I Tried

xii

I woke up slowly hearing a voice whisper yelling. "I don't care what she said last night or how good she was. You tell them nothing about that deal, you understand me?!" He slowly got louder as he talked and when he hung up there was a loud crash meaning he had thrown his phone.

I flinched which caused small spikes of pain to run through my back. I soon realized I was laying on my stomach due to the scars on my back. "Look who's awake." I tried my best to hold still, feeling his hand against my cheek.

"You kept going." I whispered out not wanting to anger him. "Hm?" He questioned what I meant. "After having your guards question Maria and knowing the truth. But you kept going." I tried my best to not sound rude towards him.

He let out a sigh and kneeled down next to me. "Mio amore, I know it must be confusing but Bianca's accusations weren't the only reason you were punished last night." I looked confused and he chuckled softly moving the hair out of my face.

"Oh piccolo topo, you need to learn. You have been quite disrespectful since you got back home." He started to explain himself. "I need to teach you again. So that you'll return to being my perfect little wife."

He stood up and straightened out his tie as he walked toward his side table. "You will be resting today as much as possible. Your wounds are dressed and you have enough milk stored for James for him not to need you today."

He walked back over, leaned down and kissed my forehead. "I'll be back for lunch. I have a few meetings but I should be back. Ti amo." He said this before walking out of the room and it went back to silence.

I tried my hardest to stop the tears silently streaming down my face and I don't know how long it took me but I drifted off to sleep.

~~~

I woke up to a soft kiss to the side of my head. My eyes opened slowly and regretfully there was Antonio sitting next to me on the bed. "I have to redress your lashes. We don't want it to scar do we?" He spoke softly with a smile.

I didn't respond and pushed my face further into the pillow as he pulled down the comforter. I flinched feeling his hand move my hair out of the way. And soon I felt a cold sting all over my back.

"Come now, stay still Veronica." I tried my best to stop squirming as he continued before putting wrap over my entire back. "Now I'll have Maria bring you lunch, during which you'll be able to sit with James."

I nodded slowly as I started to turn over and sit up with my eyes clenched due to the intense pain running through my body. He helped me slip on a flimsy night gown just before there was soft knock on the door.

"Enter." Antonio's voice rang through the room as he stood up from the bed watching the door open and Maria walk inside. She had Jamie in her arms as a maid walked a tray of food into the room.

"Now," he spoke as he lifted my chin to make me look at him "Be a good girl and eat your lunch. Then get some more sleep." Instead of roughly kissing me like I thought he would he gave me a soft kiss on the top of my head.

Maria ducked her head as he walked past her rubbing Jaime's head and heading out of the room. The maid left soon after and Maria quickly gave Jaime to me after the door had closed. I let out a big breath feeling my son in my arms.

"You should eat something." Maria spoke in a soft almost frightened voice. I shook my head before saying "I will but I have to hold my son first." She put her head down in respect as I watched Jaime smile up at me.

"Master told me not to say this but Jaime was a mess without you all morning. He truly is his mamas boy." I couldn't help the smile spreading across my lips at those words. "I'll eat now." I said handing Jaime over to her as she pushed the tray closer.

~~~

When I was finished Maria did what she was ordered to and left with Jaime and the tray. Though I wished she didn't take Jaime I was so tired and sore so I decided it would be best not to fight Antonio on anything and just get some rest like he said.

As I was getting all situated in the bed I heard a knock at the door I softly spoke "Come in." And it was one of the guards that I hadn't known.

He spoke up saying "I'm sorry to disturb you mistress but Master Antonio regrets to inform you that he won't be back till tomorrow night due to business and to tell you to do everything that you did today."

I nodded to show acknowledgement and he smiled at me softly which was quite odd for men like him in this house but I smiled back as he walked to the door saying "Sleep well Mistress". Before closing the door behind him.