Chapter 14 A CLOWN.
\~~~RAINA.
I don’t know how long I spend in the bathroom, but by the time I return to the room and glance at the wall clock, it is quarter to nine and Luciano is nowhere in sight.
Thank God.
I had stayed in the bathtub for over an hour, sinking myself into the hot water as if it could wash away the disgust twisting inside me.
And to be honest, it wasn’t exactly the disgust at what he does.
I am disgusted with myself.
At the way my stupid body reacts, wanting more of his touch and responding to his vulgar words like it has no shame or loyalty to my sanity.
I cannot keep sharing a room with this man.
If I am going to remain his wife until Talia returns, I need to at least play the role in a way that won’t completely destroy my soul.
But deep down, I already know the truth. Luciano will never let me move to another room.
This man… this psycho… is bent on breaking me, exactly as he promised.
I hurriedly did my business, applying my facial moisturizer instead of following my usual slow and careful routine. My mind isn’t steady enough for that. I just want to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and forget the entire evening ever happens.
When I was done, I went straight to my side of the bed, slid under the duvet, pulled it up to my chin, and shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep even though my whole body is hot under the covers.
A few seconds later, I heard the door open and my heart slammed into my ribs.
I kept still, forcing my breathing to stay soft, slow, and fake.
Maybe if he thinks I am already sleeping, he will leave me alone.
I could almost feel his eyes on me, judging me through the dark, and then his voice came out low and calm.
“Are you not going to have dinner?”
I stay quiet.
And now somebody care if I starve to death or not? Oh, puleaseeeee!
Of all the times to betray me, that is when my stomach chooses to grumble loudly.
I almost cried. Betrayal.
There was a stretch of silence, and then the door opened again and closed.
He had left the room again.
I exhale shakily and pull the duvet away from my overheated body, staring at the ceiling and breathing heavily.
God, I should have eaten that meal my mother offered.
Now look at me, starving and pretending. I curl into myself, trying to force sleep past the hunger, past the humiliation of today, and past everything.
But before my eyes can even get heavy, the door opens again and Luciano enters.
His footsteps come closer and closer until they stop right beside the bed. I groan quietly under my breath.
God… what does he want again?
“Sit up,” he says.
I ignore him, keeping my eyes closed.
“Right now.”
His tone, neither loud nor angry, sharpens firmly enough to leave no space for argument.
Slowly, I push myself up, still clutching the duvet around me. My shoulders hunch, my eyes drop, and my lips pout without my permission.
He drops a tray in front of me.
“Eat this.”
On it is a neatly arranged sandwich and a bottle of water.
I stare at the tray, then at his hand still resting near it, then back at the tray again.
I don’t need a mirror to know my expression is confused, tired, and offended all at once.
“A… are you angry at me?” I ask him slowly, my hands pressed to my chest.
“What?”
“I don’t get why you want to kill me after everything.” I shake my head and watch as his brows pull together.
“What?”
“Did you not poison it?”
“Talia, eat, and stop being skeptical,” he hisses and walks away.
“Can you pick a struggle, please?” I ask as he settles on the couch and drops his laptop on his thighs.
“You can not be cruel this minute and then kind the next. It is… hmm… it is not exactly normal.”
But Luciano didn’t answer me. It is as though I am speaking to myself.
Asshole.
“Will you take a bite first? That way I will believe you didn’t poison my food.”
No response again.
I stare at the tray in front of me for a while and when I finally pick up the sandwich, his voice comes up.
“You are a clown if you think I’d poison your food if I want to kill you. There are several ways, and poison is not amongst them. So, shut up, and unless you want to starve to death, eat.”
My fingers freeze around the sandwich and slowly, I lift my gaze to look in his direction.
He didn’t even look my way.
He just sits there like some god, typing on his laptop as if he hasn’t just casually listed multiple ways he could kill me.
Unbelievable.
I let out a shaky breath and finally took a bite.
God… why is it actually good?
My stomach growls loudly in appreciation, and I glance at him again, ready to defend myself just in case he smirks.
But, he didn’t .
He only mutters, without lifting his eyes, “Eat slowly. You are not a stray.”
Heat flushes my face. “Shut up,” I whisper through a mouthful.
But I obey and I eat slowly.