like that her husband was away at work so much, but she loved the lifestyle he provided for her. She hated his family and friends, who never hid the fact that they thought her to be a money-grubbing bitch, a gold digger. Idiots.

Of course she liked the finer things in life. Who didn't? She liked that Roman gave them to her in abundance; the beautiful mansions they lived in, the sports cars, the closets crammed with designer outfits and shoes and bags. All of that was great, but she got bored with married life. It just wasn't for her. Worst of all, he'd wanted kids. The thought of giving birth, having to look after those fat, stinky little shits, terrified her. So she adopted her usual exit strategy; stay a while, file for divorce, then take the money and run.

Roman wasn't the first man the former Mrs. Reigns had loved and left. The only difference between him and the others was that he was the only one she had feelings for, if only for a while. He was a good man. Sensitive. Optimistic. It also helped that he was a fucking god in bed. Oh yeah, the sex was great; she had to give him that for sure. Unfortunately, she cared more about his wealth, and a divorce would hand her a substantial portion of it thanks to the prenup they’d signed before they married. But Roman had proved very stubborn indeed during the proceedings. There were many things he and his frigid lawyers had denied her; many valuable possessions that he had snatched so cruelly away from her. Now, she needed them all, and judging from the red figures in her bank statement, she needed them ASAP.

The redhead hadn't laid eyes on her ex-husband since their divorce was finalized six months ago, but that was going to change tonight. He claimed he wanted nothing to do with her anymore – rightly so, she supposed – but he still loved her. She had seen the look in his eyes when she strolled out of his lawyer's office after the divorce came through. He still held a torch for her and she had plans to exploit that and convince him to give her what she wanted. Which by all standards, was peanuts compared with his net worth. It wouldn't be too hard; she always got what she wanted. But if all else failed…

She traced the nine millimeter Beretta with her slender fingers, feeling the coolness of the steel barrel under her fingertips, and a malicious smile formed on her face.

Well, Roman Reigns was going to rue the day he met Sabrina Reese Reigns.

-----------------------------

It was nine pm. Sabrina walked up to the massive door of the abode where she once lived. The Reigns mansion was a situated in a quiet part of the suburbs, surrounded by lush, well-kempt greenery and towering iron gates. The house was a masterpiece, a haven, and another luxury her pre-nuptial agreement denied her.

Roman's loyal security guards manned the front of the mansion, but the vixen had no problem convincing them to let her in. She always noticed the way they would look at her, back when she was still their boss’s wife. Her black zip-front mini-dress by Hervé Legér had a dangerously low neckline, clung to her curves and showed off all the necessary assets; the perfect distraction. As she sauntered away from the two guards, she could sense them undressing her with hungry eyes. Men were just too easy to play with.

Not much had changed inside the house. It looked the same, it smelled the same. The vast foyer was bright and spotless, leading to black marble staircase which split into two curves, one on the left, and one on the right. Making her way upstairs, she stole quick glances at the familiar surroundings. She had a few fond memories of the place, but she wasn't one for sentiments. It was very quiet; she was certain her ex wasn't home as he often worked late. She approached the master bedroom, her intended destination. Pushing the door open, she grinned when her eyes immediately fell upon the lone picture hanging on the wall in the vast room.

But Sabrina knew it wasn't just any picture, for safely ensconced inside the wall behind it was Roman's safe.

Cautiously she advanced. Gently lifting the portrait, she set it down on the ground, her eyes never leaving the small grey safe. Everything it usually contained could start her off again; wads of cash, credit cards he didn't use, and expensive jewelry, including Roman's deceased mother's ruby-encrusted necklace worth a whopping five million dollars. He'd promised her that necklace on one of their trips to Switzerland, but she never got it, and he refused to give it to her during the divorce proceedings. Now was her chance to finally take what was rightfully hers. Sabrina was almost salivating at the thought of getting her hands on it.

She had a feeling Roman hadn't changed the combination. He was very forgetful with these things sometimes. Her insides burned with anticipation as her fingertips brushed over the dial. Sabrina had put up with Roman's nonsense for too long. He was never going to win a fight with her. She always got what she wanted, and now, she was so close to–

"Sabrina."

At the sound of the very familiar voice, her heart nearly stopped. She whirled around and found herself staring into the dark eyes of her ex-husband. He stood at the door, his suit jacket slung casually over his shoulder, exuding that masculine sexiness he always pulled off so effortlessly…

She quickly kicked the erogenous thought out of her head. She had business to take care of. "Roman." She smiled awkwardly. “Hey.”

"What are you doing here?" he frowned, eyeing her suspiciously.

Sabrina had come prepared. She knew the strings she needed to pull in this kind of situation. "I know I shouldn’t be here,” she said timidly, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “But I wanted to see you," she went on, her voice quiet and hopeful, "I thought…I thought you and I could patch things up again." She lowered her head slightly, biting her lip. "I miss you, Ro."

Raising an eyebrow, he chuckled cynically as he dug one hand into his pocket. "Hmm. Do you miss me? Or do you miss my money?"

At his words, Sabrina feigned hurt. "Come on, don't be like that. I just want to talk to you."

"Now you want to talk, after everything you put me through? I know why you're here, Sabrina. You've blown your alimony, otherwise you wouldn't be in my house trying to crack open my safe."

Taking a deep breath, Sabrina began again. "Look, I know I've done some…questionable things in the past that I can never take back. But you know how I am, baby. I do things without thinking. Well, this time I sat down and thought about it, and I've realized I've made a mistake. I just wanna come home, babe."

It was quite obvious, however, that the Samoan held nothing but contempt for his ex-wife. "This isn’t your home anymore. I want you out of here."

Honestly, he was so sexy when he got mad. That was why she enjoyed fucking with him all those times in the past. "Aw," She cocked her head to the side, a small smile touching her lips. "You never did trust me, did you?"

Roman crossed his arms over his chest. "I did, once upon a time, before you broke my heart. And don't give me that 'trust' bullshit! You didn't trust me to be a good husband to you. You didn't trust me to start a family with you. You were only in our marriage for what I had, and what you could get from me."

Evidently he wasn't backing down. Well, neither would she. "Hear me out for five minutes, Ro. Five. If you don't change your mind afterwards, I'll leave you alone." She advanced towards him, and smiled as his eyes traveled down her body. Closing the distance between them, she glanced down at his broad chest and played with his tie.

Roman's dark eyes bored through her. "Why do you want me to care about you? How do you expect me to, after everything?"

"Simple. Because you still love me," she said, boldly running her hands up the hard planes of his chest. "And I know it's hard to believe, but I still love you too. We had something good, and I know we can rekindle it. Oh come on, don't look at me like that, baby-"

“Don’t call me that,” he spat.

She put her hands up in surrender. “Sorry.” She continued speaking, determined to win him over. "I know you miss me. I can tell. And I know you want me. I can see it in your eyes. But more importantly, I want you." She moved closer, pressing her ample cleavage against his hard body. Her lips touched his ear, and his sharp intake of breath made her smile. "So…since we're here together…alone," she whispered, her hand snaking down towards his crotch. "How about I prove it to you? It’ll be just like old times."

For an instant, something flashed across his handsome face – longing, desire – and Sabrina knew she had him. But in the next moment, his expression hardened again and he stepped away from her. "There you go again, trying to manipulate me," said Roman, shaking his head. "You know what? Forget this. Get out. I’m willing to forget this ever happened. If you don’t leave, I’m gonna call the cops."

As he turned his back on her, Sabrina's composure evaporated. That was it. No more Miss Nice Ex-Wife. She drew out the pistol from inside her purse and pointed it at him. Her eyes twinkled jubilantly when Roman looked over at her and froze. "Yeah, that's right, motherfucker, I got me a gun," she sneered. "You gonna listen to me now?"

Slowly, Roman held up his hands. "What are you doing?"

"You asshole!" she shouted, her green eyes blazing with anger. "Did you really think you could get away with short-changing me? You thought I wouldn't come back for what belongs to me? Well I am back, and you're gonna give me what's mine!"

"You had a hard time proving that to the Judge, remember?” Roman pointed out. “I bought you all that fancy stuff in my name. My name. Everything else was left for you in the pre-nup."

"Fuck the pre-nup!" she barked. “The necklace in that safe is mine! You promised me! And you gave me peanuts compared to what you’re really worth. You’re gonna give me what you owe me or it’ll end badly for you. Now open the safe!”

"That's not going to happen, baby girl. Now put the gun down."

"Not until I get what I want! Open the goddamn safe!" She shook the gun at him.

"You're not gonna shoot me," he said, flashing that smirk of his again. Sabrina laughed. "Are you kiddin’ me? Give me one reason I shouldn't blow your head off right now!"

"For one, I remembered to change the combination this time. If you shoot me, you're never going to get the safe open. Second…you care too much about me to do this."

Sabrina stared at him in surprise, then burst into derisive laughter. “What the hell are you talking about? I don’t care about your punk ass. I never did.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You never were a good liar, kitten. Just like you said about me, deep down inside that little black heart of yours, you do care for me. I can see it in your eyes. I've always been quite good at calling your bluff. As a matter of fact…"

His voice grew low and seductive, and alarm bells rang in Sabrina's head. "…I think I'll do it again. Right now."

He moved towards her, and Sabrina's eyes widened. "Hey. Hey! Stay back!" she warned, but he kept advancing, and her voice quivered with uncertainty and her stance began to falter. "I'll pull the trigger. I mean it."

Roman kept walking, not stopping until the barrel of the gun pressed his broad torso, right against his heart. He towered over her, and she would have been intimidated if she didn't find it so sexy.

Roman smirked at her stunned expression. "So…still wanna shoot me, Bree?"

She let out a surprised yelp when he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. The gun slipped from her hand, clattering to the ground, but she took no notice. His warmth enveloped her, trapping her body and her senses. Roman lifted a finger to caress her cheek, seeing desire battle apprehension in her green eyes. As his finger made its way over her lips, Sabrina raised her hands, burying her fingers into his hair and pulled him down, capturing his lips in a fierce kiss. Roman deepened the kiss right away, sliding his tongue into her mouth, tasting her, encouraging her to taste him. With a soft moan she sagged against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She didn't expect him to still have this kind of effect on her at all. Her need for him overwhelmed her, making her lightheaded.

His large hands snaked down her back and over the curve of her ass, cupping the supple flesh with his palms, eliciting another sigh from her. His hands roamed her butt for a little longer before he picked her off the ground with ease, carrying her towards the king-size bed they once shared and tossing her onto it. Still standing, he whipped off his tie, then his work shirt. Sabrina’s gaze flitted over his wide shoulders, down to his broad chest, the tattoos decorating his chest and arm, his perfectly ridged abs, and her mouth watered. His muscles were powerfully built, exquisitely chiseled by years of bodybuilding, and her fingers ached to touch them. Not taking her eyes off him, Sabrina cupped him through his boxer shorts, massaging the bulge that ached to be freed. Roman groaned, his body jerking slightly, but he caught her wrist before she could go any further. She raised an eyebrow, a seductive smile lighting up her face. There was no mistaking who was going to be in control tonight.

Roman pulled down the zipper in front of her dress, all the way down to the bottom He pulled the dress off her and then tossed it aside. Sabrina would always be the sexiest woman he had ever seen. She was perfection from head to toe, from her tiny waist to her full breasts, and the dark nipples that begged to be tasted. Climbing into the bed, he hovered over her, and the lust swimming in his eyes made Sabrina's breath quicken. Lowering his head, he kissed all the way down her neck to her naked breast, taking one nipple into his mouth. She gasped as the flick of his hot, wet tongue shot shivers up her spine. She buried her fingers in his dark hair, arching her back as he licked and sucked and nibbled. He squeezed her other breast, massaging the soft, plump skin. His touch heated up her skin instantly and left her panting for more.

Not done with torturing her, Roman slid his body up against hers, bringing them face to face again. He kissed her passionately, running a hand along her thigh until his fingers came in contact with the lace thong she wore. He spread her legs wider, granting himself access to the most intimate part of her. Shifting the panties aside roughly, he found the scorching wetness there and stroked, caressed, probed. Abruptly breaking their kiss, Sabrina cried out, her body writhing in his grip, her nails digging into his thick biceps. Tossing her head back, she squeezed her eyes shut, desperately fighting for control, but to no avail. Her hips bucked against his hand, bringing his fingers deeper inside her. She saw stars as Roman milked her, gathering her essence with the beautiful bluntness of his fingers.

"You like that, baby?" he asked, watching her reaction with a lopsided grin on his face.

"Damn it, Roman, fuck me," Sabrina whined.

Roman peered at her. "Is that what you want, Bree?"

She let out an irritated grunt and glared at him. "Yes, asshole, you know that's what I want."

"Tsk-tsk with the name-callin’, baby girl." His fingers curled inside her slowly, deliberately now, making her whimper. "Say it. Tell me exactly what you want," he goaded, his voice thick with need.

"I want you, Roman," Sabrina struggled for breath. "Fuck, I…I want your dick inside me!"

His smile was smug, infuriating her and turning her on at the same time. He peeled her panties off of her, caressing her butt and thighs as he did so. He shed his boxers, and Sabrina's mouth went dry at the sight of his impressive length. She'd almost forgotten how big he was. And he was rock-hard and ready for her.

Parting her legs with one muscled thigh, he positioned himself better on top of her. Breathing heavily, Sabrina leaned up and stole a hungry kiss, wrapping his lips determinedly with hers. Roman chuckled into her mouth, pressing her body into the mattress with his weight. She hooked a long leg around his waist and pulled him as close to her as she could. The heat of his erection against her core nearly sent both of them over the edge.

Poised above her, Roman met Sabrina's gaze. "You still on the pill?" he asked.

She eyed him, puzzled. He used to talk about those little tablets as if they were the Antichrist. "Yes."

He smiled. "Good." Then, pressing his face against her temple, he entered her.

Sabrina screamed as Roman filled her completely. He always did, and the sensation was no less pleasurable this time. Her body arched into his as he flexed his hips, thrusting into her, and she groaned in satisfaction. “Fuck!”

“You missed this dick, baby girl?” asked Roman, still moving inside her.

“Hell yeah. You feel so good, baby. Shit,” she rasped, gasping out as she felt him push deeper into her wetness with every press of his hips.

Roman let his hand travel up her side, wrapping it around her right breast. He dipped down to take her nipple between his lips, sucking and licking. He then kissed her mouth again, hard, and she threw her arms around him and wrapped her other leg around his waist, taking him deeper. “Fuck, Bree,” he whispered in her ear, making her shiver in his arms. He accelerated his pace, hitting every sensitive spot she owned, then slowed it down with an erotic rolling movement with his hips that drove Sabrina crazy. Goddamn, he felt so good. She dragged her hands along his sides and down to his butt, squeezing it. The feeling of her nails digging into his ass drew a curse out of his mouth, causing his thrusts to become more urgent and setting her insides on fire.

"Aw yeah, Ro! Give it to me, baby," she breathlessly urged him, looking him in the eye, as if challenging him to step up his already impressive game. Luckily for her, Roman liked a challenge. Flashing her that annoying little smirk of his, he pulled her hands off of him and pinned them to the bed above her head with his own. His other hand grabbed her ass cheek for leverage, and he gave a particularly hard thrust that made her squeal in surprise. He slammed his dick hard into her, over and over, and it was all Sabrina could do not to scream down the entire mansion. He went deep and hard and strong, just the way she liked it, giving her pleasure she hadn't felt since their split. The king-size bed bounced from the fervent movements of his large, sweat-slicked body, their moaning and heavy breathing echoed around the massive bedroom.

"Oh god, ohhh, baby I’m comin’…" Sabrina’s moans intensified as she approached her climax. Roman’s harsh grunts joined hers, his hand still pinning hers down, his body trapping hers against the mattress as he pumped away on top of her. The orgasm surged through her, making her cry out again and again, her arms jerking against his hand. Her walls clamped tightly around his throbbing shaft, and she heard Roman groan as the sensation rippled down his spine. Her eyes fluttered shut in rapture as the pleasure took her prisoner, pulsing through her. Some of the best sex she'd ever had was with Roman, and he was making a case for himself yet again. Finally, her body relaxed, going limp underneath her ex-husband.

"Oh, we ain’t done, sweetheart," Roman growled, letting go of her hands and flipping her onto her stomach. Getting on his knees, he smoothed his palms over her ass before pulling her back roughly against him. Before Sabrina could regain her bearings, he entered her from behind, chasing all the breath out of her lungs. The sudden change in position left her weak, and she grabbed the sheets for support. His fingers dug into her waist as he pounded into her, his hips slapping relentlessly against her ass, each smack of his body extracting hoarse whimpers from her. She arched her back, trying to take in as much of him as she could. She felt Roman’s hands move to her ass, and she moaned as he spread her ass cheeks apart and plunged even deeper into her. “Fuck, you’re so deep!” she gasped, “Oh my god, Daddy!”

“You damn right I’m your Daddy,” replied Roman, giving her ass a hard smack. Sabrina groaned shamelessly and rolled her hips against him, grinding her pussy on his erection. He grunted as her walls tightened around his dick. “Hmm, you like that, kitten? Like when I spank that ass?” Swatting at the soft flesh again, he then weaved his hand into her hair, roughly tugging it back, and Sabrina moaned her approval. She always liked rough sex and so did he. The hard, delicious thickness of him filled her up so tightly she was sure she was going to explode again.

“You close, baby girl?” Roman asked her. When she didn’t reply right away, he brought his hand down on her backside. “I asked you a question. Answer me!”

“Yes! Yes Daddy, I’m close,” she panted, “I’m about to come, baby.”

Roman leaned down and brought his lips to her ear. "Come on, kitten, come on this dick," he encouraged. His free hand weaved up her body to grip her breast, kneading and molding it in his palm. He pulled her hair harder, hearing her whimper as another wave of release built within her.

"Fuuuuck! Ro!" Sabrina screamed, unable to help herself. Her legs shook as she came even harder than the first time. Every part of her burned with the pleasure, her whole body shuddering as the orgasm washed over her. Roman was just as close. Pushing her head down into the mattress so her back was arched better for him, his movements became even faster, rougher as he pounded into her pussy, forcing her to endure the unbearable ecstasy. He let out a roar as he surrendered to his own, pulling his dick out of her just in time to spill his cum all over her ass. He groaned and swore repeatedly as he fisted his dick, stroking out every drop of his essence. Sabrina managed to turn her head to watch his quivering body, watch him give in to his euphoria. After he calmed, he collapsed beside her in a breathless, sweaty heap. They both lay there on the bed, breathing hard, and after what felt like an eternity, Roman spoke.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

“Yeah,” she drawled. She couldn't feel her legs, to be honest. A lazy, sated smile formed on her flushed face as she ran a finger along his tattooed arm. "Gotta hand it to you, handsome. You still got it."

"I never lost it, kitten." He rolled out of the bed and gestured with his hand. “Get to the headboard.”

Slowly, Sabrina crawled further into the bed, doing as he asked. "It's a pity things ended the way they did between us."

"Yeah. Pity."

She heard the sound of clinking metal and felt him take her hand. She glanced his way and saw him holding handcuffs. She smiled watching him cuff her right hand to the iron rungs of the bed frame above her. "Hmm, kinky. Come here, baby. Let’s go one more time, for the road."

But he made no move towards her. Instead, he backed away from the bed. Picking up his pants off the floor, he fished out his iPhone and began to dial a number. Sabrina stared curiously at him. “What are you doing?” she inquired.

Roman didn’t say a word. Not taking his eyes off her, he pressed his cell phone to his ear. "You can come up now, boys. Are the police here? Good. Bring them along."

Sabrina’s eyes widened. "Police? What the-" Her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked over at her ex-husband, who had this creepy triumphant look on his face, and realized that something was very wrong. She shook the handcuffs, suddenly realizing she was trapped. "What the hell is going on?" She leaned over the bed as far as the cuffs allowed her to, frantically searching the floor for her things, one of particular interest to her…

"Looking for this?"

Roman dangled her gun from his fingertips, which he covered with his work shirt to protect his fingerprints. The realization of everything that had just happened crashed over her like a bucket of ice-cold water. "You planned this whole thing out, didn't you?"

“My boys told me you were in here,” Roman informed her. “They called me the moment you arrived. I told them to wait a while, let some time pass before they get the Police. I needed to get you to be vulnerable first before I struck.” He grinned. “Looks like my plan worked out perfectly.”

He looked so fucking proud of himself. Sabrina’s face contorted in rage, the erotic bliss from just moments ago fading away completely. "You son of a bitch! You tricked me!"

"Well, I did learn from the best," he countered smoothly. "You must think I'm a damn fool. Did you honestly think I'd fall for all that bullshit you fed me? You don't care about me. You don't care about anybody but yourself. You showed me that a long time ago."

"So you decide to cuff me to the bed? Trap me here?" she sneered. "You know what? Let the cops come. I can tell them you raped me. You'll be finished, meathead!"

"Wrong, sweetheart. You broke into my house; my guards will testify to that. You tried to steal from me, and you pointed a gun at me, in full view of my surveillance cameras. You seduced me, and with your track record, there are very few people who will doubt me."

All the color drained from Sabrina's face. "When did you put surveillance cameras in the house?"

"Never mind that. What should concern you is that you've just lost everything you were ever entitled to in our settlement."

Fear coursed through her body. This whole thing had been a set-up right from the get-go. She had to do something. "Roman…Ro, baby, come on now.” Her voice was much sweeter now. More seductive. “What about what just happened between us? What about the love we just made, huh? It meant nothing to you? You're just gonna fuck me and dump me?"

Roman shook his head. She really was a sociopath. "Now you know how it feels to be used, just like you used me throughout our marriage."

This was not the plan at all. Roman had turned the tables on her in expert fashion. She would have been impressed if she wasn't knee-deep in shit. Tears filled her eyes. "Ro…baby, I'm sorry. Please just let me go. I'll do anything you want. Please." When he ignored her, she pounded her free fist on the bed in frustration. "Roman!"

Turning his back to her, he put his clothes back on. She suddenly remembered she was stark naked. Incredulous, she screeched, "You're not going to just leave me like this, are you? They'll come in here and see me!"

Roman responded with a nonchalant shrug, "You better cover up, then."

Shocked, Sabrina used her free hand to gather as much of the bed sheets as she could over her body. And she was just in time, because the door burst open and four men walked in, two of them police officers. "Is there a problem here, sir?" one asked Roman.

"Yes." He pointed at Sabrina. "I want that bitch out of my house. And take her belongings with you while you're at it." He handed the gun to one of the cops.

As the security guards took the handcuffs off her, Sabrina thrashed around on the bed. "No! Don’t touch me! You can't do this to me Roman! You can't do this to me!"

Roman ignored her angry screaming and swearing as she was bundled out of his room. He looked out through his window, sighing with relief as he watched his former wife get dragged off of his property and out of his life for good. It amazed him that he had played Sabrina Reigns at her very own game and won. He knew what he had done was borderline dastardly but he had to teach her a lesson. He did, and he couldn't help the warm satisfaction that flowed through him. When his gaze shifted to the object that had kicked off his rather interesting night, he laughed heartily.

What he wouldn’t give to see the look on his ex's face if she knew she went through all this…trouble…for an empty safe.

-----------------------------

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[yourdrippingholes-blog]

Jill open the door

It wasn't my fault. Not really. I didn't mean to be rough. You gotta remember I had just come off the rugby field. I was hot, I was amped. I was awash in adrenalin and aggression so when I saw Suzy my girlfriend looking so incredibly sexy in that short red dress and high heels, I just wanted to kiss her, touch her, hold her. Yeah, I guess you are right. I actually wanted to fuck her then and there, in the back seat of my car, in full daylight and full sight of the crowd who should have been watching the next game. Suzy pushed me away, roughly, angrily, aggressively. I made a grab at her, caught that long pony tail and used it as a handle to bring her mouth around to kiss me. Well that was the plan. My plan. Hers was much different. As I came up close, she bit me. On the lip. Hard. I jerked back and her teeth broke the skin on my lip. Before I could really react, she had slapped me and was out of the car at and running away from me. The last words I heard were, "You bastard. You utter bastard. We are through, you hear. Through." Of course her friends all gathered around, protecting her and glaring at me. I suppose I should have seen it coming, but I was too blind. The kudos of having a huge rugby player already 18 and driving a car were great. Problem was, I wanted more in the way of sex than she was prepared to give. Each date would end with me suffering from blue balls and having to relieve my tensions, alone, at home and by myself. Prick teaser she was. I suppose our break up had been brewing for some time and I just didn't realise it. The upshot of her constantly taking me to the edge and then stopping me was, I suppose part of the reason for my strong arm stuff.  Our last date hand ended on such a cliff hanger episode. We had been making out on the couch, she had my cock in her hand, I had my hand up her skirt and I was seconds away from coming when she got up and showed me the door. Completely without warning. I begged, I pleaded to no avail. I went home and jerked off. So it was that instead of hanging out with her until later that evening I headed on home alone, angry and not good company, forgetting that my mother was having the book club over for drinks and whatever else they do at book club meetings. That book club seemed to spend more time drinking than reading, but who am I to judge them? All I know is that Ma used to come home well tanked and go to bed early to "rest". Sleep off the effects I would have thought. Anyway, I arrived home in a total fury only to discover that the house was full of middle aged women, talking, laughing and generally have a good time, which I certainly was not. I tried to sneak in but Ma saw me, summoned me in to "meet the girls". How she could refer to women her age as girls I was not certain. The youngest of them was half my age again. She was actually rather an eyeful, short black mini, black stockings, see through top that showed off a black lace bra. In the state I was in I was immediately aroused by her.  "Meet Jill." Ma said and I shook her hand trying not to stare at her boobs and imagine sucking them. She didn't make it easier by holding my hand longer than was normal and staring me in the eye. If I had not seen the wedding ring, I might have thought that she was coming onto me. That impression was increased by the fact that she ran her tongue over her lips and her nipples seemed to stand out slightly more than they had before we were introduced. "Put him down Jill. You can't eat have him." One of the other "girls" shouted. I fled to the sound of ribald laughter. I closed myself in my room, but found myself ill at ease with the thought of jerking off with all those women in the house, especially as anyone going to the toilets would have to walk past my door. Jill had just added to my frustration and I was semi erect by the time I had closed the door behind me. I lay down on the bed and tried to sleep, but sleep evaded me. I was too tense, too aroused, too amped to do anything but stare at the ceiling and imagine fucking Suzy who somehow became Jill as I became more aroused by the thought. My cell phone pinged. A long, blistering, vituperative message from Suzy. More or less saying that I was dumb and violent and that if we met in a thousand years time it would be far too soon. I didn't reply. Having given up the idea of sleeping or jerking off I decided to sneak into the bathroom and shower. I stripped down and was just getting into the shower when the door burst open and a seriously inebriated Jill staggered into the bathroom. She stared at my short sightedly, swaying slightly.  "Hello. Now this is a lovely surprise." she said and in two steps had crossed the floor and was making a grab at my cock. Something in my head lost all traction and the frustrations of the day, the week, of Suzy, of my own overpowering randiness just took over. I grabbed her hair, just as I had with Suzy, tilted her head back and then paused. I did not want another bite. I had learnt my lesson. Jill stared at me for a few seconds then, "Well? What you gonna do now? Stare at me all day? We don't have much time cos someone is going to notice I am gone fairly soon." I didn't hesitate, brought her face up to mine and kissed her, thrusting my tongue into her mouth. My other hand got a life of its own and found its way under her skirt. No panties, and wet. Soaking wet and hot. She grabbed my cock and started to jerk me off, her other hand squeezing my balls gently, then she broke the kiss, pushed me away, turned around and bent over the basin, legs apart. I did not need any more invitation and was thrusting forward into her. "Slap my ass." she said. I did, but gently, Suzy's fury still fresh in my head. "Is that the best you can do?" I pulled back, held her by the hair and slapped her hard. She jerked forward, arching her neck as my hand held her hair, "Ah. Fuck. Yes. Again." I hit her again, now seeing Suzy's furious face. And again, just as hard. Her ass was now red from the slaps. I could see her pussy gleaming, wet and inviting.  "Fuck this for a waste of time." I thought and spread her ass cheeks wide with my thumbs "Later Bitch." I whispered in her ear and thrust hard into her, and again and again. The tension was just too much and I came in a huge spurt. I held her hips against mine so that I could pump my entire load into her and keep it there. She moaned gently "Too fast, far too fast. Fuck that was good."  She pulled away from me, stood up, straightened her skirt and her hair. Took out a cell phone.  "Punch your number in there. I will call you." And while I was doing that she redid her make up. When she was finished, she took the phone, kissed my cheek and left without another word. I showered and went back to my bedroom and slept like the dead. The next morning Ma was somewhat hungover but that didn't stop her from interrogating me. "What did you do after you left us?" "Showered and then slept. Why?" "Jill disappeared during book club and was a way for a time that seemed much too long and it was while you were showering. She didn't come in and interfere with you did she?" "Nope. Didn't see her." "She is bad news that woman. Has a kink for being beaten. Likes big strong and violent men. I saw her eyeing you." "Cummon Ma. She is much older than me and you know I am not violent." "Suzy's mother seems to think you are far too rough. She phoned and really gave me a helluva talking to. What happened?" I told her an edited version of the story and she stared at me for a while. "Best you stay away from her then. Bad news. Next she will be shouting rape. And also stay away from Jill too. She is dangerous. And when your Pa gets home, he must talk to you. You are getting too big and too dangerous for me to handle." Of course I didn't stay away from Jill. She messaged me later that day and we had a very hot and explicit chat. She sent me some pictures and I returned the favour.  It turned out that Ma was right about one thing at least. Jill liked rough stuff and complimented me on the bruises I had inflicted on her ass. Told me that she wanted me to slap her ass again. We agreed to meet later that week. I must tell you that Ma was not my Ma, but Jenny, a woman my father married after my real birth Mother died of cancer. I suspect that Pa had been screwing Jenny while still married to my Mother cos no sooner was she buried than he installed her in his house just off the river that he plied his trade on. Jenny was a roly poly big titted woman with a vicious temper and a overwhelming libido. Probably one of the reasons that Pa married her was because she fucked him so good and so often. How, I hear you ask, do I know she had an overwhelming libido? Cos every time my father came home I could hear them fucking from the other side of the house. Ma was what I have heard referred to as a "screamer". She would let everyone know she what she was up to in graphic detail. So I knew that she would fuck Pa senseless when he came home on shore leave. Ours being a fairly close community I heard whispers around town that she had a lover who visited her regularly while Pa was away. If she did, she was reasonably discreet, because I never caught her at it, but still the stories persisted. I have found that when things start to happen, they happen fast and mostly together. Incidents crowding together and pressing in on you, leaving you little space to manoeuvre. In my case, the third and defining incident happened the evening after Jill and I messaged our lusts to each other. I had been playing with automating my laptop to take photographs when it detected movement in my room. Aside from it being an interesting techy project, I also suspected that Jenny was screwing her lover, Charles on my bed so as not to soil the marriage bed. Strange logic, but then people are strange. I had started trying to make the webcam auto start up for some time but for some reason the laptop did not record any movement in my room. Possibly I was doing something wrong or possibly nothing was happening in my room. I fiddled some more, made some minor adjustment, went off to school, came home, nothing. This went on until the day after my impromptu shower fuck with Jill. I arrived home and when Jenny was well ensconced in front of the TV, I checked the camera directory. This time there was a video. A big one. I started up VLC my video viewer and loaded the video. There was obviously some delay between the motion detection and the starting of the video camera so that Jenny and Charles were not only in view, but Charles had his hand up Ma's skirt. I put headphones and cranked the sound up until I could hear her guttural voice that I had heard too often when Pa came home. Charles dropped her on her back on my bed, her head hanging over the edge of the bed and then thrust his cock into her open mouth. I could see the movement of his cock on her throat as he thrust into her mouth and down her throat with Ma taking all his cock down her throat without much effort. I was interested to note that his cock was smaller than mine by half a hand width. He thrust hard and fast, until at last he came with a grunt, Ma squeezing his balls as he stood there, head thrown back, back arched. He finally pulled out, wiped his cock in her hair and walked out. Ma rolled onto her stomach, shouted "Fucken come back and finish me off, you bastard."  Then got up and walked out of the room and the video ended. Now that I had the technique waxed I grabbed one of my Strawberry Pi computers and a tiny camera. Programmed it to auto record on movement, connected it to my network by wireless and then hid it in Ma and Pa's room. I got images of Ma masturbating, getting dressed and undressed, generally doing what people normally do in their bedrooms when unobserved. What was intriguing to me was that Ma had a butt plug which she inserted every now and so often. Each occasion was followed by a visit by Charles. I could not figure out the link at first, but one day while in my bedroom, Charles extracted the butt plug and quite obviously stuck his cock in the widened hole. Ma whimpered and moaned and groaned then came hard and long, obviously enjoying the experience immensely. Time passed and I gathered a fine library of porn starring Ma.  One evening after a particularly frustrating day in which I had missed an appointment with Jill because my teacher kept me in for extra classes, I got home, horny, frustrated and ready to kill. Ma was waiting for me. Seems my afternoons with Jill were not only interfering with my school work but had become the topic of conversation around town. The stories, some true, some false and some somewhat exaggerated had finally reached Ma's ears. "What did I say? Stay away from Jill. Seems you don't hear." I pushed passed her and headed from my room. "Come back here and listen to me." I kept on going, she followed me into my room.  "I am talking to you. You don't walk out on me." I ignored her, fired up my video viewer and started a compilation of her more raunchy activities that I had created. It started with that first blow job and went through the whole gamut finally ending up with her being banged up the ass doggy style on my bed. The video showed everything, Charles forward thrusts, Mas ass being pounded and his balls slapping against her pussy, her raucous moans and the slapping of flesh on flesh. Ma stood transfixed as the images rolled across the screen, not speaking, not looking at me, trapped by the video. Finally her hand started to stray down to her pussy and she started to rub herself. Faster and faster her hand moved, her breathing audible above the sounds from the video.  I slid in behind her, grabbed her breasts, and then her nipples, twisting hard, she grunted once and then her hips pushed back against me, finding my erection and grinding hard, back and forth, up and down on my hardon. I slid her pants down round her ankles, slid a finger in her ass, bent her over and thrust hard into her pussy. She moaned and jerked as I hammered into her, at some point I pulled back, slid my cock our of her pussy and into her ass causing her to cum and dragging me with her. As I pulled out of her, she sighed, stood up and lent against me. "You are bigger than your Pa. And harder. Took you long enough to find my pussy though. What kept you?" was all she said. I still see Jill, but now my step Ma warms my bed regularly only deserting me when Pa comes home and she has to fulfil her conjugal duties keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table. If Pa suspects anything he never says. I don't have motion sensors on any of my machines. That might be disastrous.