10. Good little wife

I gradually woke up to the chirping of the birds and the sharp glare of the sunlight. I opened my eyes slowly and blinked several times to clear my vision. 

In those moments, I prayed that last night had been a bad dream; that the forced proximity, the suffocating warmth of his embrace, the way his lips claimed mine, and my body's betrayal were all a story created by my mind. But, the scent of his cologne wrapped around me told me otherwise. 

I tossed my head to the side once my vision cleared, only to find that the bed was empty. 

Nikolai was gone. 

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes. I was still in the black gown I had worn last night. It slipped down my shoulders, reminding me of how he had ruined my plan and pulled out the knife as if he already knew what I could do. 

Although I was relieved that I didn't wake up tangled in his arms—otherwise, he would have left me no opportunity to tease me. But a part of me was furious as well. He could disappear whenever he wanted while I remained trapped in this house.

No! 

I won't let him do this to me. 

I won't! 

Inhaling deeply, I stepped off the bed with newfound determination. This fight is going to be hard but that didn’t mean I would surrender so quickly. 

The first thing I did was prepare for the day. After a quick shower, I changed into a simple pair of jeans and a blouse. 

College was my only escape, a place where I could be myself, and I wasn't going to miss it. I needed to not only complete my studies, but also find a way to rid myself of the monster who thought I was his possession. 

The moment I finished tying my hair into a high ponytail, the door opened, and Nikolai walked in carrying a faint smell of sweat and something masculine and raw. 

His whole body was drenched in sweat, his black shirt clinging to his sculpted body like a second skin. His hair was slightly damp, his muscles bulged out of his clothes. 

Damn it! 

I hated that he looked even more dangerously handsome like this.

While I was checking him out, his eyes were traveled from my jeans to my top. A slight frown of confusion appeared on his forehead. 

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, stepping closer. 

It became difficult for me to breathe as he stepped forward. I had always heard about him from my father and seen him a few times from afar, but I had never been close to him. I didn't understand why my body was reacting so weirdly around him. 

I licked my lips, slapping myself mentally and returning to my senses.

"College," I answered. 

One of his eyebrows raised as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, making him appear even bulkier. 

"And what made you think that I would let you go?" He inquired as if he were my master, and I could only breathe if he allowed it. 

"I don't believe I need your permission," I scoffed. 

He chuckled, his eyes darkening and his lips curling with amusement. Sometimes, he is too difficult for me to understand.

"In this mansion, not even a single leaf could move without my permission. And you little thing is my wife. What made you think you could step out of this house without my wish?" 

"I am your wife, not your pet, that you could train me and mold me according to your desires!" I stated firmly 

His smile widened, and his eyebrows shot up as if impressed. 

"I am glad that you at least called yourself my wife," he chided. 

Damn him! 

My fists clenched and I was ready to retort, but before I could say anything, he cut me off. 

"So, as you made me happy, I will allow you to go..." 

I relaxed, but my relief was short-lived. 

"But only on one condition," he added. 

My teeth gritted. 

I should have known. Nothing came without a price with this man. 

“What condition?” I asked warily.

“You make me breakfast,” he ordered 

I blinked at him, utterly surprised. 

"I make you what?" 

"I believe you heard me at the first time," he shrugged. 

My nose flared, and my fists tightened, ready to punch him. 

“I am not your servant, Nikolai.” I stated firmly. 

"I don't see any reason to get so riled up. Wives cook for their husbands, don’t they?”

"Yes, they do," I accepted. "But the wife should have a choice, not the command." I glared at him. 

If only the fire in my eyes could burn him. 

"You do have a choice, dolcezza," he replied. "You could refuse." One side of his lips tugged into a smirk. 

"And then?" I crossed my arms over my chest. 

"And then you will stay at home, look pretty, and wait for your husband like a good little wife." 

I rolled my eyes. 

"I will never do that!" 

"We will see," he chuckled. "But for that, you would have to earn permission to attend college. The choice is yours." 

There is no choice left in his ‘choice is yours’. 

"Fine!" I sighed. 

If only I didn't need to go to college so desperately. 

His eyes darkened with satisfaction.

"Good girl" 

He chuckled and patted my head as if I were his pet. I quickly took a step back, which only amused him further. 

My every act of defiance on my part gave him amusement, which infuriated me more. 

I ignored him and his intense gaze, which spread heat across my skin, and went straight to the kitchen. I could hear him chuckling as he walked to the bathroom. 

I expected the kitchen to be bustling with chefs and servants, but to my surprise, no one was there. 

That meant he already planned everything and instructed the servants to leave. 

I huffed and focused on my task. I grabbed eggs, bread, and whatever spices I could find. Then, I got to work.

While cooking, I was tempted to add poison to his food, but I had to leave the house to do so. Instead, I used a spoonful of chili powder and black pepper. I tried to make it bearable for myself, just in case he asked me to join him for breakfast, but I knew he'd break out in a sweat.

Mr. Nikolai De Moretti, you wanted to have breakfast cooked by me, right? Now, get it in my way.  

I was plating the food when Nikolai walked in. He looked fresh in his new formal clothes. His hair was still damp and tousled. He smelled intoxicating even from afar. I tried not to meet his gaze because I knew I'd see the same knowing smirk that made my blood boil. Or worse, my pulse race.

I placed the plate in front of him with a sickly sweet smile. 

“Enjoy, marito mio.”

"I hope you have cooked my breakfast with love," he said, eyeing the plate. 

My eyes snapped at him sharply, and he chuckled. 

"Ok, I will wait for that day," he said, raising his hand in mock surrender. 

"Don't hold your breath," I snapped. 

He chuckled. 

"Let's see who wins." 

And with that, he picked up the fork and took a bite. The moment the food touched his taste buds, I knew he felt the fire.

With a victorious smile tugging at the corners of my lips, I waited for him to cough, looking for a glass of water that I didn't have, but his expression remained unchanged.

His jaw tightened, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and for a brief moment, I thought he might break. And to my surprise, he licked his lips. "Delicious." 

My smirk faded.

He took another bite, chewing slowly and deliberately. 

“Perfect amount of heat. Warms the throat just right.”

My lips parted, and my eyes widened. I am sure I looked like a joker, but I cared less. 

"Do you want to say something?" He asked, raising one of his eyebrows and taking another bite. 

I could see his neck turning completely red. The nerves of his brain popped out, but he ate the food as if it wasn't affecting him. 

"Don't you think you are insane?" I asked. 

"You know me better," he chuckled 

"How can you have this? Aren't you spice intolerant?" 

His hand halted midway and he stopped chewing. 

"How do you know?" 

And I froze. 

How do I know? 

But before I could think more about it, he said, "Have your breakfast." 

I sat and had a few bites. It was spicy for me, too.  

'Is he going to finish it all?' I thought to myself. 

"Of course, this is the first time my wife has made something for me." 

Did I say that aloud? 

His tongue flicked out to lick a crumb from his lips, and my gaze followed the movement, betraying me. His smirk deepened at my reaction. 

I turned away quickly and grabbed my cup of coffee. 

“You have the permission,” he said, breaking the silence.

My head snapped back to him. “What?”

“You did as I asked. You can go to college.”

For a moment, I stared at him suspiciously. I didn't expect him to permit me so easily. 

Then he added, “But my men will drop you off and pick you up.”

Here is the catch! 

“Of course. You wouldn’t want your little hostage escaping, would you?” I scoffed.

He tilted his head. 

“You’re my wife, Alessia. Not my hostage.”

A shiver ran down my spine at his words, which I covered by rolling my eyes. 

“Could’ve fooled me.”