Gabriele’s POV.
I was so pissed at Sara for interrupting Arianna and I, but of course I made sure she was punished and very well. I’d been recovering very nicely and in a few days I’d be ready to remove the bandage. The shoulder still hurt a little but it was bearable. I felt frustrated seeing her run away like that.
The next few days she avoided me completely and I didn’t make it difficult for her cause I was so busy. Not going to the company for a few days just left a pile of work for me to manage as well as the mafia’s issues as well. The Godfather could take care of those problems, but important decisions still had to go through my approval first.
I finally wrapped it up for today as I had to go home a little earlier than usual at my godfather’s and basilios insistence. He stayed back to finish up. I knew that I could absolutely trust basilio and my godfather so I wasn’t worried. Number three acted as my driver and on our way home, no one spoke a word. My mind wandered off to the day in the garden, she didn’t seem averse to me and that was a little step forward.
I was simply running out of patience with Sara. Even when I got Elena and Nadia she didn’t have such a big reaction. I knew that she had feelings for me, but I’d made it very clear to her that I had nothing more in me for her apart from sex, if she still insisted on causing problems in the house, I would have to take care of her.
We soon arrived in the house and just as the car stopped in front of the house, number one approached it. I frowned and came out, then the car drove off.
“Boss, there’s a situation.” He said and I walked into the house as we talked.
“What is it?”
He breathed out and then continued, “Earlier this afternoon, Miss Sara and Miss Arianna got into a brawl, with varying degrees of injuries none are critical.”
I stood still for a second and he stopped behind me. “Where are they?”
“Tied up in the guest room upstairs, in the west wing.”
“Why was Arianna in the west wing?” I asked him unhappily.
“No idea sir.”
I nodded and went straight to the west wing. I swore I was gonna punish both of them so hard. I pushed the door of the guestroom open and I saw two dishevelled women tied up to chairs in the room. I wanted so badly to run a hand through my hair but I was injured, then I got even more frustrated.
They stared at me blankly. Sara with fear and Arianna indifference. Two extremely different reactions and I could guess the storyline.
“What the hell happened here?” I questioned my eyes freezing over as I watched them. They both went quiet and I was totally enraged and I just lost it.
“Answer the fucking question.” I growled as I approached their chairs. I could see them flinch at the sound of my voice and Sara immediately started speaking. “Well.. um.. well.. Gabriele, I.. I mean…we..” she just kept stuttering and I turned to Arianna.
She shrugged as she looked me right in the eye. I saw a gash on her cheek probably from Sara’s nails and her torn dress. I swore internally at the thought that my men might have seen her like that.
“Well, we got into a fight.” She said, interrupting my thoughts. “I can see that. I want to know who started it? And what the hell you were doing all the way in the west wing?” I asked her.
She went quiet for a while and I crossed my arms on my chest.
“What? Cat got your tongue?” I asked and she glared at me. I was surprisingly amused and that wasn’t the right mood for this situation.
“Well your girl Sara over there started it, and about why I was in the west wing, I was curious. Do you think being cooped up in this mansion everyday literally doing nothing is fun? Plus you didn’t tell me I couldn’t go to the west wing.” She said as she rolled her eyes towards the end.
I ignored all her complaints and turned to Sara who had by now recovered from her stuttering and said emotionlessly “I’ve warned you Sara. You still didn’t listen to me. Go to the punishment room and get your punishment from there.”
“Gabriele I know it’s my fault, I promise I won’t do it again. Please don’t…don’t send me there. I’ll apologise.. Gabriele…” she screamed and I turned my head away. “In a few minutes someone will come here to untie you. After being untied, I’ll see you in my study Arianna.”
After I left I could hear the sound of Sara crying and I really couldn’t care less. For every mistake a punishment is meted out.
I went back to my room. My house seemed to have turned into some sort of battleground. I was glad that Nadia and Elena didn’t join in. I didn’t hit women or stuff like that, but I had people to do that for me. I changed clothes and soon came out in comfortable house wear. I went over to my study and waited to speak to Arianna.
Few minutes later, I heard a knock on the door. “Come in.”
The door opened and Arianna came in very quietly. “Sit.” She glanced at me and sat down on the couch in my study. I watched her from behind my table and none of us made the effort of speaking and just stared.
“What actually happened between you and Sara?” I leaned on the chair as I crossed my hands.
“I’ve said it before, we got into a fight.” She said lukewarmly.
“I know that you got into a fight. Your condition speaks louder than words.” She blushed a little at my words and turned her head away.
“It’s all your fault anyway.” She murmured and I frowned.
“It’s all my fault?” I asked her and she turned to glare at me. “It’s all your fault, after all she attacked me because of you. Blabbering on and on about me trying to steal you from her and shit like that.”
“Stay away from Sara. And you don’t have the permission to go to the west wing. The first time was a mistake because you weren’t informed, but now I’m telling you that you can’t go there anymore.” I said sternly, with no room for discussion.
She shot up from the chair, her eyes wide in surprise. “Why can’t I go there? I mean it’s not like I’m gonna escape from there or anything. I’m gonna keep going there.”
I stood up from the chair and took bold steps towards her and she took more backwards. I could see the fear in her eyes and she finally hit the wall. I just didn’t understand why she had to fight everything I said, she was the most annoying woman I’d ever met.
“I’m not asking for your opinion Bella…” I said as I gripped her chin tightly, angling her face to meet mine. “… I’m telling you that you’re not to go to the west wing Bella. If you disobey me, you shouldn’t forget that you’ll be punished.”
“You’re keeping me away from the west wing, the only time I feel free and alive is when I’m there talking with Nadia and Elena. I forget that I’m here against my will, I talk to them, laugh and feel happy. Being locked up inside here is slowly eating at me and I feel better with them.” She spat out her voice dripping with venom. At that point in time I didn’t know what to say to her so I just listened.
“You won’t ever understand what I feel. The only thing you want is to get into my pants, so how will you understand?” She said sarcasm lacing her voice.
I moved away from her a little, my mood totally ruined. “This is old news Bella. We’ve been through this before and this whole conversation changes nothing.”
She rolled her eyes and I ignored her. I wasn’t going to bend to her every whim and fancy. She had to learn to obey me and any other thing can be negotiated after that.
“You know I had a feeling you’d say this, so let’s just drop the topic. On the other hand, I have a question for you.” She said as she walked back to the couch and sat down.
“You may ask the question but I can’t guarantee you an answer.”
“It was my first day in Italy and on that very day I was kidnapped immediately I left the airport. I want to know if you know who was behind my kidnapping or better still who leaked the news of my arrival into Italy, and if the driver Marcus is still alive.” She said all of this in one breath and I didnt say a word.
I walked over to the window. “Someone did leak the news of your arrival into Italy but I’ve got no obligation to tell you that. Secondly the driver is still alive, he was discovered on time and taken to the hospital.” I said coldly.
She breathed out a sigh of relief. ” It’s okay. You don’t know how happy you’ve made me. I’m glad he’s alive. Well if there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”
I nodded in reply and she turned around and left. I picked up a cigarette and lit it. I sat down deep in thought, I knew that I could’ve just told her who was behind it but on second thought I decided not to. I knew firsthand the feeling of being abandoned and betrayed especially by someone you felt would always be there for you and it wasn’t a good feeling.