A flare of anger hits me. “I’m sorry that me being kidnapped is an inconvenience for you. If you wanted to solve your problem, you’d give me back to my brother. But you refuse to because you’re selfish.”
His eyes widen. Clearly, he never expected me to talk to him this way but I’m tired of always having to be the good little girl all the time. I want to be free. I want to have my own voice.
I storm away from him before he can respond. He doesn’t get the last word in.
Feeling petty, I slam the bathroom door behind me. Francesca would have scolded me for acting this way but I don’t care anymore. Francesca isn’t here. I have to fend for myself.
I take a scalding hot shower. The feeling of the water stings my skin but it also helps me stay alert. I want to feel the pain right now. I need to feel it.
Will knocks on the door. “Gianna, you’ve been in there long enough. Come out.”
“No.” If I want to take a long shower, I am going to take a long shower.
But then Will opens the door and I realize I never locked it. He freezes when he sees me naked in the shower. I squeak.
Quickly, he turns around. “Sorry.”
I turn the shower off and wrap a towel around my now shivering body. “You knew I was in here. You’d knew I would be naked.”
“I… wasn’t thinking. But I can’t leave you in here. You need to go to your room now.”
“So you can lock me up again? Treat me like I’m nothing?” I pause before asking what I need to ask. “Why did you stop Marco from touching me?”
His back stiffens. “Gianna…”
“Answer me.” The urge to say please is on the tip of my tongue but I push it down. I don’t have to beg him. Not when he took me prisoner.
“Like I said. I didn’t want you to stab him.”
“You knew I wouldn’t stab him. So why did you really stop him?”
“Gianna, don’t.”
“Why?”
“Gianna –,”
“Why?”
“Because I couldn’t stand him touching you,” he snaps.
I suck in a breath. A part of me figured this was the reason but hearing it is a completely different experience than just thinking it.
“Why?” I whisper.
“I can’t answer that.”
“You can’t? Or you don’t want to?”
He turns back around to face me, his eyes flicking over my towel-clad body, before settling on my face. “You’re not mine like Marco said. I need to remember that.”
“You want me to be yours?”
“Of course not. I was just… I couldn’t stand the thought of him touching you. I don’t agree with women being touched without their consent.”
“Says the hitman.”
“Touche.”