Chapter 12: FIONA

“Mrs. Craig, it’s time for dinner.”

I slowly opened my eyes after hearing a loud knock on my bedroom door. It took me a few seconds to adjust to the darkness in my room.

“Mrs. Craig? Are you okay?”

Mrs. Craig?

I frowned and sat up. I forgot that yesterday I had officially become Mrs. Craig after marrying that damn bastard.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I shouted.

“Dinner is ready on the dining table.”

“I’ll come down after taking a shower.”

Well, I’d rather skip dinner and stay in bed. I didn’t seem to have the energy to walk to the bathroom and get ready for dinner. Besides, I wasn’t in the mood to have dinner at the dining table with my husband.

I flopped back onto my bed and lay on my side, staring out my bedroom window whose curtains were fluttering in the wind. I was too lazy to even get out of bed and close the curtains. How could I possibly go to the bathroom and take a shower?

Just as my eyes were about to close again, the door suddenly slammed open. His rough voice echoed through the silence of the room.

“Why are you still in bed? It’s time for dinner.”

“Can I skip dinner?” I replied without looking at him. I remained in my position, lying with my back to him.

“No. You have to come to the dining room and have dinner with me.”

I snorted. Was dinner with him that important? I didn’t want to see his face tonight, and the nights after that.

“Fiona.”

He started to growl. But I stuck to my stubbornness and lay down on the bed. To hell with him. Not everything in this world had to be according to his wishes. I wasn’t one of his henchmen that he could order around as he pleased.

“First lesson as a Don’s wife, don’t try to argue with me.”

“Kyaa…. What the hell are you doing?!”

I screamed in surprise when he suddenly lifted me off the bed. He bent my body like a pretzel in his strong arms. Joshua was shirtless and only wore black pants that hung low on his hips. My body was pressed tightly against his warm, strong chest. I flinched in horror at the sight of his tattoos that covered his entire chest. They were so close to my face.

“Bastard. Put me down. What are you going to do to me?”

“Bathe you.”

“I’m not a little girl. I can bathe myself.”

“You just showed me otherwise.”

Joshua led me into the shower stall and turned on the shower before lowering me to the floor. The warm water rained down on both of us, even soaking through my black dress. It clung to my body like a second skin as the water poured over me until I was soaked.

“Put me down. Are you deaf, huh?”

“Should I teach your mouth a lesson?”

My breath hitched as his dark blue eyes traced the curve of my lips. I saw something like a blaze of passion and a glint of cunning in his eyes.

No, this can’t happen.

He can’t touch me!

“Put me down!” I struggled and hit his arm.

Joshua blinked twice, then he lowered me onto the smooth, wet black marble floor. We were both soaked. His black pants hugged his legs tightly like a second skin. His gaze still didn’t leave me even though the blaze of passion was starting to die down in his eyes.

“Get out of here. I’m going to take a shower.”

“Are you?”

“I can’t possibly not take a shower after what you did to me. Look, my clothes are soaked.”

I looked down, and gasped to find the two front buttons of my dress open. My black bra was exposed. And I'm sure Joshua could see the peaks of my pointed breasts behind this tight bra. It wasn’t because I was horny for him, but because of the damn shower water that suddenly poured down on me without mercy.

“What are you looking at?”

I crossed my arms in front of my chest, trying to cover my exposed breasts. I knew this wasn’t helping much because this dress almost made me look naked in front of him. If I managed to block his view of my breasts, he would still get a full view of my body.

Shit!

I hate this pervert.

“You,” he replied flatly.

I stepped back as Joshua closed the distance between us. I didn’t know what he was going to do, and he scared me. His eyes were glued to my face. I couldn’t read his mind when his expression was that cold.

“Jo-Joshua, what are you going to do?”

My back hit the glass wall behind me. I turned my face to the side as he bent his face in front of me. His hot breath blew in front of my face. He smelled of whiskey with hints of fresh pine and citrus. The tip of his nose brushed my jaw gently, then trailed up to my earlobe.

God, help me.

“I could even rip that dress off if I wanted to. You don’t have to bother covering it with your tiny arms,” he whispered hoarsely in my ear.

“Fuck you. Get out of here.”

“How do I know if you’re really going to shower and not just lying to me?”

“I’m going to take a shower and get ready for dinner.”

“I don’t believe you. Take off your dress.”

“Are you crazy?”

“I am your husband. I have the right to see my bride’s body.”

I was cornered against the foggy glass wall like a mouse about to be devoured by a lion. His fingers slid down my arm gently. I shivered under his touch and his gaze. He scared me with whatever was inside his head.

“Take off your dress.”

“No. Get away from me.”

I jerked his hand off my arm and glared at him.

“Get out of here.”

“I asked you nicely, and I won’t do it twice.”

He was so fast. I didn’t even have time to stop him as he ripped my dress in two and threw it on the floor. He left me in just my black lace bra and panties. His eyes glinted with satisfaction seeing me half naked in front of him.

“You damn bastard. I hate you. Get out of here!”

“Good. You don’t have any blemishes on your skin. I didn’t have time to check you before I married you.”

I beat his chest brutally. Fuck my body that was so exposed in front of him. This man not only took my life, but he also abused me. My tears melted down my cheeks, mingling with the water from the shower that rained down on both of us. No one had ever treated me like this. It had only been twenty-four hours since he met me, but he had already changed so many things in my life. He even hurt me with all his damn dictatorship.

“I never ask twice. You have to learn to obey your husband from now on.”

Joshua grabbed my wrists and locked them above my head.

“Fuck you. I’m not your wife. You’ll never be my husband even if you marry me,” I glared back at him.

I was sure he understood what I meant. I wouldn’t let this damn bastard touch me more than he did now. He would never have my heart or my body.

“Get out of here.”

Joshua glared at me before he jerked my body hard until my back hit the glass wall. He stormed out of the bathroom before slamming the door hard. The entire surface of the wall vibrated because of his actions.

My body slumped down on the cold marble floor. Relief flooded my heart because I survived his brutality. I couldn’t imagine if he would do anything more than that. I was sure he could do it because he was capable. This made me even more worried about my future. Next time I might not survive his brutality. That's why I needed a plan to get rid of him from my life once and for all.