Made of Steel

29: Woman of Steel

Adriano Di Lauro

For a moment I don't think I'll make it in time, but my feet seem to fly and I stop her hand just a few millimeters from my wife's face.

Blood rushes through my veins feverishly, bubbling at the boiling point of hers and as it boils higher, the chill in my gaze grows. It is a trait that characterizes me: hot inside, cold outside.

"Don't you ever lay a hand on my wife". My voice is barely a hoarse whisper. "Not even with your thought".

"She offended me!" The old woman protests.

"I don't give a damn", I state. I've been too easy on you, Francesca, and you know why, but I'm still in control here. Don't tempt me because in this story you are the loser".

She tries to retort, but she stops before she can. She doesn't have a hair of stupid and she knows what's good for her.

"Get out of my sight before I kick you out of this house" I order before giving my wife my full attention. The first thing I do is review her status in detail and then, I glare at her.

"Don't look at me like that", she points her index finger at me as she regains her composure. "All I did was complain about her searching my room".

"I'm not interested in what you've done, but what she can't do", I clarify. "You can't let her talk to you like that. You are ma'am of this house and you must impose your will".

"That's what I tried to do!", she cries in exasperation. "But look how it turned out. I almost lost my temper at her, I insulted her and..".

"Did you insult her?", I stop her spiel with my question, getting an averted look in response. "What did you tell her, Cassandra?"

"I... I'm sorry..."

"What did you say to her?", I ask once more. She murmurs something as she lowers her head, so I take her chin in my fingers to lift it up and make eye contact between us. "Never get down your head to anyone, Cassandra Di Lauro. Never, do you hear me?"

"But she... she is of your children's grandmother..."

"And you are my wife", I cut her off mid-sentence. I don't want her to have any doubts about my priorities. "There is no possible comparison between you, understood? Now, just answer my question".

She emits a loud snort before answering: "Witch", her voice comes out very high-pitched and somewhat strange, but audible.

"How?"

"Witch! I call her witch!"

II can resist a second longer and I laugh out loud.

"Do not laugh!", she stamps her palm on my left arm in an angry gesture. "It's not funny! I almost got slapped for that!"

"Don't remind me that". My good mood diminishes, but it doesn't disappear entirely. "Let's talk about more important matters instead". I sweep my hands down her back until I reach her back cheeks and squeeze them like a solid ball, "such as my rebel wife".

"Rebel me?",,she snorts with an unfeminine snort that nonetheless turns on every part of my body. "It's not my fault my husband is a control freak with more money than sanity".

I lift her legs to encourage her to place them around my waist. Instantly, we both gasp at the touch of our intimacies.

"What have you said?"

"Ah", she brings her face closer to mine, leaving it a few centimeters away to touch us with each other's breath, "I missed asshole".

I tilt my head back so I can peer into its glowing green spheres.