The Love Affair(Good Wife Better Mistress)

He's A Bad Man

"So, what's the matter?" Alexandro asks again.

"Nothing. I'm just hungry," Nicole says, desperately trying to change the topic.

Alex gives her a questioning look but nods and calls for the maid. When the woman arrives, he asks her to bring the bowl of porridge immediately. While they wait, he strokes her hair. The room is quiet and peaceful.

When the maid returns with the porridge, Alexandro immediately takes a small spoonful. "It's a bit too hot still," he tells Nicole before blowing fresh air on the hot oats.

Nicole watches with wonder. She's never seen him so helpful and humble before. In the past, he would have called for a servant to do it. Nicole tries to prop herself up so she can eat, but she's too weak from the morning sickness. Her arms wobble beneath her, and her elbows collapse; she falls back onto the pillows.

Alex puts the bowl down with a clang and leaps to his feet. Gently, he takes her by the shoulders and helps her up into a sitting position. He supports her with one hand and rearranges the pillows behind her with another. Then he helps her lean back against the fluffy white pillows.

"I can do it myself," Nicole says.

Alex smiles but doesn't reply. Instead, he sits down and continues stirring and blowing on the porridge. He takes another taste and then refills the spoon. Carefully, he lifts it to her lips, but she refuses to eat any. She stares at him completely baffled.

"What's the matter?" Alex asks. "I thought you were hungry. Have you lost your appetite again?"

"No, it's not that," Nicole says, "It's just that you seem so strange to me."

"You just need time to get used to me," he says. "Luckily, we have a lot of time. The entire future, in fact."

Nicole flinches, but he doesn't seem to notice. She turns her attention to the porridge, forcing herself to chew and swallow even though the oats taste gluey. Alex watches her intensely as she eats, and she finds herself growing self-conscious. When she finishes, a single oat clings to her bottom lip. She doesn't notice until she realizes Alex is staring at it.

"It looks delicious," Alex says, his voice hoarse with desire.

Nicole tries to wipe the oat from her lip, but Alex catches her hand in his own. He leans in and lightly licks the oat away. His tongue tickles, and she squirms. "Alex Romano, that's enough," she protests.

"It's never enough," Alex says. "I could kiss you every day for the rest of my life and never grow tired of it."

Her heart hammers embarrassingly in her chest. Alex smiles and caresses her face, slowly tracing a line from her hairline to her ear to her jaw. He rests his forehead against hers, and she starts to tilt her face upwards for a kiss. And then she remembers Gaby, and jerks her head away. "Why don't you kiss Gaby instead?" she asks sourly.

"Gabriela?" Alex asks, and his forehead wrinkles. "What on Earth are you talking about?"

A cough interrupts them. John stands awkwardly in the open door, looking into the room. Nicole blushes and tries to scoot away from Alex, but Alex holds her in place.

"What is it?" Alex snaps.

"Mr. Romano, can we talk in private," John says. "How would you like us to deal with him?"

"What're your thoughts on the matter?" Alex asks Nicole as casually as if he's asking her what she wants to have for dinner.

Nicole bites her lip. She wonders what has Conrad done this time to be dealt with,Conrad has been good to me Alexandro and he would never put my life in harms way and a part of her doesn't want to believe what alex told her. But another, louder part of her hesitates. Why am I so reluctant? Nicole thinks, Conrad tried to kill me . I should want to punish him for everything he's ever done to me, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Besides, there are some questions I'd like to ask him in person.

"I want to see him," Nicole says.

"Fine," Alex says, sounding disappointed, "We'll for now I'll let it go, and when you've fully recovered, I'll take you to go see him and see that your so called conrad is a pyscho."

Something about the way he says the word "Pyscho" makes Nicole shudder. She's been on the receiving end of Romano family punishments before, and she knows just how horrible they can be. She watches Alex carefully and sees him exchange a meaningful look with John.

"You know what to do with him," Alex said, his eyes flashing with sudden violence.

"What do you want to do with him?" Nicole asked worriedly.

"The details don't matter," Alex growls.

Nicole feels her stomach turn over. "No! You can't touch him!" she blurts out.

"He drugged you, and threatened your life," Alex hisses in outrage. "What do you mean I can't touch him? The man deserves every second of suffering he'll get and then some."

"He has heart disease," Nicole says. "If your punishment is too severe, you might kill him, Alex. I can't let you commit murder."

Alex's eyes narrow with suspicion, "Are you trying to protect him?"

"No, I just don't want you to hurt anyone," Nicole says.fights the tears rising in her eyes.

"He's a bad man, Nicole," Alex says. "Even if you forgive him for everything he did to you, just think about what he did to your health. Why are you protecting a man like that?"

"Believe it or not, I'm not protecting him," Nicole says.

Alex sighs heavily. "Let him be for now," he says with a pained expression.

Nicole tries to hide her relief, she can feel Alex's eyes on her face, and she doesn't want to provoke him. His phone rings, and for a split second, his expression changes when he sees the caller ID. He answers the call without a word and crosses the room to stand by the window and whisper into the phone. His shoulders seem slightly tense, and she wonders if she's paranoid or if he's acting secretive on purpose.