“I thought I was being paranoid and it was normal among Italians.”
“Per meraviglia...you’re a married woman,” he accused. “How could it be normal for you to be flirting with other men?”
“Alessandro, please...I didn't do anything wrong,” I said with as much sincerity as I could muster. “I wasn't flirting with him.”
Alessandro walked those final steps that separated us and crouched to my level. His hand reached toward my face, and I flinched away. That didn't stop him from repeating the act and forcing me to look at him. The expression on his face was icy cold and unreadable.
“Olivia, I don't want to hit you. I don't want to hurt you. I’m warning you, tesoro...” His thumb brushed against my cheek. “Today is not the day to push my buttons. You might not like what is about to happen, but trust me, it’s inevitable and very, very mild in comparison to what I’m going to do to that bastard.”
Terror ran in my veins at the realization of what his threat meant.
“Alessandro, please don't hurt Mr. de Lucci,” I begged in despair.
“And what would you have me do?” he inquired softly. “Perhaps, I should award him for daring to lay his filthy fingers on my woman?”
Something broke inside me and demanded to be let out, despite the alarm bells that kept warning me to remain silent.
“No, but perhaps you should take note of how a woman is supposed to be treated by her husband,” I challenged. “Then you wouldn't have to worry about her being tempted by a show of respect and tenderness from other men.”
The composed look in Alessandro's eyes turned murderous. “Olivia, this better not be your way of telling me it has gone further than what I saw last night,” he threatened, and his body visibly shook with rage before my eyes.
“And what if it is? Could you truly blame me?” What are you doing? You’re going to get yourself killed.
“This is no joke, tesoro,” Alessandro snapped. “If you’ve let him have what's mine, I am going to break every bone in his body and make you watch!”
Stop, Olivia. For the love of God, don't push him.
“But you’re not going to take my words into account and think about what I've said.” There. You've done it now. Take a deep breath and wait for him to take out his gun and pull the trigger.
But—instead of anger—I thought I saw a sudden flash of disappointment in his black stare.
“You don't feel respected by me, Olivia? You want me to look up to your pathetic little tutor who tried his luck without offering anything in return?” he demanded. “I kept my hands to myself and paid the ultimate price before laying claim on your body. First, I made you my wife and only then did I dare to touch. What greater show of respect can a man give to a woman?”
This was more display of emotion than I'd ever seen from him, and—for a moment—I was speechless.
“Alessandro,” I called his name with caution.
“I don't feel like continuing this discussion,” he said calmly. “If you don't start walking, I’m going to carry you outside.”
“But nothing ever happened, I swear...” I said in a voice that rang with approaching panic and despair. God, please don't make him cut my hair.
His eyes flashed with warning. “Olivia...”
I didn't know what else to do. I had no idea how to make him understand. Perhaps you should stop treating him like he’s a monster and try acknowledging him as your husband. The thought came out of nowhere; an inner voice trying to convince me Alessandro had a good side to him—a side I had once seen a long time ago in that restaurant. Even if it had been an act, there had to have been capability for compassion and mercy hidden somewhere deep underneath the thick layers of this monstrous cruelty. If there was a glimpse of light inside Alessandro, I was determined to find it.
Slowly, I reached out toward his face as though not completely terrified of him. I expected him to pull away or say something condescending, but he just stared as if wondering what I was doing. My fingers touched his smooth olive skin, and I caressed his cheek. This was the first time I had ever touched him of my own free will. I could have sworn I felt a powerful shudder rip through his body as he stared at me in frozen disbelief.
“I would never betray you like that,” I muttered, and