Chapter 13 - Ari

There was something about a woman's touch that made a man want to be softer. Made him want to be smoother around the edges and consider all the ways her presence alone could improve his life.

There was no mistaking how Vivian had the same effect on me.

As gentle beams of morning light started filtering into the room, I considered getting up at my usual time and getting ready for work, but as I took in her sleeping form, something told me to stay.

I wouldn't always get the chance to admire her in that way, and I had to take advantage of this new revelation. We were sharing the same bed for the first time since I brought her home, and it was surprisingly nice to watch her sleep peacefully. It was certainly a contrast to her resistance and willingness to fight me on most things.

Admittedly, I was still somewhat annoyed by her demands the day before. Mostly because I gave her more than enough to be comfortable, with no expectation of anything else in return, and because I wasn't used to anyone in my life confronting me in that way.

I couldn't believe how that confidence and resolve in her eyes was enough to break me down and stir those desires of mine. Yet I couldn't complain.

As much as I didn't want her to get comfortable about demanding whatever she wanted, I knew I couldn't expect her to give me respect while bossing her around and dismissing her concerns.

In all fairness, she had been mostly docile and passive ever since she started leaving the spare bedroom, and we had been spending more time together, even if it was platonic before. When I stepped back and really considered it, she wasn't asking for much.

Regardless of the small strides we were making towards resembling a real couple, there had to be give and take. To get her to open up to me, I needed to be vulnerable. I needed to show her the real side of me I hardly ever showed the outside world.

Ever since I was a kid, I had to be reserved about my feelings and emotions to not burden my siblings. I couldn't show a second of weakness out of fear I might not be enough for them, which made it second nature to be closed off from everyone else.

My ruthlessness and ambition could easily be misconstrued as me being a complete monster only out for blood. But I didn't want Vivian to think that of me.

I wanted her to know I was capable of being the person she needed to lean on. That I could be gentle and nurturing.

As her lashes lay heavily against the tops of her cheeks and her chest moved rhythmically with every gentle breath, I couldn't help but reflect on the night before.

Everything seemed to move so quickly, and that shift in our dynamic made it that much more intense. The sex had been mind-blowing and was exactly what I needed after bottling up that frustration inside myself. Luckily, it didn't stop in the kitchen.

While I had given up my control and couldn't resist how much I wanted her, throwing all caution to the wind felt worth it. We both reached a moment of bliss, releasing everything that was pent up between us. It even offered me a glimmer of hope for what might be ahead of us.

Even if Vivian had a way of weakening my resolve and making me hungry for more, I didn't care anymore. I just wanted us to be honest about our mutual attraction, and to not fight those feelings.

As I studied every inch of her features, along with her perfect body that was half-exposed beneath the sheets, I brought a hand up and ghosted my fingertips up and down her arm.

I watched as I caressed her skin, intrigued by how even in sleep, she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen.

Despite everything, it was hard to believe she was my wife. I had the pleasure of seeing her every day, all with the potential to become so much more.

Stirring, Vivian broke my trance as her eyes slowly opened, blinking back at me with the slightest bit of confusion in her gaze. But as she regained her bearings, she wore a faint smile as she stretched in her place.

"Morning," she hummed, surprisingly soft as she lay there.

"Good morning," I returned, noting how groggy my voice still sounded.

Even if she was being quiet and elegant like a feline, just looking into those eyes reminded me of her fire, and how determined she had been to prove her point the night before.

I never expected her to be quite so outspoken given how passive and doe-like she had been before, but something was refreshing about it. Knowing she could push back against me excited something within me.

"I have to ask," I began, keeping my tone as gentle and receptive as possible. "Why is being busy such a big deal for you when you already have everything you could ever need?"

A part of me immediately regretted asking the question when she seemed to pull back and retreat within herself again. Wanting to claw it back and apologize, I could only watch as she pulled the sheets higher and moved into a sitting position. She averted her eyes, and while I assumed she was about to leave the bed and bring us back to square one all over again, she sighed instead.

Interested in whatever she had to say, I followed her lead and leaned against the headboard.

"I don't intend to be mean. I'm just curious," I managed, hoping to encourage her to open up.

"I know, it's fine," she murmured, seemingly wrangling with something internally before she gave in again. "I may have grown up with two brothers, but we were never the family I wanted us to be. Elio and Dante…they treated me like I was no better than a verbal punching bag. Dante was the worst one. Dad was too busy with his work, and he didn't let them in on the family business, which bothered them, so they took their anger out on me. To make up for keeping me from pursuing anything of my own, he made sure I wasn't idle for too long with lessons and anything else I wanted. I always wanted more for myself, and the chance to do it on my own, but I couldn't while living there. I felt trapped, and with my brothers treating me like garbage, I only had those things to distract me. I don't want to feel trapped here, too."

As empathetic as I was to hear her reasoning, I couldn't completely temper my anger at how she had been treated, and at the hands of her own siblings.

Given how absent Edoardo had been, it seemed I did pull her out of a bad situation.

"Your brothers should be ashamed of themselves for treating their only sister like that," I murmured, reaching out for her hand. "I'm sorry you didn't experience better."

With a grim expression, Vivian tried to pull a tight-lipped smile. "I wish they thought the same."

Knowing I had been right about assuming things weren't good at home, easily recalling those bruises on her wrists, it made me soften. In that moment, I made the mental note to be gentler around her, and to keep that in mind moving forward.

She deserved better than what her family gave her, and something in me wanted to give her that. No matter what it took, I wanted to be the one to show her she could have so much more.

It all made sense to me then.

"After seeing how your family acted around each other, I couldn't help but wonder where mine went wrong. I questioned why we couldn't be the same way, and why my brothers saw me as their enemy instead of their sister," Vivian continued with defeat in her voice. When she met my gaze, there was no missing the deep sadness there. "How did you get so lucky with your siblings?"

Considering everything we went through together, it was easy to see why we would be close. Thinking back to those times, I shrugged. "We only ever had each other. And honestly, the women in our family are treated better than anyone else. We so rarely had girls born into our family that they were like royalty in their own right."

"That sounds nice," she sighed, looking off in consideration.

Giving her hand a small squeeze, I wanted Vivian to know I'd treat her with the utmost respect, and that my family would do the same. Even if we got off on the wrong foot, she mattered to me beyond our marriage license.

"About keeping busy," I said, deciding it was worth pursuing after all. "I'll see what I can do about it."

With complete sincerity, Vivian gave me a smile bordering on sad gratitude as she blinked back the beginning of tears. "It would mean a lot to me."

Throughout my childhood, I had been completely prepared to give everything for my siblings, and with my wife, it would be no different.

Decided, I leaned in and pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead before forcing myself out of bed.

"Come down for breakfast and coffee when you're ready. I'll have it waiting for you," I said, grabbing my phone from the nightstand as I headed for the door.

On my way, I caught the small smile on her lips before she rolled over to face away from me with a small murmur in response.

Thinking it was endearing, I chuckled to myself and left the room.

As the coffee brewed, I leaned against the countertop and scrolled through my phone, browsing through listings with a keen eye before finding something that struck my interest.

It was perfect, and exactly what Vivian needed.

With Benedikt's contact open, I tapped the screen and initiated the call.

He answered after the first ring groggily. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

"Nothing to worry about," I replied with a faint grin on my face. "I just wanted to let you know I have an important purchase to make for my wife, and I need you to sort out the details."

There was a moment of silence before Benedikt sighed. "Alright. What do you need?"

At the end of it, I knew Vivian would be completely over the moon.