A Bond by Marriage

Chapter 9

Dino’s POV-

We made it to my place without any incidents. Nothing on our way here and I was driving the car with Vito following mine with Marco. I stepped out of the car but Marco was already running to the door. As much as he loved sneaking out of this ‘prison’ for a house, he didn’t like it when I made him go with me anywhere.

“You’d think he loves this place,” Vito drawled as I helped him with Gia’s bags. We walked inside with Gia sticking right beside me. Inside, Maria stood in the living room and, as expected, Marco wasn’t in sight having already fled away. She greeted us as usual and I heard a tinge of excitement as she greeted Gia. The old woman couldn’t hide it. She was happy to see a new face in the house. Happy to dote on someone new.

“Your brother just said that he was hungry. Shall I serve lunch, sir?”

“Yeah, we heard him, Maria. He screamed like a f**king banshee,” Vito said, placing a kiss on her cheek before they both headed their own way.

“That was Maria.” I turned to Gia. “And besides me and my brothers, you’ll see her here often. She cooks for us, but if you need anything and I’m not around, you can ask her.”

“Is she the only worker here?”

“Yes, the cleaning people come thrice a week. So, you don’t need to be bothered by them.” I dragged her two cases behind me and started for the stairs.

“You let outsiders in your house?” Her question made me narrow my eyes. She sounded concerned.

“Of course not. One of my men does it for business. We have an arrangement. I wouldn’t call in service from some well-known company. That’s just extra paperwork.” She didn’t ask any more questions after that as I led her into my room. It was going to be different with someone sharing my space, but it was her right now. Though I didn't think she would fight me if I even kicked her out.

“The bathroom is that way. You go first.” Gia gave me a ‘thank you’ and dragged her bags into the closet. I had already made space for her. As soon as the door shut, I called Vito.

“We were together like a minute ago.”

“Just make sure Marco is down for lunch. I don’t want him to throw any drama.”

“Ah-huh?”

“We need to make her feel comfortable, Vito. She is family now.”

“Exactly! She should know what an a***ole Marco is.”

“Not today. I can’t handle him today. And Elio will be there with the men. So, after lunch, come straight to my office.” Just then, Gia stepped out in a different outfit. The outfit she had on earlier accentuated her curves better. But she looked better in this because she wasn’t fidgeting anymore.

Ten minutes later, when I returned from the bathroom, she was standing in the very same spot and I couldn’t figure out if she was nervous or scared. There was no need for either emotion. Though fear was my preferred emotion, marriage had no place for fear.

I gestured her to follow me down where I saw Marco’s fist mid-way in the air, ready to hit Vito behind him before he instantly tucked them under the table. Snorting, Vito moved to the other side to take his usual seat which was right beside where Gia had decided to sit. I saw her shoulders stiffen and, ignoring the doubt in my head, I took mine. Her rightful place was to be beside me but I believe simply asking her to sit with me might seem controlling. And she was jumpy enough as she was.

Gia sat stiffly as the seconds ticked by. Her shoulders were tucked inwards, face hidden behind her brown locks but I couldn’t fight her fears for her. She needed to get used to this or she wouldn’t survive long. Vito suddenly moved to get a plate and I saw her jump again. Vito shot me a frown before he went back to eating. A few seconds passed before he once again tried to reach another plate of food. His shoulder brushed hers and she squirmed , alerting even Marco.

“Okay, what is wrong with you? This is getting f***ing annoying.” She flinched. Her spoon fell from her hands with a clink and both her hands vanished under the table. “Seriously?” Vito threw his hands in the air but I couldn’t care less about him. I was watching my wife, observing her, so I didn’t read her wrong. “Look, I haven’t given you any reason to fear me, so stop with this s**t. Marco’s gonna think I beat you up or something.”

“Pfft, you wouldn’t?” Marco asked.

“No, I won’t. She is family, you prick.”

“Like I don’t know why she is here.” I snapped my gaze on Marco. If he thought Gia was here anything other than because she was my wife, I was afraid we were gonna have a problem. I narrowed my eyes at him and he sat straighter, a defiant look crossing his face and jutting his chin up. This was one of the moments where he knew he should’ve kept his mouth shut but he still didn’t. “What? Isn't she here just because you want your heir from her?”

“Marco,” I warned him and I saw the fear flash in his eyes, but he kept his back straight and his hold on his spoon tight. “Apologize.” I could feel my wife’s fear.

“Why should I? I didn’t say—”

“MARCO!” That brought out a ‘sorry’ from him because nothing got inside the boy's head unless it was f*****g loud enough. “Apologize until she forgives you.” He didn’t test me more and kept muttering an apology after apology but in a sing-song manner. This boy...

“It’s okay. You don’t need to… apologize,” whispered Gia.

"I don’t think that’s anywhere near enough," Vito said, turning her chair to face him. Gia frantically looked at me but she needed to know Vito wouldn't harm her. "Now, look at me, scaredy cat. What is it exactly? You need to— s**t, don't cry. Dino,” he said, clearly not happy with this outcome and the last thing Vito knew was to console a woman. He stood up and left the room without finishing his lunch. Marco too chose that time to run away, leaving his food.

"I'm sorry. They left without eating… I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Eat your lunch. I'll be in my office."

"Please don't leave. Are you not going to eat?" She stood as I did.

"Will you stop trembling and picking at your food if I eat here?” She didn’t say anything. I had expected that. “Why are you afraid of everyone, Gia?”

“I’m not. I just don’t know you all yet— and I’m not afraid of everyone.”

“I observed you at the wedding, Gia. Don’t lie to me. Your muscles stiffen every time anybody comes close to you. You clutch your dress every time someone is speaking to you or even looking at you, and your eyes… are very expressive. So, again, don't lie to me.” If she thought I didn’t pay attention to her, she was wrong. “You are new here. So, naturally, I expect you to be alert but you fear us when we haven’t given you the reason to. So, what is it?”

“Nothing… as you said, I’m new—”

“Another lie.” I didn’t let her finish. “I’ll be in my office and I’ll tell Marco to give you a tour around.” Marco needed to get used to her too. So, I instructed Maria to pass my order to Marco and made my way to my office.

“Your wife is worse than a child. For f**k’s sake, she was born in this life,” Vito drawled as soon as I entered.

“I know. She fears everyone. It isn’t even natural and that is only possible if someone has given her the reason to.”

I just needed to get the reason out so I could destroy it and we could all live with more ease.