Comes Crashing Down

Posted on Tue Oct 31st, 2023 @ 10:30pm by Giuseppe Orsini & Princess Jessica Orsini

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: Unknown
Timeline: Date 2371-08-25 at 1615
2534 words - 5.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Their nap had been intimate and familiar, and now that Antonio had started to stir, they were having a limited conversation with each other. Jessica, of course, was the one who was really carrying the thing. Eventually, they were back to playing with toys on the bed and giggling together. It wasn’t long, however, until she heard the door to the apartment open again and she knew it was over.

The sound of footfalls came down the hallway and Giuseppe entered the room, pausing just to take in the scene and then offered a nod to Jessica. He didn’t approach, but it was obvious what he was here for and he was allowing her the opportunity to bring their son to his father.

Jessica looked up at Giuseppe as he stood at the door to the bedroom and gave a small smile. Though she was sad Antonio would be leaving, her spirits were obviously lifted after Giuseppe had allowed him to stay. She extended her hand and waved him toward her with a few fingers.

“Come play, Papa.” she said in a gentle voice, then she lifted a green truck toy in front of her eyes.

His eyebrows lifted slightly as she offered the toy and invitation to him. There was a moment of hesitation, but he lowered his arms from his chest and walked forward to the bed where he sat down on the end and took the toy. He was sitting close to Jessica, but he wasn’t crowding her. Perhaps it was intentional, perhaps it wasn’t, but his focus moved to his son.

“Did you have fun with Mama?”

Antonio nodded, a wide grin on his face as his tongue ran free across his lips. It was a goofy and child-like expression. He picked up an identical blue truck and smashed it as hard as he could into Giuseppe’s truck.

“Boom!” he exclaimed and then laughed offering a saccharine-sweet smile meant specifically to make the people around him smile.

Jessica laughed and placed her hand on Antonio’s. She spoke softly and sweetly.

“Gentle, baby. Gentle. You almost hit Papa’s fingers.”

“Sowwy.” Antonio said automatically, looking at his mother while he held onto his truck.

“It’s alright, son. Just be careful like Mama said.” Giuseppe placed his large hand on Antonio’s head and ran it down his back to show he wasn’t upset.

Another guard had walked in with Giuseppe and hadn’t really been seen behind him, but she was standing by the door and watching what was going on with a small smile on her face. She was short, thin, and pretty; she seemed more animated than the other guards and there was a certain gentleness in her eyes.

Jessica didn’t take note of the new guard, focused as she was on her family. This feeling of them being together, despite the craziness, was better than any moment she’d had without it. She’d always wanted to be a wife and a mother; she’d never wanted to be a princess. She eyed Giuseppe, trying to read him for a moment.

“Giuseppe, I have wine in the refrigerator.” she said, and then flash a bit of discomfort at the suggestion; at the possibility of being rejected. “I want to thank you for letting him stay with me for his nap. We could open it together…if you want. But you don’t have to, I’d understand.”

“Sure.” He replied simply and didn’t look at her, so he was likely oblivious to her discomfort in the moment. “Go ahead and grab it. I’ll stay here.”

Jessica smiled again, the discomfort fading away, and stood up. She walked from the room and into the main living area, her hips swaying with a rare excitement. Pregnancy hadn’t yet compromised her figure any place except her stomach, and she looked healthy and delightfully maternal. She grabbed two wine glasses and the dark red that was chilling and returned with them. Pulling over a portable table, she uncorked the bottle and poured two half-glasses.

Giuseppe was more on the bed now, laying on his back with Antonio in his arms. He was lifting the boy and “tossing” him only a few inches out of his hands, but he was practically screeching in delight and laughing jubilantly. Once Jessica had poured the wine, Giuseppe stopped and sat up with Antonio in his lap. Again he glanced to the guard nearby who shifted a bit, and then after a few seconds gave a nod. Once it was cleared, he picked up one of the glasses.

“Mama!” Antonio reached for her again. “Play!”

“No no, baby.” Jessica said, sliding into bed and popping the tablet of modern miracle medicine that made it safe for pregnant women to drink up until a certain point. “Drink.”

She washed it down with the wine and then looked from Antonio to Giuseppe with a curious expression.

“How are you feeling, Giuseppe?” she asked, holding the glass near her lips but not yet taking another sip. “Is everything going around outside this apartment?”

“Everything is going well.” He replied with a simple answer to her second question and ignored the first, taking a sip of his wine again. “There’s nothing you need to be concerned about.”

“I’m just curious what’s going on. I’m not concerned. We clearly have the resources to stay comfortable for now, at least.” She said, taking another sip of the drink. I just wonder what you’re doing sometimes when I’m here by myself. Maybe it’s a big important meeting where you plan a war or maybe you’re talking with a potential new ally. I have a lot of time to think and wonder.”

“My day is usually full of meetings, but I make sure I take portions of the day to spend time with Antonio.” He wasn’t saying it to boast, but simply seemed to want to assure her that despite his extremely busy schedule he wasn’t completely neglecting their son the entire day.

“That’s good to hear.” She said with a nod. “I knew you would take time for him. You’re an adoring and attentive father, after all.”

She eyes him for a few long seconds before taking another drink.

“Giuseppe, do you ever think of me during your day or..at night?”

“If I didn’t think of you, do you think I would come and visit you?” On his face, she saw the mildest fleck of irritation momentarily cross his features.

“No, Giuseppe. Not like that.” She said, laughing gently. “I mean do you ever think of me in the way a man thinks of a woman?”

Her eyes were full of meaning as she said it, her expression every so subtly indicating the mood she was in.

When she clarified, it only seemed to annoy him more. “What does that matter, exactly?”

He finished off his wine, put the glass down on the table and moved to stand.

“It matters because I’m your wife and it’s natural for you to think of me.” She said, remaining calm, angling toward him. “It matters because I think of you that way sometimes. I was just wondering if I’m the only one.”

“You.” He snapped at one of the guards. “Come take my son and return him to his nursery.”

The new guard stepped forward quickly and moved to pick up Antonio. As she scooped him up, her eyes moved to Jessica’s and she seemed almost apologetic at what was happening.

Jessica shook as he snapped his finger. As their son was scooped up by the guard he started to cry immediately , realizing he was being removed from the room and his mother again. She noticed the expression of the guard, but at the moment it made no impression on her. The repercussions of it would be observed later in her mind.

Once the room was cleared of Antonio and the guard who had taken him, Giuseppe looked down at Jessica with a hard expression. “I give you a gift of spending time with our son, and this is how you want to repay it? By lying to my face?”

“Wh..what?” She asked, leaning back, seeming genuinely confused by what he was saying. “Giuseppe, what are you talking about?”

“You sit here and say that you think of me. You’ve made it very clear in the past that you detest my touch and always have. Why do you sit there and try to pretend that you don’t? Did you think I wouldn’t remember?” He lowered himself down closer to her.

At first, Jessica seemed to have no idea what he was talking about, but as she thought about his words, it became much more clear. She had said that to hurt him on several occasions. Whether she meant it or not wasn’t clear. Whether she hated him or not wasn’t clear. It was far too complicated a relationship for simple descriptions like that.

“I don’t hate your touch. That isn’t true.” She said in a measured tone. “I might hate you, but I’m not sure about that either. We’ve been through so much together, so many highs and so many lows…but your touch, I love.”

She reached forward and grabbed his hand, pulling it toward her until it made contact between her legs through tight gray sweatpants.

“You don’t have to love me, Giuseppe. You don’t even have to forgive me or believe me.” She said, her eyes looking up at him and saying everything. “Just touch me.”

Giuseppe had allowed her to take his hand more out of curiosity’s sake than anything else. When it landed between her legs, he immediately groped her there as he often had before everything had fallen apart. She enjoyed it.

Or he thought she had.

He left his hand there as she spoke, and then with great force of will he pulled his hand back. If he was starved for sex, he probably would have given in, but he simply wasn’t. “That’s the problem, Jessica. I don’t believe you.”

Jessica pouted, seeming much more irritated than hurt by the statement. She allowed her hand to search her his had been for a second before stopping herself and she gave a tense sigh.

“So what, Giuseppe.” she said with barely restrained tone, “then fuck your lying wife. I don’t care.”

She seemed quite genuine in what she was saying, and she found his hesitation to be an incredible irritant. When he would do this in the past, she would just mock him and he’d be on top of her in a second, all his manhood to prove. But now Giuseppe was far too prickly and defensive for that. He might force himself on her, but he was just as likely to storm out sulking and never bring their son back again. She couldn’t risk that just to get laid.

“Why would I waste my time on someone who doesn’t enjoy it when I can spend my time with someone who does?” Giuseppe challenged and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think I will be doing that.”

At that haughty statement, her legs closed instantly. She hadn’t given up, but was instantly repelled by what he had said. Sitting up on the bed, her face turned to a frown and she blinked, searching his eyes.

“Giuseppe? Are you cheating on me?” She asked, seeming genuinely aghast and hurt at the idea.

“I’m not doing anything you haven’t done before, Jessica.” He shrugged nonchalantly at her, still standing tall over her.

“But I never…”she started, but paused, “I would never..”

She laid down on the bed, silent, drawing her feet to her chest and closing herself off from him and from everything else. Somehow she managed to think, after all he had done to her, he wouldn’t do this. It was stupid and she felt stupid.

“More lies.” He sighed and shook his head. “I'm disappointed in you, Jessica. The moment you came here you revealed to me what you had done when you told me you couldn’t wait to see my face when the baby came… and you weren’t talking about joy. You should just be grateful that it is mine.”

It was true that she had said that, and the sound of her own voice in her head confirmed it was true. But things weren’t as they seemed to be.

It was never acknowledged how much of one’s character could be forgotten or even destroyed through daily interactions with someone like Giuseppe. When they met, she was a sweet girl, honest, patient, and kind. Now, with him, she would shout, yell, taunt, and lie all to manage the worst man she’d ever known in her life. Her husband, the monster, had made her a monster too. And the worst part was she had consented.

She had never cheated on him, but she had told him she had to try and get a rise out of him; to try and crack his armor. She wanted to see him care about her again, fight for her, and defend her instead of just using her first as his arm candy, then his fuck doll, and now his incubator. And when she was done with that, her dear husband would have her shot and rolled into a grave because she was no longer useful to him. She had been used up.

It was all her fault in the end. She didn’t bother to say anything. He wouldn’t believe her anyway. She just laid her, her knees to her chest now, certainly not feeling like making love to anyone.

Giuseppe remained exactly where he was for a long while, his arms crossed as he looked down at Jessica curled up on the bed. She was reaping the consequences of her actions over the years now and perhaps she was finally realizing it. One couldn’t fight against a man like Giuseppe Orsini. After a few long moments, he spoke again.

“I’m going to bring Antonio around less. It obviously upsets him.”

She said nothing at his comment. What he said was devastating, but she was beyond hope in prevailing against him with words. Giuseppe was unreachable for her. He had the power to take anything from her he wanted except what she had inside. Even now, she could think of nothing to say. She moaned low, her arms shaking a bit as she sobbed. She never should have tried to connect with him; it had ruined everything.

He continued to look down on her in the bed, watching her sob and moan with mounting disgust on his face. He remained that way for a while and then turned and left without a word leaving her alone with only the company of her guard once more.

END