AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Giulio,” he greets his underboss but doesn’t stop his gaining on me. Once he reaches me, he cages me in, putting his knuckles to the white marble countertops on both sides of my hips.
“When I take a shower, you are to be there. It's not a question or up for debate. You are to be naked in the shower with me. Got it?” He tilts his head, just inches from me but loud enough for Giulio to hear.
I would be embarrassed, but when he gets this close to me and tempts me, I can't help but get tunnel vision. Now add the attention he is giving me as more than just his wife of convenience, and I almost let it slip my mind what I want to talk about.
“Nico.” Finally, I snap back to it once he leaves me with a kiss on my neck, and he makes his way over to pour some coffee for himself.
“Emelia.”
I straighten my shoulders and hold my head high.“I am more than okay with you reassigning my guards as a punishment to me, not them. They did their best. I ask that you please do not do anything to hurt them. They are not to blame.”
He looks at me over his shoulder, and I gulp. He looks amused but deadly. As if the punishment is a sick, twisted part of the fun. Watching them suffer would bring him fulfillment.
Turning with his coffee in hand, he leans against the counter and looks to Giulio and back to me again. “And tell me why I should do anything other than break their hands and knees for letting the one thing I pay them a lot of money to protect slip away.”
I shake my head.“Nico, you promised. I don’t care if you punish me, but I won’t let you hurt others in my name. Unless they are awful. Then I won’t stop you,” I add. Those men were bad last night. They got too comfortable, and when I found out they hurt some women and killed Giulio's brother as well as others, I wasn’t exactly jumping up to plead for their mercy.
“I don’t need to punish you. In fact, I likenotpunishing you. But threatening men who should have protected you, and others who shouldn’t have helped you, has only benefited me in ways I thoroughly enjoy.” He reminds me of the way I used my body to get him to agree to keeping Lenny and my other driver alone. This is going to lead to an argument, and it has to. That doesn’t mean we have to be cruel. We can argue, no matter the status of who we are trying to become together.
“Nico, I don’t want to fight about this. Please. You agreed that I have a say, and I ask that you reassign them and that be that. Okay?” I cross my arms and give him a sincere look of pleading.
He stares at me for a long minute, assessing me and taking a few sips of coffee. He finally breaks his eye contact with me and turns to Giulio.“Permanent clean-up duty.”
Giulio nods, takes out his phone, and types something before he puts the phone to his ear. I go to leave the room, thankful it went in my favor and that we didn’t have to throw everything in the kitchen at one another, but he halts me by calling out my name.
“Emelia, your skates are in. I will be taking you myself to the rink today to see you on the ice. Be ready in an hour.”
Turning, I shake my head, confusion taking over me.“What?”
“I want to see you on the ice. Consider this a staycation honeymoon. I took the next week off to be with you, wife. Don’t waste a minute.”
My stomach flips, and I suck on my tongue, trying not to let a smile break free. Nico wants to try. We really just might have a shot at being free from misery.
“Fine. I can do that. I will be ready in thirty. I don’t wear makeup when I’m on the ice,” I tell him as I retreat from the kitchen. With my back now fully to him, I crack a giddy smile. He doesn’t say anything, but I know he’s watching me leave, and I add an extra sway to my hips. My way of saying thank you for everything today.
* * *
Watchingthe way he handles the wheel with such confidence and an essence of ownership makes my stomach flip. In a good way. How could I have hated this man and loathed the idea of being married to him, and now I’m in a car, going on… a date? Is that what this is?
Nico wasn’t wrong when he said we never had a proper honeymoon. God, that feels like ages ago, when really it was only a little more than a month. But he isn’t wrong. We didn’t get a proper honeymoon. Are we ever going to address just how bad the start to this was? Or are we going to move forward and start anew?
I don’t think we can until we really talk about it.
And… how and when will I tell him about my father and what he originally wanted me to do? Everything in me knows I should, but I can’t. What if it ruins what we’re attempting to build here?
There is more to Nico than a tough exterior. I see it in small glimpses of his gentle touch, his profound love making, the way he has shown possession, and his very unconventional and mostly annoying way of wanting to keep me safe. In no way do I think this is okay or the right way to express things, but I have to remember the world we’re surrounded by. Gentleness and words of affirmation are not the norm.
Why hasn’t my father called?I wonder for the millionth time since that last dreadful yet liberating night, when I told my father to leave, the gun to his head, as I reclaimed power. All while I shuddered in fear deep, deep inside, because I knew he would want to retaliate. His silence isn’t a sign of my victory. No, it’s a warning. He’s waiting, planning, and plotting, and I have no idea when my life will be cut short.
I guess this is why I want to make each moment left of my life count. Because my father will come to claim his revenge on me. Until then, I might as well absorb what’s left.
There is fear in me, but there is also contentment. I knew what he would do to me one day. Knowing my father would ultimately be the reason I died, I’ve grown accustomed to that idea. I’ve prepared myself for it. Death doesn’t scare me anymore. So I choose here and now, and that is with Nico.
I look up at Nico, and I realize he’s on the phone. My thoughts took me so deep I blacked out on reality.
“Yes, I will be back to work in a week. I will check emails periodically, but I’m leaving you and Giulio in charge. Good work, Randeno.” He ends the call.
“Who is Randeno?” I ask.
