A Bond by Marriage

Chapter 11

Gia’s POV-

I dropped to the bed, the thought swirling inside my head. If anything, I just proved them right.

My head snapped to the door when the knob turned. “Gia, open the door. I have the spare key in my office.” Of course, he did. I had just run from the lion to hide in his den instead. I opened the door but turned my back to him quickly. I could hide in the bathroom, but before I could set away, Dino yanked me to him. The light shimmer of anger was brewing in his eyes.

“Stop it, Gia, and talk to me.” I stopped struggling, but he didn’t let go of me. I wanted space between us, I wanted to return to the shadows but this man had me stark under his watch. His hands clutched my shoulders. “What is it? Tell me.”

“I don’t know what you want to know.”

“You know what I want to know. Why do you start shaking when someone comes close to you?”

“I just get nervous…” He stared at me for a second, his eyes evidently telling me that he didn’t believe me. His hands slid up to my neck.

“You got nervous?” He questioned, his tone suddenly softer than just a second ago. I nodded in response. “You know I wanted you last night, Gia.” I blinked. “But then you started trembling and I had to give you space. Now you say you were only nervous.” I nodded quicker even when it wasn’t a question. Dino stepped closer, his thumbs brushing my jaw. “This…” his eyes flickered to my lips, “hesitation won’t go away unless we make it, Gia. It goes away with time, with practice. And I want you tonight too.” My breath hitched and his scent flooded my lungs. “Will you let me in?”

Fear was a monster. Therefore, it took time to master one’s fear. It could take months and sometimes years but calming your nerves only took facing what was disrupting the calm. And I got what Dino was asking me. If I was only nervous, I would be comfortable as we moved further.

When I nodded my head, he didn’t frown or smile. Just turned and locked the door. He pulled out his tucked shirt and popped open a few buttons before pulling me to him and nuzzling my neck.

“You are okay if I do this, right?” The nod was my answer. And that’s all he needed. Dino bunched my knee-length dress and started peppering kisses on my neck while I felt my stomach knotting. His fingers brushed my thighs as he raised my dress and his chin slid the long loose sleeve off my shoulder. My stomach coiled and my throat strangled. My sight clouded and the blood pulsating in my ears engulfed me.

I felt his teeth graze my shoulder, his hand clutching my thigh. A tiny sound escaped me and bit my lips harder. “You are okay if I touch your thighs, right?” The nod was my answer again but this was too abrupt, too quick to make any sense. His hand slid up, almost reaching my bottom before he retrieved them and instead hauled me up in his arms. I instinctively grabbed his shoulder and he fixed my legs around his waist before my back hit a wall or a door. Dino worked fast. He slid the front of my dress all the way down my stomach and both his hands pushed aside my dress, sliding up my skin until he held my bottom in one and the other rested on my back. My muscles clamped and I could hear my own heart beat.

“You are okay if I hold you like this, up against a wall, right?” He asked and I nodded again, burying my face in his shoulder even when I wanted to smash his head into the wall. I couldn’t let him see me cry but the more I hid, the more I was engulfed in his scent. With Riccardo, I could at least struggle, but with Dino, even that wasn't the possibility.

Dino peppered kisses on my neck, dipping his head lower and lower. My chest arched backwards, trying to get away from him. He ignored me and I took it as his mercy. I felt his calloused fingers hook into my panties and my chest started aching. He tugged my panties down and his lips fell on my ear as he pressed his hips into mine.

“You are okay if I take you like this, right?” I couldn’t nod. But he didn’t seem to care about that now, because his lips sucked my neck and fingers squeezed my bottom. I was dreading what could happen in a few moments. My dress was already down and the bra would come off next.

Everything was suffocating me. I thought I could handle Dino but he was so different. Making me answer his questions, making me admit if I was okay with everything he was doing to me. He wanted me to agree and agreeing to his touches when I didn’t want to, made me feel awful.

Riccardo never asked. He never cared, so I struggled with it and blamed him. But agreeing to someone’s touches when I had the choice not to and didn’t want to? I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t be able to live with the truth that I nodded in compliance and the lie I’d be selling myself, selling Dino.

“I’m not okay. I—” I couldn’t even speak before I broke into sobs and hid my face behind my hands. My whole body burned as I tried not to choke on my tears. “I— I’m not okay. I don’t want it.” My knees buckled and I slid down the wall. All in one moment, I was trying to hold myself and cover myself. My chest was already covered and I didn’t even know when Dino put me down. But I was glad he did, glad he listened.

My knees clutched to my chest, I tugged the dress around my calves. “I’m not okay.” I kept chanting it like a mantra, stopping only to breathe enough. I was not okay with his touch and I had said that out loud. Just as I did, I was free from his touch.

“Say the name, Gia.” He had guessed it. He had guessed it and I bit my tongue because, at this moment, I might just say his name out loud as well. When I knew I couldn’t.

“What name?” I asked, slowly lifting my head. Dino was kneeling several feet away from me, his shirt not yet buttoned up.

“Who was it? Give me the name.” He urged, leaning in, his eyes electric and his tone urgent. I pressed myself further into the wall.

“What… name?” I swallowed and bit my lip. I could see his jaw working, nostrils flaring.

He suddenly walked a few steps away from me. “If you weren’t okay with my touch, why didn’t you admit that sooner? When you were uncomfortable having Vito so close to you, why didn’t you push him back, why didn't you tell him to back off? Why are you letting it happen if you don’t want it, dammit?!” He was angry and it was clear. Nothing I said would make him believe otherwise. That was also clear.

“Do you not trust me, Gia? I let you go the moment you said you weren’t okay. And you need to understand, your words hold power. Use them. Set boundaries.” Dino kneeled at a safe distance again. “Give me the name, Gia.” He urged before lowering his head after seeing my face. Although I was crying, something must have told him that I wasn’t going to tell him anything, but there was definitely someone.

“Was it the bodyguard? I know the rumours but are they true?” No, they weren’t but what Dino was implying was incorrect too. Anyway, I didn’t respond. So, he retreated.

“I don’t know whom you are scared of, but I’m getting that name out of you someday and it’ll be sooner than you think,” he said. “I’ll send dinner to you. Go to bed and sleep after that.” With that, he left the room.