Tyrant King

Chapter Seven

Gabriel was very serious. When I didn’t respond, he left the room, coming back several seconds later with a file containing a marriage certificate. He held it up in front of my face, and there it was… my signed name on the dotted line.

“What… how… I didn’t sign that!” I yelled.

“On the contrary, you did sign that, wife.”

I cringed. “I never would have… did you force me?” I looked down at my hands, whispering. “Why can’t I remember anything?”

He reached over, using his finger to tip my chin up to look at him. His eyes had softened slightly. “It’s as real and legal binding as anything. You are my wife, and I am your husband. The faster you learn to accept that, the better. ‘Til death do us part.” He said it so softly, I almost missed the hint of his threat.

I gulped, swatting his hand away from me. “Don’t touch me. You have no right to touch me.”

“You’re mistaken again, Nora. It is your duty as my wife to give me children and carry my name, so I will be touching you. I will give you a few days to warm up to the idea, and then you will be on my arm for the next gala event I have to attend. I will send people to help you prepare. Until then, if you need anything, you can ask Susan.” With that, he turned and left.

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to sleep for the next few nights. Every time I’d close my eyes I’d feel like I was rolling in the car and I’d jerk awake. Gabriel didn’t come back to see me once. The door was always locked so I couldn’t go anywhere. I spent every day and night laying in bed. I even refused to eat, no matter how much Susan tried to persuade me.

Thursday morning came, and so did Gabriel. The curtains opened harshly, sending shards of light in my face. I rolled over with a groan, when the covers were ripped off of me. “Wife…” he said. “Why are you not eating? Imagine my surprise when Susan tells me you haven’t moved from your bed or had any of her food. That just won’t do.”

I screamed into my pillow. “Leave me alone!”

“Tsk, tsk… I don’t think so.” I was lifted out of bed and thrown over a hard shoulder. I started hitting Gabriel’s back, demanding he put me down. “Sure.” He said before my body was submerged in cold water.

I gasped from the shock of the coldness and my shirt stuck to my body. He must have had someone fill the bathtub with freezing water while I was finally asleep. “You’re an asshole!”

“That I am, my dear wife. Now get clean and make yourself presentable. You have a dress to pick for tomorrow.” And he left.

I drained the tub, walking over to the shower and turning it on as hot as I could possibly stand it. I stayed there, arms wrapped around myself, letting the water run over my body. Eventually there was a knock on the bathroom door and Susan walked in. “Miss Nora, the dresses have arrived. It’s time to get out now.”

“Oh my god, Susan! Get out, I’m naked!”

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Come now.” She walked over and turned off my water, handing me a towel. I stepped out to get dry when she left, coming back a few seconds later with women’s clothing. “Here, put these on for now. Gabriel had your clothes brought over this morning. They’re being put in your new room.”

My new room? I didn’t want a new room, I wanted this one. At least I knew Gabriel wasn’t sleeping in here and it was just for me. I put my hair up in the towel to dry while I got dressed. Walking into my bedroom, there were already a few people organizing dresses on a rack. They all stopped when they heard me walk in.

I searched all of their faces, seeing if I knew any of them. Of course, I would. My eyes narrowed as I looked at Rae who was watching me like a Cheshire cat.

“When Gabriel told me his wife needed a new dress for tomorrow’s gala, of course I was surprised to hear he had a wife in the first place. But now that I see it’s you, I don’t think you’re deserving of one of my beautiful designs.”

Rae was the town’s toy and everyone knew it. Part of me always thought that she couldn’t possibly like doing the things she did, but no one expected her to find a real job and she seemed to always have extra money to flaunt in people’s faces.

“Everyone out.” I said. They all scuttled out of the room, closing the door behind them. “What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you that.” Rae said. “Or maybe not. You always did have Gabriel Silver wrapped around your finger. Little Miss Goody Two Shoes who never put out for anyone… married to the King of the city? I don’t know how you lured him in after all this time, but I can promise you he’ll want me back in his bed before he wants you.”

All I could see was red. I walked over to her, pushing her back against the wall. My hand slipped around her throat, my face directly in front of hers. “Do not speak about my husband like that again. You are in my house.”

“Your house? Nora, you have your own bedroom in Gabriel’s home. At least I’ve been in his bed.” I couldn’t help myself, I backhanded her so hard she fell to the ground.

“What’s going on in here?” Mark, Gabe’s bodyguard strode in.

“Get her out of here.” I said through gritted teeth. “I never want to see her in this house again.”

Mark helped her off the ground and escorted her out of my bedroom. I walked over and slammed the door shut. All of the adrenaline ran out of my body and my legs couldn’t hold me up any longer. I slunk down to the floor, burying my face in my hands.

“Nora, open the door.” I heard Mark’s voice. I scooched over before telling him to come in. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Nothing Mark, don’t worry about it.”

“I have to report this to the Boss. I’d rather be able to tell him why Miss Rae is no longer allowed back here. She has been Mr. Silver’s stylist for several years now.”

“You can tell him his wife doesn’t want to see her face in this house ever again. Now leave, I want to be alone.”

He nodded and left. I made sure the door was locked behind him before I went out on the balcony. I grabbed a blanket to take with me, just in case. I’m glad I did. It was a pretty chilly morning today. I fell asleep thinking about the things Rae did in Gabriel’s room.