A Woman's Empire

XXVI

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Leo stormed into the manor. His anger had peaked and he was ready to punch a wall, something to let his frustration out. He couldn't believe what his father was saying over the phone the other day. All he wanted was to go to Japan, get the business meeting over and done with so that he could come home and spend time with Audrielle.

But the business meeting didn't go to plan and hearing that his wife hadn't listened to him, just tipped him over the edge. He thought he had made it very clear that she needed to understand that she had to listen and not step out of place, but instead she did the complete opposite. She couldn't keep her nose out of someone else's business.

When he walked into the family's office, he was met with Antonio who was sorting through files.

"Where the hell is she?!" Leo barked, his hands clenched into fists.

"She's in the stables." Antonio answered.

Leo didn't say anything and started to walk out of the room when Antonio spoke up.

"Leo, she's had it rough, just go easy on h-"

"Easy on her?!" Leo shouted as he grabbed his brother by the collar of his shirt. "I leave the country and the first thing she does is snooping into other peoples business! I have told her countless times that she needs to know where she belongs and to not cross any lines or she'll get hurt. And look what she fucking does!"

"Just because the business deal didn't go to plan, doesn't mean you have to take it out on her. I'm pretty sure she's learnt her lesson after yesterday." Antonio said smoothly. He was trying to keep his voice level and soft so he could try to calm the already raging bull that Leo was.

"Don't tell me what the fuck to do! You're just dad's assistente." Leo spat and let go of his brother before storming out to the back.

(Translation: assistant)

Leo was on a hunt. He was heading straight towards the stables, just like his brother said where his wife would be. When he walked into it, he saw his prey, Audrielle.

She was busy grooming a mare. A small smile was etched onto her beautiful face and for a split second, Leo suddenly forgot why he was angry. But then he remembered that she broke his trust. He trusted her to be good, to understand him and most importantly, listen to him because he knew what would happen if she got into trouble.

A young boy, who was eighteen and was one of the estate's stablehand, suddenly entered Leo vision and he started to see red again.

"Drew. Leave. Now." Leo said abruptly, his anger echoing through the stable. The stablehand and Audrielle both snapped their heads up to where the voice was coming from, and while Drew wore a face of fear, Audrielle's smile seemed to grow and she dropped the horse brush, running towards Leo.

"I'm so glad you're back." Audrielle sighed when she crashed into Leo, giving him a big hug.

But he didn't return it. Instead, he stood still and tense and it wasn't until Audrielle stepped back and looked him into the eyes when he released his built up anger.

Audrielle fell to the floor in shock. Leo has slapped her so hard across the face that she fell. Audrielle bit her lip to stop her from crying as she looked up at Leo's evil face. Horror was written all over her face as tears threatened to spill but she held them back. Her left hand caressed her red, stinging cheek and she could taste blood in her mouth.

The taste was unusual. It was like she had eaten a piece of rusty iron and vinegar and she so desperately wanted to spit it out.

Leo bent down towards Audrielle's level, his eyes drilling holes into her as she shook in fear.

"You deceiving cagna." Leo spat into her face, venom and anger dripping from every syllable. Although Audrielle barely knew any Italian, she quickly realised that Leo probably called her a bad word.

(Translation: bitch)

"I thought I could trust you and that you wouldn't try anything, that you'd actually listen to what I had to say. How many fucking times do I have to tell you that you need to stay in line or else you'll get fucking hurt?!" Leo's voice boomed around the stables.

"I-I'm s-sorry..." Audrielle stuttered, her cheek still stinging.

"No. I don't want to hear your apologies. You didn't listen, that's your fault and you had to suffer the consequences. But because I was called back here to sort you out, I've lost a fucking business deal where I was trying to keep you safe, so that the fucking Russians wouldn't kidnap you then kill you, but instead, you go against the rules and decide to explore areas which you know are certainly out of bounds."

Audrielle realised what she had done. She should've listened and she shouldn't of walked down that stupid hallway. And now, Leo didn't trust her and that wasn't good, because she knew that he would shut her out and not let her back in. He wouldn't cherish her like he did in Italy and he wouldn't tell her about his upbringing because he couldn't trust her anymore.

Audrielle was really suffering the consequences.

Leo groaned and suddenly stood back up. He turned around so he wasn't looking at Audrielle and she took this moment to pick herself up off the floor.

Brushing the dirt off of her leggings, she suddenly felt Leo tug on her ponytail so she was looking into his eyes. As he had a tight hold on her hair, she stared into his green orbs. They were dark but there was a little mischievous glow in them if you looked carefully.

She had seen that glow in his dark eyes a few times. Like when he helped her out of the bathtub in Rome, or when she woke up with no clothes on next to him. He was sexually frustrated and he needed to realise his anger.

"Mi fai impazzire." Leo mumbled to himself before suddenly ripping off Audrielle's blouse with hunger swimming in his dark green eyes.

(Translation: You drive me insane)