Make Me Yours

He pulled off her blind folds and with a mischievous grin, he said, “Your turn.”

As Xen rushed out of Zoey’s house that morning, remembering that he was late from breakfast with his family and his mother wouldn’t take his tardiness lightly, he managed to steal a few more kisses.

He hadn’t planned to spend the night. Yet, that amazing, earth shattering, no-doubt-the-best-s*x-he-had-ever-had, had left him too weak to do anything else but lay down next to the woman he was beginning to love and cradle her in his arms all night long.

He missed breakfast of course. And when he arrived at the hotel, Chou, his mother’s maid, had told him that Mr Sung had taken his mother and Yuri sightseeing.

He had tried calling to know where they were so he could meet up with them, but his mother had refused to pick his call. Yuri and Mr Sung had both texted him saying it would be best if he simply stayed away, as she was only starting to get over her displeasure and have a good time.

Knowing his mother, he had heeded her advice and remained in the hotel, taking the time to go over some work. He had also called Zoey a few times, but who was counting?

It was 5 p.m. now, and the last text from Yuri ten minutes ago had said that they were on their way back to the hotel. At the very least, they would have dinner together. Then, he would try to appease his mother.

The penthouse where he was staying had five bedrooms and he had seen no need to get another suite for his mother and Yuri. So yes, they were sharing the same suite for the duration of their stay; just how he liked it. It only meant that Zoey might not be able to visit anytime soon. He wanted to make love to her in his temporary home as soon as possible, but of course, that would have to wait.

Not that he didn’t want his mother to meet Zoey, but he did not want to tell Kim Li about his black American girlfriend so soon. Not that his mother was a racist, no. She simply did not believe that anybody who wasn’t Asian, more particularly, Chinese, was any good for her children.

And well, his mother was a very difficult person to convince; it was best he kept this away from her as long as possible.

“Welcome, Madam Li. Miss Yuri, I hope you had a nice time seeing the city.”

Xen was in his room, but he could still hear Chou because she was unusually loud. He smiled, knowing that she had deliberately done that to alert him of his mother’s return.

He also heard his mother’s voice as she responded, “Thank you, Chou. It appears that Colorado isn’t entirely dreary. Where is my son?”

Uh-oh. He knew that tone. It only meant that that woman was still royally pissed at him.

“In his bedroom, madam. Would you like me to get him for you?”

“No, Chou. I shall get my son, myself. Thank you.”

From experience, he knew not to sit still at a time like this. So, he got off his desk and started for the living room. He opened his door to find his mother, right outside, her hand raised to do the same.

“Mother! You are back.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Indeed, I am.”

Without waiting to be ushered in, she walked past him into his room. His eyes caught that of Yuri, Chou and Mr Sung who offered him sympathetic looks. It was one he accepted wholeheartedly. Thirty-eight years old, feared and respected CEO, yet when it came to his mother, he was just another teenage boy.

Not that he couldn’t put his feet down where she was concerned, but it was always much better letting her have her way.

“So, you missed breakfast. And here I was, unaware that you did not even return to the hotel, last night.”

“I had other engagements, Mother.”

“With whom? Yun is in Singapore with his family. Charles is away in New York. Are there new friends you have made in Colorado that I am not aware of? Billionaire friends who let you sleep in their homes, perhaps?”

“Mother… I am not a child, anymore. I apologize for missing breakfast. I lost track of time. I should have made it here, in time and be the one to take you sightseeing, but I didn’t. For that, I am genuinely sorry. However, I do not owe you any explanation regarding where I was or who I was with. I haven’t been that child for years, Mother.”

“I see. If I had not already known where you were, I would have immediately confirmed my suspicion with that response. It was a woman, was it not? You only get so defensive when a woman is involved. This was how you were with Lin, remember?”

“There is no use bringing her up, Mother. This has nothing to do with her.” And what did she mean by if she had not already known where he was?

“Does it not? Because you haven’t tried to get together with any woman since her – until now, that is. Yes, I am well aware of your flings, but none of them have lasted this long.”

She walked over to him then, and handed over the envelope she had been holding.

“It is as I feared. You have been bewitched by an American. Just like your sister. What is it with my children and Americans? Do you never learn?”

Her voice had climbed up a pitch, but Xen held his peace until he viewed the contents of the envelope. There were pictures. Pictures of himself and Zoey at different points in time. The most recent was of them was this morning of himself, stealing kisses as he left her home. His face grew red with his anger.

“I will beg you to keep my sister out of any discussion that is meant to disrespect her memory. You would not insult Chuang, not in front of me. I understand that you could never bring yourself to forgive her, but you would do well to leave her out of this. And what are these?” He asked, putting the pictures out to her. “You have been following me?”

“Why not? You are my son! And it is my responsibility to look after you. After that jail incidence and your sister’s… mistake, I swore that I would never let my children get away from me, without watching them. Why do you think I offered to come to this… this place? You know I much I dislike being abroad! I came because I heard reports that you were getting serious with an American!”

The way she said that word, with so much deride, as though they weren’t humans. All of this hate because of one asshole that got her daughter pregnant and took to his heels.

“So you’re justifying trailing me?”

“I am a mother! Whatever means I employ to keep my children safe is justified. I am so glad I came. Look at you! First night back and you couldn’t even keep yourself from running to her.”

He could not believe his ears. This was ridiculous. “Mother, I have always known that you were a difficult woman, but this time you have-”

“Oh, save it, Xen!” There was a pause as she rolled her eyes. “I refuse to apologize for anything, so do not think to make me feel bad. Anyway, what is done is done. I know that it would be futile asking you to stop seeing her. So, I want to meet her; see for myself if I can, perhaps, come to like her. Tuesday, lunch at 1 p.m. I saw a fancy restaurant as we toured today. Pearl’s Place. I would like to taste their food. Bring her. Then, I would go back to Singapore and get myself out of your hair.”

With those words, she walked out of his room, shoulders high, giving him no chance to respond.

Xen was left staring after her, wondering what in the hell had just happened.