by SL Perrine
Maybe what they had was just something for him to brag to his buddies, but what was it his friend had said? His intentions were not pure, was what it came down to. So, maybe that was it after all. She would keep that in mind when she started to think they could just keep each other company. She didn’t want to be just another woman conquered. She wanted to matter, and it was apparent based on the men she seemed to attract that she may never matter to anyone, other than Mila.
Mila. She was the one who mattered. She was Gianna’s whole world, and she needed to go back to the way she’d been before Anthony Jackson had upended her world. She must continue with her daughter’s lessons and make sure she was the only one Gianna concentrated on for the rest of her days.
Gianna padded into her daughter’s room. True to her word she was tired. Though she probably got less than half a night’s sleep at her party the night before. Her daughter’s curls lay around her head like a dark halo against the light color of her bedspread. Her stuffed animals surrounded her and, more importantly, the giant bear was under her head. She used it as a pillow for as long as she owned it, and Gianna placed protection wards on the stuffed toy to help protect her daughter while she slept.
Gianna smoothed the hair from Mila’s face and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before returning to the comforts of her own room. She silently wished she had a lock on her door. She didn’t think Giovanni would dare repeat his earlier performance, but she was fearful of it anyway. She, of course, would be better prepared for it; and would have to give away more of her strength. For now, she would keep her abilities to herself. Though she must get a handle on her visions. Maybe a cleansing would help. She would have to see to it in the morning, since was suddenly too tired to do anything.
Slipping the dress she wore to the floor and removing her bra made her remember what Giovanni had done earlier, making her go to her dresser for thick cotton nightclothes, a pullover shirt and pair of pants that tied at the waist. She secured them with double and triple knots and climbed into bed.
Chapter 14
Anthony and Giovanni watched in silence as Gianna left the room. Giovanni looked at the chef, where he cowered in a corner, and motioned for him to clear the table. Chef removed several items from the table and carried them from the dining room. Several maids entered seconds later and quickly put the place in order.
“Please have two snifters of brandy brought in,” Giovanni ordered one of the maids as she exited.
Giovanni pulled a cigar from his breast pocket, struck a match, and casually drew on the end until it reached a burning he was amenable to. With the end of the cigar glowing red, Giovanni took a deep draw, held the smoke in his lungs for several seconds, and exhaled a bright, grey plume. He examined the end of the cigar for a moment as the maid entered with the brandy and placed it on the table. She exited, and another maid carrying a decanter and ashtray approached. She set the ashtray down and stepped away from the table.
Giovanni gestured, and Anthony cautiously took the proffered seat as Giovanni absently rambled, “Gianna doesn’t approve of my smoking. Even less when I do it in the Manor. Although I usually consign my vices to the study, I’m sure even she would forego her usual complaints due to the evenings events.”
He pushed one of the snifters in front of Anthony before casually swirling the amber liquid in his own. Giovanni momentarily inhaled the aroma of the alcohol and then took a drink, allowing the warm liquid to rest on his tongue with his eyes closed while savoring the flavor of the brandy before swallowing. Opening his eyes and, seeing that Anthony had yet to reach for the glass before him, gestured for Anthony to drink.
Anthony followed Giovanni’s example and swallowed a small measure of the liquid, glancing at the glass in approval before placing it back on the table. “Wonderful bouquet,” he offered as he fixed Giovanni with his eyes.
“Indeed,” Giovanni agreed as he took another drag from his cigar and placed it in the ashtray.
Giovanni remained silent for several minutes as he and Anthony drank. When the snifters sat empty before them, Giovanni motioned for a refill. The maid promptly filled their glasses from the decanter she held and stepped away from the table again.
“Leave us,” Giovanni directed the maid gently. After she left the room, Giovanni took a deep breath and let out a great sigh. “I fear you and I may have gotten off on the wrong foot, Mr. Jackson.”
“Threatening a man isn’t the best of ways to create a rapport between employee and employer,” Anthony offers.
“Neither is sleeping with your employer’s wife,” Moretti rebuts while holding up a hand to forestall Anthony’s reply. “Please, not much goes on under my roof that I don’t know about.”
Anthony drums absently on the table with his fingers before picking up the brandy. “So where do we go from here?”
“Well, I can’t terminate your employment now, as you’ve obviously become aware of my family’s secret. Another might find the knowledge of magic hard to fathom but, as we both know from our meeting in my study, magic isn’t unknown to you.”
Anthony nods his agreement.
“Do I assume correctly that my wife and daughter’s ability comes as a surprise to you?”
“You assume correctly.”
“Then your abilities have come as a surprise to them as well.” He flashes a slight grin, “I’m sure Gianna won’t like this knowledge.”
“I’m sure she won’t.” Anthony frowns.
“The night you met my wife and daughter; you defeated those men in the park with your magic?”
“I did.”
“I had wondered about that; given your physical appearance.”
“So where are we going with this conversation, Mr. Moretti?” Anthony asked.
Giovanni picks up his cigar and takes another drag. He chases it with a sip of brandy before answering, “We’re here to put our cards on the table. No more secrets.”
“Something tells me that you won’t be entirely forthcoming.”
“No. The governance of my family’s future requires that I not reveal everything to you but, regarding my daughter and her mother, I will endeavor to be entirely truthful.”
“Go on,” Anthony replies as he settles back in his seat rolling the snifter between his palms.
“My wife and I have a marriage of convenience. Something based on our family’s station in both the material and magical worlds. She comes from a long line of affluent witches, I come from meager beginnings in the material world but, among those in the magical community, my family has always been one of the strongest. Our marriage provided a measure of balance to both.”
“How so?”
“My family and our allies had been at war with Gianna’s family and their allies for years. Our marriage ended a centuries-long power struggle for dominance on the east coast. The marriage brought a tentative peace, but Mila’s birth cemented that peace. When she comes of age, she’ll be the head of both families; and the most powerful witch this world has ever known. As you can imagine, there are always those who despise change. Factions have broken off from both of our families and seek to steal Mila’s power by ending her life.”
“The man talking to Mila at the restaurant,” Anthony stated in understanding.
Giovanni nodded agreement. “And possibly the men who waylaid her in the park.”
“So why threaten me?”
Giovanni rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and took another drag of his cigar as he looked at Anthony. As if coming to a decision, he continued, “That was regrettable. A moment of jealousy fueled further by my paranoia for Mila’s safety.” Moretti drew on his cigar again and exhaled another large plume of grey smoke before continuing, “My marriage was doomed before it began.”
“How so?”
“My tastes run towards the male persuasion.”
“I… see. Is Gia aware of your propensity for men?”
“She wasn’t, until the night they met you. She returned home and found me en
gaged in a compromising situation with my aid, Matteo. I’m afraid it drove a deeper wedge between my wife and me and drove her into your bed.”
“So why the jealousy of my and Gia’s relationship; or mine and Mila’s for that matter? Why abuse Gianna?”
“I’m embarrassed to admit it, but this wasn’t the first time that I took my anger out on Gianna. This time was more petty. It’s no excuse but I am a man that clings tightly to what is mine, Mr. Jackson. Although I have no sexual interest in Gianna, she is my wife. Mila is my daughter. An unknown man breezes mysteriously into their lives, and they are both smitten with him.” He shakes his head sorrowfully. “It bothered me that I wasn’t the rock in their life anymore, that they have slowly gravitated towards you. You are an unknown magical talent from an unknown family, someone who I could glean little information about through my comprehensive channels of investigation. I thought one of the factions had infiltrated our home and sought to divide us.”
“And now?”
“Now, I see a man who has the interests of both women in my life at heart.” Giovanni drains the rest of the brandy from the snifter and snuffs out the cigar in the ashtray before continuing. “So, now you know my shortcomings and almost all of my dirty little secrets.” He leans forward and rests his elbows on the table while interlacing the fingers of his hands. “I would like to know more about you, Mr. Jackson.”
Anthony shrugs. “There’s not much to tell, really. The day I met your wife and daughter, I had just performed a spell to give my life a new direction with a place to live and employment.”
“We certainly provided that so I would say your spell was a success but, what I’m really interested in, is how you came to your powers? Is it a familial trait?”
“No. My family is the most mundane you could ever know. I came into my power at an early age,” he answers before draining the last of his brandy and setting the snifter on the table. He clears his throat. “Little things at first. Calling bottles to me in my crib when I was hungry, toys to play with, that sort of thing. By middle school, I found that I could affect change in the world around me with my thoughts. Making the popular girl in school notice me, changing the minds of bullies, seeing things seconds before they happened.”
Giovanni gazes in awe at Anthony, “Such an early age… So why aren’t you married to the popular girl at school living in a house with a white picket fence with two-point-five kids to your credit?”
“Because I also learned at an early age that the misuse of my power came with a price. A balance that corrected itself, sometimes at great cost.”
“Is that how your father and your sibling passed away? A balance correcting itself?” Giovanni inquired. Anthony looked at Moretti strangely. “Obituaries. I was able to ascertain that much. Along with your school records.”
Anthony nodded understanding. “No, my family’s passing was just life. My father passed away from cancer, my sister and her children from a car accident brought about by an inebriated truck driver.”
“Must have been hard.”
“My father wasn’t, I had time to prepare for his passing. My sister…”
“It’s okay, I think I understand.”
Anthony falls silent, and Giovanni allows them both a few minutes to process until Anthony speaks into the silence between them, “Where do we go from here, Mr. Moretti?”
Giovanni sighs. “We pick up the pieces. I’m amenable to you staying on as Mila’s Manny.” He cocks his head to the side. “I’m unsure how Gianna will handle these events. Lately, she has been most… obstinate is the word that comes to mind.” He smiles reassuringly. “I imagine Mila will smooth the way in that regard.”
Giovanni is getting to his feet when Anthony asks, “And, Gia and me?”
Giovanni looks at the floor of the dining room for a moment before answering, “I can’t expect my wife to remain celibate when I have been sneaking around behind her back for several years. If a relationship is what you seek with my wife, you must know something. Gianna will never divorce me. I won’t allow it, and I don’t believe she’d ever considered it.” He fixes Anthony with a serious stare. “I expect complete decorum outside my home. You must never appear as anything more than Mila’s Manny. Within the walls of our home…” He spreads his hands. “We’ll try not to burden each other or the rest of the staff with our infidelities.”
“One more thing, Mr. Moretti.”
“Yes?”
“If you ever lay hands on Gia again, for any reason, I’ll kill you.”
“I acknowledge your feelings. Do we have an understanding?”
He extends his hand, and Anthony rises to take it in his.
“I believe we do.”
“Grand. Then I bid you good night, Mr. Jackson.”
Giovanni leaves the dining room, and Anthony follows not long after. He makes his way to his apartment where he flops face down onto the bed. After a while, he rolls onto his back. “There’s still something you’re not telling me, Mr. Moretti,” Anthony whispers softly.
Giovanni stalks through the Manor towards his study trying vainly to hide the wolfish grin that threatens to split his lips. He enters the study to find Matteo waiting for him with a glass of whiskey. Securing the door behind him, Giovanni takes the drink from his aid and drains the contents. He grabs the man, pulls him in, and kisses him soundly before releasing him to go to his desk.
“Something has you in a good mood, Gio,” Matteo notes.
Giovanni leans back in his chair and rests his feet on the edge of his desk. “I am in a good mood, Matteo. I believe I have eliminated the problem of the Manny.”
“Do tell,” Matteo says excitedly as he seats himself on the desk and removes Giovanni’s shoes and socks.
“I have shared my knowledge of their tryst with the Manny; as well as my love of your tight ass. Beyond that, I believe I have brought the Manny into the fold, so to speak.”
“You gave him permission to screw your wife?”
“I did. I also shared the knowledge that I would be screwing you,” Giovanni states smugly.
Matteo begins massaging Giovanni’s feet. “That sounds like a win of itself,” he says with a delighted smile.
“Indeed. But, it is the capturing of Anthony Jackson as an ally that may prove most beneficial.”
“Beneficial, how?”
“By allowing him to continue to do his job as Mila’s Manny. And if Gianna should decide to bed him again, though I’m sure she won’t now that she’s learned he wields power but, if she should, it will further blind him to my maneuvers. Hell, even if she doesn’t, he’ll chase after that rancid pussy, like the mangy mongrel he is. In either event, I win.”
“You always win, Gio. It’s one of the many things I love about you,” Matteo says as he continues to massage Giovanni’s feet.
“Yes, I do always win, Matteo.” He looks at his lover with a lustful leer, “When you’re done with my feet, I have something I’d like you to sit on.”
“Sounds like I get to win as well,” Matteo leers back.
Chapter 15
Gianna’s bedroom didn’t feel like a safe place anymore. She woke only an hour after she laid in bed. Her dreams came to her as memories. Memories and a threat. One she was sure Giovanni had delivered himself. Her subconscious had always been weak. Something he thought he could dive into and play with like a puppeteer and its doll. Too often had she known the familiar hum of a memory driven into her of a time when he would unleash his worst punishments to her. He’d tortured her without touching her flesh. Made her scared to breathe too heavy or speak out of turn, for so long. She’d not been able to tell truth from fallacy. To know whether he was the cause of all of them, or if her own body had betrayed her.
Gianna moved across her room, pulling open the door to her private sanctuary. The one none but her could enter. She knew for a fact the only one able to move over the threshold was her child, and only in the evenings after dinner for her lessons while Gianna herself was present.
The stairs creaked underfoot, but she paid them no mind. She had no reason to be secretive here. Not her own space. Not in her own home. She had the right to walk about the Manor as she saw fit. If she so desired it, she’d help herself to Giovanni’s room, and he’d be none-the-wiser. She was but a breeze in the air. Her powers had increased significantly over the years. Something she hid well from her husband, and almost gave away with her little stunt in the dining room. She berated herself for it. She couldn’t be that careless in the future.
Giovanni thought she would never leave him, never divorce him for fear of retribution from his family. He was right. However, if the right opportunity struck, she had no ill feelings about ridding herself of him for good. She never thought more about taking a person’s life. His death would be a service to the world. Both magical and not. His family may have shown others as being powerful, but they were only that way because of manipulative sleights of hand. Something she became privy to when she married Giovanni. The first lesson she learned? Giovanni liked to boast when he was angry and thought he had the upper hand. So, she may have pushed him to the brink on more than one occasion.
The window was still open. Gianna enjoyed the fresh air. She was rarely able to enjoy it. Being in her little sanctuary made her feel free. Freer than she felt anywhere else in the large house. She waved a hand lighting the candles around the room. Her robe hung on its hook. She still wore her cotton pajamas but let them fall to the floor where she stood, carelessly forgetting the door. Another wave of her hand and the door closed the open gap.
She moved to the altar, the book on the table responding to her will. She needed to banish the magic used to torment her once and for all. She knew her husband plagued her dreams. She knew he would have come to her in one form or another for her outburst. She allowed herself to laugh out loud as she thought of the great Giovanni Moretti held to the wall by a mere thought. If she hadn’t had the foresight to feign strain on her face, she was sure he would have lashed out in front of Mila, without care.