AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked around watching everyone running around to secure their safety everyone packing up their belongings and ridding any traces of our next destination, getting rid of any existence the King's once had in this home. I felt a whirl of emotions rushing through me, but denial seemed to be the strongest form of emotion. I didn’t want to believe we were simply forgetting all that we went through in this estate, every inch of this land held a story, held a memory, held a burst of emotion. The secrets the walls hide and keep safe, now gone to keep another’s secret hidden. I looked in my lap seeing Dante sleeping softly after a long eventful night I sighed sliding back into the bed. I put him down beside me and walk towards the window. Looking out I couldn’t help but feel bitter.
Everything was always being taken from me and it was always due to him, he took my parents away from me, they’re alive yet I wished I never saw them in the state they were in. Alive but traumatised. My son was now his next target, my life was his final destination, and it terrifies me the lengths he might go to in order to get it.
What settles my mind is the lengths I and Vincenzo will go to protect Dante … would Vincenzo go to any length to protect me? I fluttered my eyes closed reminiscing about all the good memories I once shared in this home, in this very room. “Isabella?” I turned to the door and saw Lorenzo peeking in, I smiled and waved him in. “How’s Dante adjusting?” I let out a small puff of air ruffling my hand through my hair. “Better than I expected, I think his tried form all the running around” I laughed.
Lorenzo looks up at me “how about you?” He cautiously asks. I turn my gaze from Dante to Lorenzo, I bite my bottom lip before nodding slowly, “I can’t believe I’m back, and I can’t believe I’m already leaving.” I state.
“Vincenzo wants to make sure all precaution is taken, he wants Dante, you and the rest of his men safe. They managed to break in once before …” he winced recalling the painful memory. “He won’t take that chance again, and quite frankly neither will I.” I nodded my head in agreement, “where is he?” I asked, he looked at me and nodded his head towards his office. “Can you stay with him for a minute?” I asked softly. He nodded his head and took his place next to Dante. I thanked him and quickly made my way towards Vincenzo’s office. After everything we’ve been through, I knew him well enough to know he doesn’t like feeling cornered or helpless, and Vincenzo hates. Making. Mistake's and his been wallowing for three months.
“Vincenzo?” I knocked on the door softly calling out his name, his back turned to me as he was ruffling through a bunch of papers on his desk. His back muscles moved intensely with every movement, sweat was visible on his back and his stressed state could be seen from a mile away. I stepped closer edging slowly not wanting to set him off, “this isn’t your fault” I whispered. He grabbed the glass of bourbon and viscously throwing it against the wall. The loose papers he had in his hand now scattered on the floor as he swiped everything off his desk. “Vin-”
“Don’t.” He warned still not turning around to look me in the face, I went to say something, but he cut me off again. “Isabella don’t” I let out a defeated sigh and turned around to walk away before something caught my eye. A baby’s desk in a box, I smirked softly and bent down towards it “what’s this?” I whispered softly. I opened the box seeing all the parts to build a mini desk for a little kid. “Is this desk for Dante?” I laughed softly, the smile on my face becoming impossible to wipe off. I turned to look at Vincenzo, his back still turned, hands gripping the edge of the desk his back muscles tense keeping his head down. I let go of the box and walked towards him, I stood behind him and without hesitation hugged him from behind, my arms wrapped around his waist protectively while I nuzzled my head against his back.
“Listen to me this isn’t your fault” I whispered. Under my touch he relaxed slightly, his white knuckles going back to its original shade his tense stature now calming down his body immediately reacting to my touch. “Yes. It is” he insisted.
“Until I entered your life again, you and Dante were safe. You getting out of this house was the greatest gift I could’ve given to you and our son. Now I selfishly took it from you and now your back in a live or die situation.” He vented feeling defeated.
I stood back offended on his behalf, “Vincenzo look at me” I demanded, “Vincenzo, it’s unwise to piss off a Hispanic women who hasn’t had a decent sleep in a year.” I warned him lowly, he let a small laugh escape his lips before he finally turned around to face me.
“My life was already in danger long before I met you. I was in a deep hole and the more I ran the more I dug myself deeper. Our meeting wasn’t conventional but without it I would’ve been dead a long time ago … or back in that basement.” I bit back tears as I looked up at him.
“When you were lost … and everyone thought you died.” I took a shaky breath and moved my hair out of my face, “all I remember was thinking that you can’t be dead, you promised me to insanity, and we haven’t reached it yet. You promised me you’d be back, and you don’t break promises.” His eyes softened as he hung onto every word I said, “even though when you came back, you didn’t know who I was I didn’t care I was just happy to have you back again. The fighting and the lack of trust could be fixed but if you weren’t in my life nothing could fix it.” I took a small step closer, “Dante is lucky to have a dad like you, a dad that will go to the end of the world to protect him, a dad that wants his son next to him at all times that you bought him a mini desk” I laughed looking behind me at the box that stood next to the door.
“Xavier isn’t your fault. Its mine and it always has been mine. He is after me and I should’ve known he would use what’s dearest to me to get me. He killed Maria, and now he will kill you and my son to secure me. This isn’t your mistake its mine” I admitted my eyes glazing over.
“No. He is just as much my enemy as he is yours, and together we will get rid of him. He stole Dante from me once, I won’t give him touch my son” I nodded my head smiling, he pulled me into a protective hug and I stayed there for a second, it’s been a long time since I felt like we were back to what we once were. That small moment we had that vanished as fast as it came. “ISABELLA DANTE’S HUNGRY AND MY NIPPLES DON’T OPERATE LIKE THAT” Lorenzo shouted across the hall, I sniffled a laugh and shook my head. “Duty calls” I saluted and made my way out of his office.
x
I looked over at Dante who was wide awake, trying to get my attention. I giggled and sat up right grabbing him, “you’re getting big huh?” I baby talked, “you’re becoming a big boy” I sang, he laughed looking at my facial expressions. “Oh, you got your aunties cheeky laugh” I blew into his stomach, he gripped my hair and let out a baby chuckle. I kept doing it until his grip eased slightly, “oh mummy’s going to have no hair” I frowned to which he giggled. “Cheeky boy” I glared him.
A knock on my door snapped me out of it. Ariana peeked her head in followed by Lorenzo, “we heard talking and laughing and wondered why we weren’t apart of it” I rolled my eyes laughing.
Inviting themselves in they plopped on my bed and took Dante and started playing with him. “Do you mind watching him for a little while I go check on my parents and the move.” They nodded their heads empathetically. I quickly slipped on my slippers and made my way to the clinic.
“Isabella” the nurse greeted me, I smiled and nodded my head “how are they?” My voice cracking trying to keep it together. “Better than yesterday, they went through physical as well as mental therapy.
We have them on appropriate medication as well, but they are aware of everything they went through but are making promising progress accepting it.” I nodded my head. “They’ve been through worse together, I don’t think it was their hostage situation that made them lose it, it was hearing me in the other room crying for them and then them witnessing me break.” I thought aloud. The nurse looked at me with sympathetic eyes, I shook my head and went to see them. “Mum? Dad?” I called softly, they turned and looked at me smiling. “mariposa” Mama chimed up. “I’m sorry for scaring you yesterday” she softly whispered. I shook my head “no it’s okay … I can’t imagine what you went through all those years.” I whispered lowering my head feeling guilty.
“I’m sorry I gave up” I whispered, referencing so many things, giving up on avenging them, giving up on my family, and on myself. My dad edged closer and hesitantly embraced me in a hug, he sighed easing into it “that wasn’t your fault, were sorry we couldn’t save you when you called out.” He whispered trying not to break down, I shook my head whipping a tear that escaped. “No. I could take it. You did raise me to be tough” I smiled. He weakly smiled back knowing that was a lie, that I took it, but I broke down eventually that I became numb to everything and everyone. “Isabella … is it true?” My mum chimed up, I turned to look at her and judging from her facial expressions I knew exactly what she was referring to. I gulped and lowered my head “Oh my god” she whispered holding her hand to her mouth, “my flower died?” She softly cried. I bit my bottom lip shutting my eyes closed, nodding my head slowly. “She made me promise her something.” I whispered softly.
I let out a deep breath before getting the courage to look at them, “She wanted me to tell you that, she missed you both and loves you both more than anything.” They both held nodded their heads smiling through the tears that escaped their eyes. I cleared my throat before continuing “Maria wanted me to tell you Mama that she still checked up on the flower shop and that she planted the seeds you gave her. She didn’t want anyone to mourn her passing.
She wanted us to bathe and remember her life for what she was to remember that even though she’s gone now Maria will always be around. She told me to tell you both that when you miss her look at the flowers or the waves at sea and know she’s there.” I took another deep breath wanting to just break down and cry, but I cleared my throat. I promised Maria, I’d tell them when I found them, I reminded myself and looked at Dad. “She wanted me to tell Papa that she tried to keep me out of trouble and that she loves you so much. That you were her rock and her role model the man she wanted in a husband and the man she knows is going to be the best Abuelo” I finished. Their eyes winded, “Abuelo?” They both questioned. “You both became grandparents a month ago.” I smiled softly, “you and X-” I quickly cut off my mum not wanting her to finish that name. “Vincenzo” I corrected them. They both nodded their heads relieved. “What did you call him?” She whispered, “Dante” I whispered.
They both awed, Vincenzo tapped on the glass softly letting me know it was time for us all to go. I nodded my head and helped my parents leave the room.
The nurses assisted, “Get Dante and all your things I’ll meet you in the car” I nodded my head and rushed back to grab my boy and our things. That consisted of Maria’s things that was left behind and Dante’s baby bag.
“This is where it all started, can’t believe it got taken from us” I whispered holding Dante on my hip, he gripped my shirt biting his bottom lip looking around cluelessly. I laughed looking at him “Oh how I wish I could be as clueless as you right now amor” I kissed his forehead and made my way out of the room closing the door behind me. Vincenzo grabbed Dante from me holding him up giving him a kiss, “Leone” he boosted holding him up full of pride. I shook my head looking at the two, Dante was giving his dad the biggest grin ever, “careful his drool might fall in your mouth” I laughed.
Every man was now locked and loaded the estate looked like no man’s land, I let out a bittersweet sigh and got inside the car. I jumped in the back of the range rover putting Dante in his seat, then taking my seat in the passenger’s seat next to Vincenzo. Ariana and Lorenzo joined us and sat beside Dante in the back.
“Where are we going?” I questioned.
“Somewhere safe” he replied taking off.
x
