Page 149 of Carnal

"You heard me. My son won't marry a fat woman. Your engagement party is next Saturday night. You'll lose ten pounds, or there will be consequences," he adds, then pulls a folder out of his drawer.

I'm too shocked to move.

Jacopo looks up. "Is there a reason you're still here?"

"We were just leaving," Biagio claims and guides me out of the office and into his wing of the house.

As soon as the door to the bedroom suite shuts, I turn to him. "What was that?"

He sniffs hard. "That's my father."

I gape at him.

He pulls a metal case out of his pocket. "Just do what he says and everything will be fine." He lights up a cigarette and inhales.

I wave my hand in front of my nose, coughing.

It doesn't faze Biagio, nor does he even try not to blow smoke in my direction.

I blurt out, "I can't just lose ten pounds in a week. And I'm not fat."

He stays quiet.

"You think I'm fat?" I ask.

He flicks ashes into a tray then locks eyes with me. "If my father thinks you are, then you are."

I jerk my head back, glaring at him. Several moments of tense silence pass, with neither of us flinching. I finally break it, saying, "I would never agree to marry someone like you."

Maroon explodes on his cheeks. He lunges toward me until my back is against the wall, squeezing my jaw and tilting my head until our faces are inches apart.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" I cry out.

"This isn't pain, darling. Keep running your mouth, and you'll see what it's like for me to hurt you," he seethes.

Tears fall down my cheeks. I hate myself for showing him any weakness.

He leans closer and brings the cigarette near my eye, suggesting, "It would be a shame for you to lose your sight, wouldn't it?"

My lips tremble harder, and tears fall faster from my eyes. I whisper, "Please. Don't."

He doesn't move for what feels like forever. The smoke grows thicker as the white paper disappears into ashes. He finally releases me, stepping back. He warns, "Don't push me, Pina. I'm the boss. If my papà says to do something, you do it. If I give you an order, you do it. Understand?"

I clench my jaw, my pride not allowing me to speak.

A crazed look fills his orbs. He reaches for my hair and tugs it hard, hurting my neck. "Do you understand me?"

"Y-y-yes," I cry out.

He holds me in the same position, his face inches away, his smoke-laden breath merging into mine.

Bile rises in my throat. Unable to help myself, I toss my cookies all over him.

"What the fuck, Pina!" he shouts.

I run to the door I assume is the bathroom and hug the toilet.

"Goddamnit!" he curses, then trots into the bathroom and strips. He turns on the water and steps into the shower.

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