Chapter 9 Reassignment

• The fear I had momentarily set aside earlier, when Leandro and I weren't together, resurfaced as we were alone again. I think I owe him an apology, but it seems he doesn't want to accept it. He made it clear earlier that he doesn't need it. Leandro wants you to follow what he says, and if not, he won't accept any apologies from you.
• "I'll increase your bodyguards. I will reassign Nicola."
• He immediately grabbed my attention with his words. I glanced at Leandro, who was comfortably seated on the other side of the backseat, looking ahead.
• "W-Why? Nicola is doing fine with me." I was afraid that if Nicola wasn't with me, Leandro might do something not so good for her.
• "I will assign someone else. Nicola is irresponsible in her job—"
• "Leandro, don't hurt Nicola. She's done nothing wrong."
• Leandro turned to look at me. My courage waned when I saw how his eyes burned with anger.
• "Don't cut me off when I'm speaking, Bella." He massaged the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply. "I won't do anything to Nicola; I'll just give her a more suitable job. Guarding you is not suited for her."
• I wasn't thrilled with his news, but I was happy he wouldn't do anything to Nicola. As long as it stayed that way, I wouldn't insist on what I wanted.
• "I'm sorry about earlier. I really had no idea you had someone else in that room—"
• "Do you know who the people I was meeting with were? You just stepped into a lion's den! You stepped inside a room full of murderous people." I felt the weight of every word, but Leandro was still trying to speak to me with calmness and composure. I couldn't decide which was scarier: him yelling at me while showing his anger or this self-restraint.
• But what did he say? Murderous people?
• Leandro shook his head again. He signaled to the driver, and I saw the partition between the backseat and the front driver's seat close, giving us more privacy to talk without worrying if someone was listening.
• "Those people are part of organizations we don't have an alliance with yet. Meeting them is like inviting them to kill you."
• I shivered at every word I heard. I am still ignorant about the mafia world. I haven't fully grasped its intricacies. You don't understand everything overnight! My life growing up was nothing like this, so I'm still adjusting. I had no idea it was like...that.
• "I need to tighten your security, or else they will see it as an opportunity to attack or target you, especially when I'm not by your side."
• When I entered this, I thought the only thing I needed to consider was whether I would cooperate with Leandro or if he would hurt me. Now that I hear this from him, it adds to my concern that he might be planning to kill me.
• "Bella..." I looked up at Leandro, and I shivered. This isn't his usual expression, the one I see every day. There's something in that expression that sends shivers down your spine. It screams superiority, great power. "You're no longer just Bella Nelson. You are now a De Angelis—my wife. And I am not just an ordinary person; I am part of a mafia organization and the boss of it. We have many enemies, and many are looking for a way to bring me down. People will try to kill you, and they will try to attack you, especially those who are against me and my family, simply because you are my wife. If you don't want to meet your end, you will listen to whatever I say and don't challenge me, got that?"
• Even the quickest nod that could have been my response to him, I couldn't manage to do. I just sat there, staring blankly and processing everything Leandro had said.
• Challenge him? I wouldn't dare. Because now, I'm not just afraid of him or my father. The list of people I'm afraid of has grown.
• I gulped, attempting to swallow all the anxiety I was feeling, but it was futile. Being Leandro's wife is like digging your own grave, waiting for someone to bury you alive.
• ~*~
• I proceeded straight to the room. I quickly grabbed some clothes and entered the bathroom. I stayed there for a while because my mind was filled with thoughts, and having Leandro in the same room would only further disrupt my thinking.
• I emerged once I had calmed myself. I found Leandro wearing sweatpants, which were hanging loosely on his waist, revealing a tantalizing V-line.
• Leandro had nothing on his upper body. One of his hands was resting casually by his side while he was talking on the phone. I couldn't hear a word he was saying because my eyes were fixed on his bare torso.
• I could clearly see his armband tattoo on his left arm. ‘De Angelis’ was inscribed on Leandro's armband tattoo in an Old English font, with some additional intricate lines that enhanced the beauty of the tattoo. His masculinity exuded even more due to his tattoos.
• His back tattoo didn't escape my notice either. In the middle of Leandro's back, just near his nape and shoulders, was a raven tattoo. It wasn't too big or too small; it was just the right size. The craftsmanship of the tattoo was so impressive that it left me in awe.
• I returned my gaze to his V-line. I gasped when I noticed a tattoo there! I squinted to get a clearer view. I couldn't decipher what was written, but the tattoo was artistically inked in Roman numerals.
• II•XXIX
• That was the tattoo on his V-line. I had no idea if it had any specific meaning.
• "What are you looking at?" Leandro's voice startled me. I quickly averted my eyes, realizing he had caught me scrutinizing his V-line.
• I had seen him shirtless on our first night as a married couple, but the lighting was dim, and I hadn't noticed all the details of his body. It was only now that I observed all these tattoos.
• Leandro also wore an earring that added to his appeal. I couldn't fathom why I was noticing every detail about him just now. Perhaps it was because every time I looked at Leandro, I got distracted, and I never had the chance to appreciate everything about him.
• "I hope you don't plan on going to sleep this early. I still need to address your disobedience," he said. “You need to be punished.” Leandro added.
• "Huh?" Those words escaped my lips without my control.
• The mere mention of the word ‘punish’ was enough to send chills down my spine. My lips quivered in fear, and memories of all the cruelty I had endured from my father rushed back to haunt me.
• Could there be anything worse than all I'd been through? Was Leandro worse than my father? I hoped not. If Leandro were to hurt me, I hoped that I would still consider myself fortunate not to be subjected to the same brutality as I had been by my father.
• "Come here, Bella," he gestured for me to approach him. I walked toward him like a robot, slowly inching closer. Contrary to my actions, all I wanted to do was run. But I knew that even if I ran, I would gain nothing, as there was no escaping Leandro.
• Leandro grasped my shoulder and ran his fingers down my arm. Fear gripped me; I was afraid that the next thing to come would be the force of his hand. Just the thought of it sent a jolt of pain through me.
• “Why are you shivering?” he asked in a low tone.
• “Are you going to hurt me?” I raised my gaze to Leandro. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but I held them back. I didn't want to cry in front of Leandro. I didn't want him to think I was seeking pity. Even if it was all an act, I wanted him to see me as brave.
• Something like a brief, icy chill passed through his expression because of what I said.
• “It depends,” he replied. He gently took hold of my nape and turned me to face the wall. I was now nearly pressed against the wall because of his actions. The speed at which it happened left me stunned. All I knew was that my heart raced with surprise.
• The strap of my nightdress slipped from my shoulder to my arm, exposing my shoulder to him.
• “If I get rough and hard, it's going to hurt. That's for sure.”
• My thoughts were suspended in the air. Why did I feel like the pain he was talking about was different from what I had in mind?
• I tried to turn my head towards him, but due to his grip on the back of my neck and the fact that my front was pressed against the wall, my movement was limited.
• "Both of your hands on your back, Bella," he commanded.
• I obeyed his instructions. My breathing was heavy. The nervousness was slowly dissipating, being replaced by a strange sensation - excitement. I couldn't understand why I was feeling excited about this. It was as if just a while ago, I thought he would hurt me in the same way my father used to.
• "Good girl."
• My lips parted, my breath insufficient, struggling to inhale through my nose. I needed to breathe through my mouth. Why was I feeling so aroused when he told me I was a good girl? Could it be that I have a thing for praise? I didn't even know I had a kink.
• "Are you taking your pills diligently, Bella?" His voice was low, hoarse, enough to send shivers down my spine. I felt like a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
• I remembered the first time we had sex. It was a blend of gentleness and roughness. The memories were hazy, but every time I recalled that night, an electric surge coursed through my body. My mind might forget the details, but my body remembered the night he claimed me.
• I nodded.
• "Use your words, wife."
• "Y-Yes," I replied, my voice trembling, just like my legs. Leandro hadn't done anything yet, but he already had my whole system quivering.
• "Great. Then we're good to move on ......"