His Collateral

Chapter 10

I heard a door open and close behind me and it definitely wasn't the door to the room.
I quickly turned around and saw him standing there, just by the closet. I felt my heartbeat quicken and my palms became sweaty. My mind immediately went back to the night of our wedding. I had already seen how mad he could get and I didn't want to experience it again. So I started coming with ways I would explain to him that it wasn't my fault. There was traffic and we were stuck.

"There-"

"What's the time?" He asked even before I could say anything.

"I.. can e-explain." I stuttered my hands fidgeting together.

"What.does.the.time.say.Bella?" He asked again as he approached me.

"It's..past six o'clock b-but I can-"
His strong grip on my hand shut me up almost immediately as he pulled me closer to himself.

"I believe I was clear when I said you should be back before five." He said and I nodded my head in agreement, afraid to say a word.

"I detest people who disobey me Bella." He added and I shook my head indicating that I didn't disobey him but he only tightened his grip even more. He was hurting me badly and I didn't know if it was the pain or something else but I shouted.

"I didn't... t-traffic." I spurted out. At this point I was looking anywhere but him but when it seemed like there was no reaction, I turned to face and they way his features had softened as if realizing his mistake. Then his phone beeped drawing his attention. He pulled it out of his back pocket and stared at it for a while, a more serious expression settling on his face. Between me and his phone, I didn't know who made him more angry. He quickly pushed me aside and made his way out of the room.
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It was almost 12 in the night when I woke up to use the restroom. The night lamps were on and I noticed Alessandro wasn't in the bed. 

Maybe he's in the office. He's usually up till late sometimes.

I used the bathroom and was just about to lie back down when I noticed to door to our room was slightly ajar. I walked over to close but the jingling sound of keys caught my attention. It seemed like it was coming from downstairs. If Alessandro was in his study then who was downstairs? Was it Mary?

I stepped out slowly into the hallway and went downstairs. The sound grew louder accompanied with the creaking of a door. I stood at the entrance to the hallway that lead to the backyard as that was where the sound was loudest. I noticed light coming from a room and  heard muffled voices. It seemed like two people were having a heated conversation. I was just about to peek into the room when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Mary. She wasn't in her maid uniform.

Of course she wasn't, it's past midnight.

She was holding a bottle of water in one hand and lead me out of there with the other. We stopped at the door of the stair case and she looked around before speaking.

"That room is off limits." She said in a hushed tone.

Off limits? What is it with rooms and being off limit in this house?

"Who's inside?" I asked making my voice as hushed as possible.

"Sir Alessandro." She replied.

But I heard someone else's voice.

She was about to say something else when we heard the sound of keys once more. Alessandro was coming out. Mary quickly bid me goodnight and walked in the direction of her room while I quietly made my way back upstairs. I quickly laid back down on the couch and pretended to be asleep. Not long after, the door creaked open and his footsteps echoed in the silent room along with the rustling of sheets.