CHAPTER SEVEN
Gianna frowned, not really understanding where this was coming from. Didn't she just say Matt was her friend and nothing more? "Um… okay." She murmured, not sure what else she could say. Rubbing her arms, she sank down onto the couch and sighed, wondering if this had been a good idea.
"Cherry, you know I love, but you don't love me, it's Matt you love." Carlito said softly, sitting down beside her, draping his arm over her shoulders. "Do you want me to call Matt to come stay with you instead? I just want you to be happy, Gia."
"No… don't call Matt." Gia cocked an eyebrow up at him. "Do my eyes really sparkle because I have to tell you, I really don't think about him that way."
Chuckling softly, Carlito ran his fingers through her hair gently. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it were true, Cherry." He kissed the top of her head, trying to get her to stop grumbling. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"NO." Gianna said firmly, getting to her feet, her hands flying to her flat stomach and began pacing the floor, kicking off her high heels frustrated. She tugged impatiently on her hair before whirling around to look at him. "Carly, he's trying to get me pregnant." She whispered.
Carlito gaped at her, jaw opened. "WHAT?" He finally shouted, blinking rapidly, standing up to stop her pacing. "Did you take the morning after pill or something?"
"How the HELL was I supposed to do that?" Gianna demanded, visibly flustered. "Paul kept me with all damn day until David took over. I haven't had time." She buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god…" She sighed, shaking her head back and forth. "But it was just one time so maybe…"
"One time is all it takes!" He shouted in a panic, beginning to pace as he chewed on his thumbnail. "Damn it! That ass has got some nerve." He stopped, looking at her. "If you get pregnant, you can get a paternity test done and present it to the McMahons."
"Don't tell me what I WILL and WON'T do, Carly! What makes you think I'd keep it?" Gianna shot back. "I'm NOT having anything by Paul! Don't you get it? He's trying to chain me to him and it's not happening!" She whirled around and flew to one of the cabin's bedrooms.
Carlito cursed under his breath, not believing this shit and raked a hand through his fro. sighing, he whipped out his cell, against his better judgment, and called Matt.
**********
Gianna didn't come out of the room for the rest of the night and most of the following day. When she finally came out, Carlito was laying on the couch. She cleared her throat to get his attention and when she had it, she clasped her hands in front of herself. "I want to go back."
"You're not going back."
Gianna looked at the door wide eyed.
Matt stood there, brushing a thin layer of snow off of his coat and nodded at Carlito, tossing him a set of keys. "Go for it, I got her covered."
Carlito shot one look at Gianna, worry in his eyes but caught the keys and headed for the door.
Matt closed the door behind him, staring a Gianna. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
Gianna ran to the window to find Carlito getting into a truck and groaned, whipping around to glare at Matt. "I'm feeling pissed! I said I wanted to go back, Mattie!" She backed away when he took a step towards her.
"Why you backing' up?" He questioned, an eyebrow raising. "Sweetheart, I would never do ANYTHING to hurt you. I'm not Paul. Come here, please." Matt extended his arms to her.
Gia knew he would never hurt her, she trusted Matt more then she trusted anyone else. But… she was being FORCED to stay here, that set the alarms ringing because she had been FORCED to stay with Paul and kept backing away. "How long am I supposed to stay here?"
"Until we can keep Paul away from you." He sighed when she started backing away even more. "Gia, if you go back, Paul will be waiting for you, will beat and rape you more. I'm not allowing that to happen. You're staying here, sweetheart. It's the only way and I'm not leaving your side."
"Carly told you, didn't he." It wasn't a question and they both knew what she was referring too. "Matt… you're out of your mind if you think he won't track us here." She said softly, rubbing her hands together. "I can't believe you're locking me up."
"I'm not locking you up, baby girl." Matt said, walking over to wrap his arms around her. "I'm keeping you safe. He can't find us here, trust me. We're safe here. Nobody knows about this place but Carlito, we both know he won't say anything, and Jeff. Jeff would rather get his ass beat then put you in harm's way."
Shrugging him off, she slipped away. "I'll be here forever and we both know it." Gia said flatly, walking out to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water, refusing to look at him. "He won't let me go." She whispered, her grip on the glass tightening.
"Then we'll make him." Matt said simply, crossing his arms over his chest, staring at her. "Listen to me, Gianna, we have a plan to show exactly what kind of snake that son of a bitch really is. You won't be here long, just until we're ready to… show it."
"Show what? What are you talking about?"
A slow, sinister smiled crossed his lips. "Well…" He began.
Gianna listened as he began to explain, looking away from him so she didn't hurl. This would never work. Stephanie either wouldn't believe it or she'd rationalize it away. She knew her friends were just trying to help but this wasn't going to work! If anything, this would piss Paul off even more and he'd take it out on her!
Rolling her eyes, Gia headed for her bedroom. "When I'm allowed to leave, let me know." She said before shutting the door.
Matt shook his head and sighed.
**********
Gianna stayed in the bedroom, refusing to come out unless thirst or hunger prompted her. She mainly just laid in the bed, dozing, letting her body heal. She smiled once, that was when she discovered no longer had any bruises on her.
Finally, after maybe a week, she didn't know, time sort of slipped away, she came out, ignoring Matt as she donned a pair of boots and a coat, stepping outside.
Matt knew she'd be back, there was a blizzard raging. He sipped his cup of coffee, having been up all morning, thinking about what Carlito had called to tell him. The plan would unfold on RAW the following week, on live television. Matt smirked, it was almost over.
From what Carlito had said, Paul had totally lost it when he found Gianna missing and was hunting all over the place for her, when he had the time. Stephanie seemed to be keeping the bastard busy.
Matt frowned, glancing at the clock. Gianna should have been back by now. He nearly jumped when the door opened and she walked in, looking a bit like a snowman. He watched as she brushed herself off and headed for her bedroom, already shedding wet clothes.
"Let me ask you a question." Matt began, following her, leaning in the doorway. He hadn't spoken to her since that day and shook his head disgustedly, kicking her wet jeans away from him. "Do you REALLY want Paul in your life THAT badly? Do you ENJOY being his whore,
Gianna?" He demanded, grabbing her by the upper arms and shoved her against the wall gently but firmly. "Do you enjoy getting raped and beaten every day of your fucking life?"
Gianna's blue eyes widened in shock, wrenching her arm free to slap the taste out of his mouth. "Fuck you, Matthew!" She shouted, trying to push him away one-handed, slapping him again when he went for her hand. "Let go of me damn you!" She slapped him a third time, her long lost temper resurfacing at his words.
"Answer me!" Matt shouted back, his eyes flaring with anger and grabbed her hands, pinning them over her head, his knee against her legs so she couldn't kick him. "Answer me, Gianna."
"NO! I don't want to go back to him! I don't want him hurting me anymore!" She exclaimed, pushing his head away with hers when he leaned in. "Get away from me, Matt." She whispered, shivering. More then a little cold in her wet underclothes.
Matt looked down at her, immediately pulling her into his arms, sitting down on the bed and began rocking her. "I'm not him, Gianna. I'm not Paul. I'm not going to hurt you, baby doll. I would never hurt you." He whispered.
"I know…" She whispered back, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm just… I don't like being made to stay here…" Gia sighed, tilting her head back to look at his red cheek. "I'm sorry, Mattie."
"Don't be sorry, sweetheart. It's alright. You have to stay here though until this is finished. It all goes down Monday night." He said softly, wishing she would give him the chance to protect her.
Gianna just nodded, knowing she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. "When this is over…" She yawned, moving off his lap to lie down on the bed, snuggling under the covers.
"I'm never listening to any of you, ever again."
Matt smirked, kissing her forehead softly and stroked her hair. "When this is over, I plan on getting to know you a lot better, at a slow place." He murmured, kissing her lips softly, taking her hand in his. "If you'll let me."
"We'll see." She said softly, not planning on ever having another relationship in her life. In fact, she might even join a convent. Stretching under the covers, Gianna pulled her hand from his and rolled onto her stomach. "How is Carly doing?"
"He's doing good, worried about you, but he knows you're in good hands." Matt replied honestly, running his hands over her back. "Can I ask you something, Gia?"
Sighing, she just nodded.
"Did you… take a pregnancy test?"
"No, I didn't. Carly bought me one but I didn't take it. It's only been… over a week, or so. It's still too soon to really know. Why? Planning on exploiting it if I am?"
"No, but it could be your ticket out of this if you play it right. I'm not saying put it on TV, but maybe you should talk to Linda. You know she's more stable then the rest of them."
"I said it once, I'm saying it again. If I'm pregnant, I'm not keeping it." Gianna said firmly. "You do this thing of yours, then I'm out of here, you promised." Her eyes dared him to contradict her.
"I didn't promise you anything. I said if it worked, then you could leave. You're not leaving until he's out of your life for GOOD, Gianna, do you hear me?" Matt stood up, folding his arms over his chest. "You need protection whether you believe it or not."
Gianna sat upright, not caring if the blankets shifted, not caring about anything but the fact that she still couldn't have a say in her life. "Get out." She said coldly, eyes narrowing, picking up a pillow when he didn't budge and flung it at him. "GET OUT!" Gia was across the bed in a heartbeat, kneeling in front of Matt, hitting him with the palms of her hands, tears streaming down her face.
"When are you going to realize you need help?" Matt snarled, shoving her back on the bed. "When you're ready to stop acting like a fuckin' five year old, you come talk to me. Until then, keep your ass in this room and wallow in your self fucking pity!" He stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him.
Gianna fell back on the bed, breathing heavily, trying to stop crying. This wasn't going to work, they just didn't know Paul like she did. All they were doing was ensuring they're early deaths.
That and yeah, she was a weak person. she needed help making her own damn decisions but she didn't expect the people she loved to treat her like a moron and LOCK HER UP.
Matt was seething as he paced back and forth, not believing how stubborn this woman was. He finally had it and stalked into the bedroom, throwing clothes at her. "Fine, you want to handle this yourself? Get out hen and let that son of a bitch kill you!" He shouted, slamming the door behind him. If she wanted out so badly, then he would give her her freedom.
Pure animal instinct kicked in. Snatching up the clothes, Gianna hastily pulled them on, survival mode kicking in. Matt was a hair away from snapping and hurting her, her entire body was already tensing with fear. She stuffed her feet in some shoes and ran, shoving past him and out the door, not bothering with a coat, fueled on fear and adrenaline.
