Crimson Embrace

Chapter5

Mila's Point of View

"It was chosen by our mothers." He says, and I nod, walking inside, till I realize what he meant, no separate bedrooms.

"Do you want children?" I ask him, and he looks at me.

"I don't know." He shrugs a truthful answer.

I walk inside, then find the bedroom, it is very large and beautiful.

"I'll be in my Office." He says, and walks away, leaving me alone. I should be happy, but there's a certain emptiness that arrives when he leaves.

I walk into the bathroom, admiring all the ways it is, and before I know it, I am naked in the bathtub, wanting to sink under.

I get up, walking with a very short towel, only to see Dante in the bedroom, sweating, I guess there's a Gym in here, somewhere. I look at him and see his eyes are trained on my shoulder, where our tattoo is.

His is on his shoulder too, I remember how terrified I was, and how silently he kissed me so I could forget the pain.

It's a simple tattoo of our initials --- MM + DG. How juvenile, how stupid we were. He grunts and walks away, probably to the Gym.

This marriage might be the death of us.

______

"Hello, Mrs. Gambino." I hear as I walk into my office at Gambino's.

The office is neat and refined, made to suit my taste, I wonder if Dante made this happen.

I stare at the young woman before me, who looks to be around Lucia's age.

"Hi, I'm Caroline, your Personal Secretary/Assistant." She says, and I look at her, she's dressed in a tight skirt and brown shirt, and her fingers are shaking, well, it is Mila Morandi standing before her after all.

"Caroline," I say, staring at the world moving beneath me.

"My name is Mila Morandi-Gambino. However, that's a mouthful, so just call me Mila." I say, turning to look at her, only to find my husband taking up all the space in the room.

"Leave." He says, and I frown at him, before turning to Caroline.

"I need to speak to my Husband, give us a moment."

She nods and walks out.

Dante closes the door, and walks to me, my heart pounding with every step he takes.

"I slept on the couch last night to give you some time to settle in, that won't happen again." He says, a few steps away from me.

"I do not mistake you for a gentleman," I say, looking away from him, because his eyes draw me in.

"Are you okay?" He says, taking steps till he's standing before me, till we are breathing the same hair.

"Yes." I lie.

"I know when you lie." He drawls, and I glare at him.

"You're in my personal space."

"I've been everywhere." He laughs, and I look away.

"Let's make this marriage work," I say, and he looks at me, at the sudden change in topic.

"Really, why?" He says in amusement.

"I'd rather live in happiness than sadness, Dante. I have so much on my hand, so do you." I say.

"You want to have this conversation in your Office, on your first day. I don't want to." He states, and I roll my eyes in exasperation.

"Get out of my Office, then," I say and he takes a step back in anger.

"This hot and cold is bad for health, Love." He says, and I roll my eyes. He is the one who burnt my olive branch.

"Go. ." I start to say, but he cuts me off, taking my face in his hand and kissing me, softly at first, like he is testing the water.

I wrap my hand around his neck as the other explores his beautiful hair. He kisses me deeper, till someone clears their throat, tearing us apart.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you have an important call, Mrs Mila," Caroline says with a smile and blush.

"See you later," Dante says.

"I'm going to Morandi's in a couple of hours," I say and he nods.

"I'll be at the new Hotel downtown." He smiles and walks out.

"Thank you, Caroline," I say, and sit, breathless.

_____

I pick up the call and say "Mila Morandi. Gambino Inc."

"Hello, Mrs Morandi." I hear and frown at the voice, it is vaguely familiar and rubs me the wrong way.

"How can I help you?" I say head held high.

"I am here to help you." He says, voice trailing off.

"I will hang up the call," I state and he laughs.

"You feel you're at the Top, don't you Love?"

I stiffen.

"You are not there, Camilla, you were placed there. You are a puppet on the string, dancing to someone's tune." He laughs, and I feel goosebumps all over me.

"Do you not remember me, Mila? Have you forgotten my voice, you will remember, you will. I am everywhere, we are tied, my darling, tied."

"What do you want?" I say, frowning.

"Your wings, Love. I want your wings, you are flying too high. You could be like Icarus, who flew too close to the sun, I could let your wing fail you, but I want you beneath my feet, squashing you."

"Goodbye, I'm calling the Police," I say, with shaky hands.

"What's that new Hotel called? The Sky, yes. I wish you were here to watch it fall." He says and hangs up.

I pick up the phone about to call Dante when I see a messages, headline, Dante's hotel just exploded, with him in it.

"Oh my God. No no no no. f**k no." I scream, running out to see everywhere a mess.

My phone rings and I almost drop it, till I see it's Catherine, Dante's Mom.

"Mila." She says, her voice is shaky.

"Where is he?" I say.

"Come to the Hospital." She says and hangs up.

I run, get into the Car, and don't stop driving till I'm at the Hospital.

"Where is he? WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!" I yell, praying Dante is fine.