Chapter 10
TEN
Eliza
It takes me a long time to get to sleep. For some strange reason I miss the warmth of Adriano's body next to me. It doesn't make sense. I've slept alone for years and have only had one night with my captor, but I found it difficult to drift off without him.
It didn't help, I suppose, that my mind was whirring as I imagined the repercussions for what I did to the green dress. Though I still think a point had to be sent, I'm not sure destroying an expensive item of clothing was the right way to go about it.
When I think of how incredible I felt when I tried the dress on, I wish I'd found another way to vent my frustrations. I don't know what Adriano is going to do when he finds out what I did. My bottom clenches as I think about how much harsher the next punishment will be.
When I do finally sleep, I enjoy a restful night, waking to find the room around me bright, the curtains open signaling that someone has been in here since I went to bed last night because I definitely closed them.
I could lie in bed for longer but my work schedule over the past few years has got me used to rising early. I get up and head for the shower. As I walk through the closet, I spot something out of the corner of my eye that makes me pause at the bathroom door and take a step back.
The green silk dress is hanging on the rail.
It's not the one I destroyed last night but an exact replica.
I take it off its hanger to study it closely.
It can't be the same dress. Only it is. It's a bias cut emerald dress in the most delicate silk I've ever touched.
A replacement must have arrived at some point between my tantrum yesterday afternoon and this morning.
I don't remember Adriano being in here last night so how did he know about the dress? Has Rosa been in? She must have been. The ruined dress is no longer on the floor.
For a second I wonder if I dreamed the whole thing about tearing the dress to pieces. No, not possible. I remember vividly the feel of the silk in my hand, the sound of the fabric ripping when it finally gave way. The dress has been replaced with almost terrifying speed.
I hold it against myself and look in the mirror. It’s beautiful and I’m glad I’ll have another chance to wear it. I guess I should be grateful Adriano is the type of man who can get things done with the click of his fingers. Or perhaps that should frighten me. I’m not sure which.
Putting it back on the hanger, I go and take a shower. When I was constantly on the move I stayed in a lot of grubby little apartments. The quality of the plumbing in them was often in direct proportion with the rent.
It's a long time since I was able to indulge in a hot shower so that's what I do. I wash my hair with the shampoo that's been supplied to me and stay under the steady stream of scalding water until my skin turns pink and I get lightheaded.
Then I get out, dry myself off and head into the closet to get dressed. A hairbrush has been left on top of one of the cabinets for me so I work out the knots in my hair, grimacing as I have to tug to get some loose.
I dress in slim legged trousers in a warm camel color and a gauzy black top. I slip on shoes, sweep my damp hair back over my shoulder and go to sit on my bed.
Twenty minutes pass before Rosa opens the door.
"Are you ready for some breakfast?" she asks. Then her mouth forms an O. "You didn't find the hairdryer, then?"
"No. Where is it?"
"In the drawer beneath the mirror in your closet. There's makeup and a few things to make your hair pretty in there."
"Great. I've been worried about my hair not being pretty enough."
My sarcasm either goes over Rosa's head or she chooses to ignore it.
"Signore Adriano won't have minded about your hair being a mess but now you have a brush and things…"
She lets the sentence trail off but I catch the drift. Now I have the means to beautify myself I'd damned well better do it.
Adriano always looks immaculate and I doubt a speck of dust would dare land in his house. That tells me something about his standards.
I guess he'll expect me to meet them. I can't yet decide if I'll try to or not.
Rosa shows me down to the dining room which, surprise surprise, is a modern monstrosity.
The walls are white and I'm beginning to wonder if it's all an undercoat and he stopped paying his decorator before they got around to applying any color.
The table is big enough for eight people. It looks like it's made from molded black plastic as do the chairs.
I take a moment to consider what type of person chooses to live in such an uninviting home before crossing the room to join Adriano.
"You cannot seriously like this house." I can't stop myself commenting.
Adriano looks up from where he's sitting at the head of the table, scrolling through his phone as usual.
Dressed in an immaculate white shirt that may or may not be from Massimo’s spring collection, and navy pants, he doesn’t have a single hair out of place.
I should have known he’d be a morning person. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I am one myself, though I never manage to look quite so put together before I’ve had my first coffee.
"What's wrong with this house?" he asks as I take a seat to his left.
"It's like living in a child's playhouse. Everything's made out of Duplo blocks or something."
Adriano raises an eyebrow. "Your objections are noted, though my decor is hardly your concern."
"Well apologies if I'm worried about your comfort."
He stares at me for several seconds. He picks up his coffee cup, takes a sip and then sets it down. That tiny crease is there at the bridge of his nose again, the one I already recognize as a sign he’s mulling something over.
"You're worried about my comfort?"
"Yes. Perhaps if you had a cushion or two you'd be more……"
"More what?"
"More not an asshole."
Adriano laughs. "Very eloquent, cara. Did it take you long to come up with that?"
His tone rubs me the wrong way.
"I'm not stupid, you know. I may have worked in cafes for the last few years but when I was with Gabriele…"
I notice the subtle tightening of the lines around his mouth.
Interesting.
He definitely does not like me mentioning my past relationship with his cousin.
"I was working in a doctor's office. They were going to put me on a management course."
"Good for you." Adriano couldn't sound less impressed if he tried. "If there's one thing the world needs it's more managers."
Huffing, I pour myself some orange juice from the jug on the table. I take a long drink, my lips puckering at the sharpness. Then I set my glass down.
Rosa brings a cappuccino and a plate of scrambled eggs with a couple of pieces of toasted ciabatta on the side.
"I wasn't sure what you ate in the mornings and Signore Adriano only takes coffee, so I hope this is okay."
"It's great, Rosa. I love scrambled eggs."
I dig in as Adriano sips his coffee. The eggs are light and fluffy with just the right amount of salt and a hint of pepper.
"You don't eat breakfast?" I ask Adriano.
He shakes his head. "I don't usually eat before lunch."
I screw up my eyes as I try to imagine not eating for the first part of the day. "How do you have any energy in the mornings?"
"Don't know. I guess the ten kilometer run I do when I get up helps."
"That's insane. It can't be good for you to run all that way and not eat anything for hours."
He shrugs. "Works for me."
He glances at his phone again. I wonder what men like him did before the dawning of modern technology. Did they have a steady stream of carrier pigeons bringing messages to them?
"So, what, you work out in the morning, eat nothing and then stock up on cinnamon buns later."
"Yes, though I'm cutting back on those. Gabriele's wife tells me it's bad for my cholesterol."
"And you do what Gabriele's wife tells you?"
"It seems the safest option. If you meet her, you'll see why."
The thought of meeting Gabriele's wife scares me but I'm also intrigued by the notion I might be here long enough to warrant an introduction.
Of course, if I met her I'd also have to face Gabriele and I'm far from ready to do that. I don’t know what I’d say to let him know how sorry I am about what happened to him. There aren’t adequate words.
I pick up my cappuccino, holding the cup in both hands, and drink half before setting it down again.
While Adriano gives his attention to his phone, I concentrate on my eggs. There's something about us sitting here like this that makes me uncomfortable. We could be an old married couple who've run out of things to say to each other.
He hasn't mentioned what happened in his office yesterday and I'll be damned if I'm bringing that up.
Nor has he mentioned the green dress and I know its replacement did not reach my closet without him having something to do with it.
"What are your plans today?" I ask.
"The usual."
"Ah. Terrorizing villagers and barbecuing babies."
Adriano nods. "As I said, the usual."
I can't decide if I like that I can't get a rise out of him or if I'm pleased that he's willing to go along with it when I decide to be snarky.
"And what will I be doing while you're out sacking Rome?"
"Oh, I'm sacking Rome now? That sounds much more arduous than terrorizing a village."
I smile tightly. "Can I go out?"
"Where would you want to go?"
"Well, I still have family here.” My parents moved to Sardinia after my brother died, but I have aunts, uncles, cousins who still live in Rome. “It might be nice to let them know I'm back."
"That would be nice," Adriano agrees amiably. "But you're not doing it."
"Why not?"
"Green silk charmeuse ring a bell?"
"Ah. The dress."
He smiles tightly. "Yes the dress you destroyed."
"The dress you replaced."
He nods. "As I told you I want to rip it off your body. For trying to deny me that pleasure I think you'll agree a punishment is required."
He watches me closely for a reaction.
Though I have to admit I do agree my behavior warrants a consequence I will not admit to needing to be punished. I hold my tongue.
"You will spend some time in your room, reflecting on what you did. Rosa will bring you meals."
"Will you come to me later?" I feel pathetic for asking but I can't help wanting to know.
"No. You will remain in your room until Friday evening when we will attend the gala together. That is your first consequence. You'll find out on Friday what the second one is."
I feel the color drain from my face. “Gala's not a euphemism for auction is it?"
"What?" The word fires out of Adriano's mouth. He looks at me as if I’ve just told him the sky is green.
"You're not going to sell me or something?"
He shakes his head and looks at me as if he doesn't know where I'd get such an idea, but I know that there are people who operate in the same shadows he does who sell human beings.
"I'm not going to sell you, cara. With the mouth on you I doubt I'd get much."
"Gee, thanks. With this figure and my sparkling personality I think I'd fetch a fortune. Millions, maybe."
"Are you trying to persuade me to sell you?"
"Uh, no."
He gives me a long-suffering look.
"The consequence will be of a more personal nature. Who knows, if you approach it with the right mindset you might even enjoy it."
With that, he gets up and puts his phone in his pocket. He puts on the jacket that was draped over the back of his chair and fastens the button.
"Finish your eggs, then straight to your room, Eliza.” He addresses me as if speaking to a naughty child. I guess I did behave like one. “I'll know if you disobey and you do not want to rack up further punishment."
He leaves the room. I should be worrying about consequences and punishments and whether I can believe him when he says he won't sell me.
Instead all I can think is that he didn't kiss me goodbye. What the hell is wrong with me?