He could sense that something was bothering her. "What is troubling you?"
"Nothing."
"You are a terrible liar," he lifted her chin up. "I can always tell when you're not telling me the truth."
"I don't want you to get mad and do something foolish."
"I won't, now tell me."
"It was something Antonio said. He hoped you realized how lucky you were to have me and if I were his wife he would love and cherish me every day." She left out the part where he touched her, she knew Gabriel would flip.
"Well you are not his wife and he better remember that."
Getting off the bed she went into the bathroom and brought out the first aid kit and fresh bandages.
"It's time to change your bandage."
Taking off the old one she was shocked that there was some blood. "You're bleeding."
He looked down and back at her, taking her hand.
"The doctor said there could be a bit of leakage, it's nothing." He was touched by her concern and he did feel lucky having her as his wife.
After cleaning his wound she applied the new bandage.
"I have to tell you something else. Your father called earlier." She saw him tense up and was afraid he would be angry at her for accepting his call.
"What the hell did he want," he snapped, making her jump.
"He heard what happened and asked if you were OK. I think he feels bad about the way he treated us."
"My father has no feelings," he scoffed.
"He sounded sincere and he apologized to me for what he said. I really think he wants to mend fences and have a relationship with you."
He grabbed her arm, giving her a shake and he became angry.
"Stay away from him and never talk to him again. Is that clear?"
His grip on her tighten and she winced.
"Let go, you're hurting me."
He released her arm and saw the marks his fingers made. "I mean it Paige, stay clear of him, promise me."
Her head bobbed up and down as she rubbed her arm, tears pricked her eyes. At the mention of Sergio, Gabriel became that horrible monster he was before. Her emotions were all over the place, one minute he was tender, the next just plain rough and mean.
"Give me my phone so I can call that bastard and tell him never to call here again."
"No," she said.
"Excuse me?"
"I told you no phone or laptop until you are better. I promise if he calls again I will not speak to him."
When he tried to get up a sharp pain hit him and he had to lay back down.
"Damn it, I guess you win this round." He then saw how doleful she looked and touched her arm.
"I'm sorry I hurt you, you do bruise so easily."
"Your temper scares me."
What could he say to make her feel better?
There was nothing, he knew he had a temper but it wasn't directed at her and when she was with him he wasn't near as bad.
"I don't want you to be afraid of me so I will try and be better, for you."
THREE DAYS LATER
Paige was at her lesson Gabriel felt he had enough resting so he went and found where she hid his phone and laptop. He made several calls and checked his email, he had tons waiting to be answered. Getting dressed he went downstairs, it was time to meet this Antonio Vozzella.
"Where is my wife?" he asked the butler when he couldn't find her.
"She and Mr. Vozzella have gone for a walk, sir."
His chest puffed out and he pressed his lips tightly together.
He was paying the man to tutor her in Italian, not to go for walks. Grabbing his jacket he headed outside and not finding them in the garden headed down to the water. Perhaps they were walking along the shoreline. The veins in his neck stood out when he saw the young man, and he was carrying her piggyback.
He knew they saw him when they stopped walking and exchanged words.
When he got closer she started to talk but he held up his hand to stop her and stared angerly at Antonio.
"Put my wife down," he growled. He would have punched the tutor if he weren't holding Paige.
"I can not do that sir, she has stepped on a piece of glass and can't walk till it has been cleaned and taken care of.
He yanked her off Antonio and took her in his arms, his veins was creeping up his neck.
"I'll take her now, the lesson is over. Put your hands on my wife again and I will crush you." He turned and walked back to the house.
"Gabriel, it wasn't what it looked like."
She knew he was furious and he wouldn't speak to her so she held on to him and kept quiet. It was the calm before the storm. He shouldn't be carrying her with his injuries but she dared not point that out. It would only add fuel to the fire. She cringed when he kicked the door open with his foot and took her into the living room and sat her on the sofa.
He left and returned with a washcloth and a bandage. Taking her foot in his hand looked at the piece of glass wedged in and gently pulled it out. Washing away the blood he applied the bandage.
"Gabriel, don't be mad."
He looked at her, still angry as hell.
"What do you expect when I see my wife on some man's back? His hands on your legs and both of you laughing."
"It wasn't what you think."
"Then explain it to me," he snapped.
"We were laughing because he was not strong enough to carry me all the way back here in his arms." She moved closer, taking his face in her hands.
"He's not strong like you who carried me as if I weighed nothing."
This seems to please him and he was then calmer.
"He must be very weak if he can not carry you in his arms like a real man."
Smiling she gently stroked his face. "He is not you."
"Why were you down by the water?"
"It's his way of teaching me new words by showing me what I'm saying, to feel it. I foolishly took off my shoes and walked into the water."
"He is much younger than I thought he would be and good looking. I do not want him teaching you any longer. I will hire a new tutor for you."
"But why? He is teaching me so much and I feel comfortable around him. You have nothing to be jealous about. I'm not the least bit attracted to him."
"Maybe you are not, but he is to you. You can not trust a man like that, he tutors women and gets them into bed. I trust you but not him." He could not stay mad at her, she was so innocent and didn't know how young Italian men were.
Placing his fingers on her chin he ran his thumb along her bottom lip. A stirring in his pants and the desire to make love to her was strong. He pressed his lips to her as he lowered her down onto her back. It had been four days since he had been with her in the way a man should be with his wife.
He moved his hand slowly down her body and back up, going under her dress and wedged her panties off. He moaned into her mouth when he felt how wet she was and his dick grew hard.
Shifting his body he undid his pants and slid them down, kicking them off. He kissed her neck, feeling her pulse racing as he surged inside her when she opened her legs for him. He pulled her dress down till her breasts were exposed and he took one in his mouth as he moved up and down slowly inside her.
Her dress was in his way as was his shirt. Lifting himself up she helped pull his shirt over his head. He then managed to get her dress off. Now naked, fire lit he ravished her there on the couch.
"Oh God, it feels so amazing being inside you," he said, kissing her neck sucked on it, breaking the skin.
He wanted to leave a mark on her so that wimp Antonio would get the message that she belonged to him. It was either that or beat the hell out of him.
Once he lowered her down on the sofa, his mouth taking control of hers while his hand skillfully touched and caressed every inch of her. She should have rejected him after the way he treated her and Antonio, but she couldn't resist him. His kiss left her breathless, his hands heated her body, making her core throb and her panties wet.
The feel of him as he pulled out, the blunt tip of him as he pushed back in had her screaming out his name. Her hips involuntarily rose to meet his hard thrusts as he pushed in deeper. It excited her more to know the effect she had on him, his moans and how hard his manhood got. It was more his kiss than anything, the way it was so possessive and demanding. He gave her so much, pleasing her before himself.
"You drive me insane with jealousy and desire, I can not quit you," he said, looking down at her as he laid on top.
"You're no longer angry at me?"
"I was not angry with you, just him. I will allow for him to keep tutoring you on one condition, that is no more outings. You must stay inside the house where I can keep an eye on him. One wrong move and I will kill him."
She ran her hands over his chest.
"I learned one phase. Ti amo Gabriel,"
She said as he was staring back at her.
She saw a strange look flash in his eyes, he said nothing as he lowered his mouth to hers. A feeling of sadness touched her heart when he didn't say it back.
He then got up, handing her the dress and he started putting his own clothes on.
"I said I love you."
"I heard you," he answered, his back to her.
His words sounded so cold, breaking her heart. She pulled the dress over her head, slipped on the panties and getting up walked on her sore foot and hurried out the room.
Reaching the bedroom she threw herself on the bed and cried. He didn't love her, she was just a means to sex and the mother of his child. She worried about what their marriage would be like if he didn't love her back.
***********************
Her footsteps echoed as she scurried out the room, he knew she was heartbroken. He should go after her, try to explain why he couldn't say the words he knew she wanted to hear.
Doing up the buttons on his shirt he looks at the scar left from the knife wound. To save her he would endure it again, would take a bullet for her. He would keep her and their child safe from harm, his child would not suffer the way he had growing up. But he could not say those three little words.
They hadn't seen each other till later, at the dinner table. He felt bad to see that her eyes were red and swollen, her face blotchy from crying.
"Your doctor's appointment is in the morning, I will go with you."
"You don't have to," she said, not looking at him.
"You're carrying my baby so I will be there. I'm worried about you, you look tired and your belly is not getting any bigger."
"I'm only two and a half months along. Are you wanting me to get so big that you can have the excuse not to touch me anymore?"
He slammed his fist on the table, the glasses shook.
"I don't care how big you get, I will always want to make love to you. I am concerned about the baby inside you."
She touched her stomach. True she hardly showed, but she could feel the bump. Finishing her meal she got up.
"I'm tired so I'm going to bed." As she went to walk past him he grabbed her hand.
He held it for a moment, lifting her hand to his lips kissed it.
"I will be up shortly after I make a few calls."
Letting go he watched her leave, she looked so sad, so vulnerable. He didn't like hurting her and cursed his father for teaching him not to love.