You're dead to me

Chapter sixty-five: Dawn

"How's Alessandro doing?". I say and lay down into the silk cushions. Giovanni is already in bed with only boxers dressed and checks his emails. He shrugs, that makes me suspicious. He acted so weird around that family topic lately. "You didn't talk to him after Briar dropped by?". He shakes his head, his gaze is fixed onto the blue screen and his jaw is set.

Subconsciously, my hand wraps over my belly. "Giovanni?". I pull up my voice to signalize him that I'm mad. He doesn't even bare to look at me, instead, he starts to write aggressively on his phone. "Giovanni!". I dare him and count down to ten in my head.

Giovanni straight up ignores me.

I rob a few inches over to him and clutch my fingertips over his phone. "Don't make me fight you with this baby in my body". I growl stern. His eyes finally find mine and we stare each other down. Then he drops his head against the headboard.

I frown.

"What did I miss?".

"Nothing.". Slowly but surely my blood starts to boil. "What is wrong with you anyway? You act so weird the whole time when I start talking about mine or your family". He sighs and has his eyes closed.

"When you don't tell me now, I will leave".

"You wouldn't dare". He mentions lazily. "Try me". Out of a sudden he opens his eyes and grabs my wrists to push me under him. "You will not challenge me now Caroline. Don't think I wouldn't punish you in this condition". My teeth ache together. "Tell me". I resist the urge to slap him across the face. "There is nothing to tell".

"Oh there isn't?". I smile, but it's a cruel smile. "Then tell me why don't you let me talk to my family". Pain crosses his features for a second. I turn my hand to pinch him into his palm. "I'm pregnant, something which was taken from me, the image of me carrying a child was taken from me. And now, now when it happens...you close up and turn into a possessive husband, someone who draws lines and wants me to keep quiet and look pretty".

My hormones are all over the place and that's why tears prick up my face.

He shakes his head and whispers. "No no no no".

"What do you mean?". My voice halls dramatically from the walls and the threatening tears, spill to my cheeks. "You are caging me, you take away my right to talk to my family-".

"I could've been so much worse, I should be so much worse Caroline". He growls, his orbs suddenly so dark. "You're lucky that your father chose me and not someone who really serves the Italian arranged marriage law. I can rape you, use your body, destroy your soul, break your heart, make you my muse, my pretty jewel. But I don't do any of that!". He screams in my face and I watch him horrified.

I am too vulnerable to push my body towards him, to free me out of his grip.

To free me out of my husbands grip...

"STOP SCREAMING AT ME!". I cry out and sobs fill my throat. He's so taken back from my outburst that he's speechless and just stares at me.

"Caroline...God I am so sorry, mi amore". He caresses my cheek and wipes away my tears.

No

"No don't touch me". I silent cry and he drops his hands, I sit up and crawl out of bed.

"Caroline I didn't mean...I shouldn't-". I wave my hand at him, to cut him off. "Just don't talk, you sound like a pathetic husband, who wants mercy for what he shouldn't do to his pregnant wife!". His face looks hurt, but that's exactly how I feel.

***

That night he made love to me until dawn.