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I shake my head frantically. “No, no, no.”
He gives a satisfied smile. “I want you to sit here,” he orders, pushing me to my knees beside Emerson, “all night. Don’t fucking move and don’t go to sleep. You should think about what you’ve done tonight, the heartbreak you have caused to her family.”
“But . . . I don’t . . . I can’t . . . please, Dante.”
He slaps me hard, so hard it feels like my brain is bouncing around in my skull. “Don’t move or I will find Callie and she’ll join her.”
I watch as Dante and Enzo leave, closing the door behind them.
I gently move Emerson’s hair from her face before closing her eyes. Then I curl up behind her and wrap my arm around her waist, just like we used to when we were younger. I remind her of the times when we were carefree and how we’d laugh at stupid things. I tell her how sorry I am, and how I only lost contact with her to save her. But in the end, I couldn’t.
And then I beg God to hear me and free me from this hell.
Present day . . .
I stare at myself in the full-length mirror. The bruises littering my body are colourful, if nothing else. Dante has been true to his word over the last month. He’s trying hard to get me pregnant, and whenever he’s home, we have sex. Cold, hard, forceful sex, and each time, I wonder why the hell he would want to bring a child into this mess. He can’t even try to conceive it with love and kindness. These bruises aren’t from his fists, for once, yet somehow, it feels worse because I’d rather his fists beat me than him force himself on me to get me pregnant.
I’m thankful for one thing—Nero. He’s kept me sane these last few weeks. He’s kept his word and hasn’t told Dante anything. He feeds me secretly every day. He’s kind and funny, and he finds places to take me so I’m not stuck in the house. I’m even noticing a slight tan on my skin from our days spent sightseeing.
Today is my birthday. I’m excited because Nero has plans for our day, and he’s been teasing me all week, giving me clues. I can’t dress in anything that doesn’t cover me up, so I choose jeans and a shirt, and when I glance back in the mirror, I decide to unfasten the top two buttons. It’s hardly revealing anything, but I smile as I bounce downstairs. Today, I feel beautiful, and I haven’t felt like that in such a long time.
Nero is waiting in the kitchen. He picks me up and spins me around until I laugh. “Happy birthday.” He puts me back on my feet and produces a small box. I take it, biting my lip to hide my smile. “It’s just something small.”
“You shouldn’t have,” I whisper, carefully removing the wrapping paper. I haven’t celebrated my birthday since I met Dante, so getting a gift feels alien. I open the box to reveal a delicate silver bracelet with a tiny diamond. “It’s your birthstone . . . April,” he explains.
I throw my arms around him. “Thank you so much. I love it.”
He wraps me in his strong arms and something shifts between us. As I pull back, we stare into each other’s eyes, and for a second, I contemplate kissing him. Fuck, I really want to kiss him. But then the front door slams and we pull apart. I shove my gift into the nearest drawer and turn just as Dante walks in. “Happy birthday, my gorgeous wife,” he says, smiling bright. I frown as he pushes a bunch of flowers into my hands and kisses me on the head.
“Thank you,” I mutter, feeling confused. Nero smiles awkwardly.
“And here’s a special gift,” Dante adds, placing a long, thin, wrapped box in my hand. “Nero, we won’t be needing you today,” he adds, and I feel my heart crush in my chest. I was so excited about today. “I have plans that involve my wife and our bed,” he says, winking.
Nero nods once and steps towards the exit. “Okay, Boss.” We lock eyes before he turns and leaves.
Dante pulls my face up to look at him. “Why do you look so sad? It’s your birthday.”
“I didn’t think you knew,” I mutter.
He laughs again. “Of course, I know your birthday. I know everything about you. Now, open your gift.”
I rip the paper and my heart stops. “It’s a pregnancy test,” I mutter.
“What better gift? If this is positive, we can celebrate.” And if it’s not . . .
He leads me to the bathroom, taking the test from me and unboxing it. “Pee in this,” he says, handing me a small plastic pot.
“I don’t know if I can pee on demand,” I admit.
“Don’t talk crap, Tessa, just piss in the damn pot.”
I do as asked, and he takes the pot, placing it on the side. I watch as he dips the stick and lays it flat beside it. Then he turns to me and wraps his arms around me. “This could change our lives,” he says, kissing me. “I can’t wait to be a dad,” he adds, tugging my hair and kissing me harder. “I’ve always wanted a son I can teach. He can take over from me when I get too old.” He laughs as I cross my fingers behind my back and pray to God it’s negative. Damn the consequences.
NERO
“Can you come back to the house?” Dante asks when I answer his call.
“Of course. Everything okay?”
