Judith

The bathroom erupted with murmurs. Nobody made a move to try and stop Gianna who was raising her hand again. Everybody just looked away while whispering to each other but I could see the glee in some of their faces. Just how many people had Janet offended? I knew my sister was a bitch but what was she hoping to gain from offending the whole mafia families? I just hope it’s only the women—companions of the mafia men— she had offended.

The second time Gianna hit me, I slapped her back immediately and everybody gasped. I did not know if they were expecting me to stand back and take it but hell no. Domenico can kill me today for all I care. Maybe he would help me end everything and I won’t have to go on pretending anymore.

The seas of people which only seem to be increasing with each passing second parted as a woman wearing a beautiful yellow gown rushed over. Her face held urgency.

“Gianna! I told you not to do it,” she cried, grabbing Gianna and dragging her away from me, “The men are coming.”

“Then they should come,” Gianna snapped, glaring at me. The left side of her face was quickly turning red and the blood was already gathering in her eyes from when my long manicured finger pierced her eyeballs from the fight.

“They need to see this bitch bullying me.”

“What?” I asked with eased brows, “Bullying you? How about you explain to everybody who followed me in here and was screaming about a scandal I know nothing about.”

Before Gianna could respond the sounds of multiple approaching footsteps came from outside the bathroom. Seems like the men really were coming as the woman in yellow dress said.

The crowd parted and Domenico and another older man appeared. The man looked rugged and the long scar decorating his face from forehead to mouth made him appear extremely dangerous.

“Dad,” Gianna immediately pounced on the man and began to cry, causing my eyes to twitch, “She slapped me. Apparently, spreading a rumor to sabotage my marriage with Domenico was not enough. Attacking me was—”

Unable to stand her annoying voice, “Oh shut the hell up with the dramatics. You followed me into the bathroom and attacked me. What were you expecting? That I’d stand back and let you hit me?” I asked, avoiding looking at Domenico.

I just know that he must look murderous right now. Was he mad that I hit his ex-fiancé? Yeah, I’ve been able to gather this much. Janet must have done something—spread a bad rumor that caused Domenico to not get married to Gianna.

“You,” Gianna’s father started, eyes brimming with anger, “How dare you raise a hand on my daughter?”

“And how dare you raise your voice at my wife?” Domenico snapped, coming to my defense.

My head snapped towards him in surprise. Gianna who was crying also paused and looked at him in shock, same with her father. None of us had been expecting him to stand with me.

“Gianna,” Domenico said, addressing her directly, “I’ve told you, we are never going to get back together. Janet is my wife now and you’ll do well to remember that. I do not play with my family. Touch her again and see what happens,”

“Are you threatening my daughter because of this…” Gianna’s father looked at me from up to down, eyes mocking and holding disgust. “Woman.” He finally said even when we all knew he wanted to call me all sorts of insultive names.

“This woman is now my wife, Renzo. You and your daughter and everyone here would do well to remember.”

Not waiting for the father and daughter to come up with anything to say, Domenico took my hand and dragged me away. I could see the shock on everybody’s faces as they moved out of the way for us to pass. I was in shock too as I held my gown with one hand and rushed after Domenico who was walking too fast for my short legs to keep up.

He stopped to whisper something to his uncle whom I now knew to be Antonio before pulling me out of the hall and in the direction of our car.

All the way home—Domenico’s mansion—the car was filled with so much tension that I began to sweat under the AC and for the first time tonight, I regret wearing makeup. I could see Domenico grinding his jaw while clenching and unclenching his fist. Anger poured out of him in waves whether because of me or because of Gianna, I did not know but a voice in my head kept telling me that I was in trouble.

The car slowed down once we got to the front of the house and came to a stop. Domenico got down and just like on our wedding day, I expected him to walk away without looking back but he snapped at me to get down. I scrambled out of the car and before my legs could hit the ground, he grabbed my hand and began to drag me inside. He moved past the living room and continued to drag me in the direction of my room.

My heart began to beat fast in my chest, panic rising within but my body seem to not understand what was truly going on because I could feel heat flowing through my body to pool in between my thighs at the thought of him punishing me because of what happened. Would he fuck me as hard as he did on our wedding night or would he bend me over his knees and spank me?

“What the fuck were you thinking fighting with Gianna?” Domenico exploded once the door of my room was closed behind us.

“What?” I asked, my brain at war with my body that was vibrating with need and struggling to catch up with what was happening, “I did not fight with her. She hit me twice so I had no choice than to hit her back!”

“Am I supposed to believe what you’ve just said?” Domenico asked, the side of his lip curling up in a curl smirk.

“But that’s just happened,” I said in frustration.

“Yeah? I didn’t say anything when you spread that rumor about Gianna and ruined our engagement because it benefited me but what I won’t take is you attacking her, especially in front of an audience! You’re not stupid, Janet but if you become sloppy and it affects my business I won’t take it lightly.”

I swallowed thickly before nodding, “Fine. I’ve heard you,”

He was not against me defending myself. He was against me fighting with her when there were other people as witnesses. I get it, it was stupid. I should have walked away but curiosity got the best of me and she began screaming about scandals. I needed to know everything but still, I can’t let another woman hit me and not do anything to defend myself.

“Are you listening to me?” Domenico growled, causing the flames in my body that’s begun to die to explode once more. How could he sound so sexy and dangerous at the same time? That was an unhealthy combination and my traitorous body that’d known his touch just once liked that sound. I’m not supposed to be horny right now but tell that to my body.

“What did you say?” I forced out through dry tongue.

“I want the names of everybody who knows. You said you’ll tell me once we are married.” His dark eyes were piercing as he observed me.

I looked down at my feet, my head going blank. I don’t know what he was talking about. I don’t even know what to say.

I stiffened once his black shining shoes came into view. He was so close to me right now I could perceive the scent of his cologne and feel his body heat. I shivered.

“Janet,” his voice was low as he placed two fingers under my jaw and dragged my face up to look at him, “You’re playing with fire. The more you hoard these things the more you anger me. If I use my resources to get what I need then I’d have no use for you. Know what I do with people I have no use for?”

An eerie feeling settled over me. I don’t know Domenico well but I had a good idea of what he did with people he had no use for.

“I dispose of them. I know you don’t want that, Janet or do you?”

Without giving me a chance to form a reply, his head descended as he pressed his lips on mine.