Font Size:  

The doors fly open as soon as my large hands yank on the gold handles and give them a shove. The room’s shrouded in shadows. Any sunlight has been kept out by the drapes drawn, covering up the windows. I spot Falynn immediately.

She’s crumpled on the floor, curled up in a ball, her eyes closed. Next to her are her MacBook, iPhone, and an empty glass and a wine bottle that’s damn near empty too. She’s fallen asleep like this, probably drunk despite knowing she’s not to have any alcohol. Her treatments require her to have a meticulously nutrient-rich diet free of unhealthy vices like alcohol and sugar.

My glare narrows and I clench my jaw. Some would say I should perhaps feel sorry to see my wife in such a disarrayed state—clearly something is bothering her—but instead, anger and annoyance roar to life inside me. How could she be so careless?

I stop where she lies and slip my arms under her, lifting her up. She stirs as I carry her to the bed.

“Gio?” she murmurs.

These days, she rarely calls me Gio. Just like she took off my ring, foolishly thinking I wouldn’t notice.

I drop her on the bed maybe less gently than I should, but the irritation courses through me too strongly to care about such courtesies. Not when she’s gone to such great lengths to disobey me; the wine she’s consumed has ruined weeks of treatments. We’ll have to start all over again.

She doesn’t realize she’s only punishing herself when she does things like this.

“You are not to drink,” I say, my voice even and firm. I pluck the wine glass and bottle off the floor. “You are not to let a single drop touch your tongue, Falynn. But since you seem to think this is a fucking game, I will be having the staff remove all alcoholic beverages from the premises. Since I have to treat you like a fucking child, you will no longer be permitted to lock any doors in this household. Carlotta says you wouldn’t let her in. I’ll have somebody come by to remove them from every door.”

Her reaction is to stare at me. The drowsiness fades from her features, but still she doesn’t move. She lies where I’ve placed her, the expression on her face unreadable. Even for me, an expert on everything about her.

“Is that understood?” I ask when she says nothing.

“Yes, Giovanni,” she says quietly. “It’s understood.”

She’s definitely been drinking. Her voice takes on a tenor-like quality thanks to all the wine. She always has been a lightweight.

“Good. Behave yourself and there won’t be any problems. This is the last time I’m going to tell you.” I turn my back and head for the door.

“How’s Sofia?”

I stop midstep and glance at her. “You know better than to pretend that garbage is real.”

“How’d she get a photo with you?”

“Photos mean nothing. I’m warning you, Falynn. I’m in no mood for your foolish games.”

She sits up, her curls wild and tousled from her nap on the floor. Her blouse wrinkled and dried mascara on her face, she doesn’t seem to care about any of it. I’m her sole focus as she eyes me with an emotion I can’t place in her gaze.

“She had text messages.”

“Those were fake. This is the last I’m speaking on it.”

“Where have you been?”

“Handling business,” I answer vaguely, more irritation heating up my veins. “That’s all you need to know. Follow the schedule and the directions laid out for you. Listen to Carlotta. Another appointment with Doctor Romano will be arranged for you tomorrow. You will need to start this latest trial from scratch because you couldn’t follow instructions.”

I continue toward the door, but again she proves she’s not done. She’s determined to wake the ferocious sleeping lion.

“I’m your wife. Not your employee.”

“Falynn—”

“I’m your wife. Not some birthing vessel for you and your offspring!” She pushes herself to her feet, a familiar energy emanating off her. The growing dissent becomes palpable as she follows me, closing the gap between us.

Falynn’s always tested my limits. She’s always antagonized me at the worst times. She knows the buttons to push. For me to lose my temper is what she wants. It’s long been a tactic of hers to get me to hang around when she feels powerless.

“We’re not having an argument right now.”

“Then when?! I only see you when we fuck!” she blurts out in a sudden, loud scream. “You don’t come home for days—you don’t tell me where you go and what you’re doing! You expect me to be okay with some…somebitchtelling the world she’s your side chick!”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like