Chapter 22 #2
After the fog of confusion has been cleared, I spring into action, punching and kicking until the fighting beast inside me is awake.
In the fourth round, I swing my arm, and my fist collides with Cristina’s face. She stumbles and falls on her back. I wait for her to get up, but she stays on the floor.
My heart races hard. Is she okay? I stand over her, ignoring the cheers from the few watchers, and only when she moves slowly do I hear Boris’s words.
“Well, looks like you're all in after all.”
I shower, dress, and pack my things before I make my way to Boris’s office. I asked if I could talk to him. There is one thing that’s still bothering me ever since Isabella’s kidnapping, and he can help me.
I knock on his door even though it’s open. “What can I do for you, Valentina?”
I enter and walk until I’m in the middle of his office. “You served in the military, right?”
His eyebrows arch, and he shoots me a questioning look. “Special forces. “So you know how to free yourself if you get kidnapped, or prevent that?” I fidget on my feet.
He tilts his head to the side. “You could say that.”
I take a step forward. “So, you could teach someone else to do that?”
“To escape, yes. To free themselves, yes.”
I smile widely. “Perfect. I want you to teach me. I know I can fight, but if I’m about to be taken, I want to know what I need to do.”
His eyes scan my face for an answer. “Why?
“Why, what?” I furrow my eyebrows.
“Why do you want to learn that?”
“So I don’t ever feel powerless.”
He studies me for a moment. “Very well, but that doesn’t mean you're cutting your training hours. You will need to stay an hour and a half extra.”
I nod and leave with a smile plastered all over my face.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Valentina
I demanded Gabriel spend time with me, and I think it's working. Ever since he found me eating ice cream for dinner, he’s made sure I’m well fed with home-cooked meals.
He hired a woman other than Grace, who comes every day and cooks our food.
I did argue with him that we can order food on the days Grace doesn’t come, but he said takeout food wasn’t an option.
I just rolled my eyes because he is so anal about some things.
My husband is obsessed with having his clothes sorted by color, even though most of his clothes are black.
They all need to be in the same row. His closet looks like one of those aesthetic ones for Pinterest boards and not real life.
Mine is the opposite; messy, mixed together, and vomiting chaos.
He folds his clothes after taking them off, and I just throw them at the foot of the bed.
I’m sure Grace fears moving anything. I saw her the other day cleaning the side table, and she was placing the bowl back into the right position.
Gabriel is also disciplined; his routine is impeccable.
From getting up early and going to the gym, to his meals and his evening routines.
Bringing business home is a rare thing, and only when it involves the Cosa Nostra.
So, when the door opens at exactly five p.m., I smile. Committing to making this marriage work is what matters. I will do anything for him to fall in love with me. I already have him as a husband; I just need to keep him.
But there is a disclaimer. I say this to the voice in my head that keeps telling me I’m not the type of woman who can keep Gabriel Savastano. I will not turn into a dutiful housewife with no interests or prospects. If he falls in love with me, then it has to be as I am.
I turn to him with a wide smile and take in his demeanor. He still looks like he did this morning, but his face tells another story.
I want to ask him, but we had an agreement that there would be no talk about business, even if I want to know.
His eyes meet mine, and they scan my body, darkening as they land on my bare legs under my skirt.
A shiver runs through me as he reaches me in two strides.
My brows pull together. I don’t get to process anything as he wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me into him as he slams his lips onto mine.
I didn’t expect this, but I surrender to his kisses and let him devour me.
His lips slow, and just as I think he will pull back and we can eat, he hoists me up onto the table, pushing the items on it onto the floor. In the blink of an eye, he’s on me.
I let his hands explore my body and take my clothes off.
I let him eat my pussy on the same table we were supposed to eat dinner at.
Still, I’m enjoying every second of it. I enjoy it as much as I enjoy being bent over on the table and being fucked from behind while my hair is being fisted in his hard grip.
I enjoy it so much that I scream his name as I come hard.
I turned my head to meet his eyes. “Hello, husband. This was unexpected.”
He smirks. “Now we can eat.”
“Eat what?” I look at the remains of the meal on the floor mixed with broken porcelain and glass.
“I guess we can order pizza.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “You want pizza?”
He smacks my ass, and I use the strength I have left to stand.
“I’ll clean this mess up, and you can order us pizza or whatever you want.”
I tilt my head to the side and try to figure out what the hell is happening when his low voice rumbles through my body. “Or do you want me to fuck you again?”
I smile, but my stomach protests. “As much as I would like that, I’m starving. And I will order a pizza.”
I pick up my clothes from the floor and dress quickly before I place an order. I lean on the edge of the table and watch as Gabriel cleans the mess he made.
“You know, I was looking forward to this meal.” It isn’t a lie; the food smelled delicious. He doesn’t look at me as he cleans the last pieces from the floor. “Nina can make it again tomorrow.”
“Okay, I’m going to tell her, ‘Nina, make the same dish as yesterday, because my husband preferred to throw the food on the floor so he could fuck me on the table’.” I smile.
He narrows his eyes at me. “You will do no such thing.” He kisses me quickly before he walks toward our room. “I’m going to take a shower before the delivery gets here.”
I drop onto the couch and turn the television on. I need a distraction. I scroll through the programs. If we’re going to spend time together, we might as well do it like normal people.
I put on a movie. I didn’t even see its name, I just liked how the actors looked good together. I lean back until the intro of the movie rolls and press pause. Movie and pizza night never looked better.