Chapter 7 Matteo's Pov

I didn't think marriage could be this thrilling.

Bella is like the devil born to me; she mirrors me in the weirdest, unexpected ways. She's the challenge I need, the war I love, and the hate I seek. It has not been longer than forty eight hours since we said our vows and she's made me aware in more ways than one how much she'd complete me.

She's truly my better half.

She gets to trigger the monster I keep chained, and the monster answers her call and swallows her whole each time. This is all I've waited for a really long time, and now, I have it.

One slap and she's on the floor whimpering, crying with her eyes closed while she mumbles a few words, chanting them like a mantra and that tells me a lot about her. It tells me she has been through something, a certain kind of trauma that goes beyond physical abuse; she has danced with the devil one too many times.

But who could it be?

Who could have hurt my wife?

It certainly isn't her father seeing how much of a good relationship they portrayed the few times I saw them together.

Something to concern myself with but not today. Right now, I'm very angry at her for defying me. When I instructed her to be home in six hours, I expected her to adhere to an instruction as simple as that but no, she chose to remain in that fucking lab of hers doing God knows what.

And it pains me to think that I took her there and gave her an opportunity to live.

I'm pacing back and forth out back at the garden when Pablo carries Bella's petite body out. I chuckle at the sight of her and I'm dying to see the look on her face when she finds out what I'm about to do to her.

"How many hours did I instruct you to get home by?" I question, making sure my voice remains as dark as can be.

"Six." Her words are unstable from her trembling lips.

"How long did stay out for?"

"Thirteen hours, thirty minutes." Bella's hands are trembling and she can barely stand her ground.

"God, I just wish I can keep you in there for thirteen hours, thirty minutes. But we don't want you dead, do we?" I mutter through my chuckle and she gulps. Her eyes scanning the environment and they widen when the wooden coffin and shallow grave comes into view.

Exactly the reaction I expected.

Except, her fear doesn't last as long as I'd like it to and the fact catches me off guard. Whoever braces themselves to be buried?

My wife apparently.

I need to know what was done to her in the past.

The sudden change in Bella's demeanor has me shaken, it has my jaw locking and my teeth grinding. I want her to be on her knees begging that I don't bury her alive but she's not doing any of that. There's slight fear in her eyes but she's trying her best to be in control of the situation.

Fuck.

I'll eventually kill this woman if she continues doing this to me.

"Go lay in the coffin," I grit through my teeth and she obeys. I close the coffin and my ears pick up on her whimpering causing me to smile.

Yes wife, whimper like a fucking bitch.

I set my timer to five hours; that's how long I plan to leave her beneath the earth, fingers crossed she'd make it out alive. Not that I care.

Funny how I plan on burying her alive and making her stay beneath the ground five hours each day for three days until she breaks.

Something has to be her breaking point and I'll not relent until I figure it out. And I do not care if she dies in the process.

I walk into the mansion with my brothers; Pablo, Alessio, Maxwell, and Dean. When I call them brothers, I mean it. These are men I'd give my life for and I'm certain they're more than willing to do same for me.

Men who've taken bullets for me, men who've allowed themselves get tortured for my sake; we're bound by blood and blood ties are until death does you apart.

Dean and Maxwell are the youngest of us. The considerate ones-well when they're not dealing with their victims-which explains why they're nagging me about the way I'm treating my wife.

What would they know about marriage and women anyway? When all they do is have casual sex.

I've had enough of the nagging and I finally lose the little bit of control I have over myself. I get into a physical fight with Dean, making sure to burst his lips as many times as possible so it hurts when he opens his mouth to talk shit about how and what I decide to do with my wife.

Pablo finally separates us and my voice thunders, "stop whining about that bitch and get your ass over to the study, we have more important business to concern ourselves with."

Heavy breaths.

Silence.

"Five hours will pass shortly," I snicker as I retreat from the scene.

. . .

Why has time chosen to freeze?

Why's everything in slow motion?

Why am I bothered?

My brain is going wild and my breath has suddenly become erratic. I've been anxiously checking the time since this meeting kicked off and after all this while it's just been one hour.

One fucking hour!

I wonder how my wife is doing.

I've walked out back around twenty times in the last minute, sometimes I walk over to her grave and listen carefully in my desperation to hear a whimper or a sniffle; anything to confirm that she's very much alive. Still nothing.

I want to dig open that grave and get her out of that horrible situation but I can't. How can I when I plan on putting her through the same torture tomorrow and the day after?

"You should get her out if you're so bothered and quit walking back and forth like a confused teenager it's giving me a headache." Maxwell seethes and I chuckle.

"I am bothered no doubt, but she's staying in there until she has learnt her lesson."

Do I want her to?

No.

But I guess my egotistical side is more grounded than my compassionate side.

. . .

Fucking finally.

My timer beeps and I know it is time to go get my wife out of that grave.

Thank fuck.

The past five hours has to be the most anxious five hours I've ever sat through all my life. I'm walking at full speed to the garden where she is buried and once I'm there, I don't waste a second before I start digging the soil aggressively like a man desperately searching for treasure.

By the time I'm done digging up the grave, the boys help me lift off the coffin and place it by the side. My heart pounds hard against my rib cage when I don't hear any sound. I curse myself under my breath, reprimanding myself for going too far with Bella.

What did she do that was so wrong?

Fuck!

I open the lid of the coffin and Bella is lying still with her eyes closed. She's breathing and I silently thank my goodness when I note nothing unusual with the way she's inhaling and exhaling each breath.

But something is unusual, her eyes are slammed shut and she's mumbling words, words that makes no sense.

Is she going out of her mind? I wonder.

"Please."

"Don't."

"I have no idea. . .I don't remember. . .Don't do it. . .Help me somebody."

Bella's breath picks up as she keeps moving her lips and I realize she's having a nightmare. My heart softens and I squat over her with my fingers stroking her hair in my attempt to soothe her.

I know the pain of reliving bad memories through nightmares; it's never funny, not being able to sleep peacefully because of your demons. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.

Bella's body jerk and I know she's awake but her eyes are still closed. "Why are you touching me?" She asks in a breathy whisper but I don't say a word.

Bella's eyes remain tightly shut and I have an idea why, she has her contact lenses off. "I'll carry you inside if you're too tired," my lips say the words before my brain can register it and I curse myself.

"Get your hands off me, Matteo, and quit acting like you give a shit!" She yells and I don't wait for her to say it again.

Stupid fucking bitch.

Be thankful I'm being considerate.

My ego has been trampled upon by my wife. . .the fact that I'm offering to help her and she's yelling at me has my blood boiling in rage. But enough punishment for now, we should wait till the evening tomorrow and see how her sharp mouth helps her when she's beneath the earth.

I am going to enjoy this marriage every step of the way; that I know for certain.