Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Aurora
Gabriel and I stand outside the church, accepting our congratulations from the guests he invited. They’re all the people from the party. I recognize George instantly and find myself recoiling. I bump into Gabriel and he steadies me.
Leo shakes Gabriel’s hand. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do, Leo. And as my right hand, it would be best if you avoided passing judgment on my wedding day.”
Leo flicks his eyes to mine and scowls. “You should have married a woman for political gain. She will give you nothing.”
“I am at the top. I don’t need more political gain. I am your boss. Accept it.”
“Of course, boss. I was just saying.”
Gabriel’s hand on my back tenses. “You don’t need to say anything, Leo. You’re my right hand. Not my boss. I didn’t ask for your opinion on this.”
Leo turns to me and gives me a stiff bow. “Congratulations on your wedding.” He walks away before I can say anything.
“Why does he have an issue with this?” I whisper to Gabriel.
“Leo has always been opinionated but he’s a good man to have on my side.”
Rocco, the middle aged man from the party, walks over to us with a young woman beside him. The girl looks to be only a little bit younger than me. “Gabriel, congratulations. Luciana and I are happy for you.”
“Thank you, Rocco. I always appreciate your support.” He shakes Rocco’s hand. “And Luciana, you’re growing up. How old are you now?”
“I’m eighteen.” She has a soft, demureness to her, like she’s Audrey Hepburn come to life again.
“I can’t believe it. Rocco has raised you well.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Once they leave, I turn to Gabriel. “I don’t know any of these people.”
“Rocco is an old ally and Luciana is his daughter. She lost her mom when she was young. I’ve always had a soft spot for them.”
A flare of anger hits me. “I also lost my mom when I was young, yet you don’t have a soft spot for me or my dad.”
Gabriel looks at me for a long, tense moment. “You’re right. I don’t.” His eyes flick to the next person approaching. “Ginevra, it’s nice to see you again.”
The woman in question is tall and blonde with piercing blue eyes.
“Gabriel. It’s been a while. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your party the other night.
But I was happy to attend your wedding.” There’s the tiniest scowl on her face.
I’m not sure if she’s lying about what she’s saying or if that’s just how she looks.
“And this is your new wife. Aurora, is it? You came out of nowhere. No one knows anything about you. Why did Gabriel marry you, of all people?”
“The details are not important,” Gabriel says.
Ginevra leans in close to my ear. “I would be careful if I were you. Gabriel has a tendency to fuck women bloody and leave them afterwards.” She pulls back and offers me a smile. “Congratulations on the wedding.” Ginevra walks away in her stiletto heels and I’m left speechless.
Why did she tell me that? Is it true? Gabriel is not a good man but so far, he hasn’t tried to rape me. Will he now that we’re married?
I might have to give my body to him if it means saving my father’s life.
My eyes flick to Gabriel as he shakes hands with his other guests. I don’t have the courage to ask him about Ginevra’s comment. The last thing I want is for it to be true.
Once we finish greeting our guests, Gabriel and I get into the backseat of a car and we’re driven back to his mansion.
“Are we not having a reception?” I ask. “A first dance? Any of it?”
“You want a first dance with me?”
I flush. “No. I just meant… isn’t that customary? What all weddings include.”
“We’re not having a party to celebrate. I don’t like those kinds of parties.”
“You like parties where people get naked.”
His eyes linger on me until it becomes too much and I drop my gaze. “You saw that?”
“I looked out the window. I saw people getting naked in your backyard. It was shocking to say the least.”
“It’s a little bit of fun in a world of darkness.”
“I didn’t see you join in.”
“How long did you watch for? Before you went snooping for my bedroom?”
I can’t help but flinch. “Just a moment.”
He’s quiet as he stares out the window, giving me a reprieve from his eyes. “I let my guests have fun in my maze. It helps promote my alliances with them. But I don’t need to join in.”
“Why?”
“Because I have my own outlets.”
“Ones that include having sex with women and leaving them bloody.” The words are out before I can stop them.
Gabriel tenses. “Why would you say that?”
“Is it true?”
“Do you want to find out?”
I scoot away from him but there’s only so much space in the car. “I don’t want to be raped in our marriage.”
“I don’t intend to rape you. I haven’t yet, have I?”
“Yet. You haven’t yet.”
His eyes narrow. “You didn’t seem to have a problem with me putting my hand between your legs the other day. You didn’t push me away at all.”
“I’m not in a position to push you away.”
“You can always fight. You’ve been fighting from the moment I met you. And yet, you didn’t fight me when I spanked you. Or when I put my hand on your pussy. Why didn’t you?”
My face is on fire from his words. I’ve never had someone speak to me like this before. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“Then we’re in agreement. I don’t have to explain myself to you either.” He pauses, looking me over. “And I don’t intend to rape you tonight. When you come to my bed, it will be because you’re begging me to touch you. You don’t even know all the pleasure I can show another person.”
He places his hand on my knee and I don’t push it away. “I could touch your pretty little pussy right now if I wanted to.” I press my legs together but it’s not out of fear. It’s from the strange sense of… arousal that hits me. None of it makes sense. “I could show you pleasure, Aurora.”
“Why would you want to? I’m your prisoner. You’re trying to punish me.”
“Because you’re an innocent little bird caught in my cage. I want to take that innocence from you.”
“And leave me bloody?”
“If that’s what it takes. But I would prefer not to. You don’t need to bleed for me.”
“You just want to control me,” I snap. “That’s why you married me. The ultimate control. Everything of mine is yours now. My name is yours now.”
“No other man will touch you. It was to stop that from happening. The moment I saw you, Aurora, I knew you had to be mine. A man like me doesn’t get good things. That’s why I wanted you.”
I shift around in my seat and it causes Gabriel’s hand to slip higher up my thigh. “What has happened to you to make you want good things in your life?”
“You’re a curious little thing, aren’t you?”
“Does it have anything to do with your scar?”
His hand tenses on my leg. “I got my scar from an accident. Nothing more. Stop asking questions.”
“And be a good little girl? No. I don’t think so. I will not lose my own agency to you.”
He leans in close until our faces are almost touching. “That makes me like you even more. Everyone is afraid to stand up to me but you’re not. You’re going to make my life fun, Aurora.”
“What do you mean?”
Instead of giving me an answer, he moves his hand between my legs, cupping me once more. My dress is the only thing protecting me from him and yet… I can’t help the feel of arousal that hits me. His touch is not unpleasant.
Just like last time, Gabriel doesn’t move his hand – only keeps it right there. “I could rub your pussy. Show you pleasure. Make you feel good.”
“Why when I’m your prisoner?”
“You’re not my prisoner now. You’re my wife.”
“You confuse me,” I whisper.
“And you excite me.” For the first time, he moves his hand back and forth, pressing against my most intimate area.
And I can’t help but admit that it feels good.
A gasp escapes me as I clamp my legs around his hand. It stops him. Our eyes never leave one another.
“What are you doing to me?” I ask.
“Making you mine. I’ve never owned another person completely. But I want to own you, Aurora. I am going to make it happen.”
“What if I say no?”
“You won’t say no. Not in time.”
“You’re arrogant.”
“I’m confident. I know what I want and what I want is you. So either submit to me, Aurora, or continue to fight. But either way, we’re bound together now. For life.”
He removes his hand from between my legs, making me gasp once more. Gabriel faces the window, ending the moment between us, confusing me even more. He’s the one completely in control and it’s killing me.
And yet, I don’t feel as upset as I should be. Instead, for the first time in my life, I feel… alive.
Gabriel picks me up into his arms to carry me over the threshold.
“You don’t have to do this,” I say with a blush.
“You’re my wife. You wanted tradition. This is tradition.” He doesn’t stop carrying me until we reach my bedroom. I wobble on my feet. “You’ll remain in here.”
“We’re not going to share a room?” I’m not sure if I’m glad or confused about it.
“You’re not going to get into my bedroom that easily. Now, it’s been a long day. Rest. I have work to do.”
“On your wedding day?”
His face shows no emotion. “Our wedding was planned last minute. I still have things to work on. Be a good girl and don’t run away. I would hate to have to hurt your father.”
“No you wouldn’t,” I hiss.
A scary smirk crosses his lips. “You’re right. I wouldn’t.” He walks away, leaving me alone on our wedding day.
None of this was supposed to go this way. None of it.
I run back into the hallway. “You took away a precious moment for me.”
Gabriel stops walking but doesn’t turn around to face me. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s my wedding day and my dad wasn’t even able to walk me down the aisle. You took that from me. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“Why would I care about how you feel?”
“Because I’m your wife now.” My voice is thin and quiet. I hate it.
I can see Gabriel’s back tense. “I already told you, Aurora. I am not a good man and I have never pretended to be.”