Tundra Witch

by SL Perrine

  “Well, we’ll need to put a stop to that. Immediately.” She speaks resolutely to the room.

  As Gianna allows the vision to fade, she wonders at her inability to summon up the future. The past has always been easy for her, though rarely of use. So why can’t she call up the future? Her inability coincides with Anthony’s arrival. It was also the same moment when Gianna found out about her husband’s affair. Was this a working of her husband, an unknown effect of her daughter’s ability, or an unknown factor brought into her home by Anthony’s presence?

  Gianna frowns at the thoughts as she snuffs out the candle with a clasp of her hand in the air. She stands and removes the robe; flicking her wrist, it goes to its hook next to the door. Dressing in a skirt suit, she slides her hand over the fabric. The day was hard and long and, she had to admit, waiting for someone to repair the air conditioning was more annoying than she initially thought it would be. Giovanni was correct in his statement that they needed the air conditioning. Though, she would never admit it.

  Making sure her hair was neat, she pulled her suit jacket tight and headed out into the hall. There was no way Anthony would look for her on the third floor since she already forbade it. Though she wondered if he caught the fact that she did not include the floor where her room was located as being off limits.

  “Don’t go there, Gia. Not when you have to deal with the lizard with a straight face.” She berated herself as she rounded the last stair to the second floor. She couldn’t imagine Giovanni was out of his study yet but rather than go downstairs and be wrong, she decided to check his room.

  A staircase separated her and her husband’s wings. While all the main rooms of the house, including both of their studies, were on the first floor, the second floor held bedrooms, closets and a shared library, which Mila had confiscated for her own. It lay between the two wings, a narrow walkway, and balcony overlooking the main foyer. It gave way to the double doors into the room. Gianna knew the moment she was on the other side of those doors that she was in enemy territory.

  She pushes through the door at the end of the narrow walkway and enters the white-walled corridors that belonged to Giovanni. The tile there was black and white checkered. Light oak showed on the bottom portion of the walls in wainscoting and on all the door casings. White walls and silver chandlers made the space look bright and much larger than it was. She traveled the hall and turned left. Giovanni occupied the bedroom facing the front of the house. It was as large as Gianna’s though he had a much more extensive walk-in closet. His suits always arranged by color and material.

  Usually, Gianna would not hesitate to walk right in. However, with current events as they were, she knocked firmly on the door and waited for a response. Receiving none, she turned to head back to the stairs. Nico was visible through the windows on either side of the front entrance as he went about his duties. She passed by quickly, heading to the back of the house. When she took the right turn, she made sure to clear her throat and peered around the corner to check if the door was open. Knocking as she had on his bedroom door, she waited for him to respond.

  “Come in?”

  She pushes the door open, and her husband stood up behind his large desk. His study was the only room not overly washed in white. His light-colored carpet and black leather sofa are a nice contrast to one another. His glass desk is clean and never cluttered, further testament to his need for order and cleanliness. His modern tastes in décor are another difference between him and his wife’s love of baroque antiques.

  “You knock?”

  “Yes, I will be knocking from now on.” She looks down at the small table lamp on a glass-top end stand next to the sofa then turns back to Giovanni. “May I?” She points to one of the two leather chairs positioned facing his desk.

  Giovanni waits until Gianna sits before seating himself. “Yes, however, I thought we agreed on weekly updates on Friday evenings?”

  “We had unless something comes up.”

  “What’s happened?”

  “A man approached Mila while she and Jax were in town today,” she reached across the desk and handed Giovanni the man’s identification. “Jax was able to get this from him.”

  Giovanni examines the document “How? Looking at the height and weight says this man is much bigger than your Manny.”

  “I didn’t ask. I simply bid him a job well done and asked if the man had said anything useful.”

  Giovanni looks up at her, his eyes wide with anticipation. When she says nothing he prompts, “Well, did he?”

  “No. If he had, I would have said so.”

  “For fuck’s sake, Gianna. I don’t expect you to be so cavalier with our daughter’s safety. We will have to send extra security to the museum when they go from now on.”

  “They weren’t at the museum,” Gianna held her hand up to admire her nails.

  “The art gallery? Hold on, I’ll call there now. They have their own security. None of their men would let someone approach her,” he says then looks at her again with his freshly waxed eyebrows raised before cradling the phone. “Where was this Manny of yours, how was this man able to get that close to my daughter?”

  “Our daughter and they were not at the art gallery. They were at a sanctioned alternate on my okay.”

  “Sanctioned by you? Where was this sanctioned location?”

  “A restaurant for children to explore and play with other children. As a matter of fact, Anna was there with Tina D’Angelo,” she stood and walked over to a wet bar next to the door and pours two glasses of brandy. “The Rossi twins and their nanny as well…what’s her name? Evelyn? No, Eva. Eva Fontana. Sounds like Hannah Montana, which is one of Mila’s favorite shows.”

  Giovanni gave her a condescending glare as she set the brandy in front of him. “Gianna! Focus. Where was this location? Did you vet it? Do they have security on staff or should we send some?”

  “Calm down before you wet yourself.” She was thoroughly enjoying the way she could speak to him now that she felt she had the upper hand. “Chuck E. Cheese, where a kid can have fun. No, they don’t have security, they have hand stamps. Nobody would have been able to walk out with her.”

  “Chuckie-fucking-what? The same place where a little girl walked into the place and disappeared?” He picks up the brandy and tosses it back in one swallow before returning the glass to the desk. “They found that child three hours later looking very much like a little boy with different clothes on, even. What are you thinking? I don’t think I can continue this understanding of ours. You’re going to get our daughter…”

  Gianna places a hand in the air stopping him mid-sentence. “That’s enough. She had Jax. He saw it happening and put a stop to it. Proof that he’s doing his job efficiently. So, our arrangement will continue. Or… I can make a phone call?”

  “I’m beginning to think a little humiliation is worth it.”

  “Yeah, how about that clause in the prenup? Is that worth it? As I recall, only the best lawyer could find a loophole in that document. That’s what you said when we married. Since the best is the one who drafted it, I doubt you’ll be able to loophole your way out of losing everything,” she placed the glass down on the desk with a clatter and spun on her heel. “Being gay will not be your downfall. Your undoing will be the fact you are a low life, cheating bastard who likes to abuse his wife. Maybe if you spoke more with words over the years and less with your fists, I’d be more cooperative. This…this is just personal.” She waved her hand in the air as she started for the door.

  When it abruptly slammed shut in front of her, Gianna stopped. She turned to find Giovanni on his feet again, his fists balled at his side, his eyes narrowed. “I think you forget who runs this household, Gianna,” he says in a sinister tone. “I wield power here, in more ways than one, and I’m sure I could find other more… how should I put it? Ah, yes, permanent ways to negate our marriage.”

  “Are you threatening me, Gio?” Gianna’s voice drops frigidly.

 
Giovanni spreads his hands and smiles mockingly at her before speaking. “Accidents happen, my love. Oh, I would mourn, people would send their condolences, our daughter would grieve your loss, but life would continue. I might even allow a day or two to pass before I took Matteo on the bed where we created our daughter.”

  He stalks ferally around his desk and advances on Gianna. She feels the magic drop around the room. The spell he uses to cover the sounds made when he abuses her. His grin widens.

  “Perhaps it’s time we had this conversation, my love; time you learned your place in the Moretti world.”

  “And what, exactly, do you think my place is, Gio?”

  Giovanni’s eyes grow cold and emotionless. He advances closer, and Gianna begins to gather her energy as she prepares for a fight.

  “You were never anything more to me than a trophy brood mare; chosen for your breeding, looks, familial abilities, social status, and the continuation of the Moretti legacy.

  “Legacy,” Gianna deadpans as Giovanni comes to a stop just out of arms reach.

  “Yes, legacy,” he agrees mysteriously.

  “My daughter isn’t a legacy, she’s a gift,” Gianna growls. “And I’m not the scared, powerless young woman that was so enraptured by the amazing Giovanni Moretti that you married so long ago. Put your hands on me again or bring you magic against me, and Matteo will be looking for a new cock to fill his ass.”

  Gianna snaps her fingers, and Giovanni’s suppression spell collapses around the room. The surprise on his face is apparent, and Gianna uses the moment to close the distance between them. “Should you get the doors, or shall I, dear?”

  Giovanni’s wrath contorts his face, and he shakes with anger. Gianna hears the lock on the doors click and swing open behind her. “Caution, wife, it’s a dangerous world out there.”

  Gianna rises on her tiptoes and gives Giovanni a gentle, mocking kiss on the cheek. “It is, isn’t it?” she whispers before dropping down. “Now, see to who’s stalking our daughter.”

  She backs away slowly, never taking her eyes off Giovanni. When she’s sure he won’t attempt anything more, she turns and exits his study. The doors slam shut behind her and cause her to jump slightly. Walking a little further down the hall, she leans against it while willing her legs not to give out. She takes a few minutes to compose herself before continuing. For the first time, Gianna felt in total control of her life. As the thought crossed her mind, a flash of Anthony’s face popped in it as well.

  Not the face of the man she’d hired, or even the worried Anthony that had come to her with the news of, yet a second abduction attempt on her daughter. No, the face she saw was the one from that morning. The one that had her backed against a wall with a voice that sounded demanding and pleading at the same time. Anthony had caught her off guard, and she experienced fear tangle with regret the moment he raised his voice to her. She momentarily lost herself to his anger.

  The images of Giovanni when he was angry subdued her mind in that instant. The way his fists clenched and the fact that she knew how it would hurt before he struck. The pain was always the same. She thought Anthony was going to attack her too. She had taken it from Giovanni in the past out of fear and survival. She would not have taken it from Anthony. He would have been gone in an instant, to the nearest jail. The funny thing was, Gianna knew her husband would have signed the charges himself.

  After Anthony had calmed, she thought only for a split second about relieving him of his position. That split second had come and gone, and she had not thought of it again until the moment she was alone. Feeling free of her former torment, she did not want to have to fear from her employee. Although she was somehow sure that Anthony would never have harmed her in any manner, she had to ensure he knew it. She had to stop it in its tracks before he thought he could do that to her whenever he felt like it. She refused to be a verbal or physical punching bag for a man ever again.

  “Hey.”

  Gianna jumped and looked down at her daughter. “Hey, what are you up too?”

  “Nothing. I called you, didn’t you hear me?”

  “I guess not. I was thinking. Sorry. I’ve just come from speaking with your father about your outing today.”

  “Oh.” Mila looked down at the floor. “So, how much trouble am I in?”

  Gianna reached out and lifted her daughter’s chin. “Who says you’re in any trouble?”

  “I knew Jax was taking me somewhere that wasn’t approved. I should have refused to get out of the car or something. Then that man wouldn’t have gotten to me.”

  “No, don’t you dare presume you’d be in trouble for something an adult does. Jax was the responsible party. He should have known enough to clear it with me first, but he was not entirely in the wrong either. As a matter of fact, I was just about to go down and speak with him about that. You should go to dinner with papa. I don’t think he would mind me missing a few minutes.”

  “Ok, but don’t yell at him. He might leave,” Mila pouted at her mother.

  “He won’t. Now, shoo. Off with you.” Mila turned and stomped her feet down the hall until she stopped and turned to look at her mother who gave her the sharp mom look. Then she resumed her way to her room in a manner befitting the sweet little girl Gianna knew her to be.

  It was five minutes to six when Gianna stood in the hall just before Anthony’s living quarters and knocked on the door.

  “Just a minute,” Anthony’s muffled voice called from within the apartment. When he answered, he sounded out of breath and rushed. “Gia. I thought I had the evening to myself?”

  “It’s not quite seven yet. May I have an hour of your time?”

  “Okay,” he held the door open further and gestured her inside. “Come then, have a seat.”

  Gianna entered the apartment, and Anthony closed the door behind her. “No, that’s ok. I’ll be brief. I still have to dress for dinner.”

  “Fine,” he looked around and picked up a half-empty bottle of water off the counter and took a swig. “Let me have it. I know why you’re here.”

  “How’s that?”

  “Taking Mila to Chuck E. Cheese wasn’t on the list for today, but you said she needed to have fun.”

  “Yes, I did. However, I still need to know where she is every minute of the day beyond the safety of the Manor. I’m not upset that you took her there; I’m upset you didn’t run it by me first.”

  “You would have vetoed the whole thing because it wasn’t on the itinerary.”

  “No. So I knew where Mila was in case something happened to her.”

  “But I was with her.” Gianna noticed his breath hitch and the slight coloring of his face.

  “Yes, but you’re not exactly an army of one, are you? Although I appreciate the fervor with which you dealt with the man, what if there were ten men and they rendered you unconscious? I would have no idea where ground zero was when I sent a search party. I don’t give an itinerary so that I can control you or her. It’s for safety reasons. If I tell her to walk down Smith Street and she cuts through the cemetery because it’s a shortcut, and something happens, I’d have no idea she was in the cemetery; so, chances are, I wouldn’t immediately go there looking for her.”

  Gianna watched as the information settled inside him. His features went from defensive to understanding quicker than she’d have guessed it would. “I understand,” he said nodding slowly. “If I come to you with a suggestion, you won’t knock it down right away?”

  “No. I’m the one who said she needs some fun in her life.” She thought for a moment. “However, I don’t approve of the way you comported yourself with the nannies while out with Mila.”

  “How would you know how I comported myself?” He gave her a suspicious look, and realization that she’d forgotten herself at that moment settled within her.

  Gianna squared her shoulders and straightened her back. “I called the restaurant inquiring about the incident. You’ll understand my name gives me access to just about anything
in this town.”

  “What could it possibly get you in this instance?”

  “An email, with the security footage.”

  “Oh.” He backed down quickly but stood a bit straighter and then seemed to think better of it.

  Gianna realized if she was going to get the upper hand she needed to do so quickly before something agitated him enough to get his temper going. She needed to make sure he knew who was at the top of the food chain for the duration of his employment.

  “As for the other thing I came down here about.” He looked puzzled again, which was better than angry, but she realized he was far too close to her within the room. She took a step back and rounded the island, so it was between them. “What happened this morning was completely unprofessional.”

  “I have to agree,” Anthony said, and Gianna smiled until he spoke again. “You shouldn’t come here, so early in the morning unannounced. What would your husband think?”

  “That is not what I’m speaking of. Besides, what Giovanni thinks is of no consequence. No, what I’m speaking of is your hot temper.”

  “My temper? I don’t think I displayed any aggression-”

  “Yes, sir. Your temper. I love my daughter very much, and she wants you here. So, be thankful that has saved your ass this time. However, if you raise your voice to me in that manner again, or raise a hand to me, you will be out on your ass.”

  “Gia…”

  “I am not finished, Mr. Jackson. I expect you to hold your temper tantrums in until I leave the room. If you’re going to care for a child, it’s best not to act like one.”

  “Me? Act like a child? I haven’t been anything but nice to you since I got here, no, since I saved your daughter, to begin with.” He stood and rounded the island, so they were a few feet apart.

  “Nice?”

  “Yes, nice. I’ve taken your condescending attitude, your constant berating of my attire, my body shape, and my intelligence.”